How to upgrade a Mac: Swap in new RAM, graphics card, hard drive and more

How to upgrade a Mac: Swap in new RAM, graphics card, hard drive and more

What if we told you that you can take an older Mac and turn it into something that feels and acts like it's fresh from the Apple Store -including jaw-dropping performance, and features such as Handoff or Fusion disk technology that are theoretically only available with latest models? If you've got a powered by an Intel CPU manufactured as early as 2007 then it can be surprising what's possible via a few hardware or software hacks; and there are plenty of upgrades for Mac Pro owners too. In this article we look at the upgrades that are possible on each category of Mac, as well as discussing some more general Mac upgrade advice. Wondering what tools you might need to get into your Mac? Look here first: If you don't want to do something as drastic as upgrading your Mac, read about . Please note, first of all, that this guide doesn't cover pre-intel Mac models. And it probably goes without saying, but DIY upgrades can invalidate your Mac's warranty. Before you get the screwdrivers out, be sure to check your device serial number against . Nowlet's talk briefly about what be upgraded or hacked. Put simply, it's often not possible to upgrade the CPU in a Mac, or its GPU (that is, the graphics card). With Mac models featuring Thunderbolt you can attach , but those Macs are recent models. In the categories below we explain which components can and can't be upgraded. Some components can be swapped for replacements if they suffer damage or failure, and there are online. You can swap out a dead , for example, or a cracked screen for a replacement. But it isn't possible to take advantage of an upgrade at the same time you can't fit a higher-resolution screen, or upgrade to a more powerful battery, or swap your SuperDrive for a Blu-Ray model (although it is possible to ). As for most of the other components in your Mac, however Well, it's open season. On the we look specifically at updating RAM, the SSD and creating a Fusion Drive. Once you get the bottom cover open, you'll find the MacBook Pro is surprisingly easy to improve upon. The internal workings changed a little when Apple introduced Retina, but there's still plenty in common between the various models. The MacBook Air is a little more limited, but you should be able to upgrade the SSD and battery. The Retina MacBook on the other hand can't be upgraded at all, unfortunately. | In all MacBook models the processor is soldered onto the motherboard and not upgradeable. RAM is soldered to the motherboard and cannot be upgraded. Thankfully, this is not the case for pre-Retina MacBooks. Easy Screwdriver, compatible RAM You may have to remove the lower case to get to it, but once you're there, replacing your Macbook's RAM SO-DIMMs is relatively simple. Read these to change the RAM in the Mid 2012 Unibody MacBook, or look below for your specific model. As previously mentioned, RAM upgrades are currently not an option in Retina models. Apple provides an illustrated guide for memory upgrades. Just click Apple > About this Mac, andclick the Memory tab thenthe Memory Upgrade Instructions link. You can also find out what kind of RAM you might need using . Wondering about how much RAM your Mac can actually take? Have a look . Plus, we have this article about . Hard Screwdriver, compatible HDD or SSD As time goes on, hard drives continue to fall in price and nobody ever complained about having too much storage. So, if you've an old Macbook, and are willing to do a little work, then a new HDD (or SSD) might be just what the doctor ordered to fit an HDD in an older MacBook, or look below for your specific model Hard Screwdriver, , compatible HDD or SSD As optical media appears to be on the way out, many savvy users with older MacBooks are switching out their optical drive for a second HDD or SSD. Here's how. Here are , we have instructions for other models below This is for pre-Retina models only, Apple did away with optical storage in Retina. If you're installing a second storage drive into your Mac, you might be interested in our article about . Hard Screwdrivers, compatible SSD Newer, MacBook-compatible SSDs now available can provide the same speed as the one that came with your Mac but far more storage. Here's how to upgrade yours. , for more instructions look below. It's worth noting that various Retina models use different proprietary SSD varieties. It is best to check which is right for your MacBook. In the UK, is a good place to start looking. Here's a run down of the different post Intel-switch MacBook upgrades you can carry out according to the model: The Retina MacBook is not very repairable at all. If you want to find out about the few things you can change read . The iMac ( | ) isn't particularly upgrade friendly (most of its upgrades involve screen removal, which can be tricky). Despite this, once you get 'under the hood' you'll find that there are plenty of components waiting to be improved upon. Barring RAM upgrades which are very easy if you have a 27-inch model, but less easy for the 21-inch iMac, most iMac modifications involve removing the screen, the outer layer of which is attached via very strong magnets on older models. Many upgrade guides recommend the use of suction cups to do this. If you don't have suction cups to hand (we didn't) you can use a credit card to lever the outer layer off as we did in the picture below. Just don't break your card in the process In short, you can upgrade almost everything inside the iMac, but there are some 21-inch models for which the RAM can't be touched as it is soldered on. Whether it's the RAM, hard drive, GPU, CPU, or something else, upgrading the iMac is generally possible, although it can be tricky, especially with the 21.5-inch model Easy (really easy if you have a 27-inch iMac) Screwdriver RAM is the easiest thing to upgrade in your iMac because it doesn't involve removing the screen. All you need is a screwdriver and a little patience. : Intel 27-inch with a 27-inch iMac there is a hatch on the back of the screen which allows you to replace the RAM really easily. If you have a Intel 21.5in iMac then we recommend you follow or one of the ones linked to below. Apple has recently made it easier to update the RAM in the 21.5in iMac, but it's still difficult to get to it. Apple provides an illustrated guide for memory upgrades: just click Apple > About this Mac, and then click the Memory tab and then the Memory Upgrade Instructions link. You can also find out what kind of RAM you might need using . Wondering about how much RAM your Mac can actually take? Have a look . Hard Screwdriver, some kind of card/suction cups, compatible SSD or HDD If you want to take advantage of falling storage prices and you're not adverse to taking off your iMac's screen, then a hard drive upgrade is a great way to get a little more life out of your Mac. You could follow this oror one of the ones linked to below, depending on your model. Hard Screwdriver, some kind of card/suction cups, compatible SSD or HDD Removing the optical drive isn't an option for every type of iMac, but if you're not seeing much need for DVDs and CDs any more, this is a logical (if somewhat tricky) use of space. You could follow instructions, depending on the age of your machine. If you're installing a second storage drive into your Mac, you might be interested in learning . Hard 2 credit cards/suction cups, compatible GPU Whilst upgrading the iMac's graphics card doesn't seem to be popular amongst Mac power users, it is certainly possible. Follow instructions to update the graphics in your iMac. There are further links below according to the model you have. Hard 2 credit cards/suction cups, thermal paste, various screwdrivers, compatible processor As a rule of thumb, processor upgrades are some of the hardest to get right as such, they are not quite as popular. The iMac is no exception, but if you're feeling adventurous, take a look below Follow instructions to update the processor in your iMac. There are further links below according to the model you have Do you really need to upgrade your processor? If you're looking for performance improvements in an iMac, you may wish to consider replacing your boot drive with an SSD first. Here's a run down of the different iMac upgrades you can carry out according to the model: In short, you can upgrade almost everything. Apple designed the Mac Pro to be improved upon and, over the years, this flexibility combined with aftermarket ingenuity has made it into what is arguably the ultimate FrankenMac. Hard Various screwdrivers, anti static wrist strap, thermal paste, rubbing alcohol It is possible to upgrade your Mac Pro's processor but it is not for the faint of heart. Many opt for professional assistance, take a look at the tutorial and decide for yourself. Follow these instructions to update the processor in Do you really need to upgrade your processor? If you're looking for performance improvements you may wish to consider replacing your boot drive with an SSD first. Make sure that your new processor is compatible: Some have created a list of compatible processors. Easy Nothing Upgrading the RAM on your Mac Pro is about as straightforward as a Mac upgrade can be. All you need to do is remove the side panel and push down on the ejectors next to each panel. Follow these instructions to Apple provides an illustrated guide for memory upgrades: just click Apple > About this Mac, and then click the Memory tab and then the Memory Upgrade Instructions link. You can also find out what kind of RAM you might need using . Wondering about how much RAM your Mac can actually take? Have a look . Easy Screwdriver Thanks to the modular 'sled' design in the Mac Pro, removing and replacing your HDDs is a breeze. Upgrade the hard drive in the cheese-grater Medium Screwdriver, 2.5in hard drive sled mount/adaptor The Mac Pro's hard drive bays were originally designed for 3.5in HDDs but you can mount an SSD (which is smaller) using a 2.5in sled/adaptor. How to install an SSD in a Hard Screwdriver, M.2 PCI-e SSD to PCI-e Adapter Card, SSD (either in 'blade' M.2 form factor or SATA) Another way to install an SSD into your Mac Pro without even touching your HDD bays is to install it directly via PCIe with an adaptor. The PCIe connection actually yields better performance than the standard SSD through SATA approach, and allows you to mount 5 hard drives internally (1 via PCIe, x4 via SATA). How to add a into Mac Pro If you opt to use a blade drive instead of a standard SATA SSD, you may want to look at , which provides a list of compatible components. Want to know what TRIM is, and how it can help your third-party SSD work better? Check out on the pros and cons. Medium Screwdriver, anti static wrist strap Unlike with some other models, a graphics card upgrade can seriously boost the performance of your Mac Pro. Be sure to check your card compatibility first. Upgrading an Although there are a lot of PCIe compatible graphics cards, most were designed for windows computers and driver support can be an issue. We've provided a few recommendations in our guide: Medium Screwdriver, compatible Blu-Ray drive For various reasons, Blu-Ray was never a format officially supported by Apple. However, many Blu-Ray drives are compatible if you're willing to put the work in. Upgrading an Though not officially supported by Apple, there are some workarounds that'll allow you to watch Blu Ray movies on your Mac. Check our guide here: Officially, Apple only allows us to upgrade the RAM and SSD on the Cylindrical Mac Pro and these are both relatively easy to do. Unofficially, adventurous Apple users have worked out how to upgrade the processor too. A note on graphics cards: Both graphics cards are removable and can be replaced, but, due to compatibility issues and a complete lack of aftermarket options, it seems there's nothing really to upgrade to (yet?). As usual, iFixit have . | The Cylinder Mac Pro contains no traditional drive bays and was built mainly for external expansion via Thunderbolt 2. So, if you're looking for additional SATA storage, or more PCIe slots, there are a number of external Thunderbolt 2 products that will do the job for you. As for what can be upgraded internally, take a look at the below: Easy Nothing It's worth being in mind that the memory latches are not very sturdy and prone to bending if you're not careful. OWC provides a 'nylon pry tool' (AKA Spudger) for just this, but it's not entirely necessary a little gentleness and a little patience go a long way. Apple provides an illustrated guide for memory upgrades: just click Apple > About this Mac, and then click the Memory tab and then the Memory Upgrade Instructions link. You can also find out what kind of RAM you might need using . Wondering about how much RAM your Mac can actually take? Have a look . Medium Screwdriver, compatible 'blade' SSD There are now a small number of compatible aftermarket SSDs that, although expensive, can provide plenty more internal storage for your Mac Pro (up to 4TB). At the current time, OWC seem to be the only source of such drives. How to 2013 Mac Pro. A more cost-effective way to increase your Mac Pro's storage might be via an external Thunderbolt drive the 20GBps bandwidth can provide excellent performance. Very hard Screwdrivers, thermal compound, tweezers, spudger It is possible to upgrade your Mac Pro's processor but it is not for the faint of heart. Many opt for professional assistance, take a look at the tutorial videos linked in the Everymac page below and decide for yourself. As a rule of thumb, earlier versions the Mac Mini are not particularly 'upgrade friendly'. There's also quite lot of variation in the internal layout of the various models, which means that some require more disassembly than others there is often the need to unplug components on the logic board. Depending on the model you're working with, it's likely that you'll need some kind of flat implement to get the top cover off (blunt, not sharp). Don't let that stop you, though we managed to do it . | In most makes of Mac Mini you can't upgrade the processor for models released since 2009, processors have been soldered onto the motherboard. Hard Putty knife or equivalent blunt implement, screwdriver, spudger Follow these to update the RAM in the Mac mini Apple provides an illustrated guide for memory upgrades: just click Apple > About this Mac, and then click the Memory tab and then the Memory Upgrade Instructions link. You can also find out what kind of RAM you might need using . Wondering about how much RAM your Mac can actually take? Have a look . Hard Putty knife or equivalent blunt implement, screwdriver, spudger Follow these to update the HDD in your Mac mini Hard Putty knife or equivalent blunt implement, screwdriver, spudger, Installing two hard drives is not an option for every type of Mac Mini, but if you have a Mid 2011 model, and fancy a challenge try this. If you're installing a second storage drive into your Mac, you might be interested in learning . On the next page we have specific information about adding RAM and adding an SSD.