Core i3 iMac (iMac) to put an i7 processor?

Uncertainty from grayson: Can you put an i7 processor in a core i3 iMac?

I have a mid-2010 core i3 iMac and I was wondering if I could change the processor to a core i7?

Would apple do the for me?

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Best answer:

Answer by Ryan

You have to be extremely skilled to be able to change the processor in a laptop or an all in one. And no, Apple wouldn’t do that for you either.

Answer by ToeCutter

It would all depend on the socket type that’s in your Mac. The i3 uses socket LGA 1155 & LGA 1156 whereas the i7 uses LGA 1155, LGA 1156, LGA 1366, and LGA2011. So it would all depend on what socket type your motherboard has as well as the EFI (BIOS) would support a i7 or not.

No the people at the Apple store would not change it out since upgrading the processor wouldnt be supported by Apple.

Answer by Borg 3 of 5

It seam’s no becasue the Mac can’t power a bigger Core and apple engineer’s made it that way to keep cost down like a dell . I

Processor Upgrade Experiment Results

Knowing how the processor is mounted in a particular Mac only is half the battle. Whether or not a processor upgrade will function requires actual experimentation.

HardMac was able to successfully upgrade an iMac “Core i5″ 2.66 27″ (Late 2009) — equipped by default with a 2.66 GHz “Core i5″ I5-750 processor — to a 2.93 GHz “Core i7″ I7-870 processor. It is worth noting that this model also could be equipped with a 2.8 GHz “Core i7″ I7-860 processor at the time of purchase via build-to-order configuration.

Although no details are provided, multiple third-party forum readers also have claimed that swapping the stock 3.2 GHz “Core i3″ I3-550 processor in the iMac “Core i3″ 3.2 27″ (Mid-2010) with a 2.93 GHz “Core i7″ I7-870 processor worked without a problem. By default, this model also was available via build-to-order with a faster 3.6 GHz “Core i5″ I5-680 processor.

However, some other models apparently cannot be upgraded successfully. In response to a request for reader input, Jason Riley of Sydney, Australia kindly shared the results of his efforts to upgrade a iMac “Core i3″ 3.06 21.5″ (Mid-2010) with an LGA 1156-socketed 2.93 GHz “Core i7″ (I7-870) processor. He discovered:

The new processor physically fits fine but the computer wont boot with the new chip. I tried swapping the CPUs back and forth a couple of times just in case I missed anything but each time the i7 CPU failed to boot.

I suggest there are one of three possibilities:

Apple have restricted the logicboard firmware to specific CPUs.

There is not enough power for the i7 (95W as opposed to 74W).

The logicboard requires the graphics capabilities of the FCLGA 1156 Socket chips.

Based on the other successful upgrades — and the fact that this model could not be customized with a faster processor at the time of purchase — it seems highly likely that Apple implemented restrictions on logicboard firmware.

Processor Swappable Models

From the above experiments, it seems likely that Aluminum iMac models that could be upgraded to a faster processor at the time of purchase via build-to-order configuration do not have any restrictions on processor upgrades in firmware.

If this assumption is correct, these models can be upgraded to use a faster processor of either the same type or a faster processor of a different type (assuming processors are available that meet the socket and power requirements). A model originally configured with a Core i5 processor could be upgraded to a faster Core i5 processor or a model with a Core i3 processor could be upgraded to a Core i7 processor, for example.

This would mean that the following Aluminum iMac models can have the processor upgraded from one type to another after purchase:

iMac “Core 2 Duo” 2.4 24-Inch (Original/Mid-2007)

iMac “Core 2 Duo” 2.8 24-Inch (Early 2008)

iMac “Core 2 Duo” 3.06 21.5-Inch (Late 2009)

iMac “Core 2 Duo” 3.06 27-Inch (Late 2009)

iMac “Core i5″ 2.66 27-Inch (Late 2009)

iMac “Core i3″ 3.2 21.5-Inch (Mid-2010)

iMac “Core i3″ 3.2 27-Inch (Mid-2010)

iMac “Core i5″ 2.8 27-Inch (Mid-2010)

iMac “Core i5″ 2.7 21.5-Inch (Mid-2011)

iMac “Core i5″ 3.1 27-Inch (Mid-2011)

Processor Upgrade Summary

Ultimately, Aluminum iMac models that could be upgraded to a faster processor at the time of purchase via build-to-order configuration likely all can be upgraded to faster processors of a different type.

Models that could not, or cannot, be upgraded with a faster processor of a different type at the time of purchase likely cannot be upgraded later either due to firmware restrictions rather than technical ones. It still may be possible to upgrade these models to use a faster processor of the same type (Core i3 to Core i3), but such an upgrade is less worthwhile.

It also is possible that 27″ models that could be upgraded via build-to-order do not have firmware restrictions and 21.5″ and 24″ models still are restricted even if a processor upgrade was available at the time of purchase, although this seems less likely.

If upgrading the processor in an Aluminum iMac is important to you, buy a model that could have its processor upgraded at the time of purchase. If additional information becomes available, this Q&A will be updated further.

If you have additional information about upgrading the processor in any Aluminum iMac model based on hands-on experience please share. Thank you.

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Core i3 iMac (iMac) to put an i7 processor?