Introduzione
Il nuovo iMac M1 è solo un iPad di dimensioni ridicole, un MacBook M1 senza tastiera o un Mac Mini M1 allargato come l'impasto per la pizza? Lo scopriremo solo smontandolo, per quanto possa essere difficile. È l'ora di uno smontaggio.
Per più smontaggi e riparazioni, controlla il nostro canale YouTube e le nostre pagine Instagram e Twitter. Oppure, per avere tutte le novità da iFixit nella tua casella di posta elettronica, iscriviti alla nostra newsletter.
Cosa ti serve
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Puoi avere questo smontaggio in qualsiasi colore, purché sia viola. Abbiamo optato per il modello intermedio, con le seguenti specifiche:
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Chip Apple M1 con CPU 8 core (quattro core ad alte prestazioni e quattro core ad alta efficienza) e un Neural Engine da 16 core
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GPU integrata Apple M1 da 8 core
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RAM integrata da 8 GB
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Schermo True Tone da 23.5" (diagonale) in 4480 × 2520 e supporto per un miliardo di colori (gamut P3)
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SSD da 256 GB
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Stiamo smontando gli iMac da molto tempo, quindi siamo abbastanza veloci ormai, ma se sei impaziente, nulla batte un'immagine ai raggi X. Osserva questa bellezza dai nostri amici di Creative Electron.
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A confronto con l'immagine ai raggi X di un iMac Intel da 27" abbiamo notato:
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L'interno del nuovo iMac è dominato da due enormi placche in metallo. A cosa servono?
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Il logo Apple fornisce un conveniente passaggio per le frequenze radio per alcune antenne, ma, a differenza di prima, l'antenna stessa non è a forma del logo Apple.
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Quasi tutto il silicio è concentrato in delle strette strisce orizzontali in alto (la scheda dello schermo) e in basso (la scheda madre). Se hai visto i nostri smontaggi degli altri Mac M1, potresti essertelo aspettato.
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PS: Quei cerchi al centro sono batterie a moneta?
Is that X-ray of the 2-port model? It looks like it has only 1 fan and lacks the circuit board located in the metal plate’s cutout that’s seen in the photo in Step 5. (Which I’m also curious about - a whole extra board? What’s it for?)
Good eye! Yes, Creative Electron X-rayed the base model, so there are some differences from the mid-range unit in our teardown—mainly cooling hardware and ports.
I really can’t understand why they didn’t put the Apple logo centered, now that the hinge is lower and the center is free, at the very center of the iMac we have two button batteries…also what happened when they run out?
Those button batteries tend to last around 10 years in this kind of application, usually powering the internal real-time clock and saving some system settings when the computer is turned off and unplugged. On older Apple hardware a dead battery only causes the computer to forget the time and wifi connection when it has been unplugged. I wonder if this new hardware will behave in a similar way.
Button cells have been used in computers like this forever.
The Logo seems to be centered vertically in the space above the hinge, it would look weird dead center.
I also think those large areas of metal are resonant chambers for the speakers.
Some full-size (6-ft high) home speakers consist of two large (1-ft wide) but very thin (5 mm) pair of plates in each speaker. They can be loud (100-200 W). Did you tell us what technology the M1 iMac speakers use? Are they also just large piezzo speakers, or are the two chambers magnifiers for traditional speakers on either end?
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La Magic Keyboard inclusa ottiene il suo primo aggiornamento dal 2017, ora fornendo angoli più rotondi, il colore dell'iMac scelto e i tasti funzione riorganizzati.
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Senza dimenticarci i nuovi codici identificativi: modello A2449 e EMC 3579.
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Il nuovo sensore Touch ID in alto a destra non sembra per niente come quello dei MacBook: infatti è una copia esatta del defunto tasto home degli iPhone. Questa è la prima comparsa del Touch ID su una periferica, che ha alcune interessanti implicazioni sulla sicurezza/riparazione.
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Il nostro modello intermedio ha due porte Thunderbolt 4 e due normali USB C: il doppio del modello base, ma non molte per un desktop. Magari c'è posto all'interno per delle espansioni?
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La porta rotonda dell'alimentazione sembra venire da Matrix. Meglio smontare questo iMac velocemente, prima che impari il kung fu.
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Sulla base troviamo un nuovo numero di modello: A2438 più l'unico EMC 3663, e dice "Made in Thailand".
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L'iMac M1 è spesso quanto due iPad, non è profondo abbastanza per una presa jack, quindi è stata messa di traverso.
Some (like mine) were also built in Cork, Ireland ??
Can you please not partake in the ridiculous personification of Apple products? Neuroblabla hardware notwithstanding these don’t have consciousness so deserve an article: “*the* iMac turned its jack sideways”.
Are you getting offended over the personification of a computer? lol
Duck -
In the Middle East made in china iMac seriously
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Urrà! L'iMac M1 utilizza ancora il classico adesivo degli iMac: non è quell'incubo appiccicoso degli iPad che temevamo.
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Non tutto è familiare. Il sorprendente taglio superficiale è irregolare in modo preoccupante. Fortunatamente, il nostro tagliapizza è passato solo sopra una serie di supporti protettivi in plastica delle viti, nulla di delicato.
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A differenza degli iMac precedenti, questo ha una sola lastra di vetro, nessun mento in metallo che impedisce l'accesso alle componenti interne. Solo dei cavi da scollegare e nessuna inutile trappola!
Can we get some close-ups of the white/gray (whatever) bezels. Would it be difficult to change them to black?
The glass breaks a the slightest bump. I have experienced my first crack in 2 days after the purchase :(
Are there any cables connecting the display to the motherboard?
Yes! Multiple cables connect between the display and the motherboard. They are pretty long, so you can see and disconnect them if you open the iMac slowly.
Hey! How did you disconnect the screen from the logic board, power supply, etc? Were the cables difficult to get to?
This teardown is an educational first look into a device, where we note interesting features and give it a repairability score. It is not meant to be used as a repair guide—stay tuned for our repair manuals!
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CompraAttrezzo utilizzato in questo passaggio:Marlin Screwdriver Set - 5 Precision Screwdrivers for iPhone$19.99
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Il nostro cacciavite a bussola da 2,5 mm fa una rara apparizione (ti puoi ricordare del suo ruolo nello smontaggio dell'iPhone 6s) per svitare le viti a distanziale della scheda madre. Grazie al nostro kit iPhone Marlin, ne abbiamo uno a portata di mano!
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La scheda madre delle dimensioni di quella di un MacBook Air M1 senza ventole è ospitata nel "mento" artificiale dell'iMac.
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A differenza di quello nel MacBook Air, questo M1 è raffraddato da un paio di ventole. Entrambe le ventole soffiano sulla scheda madre, dove il dissipatore rilascia calore dall'M1 con un condotto termico in rame e due corti dissipatori.
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Torneremo per un'occhiata più da vicino a queste ventole, ma non possiamo resistere ad una scheda madre nuda!
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Grazie all'architettura M1, questa è la scheda madre più piccola mai vista su un iMac. Vediamola da più vicino.
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SoC (sistema su un chip) Apple APL1102/339S00817 64-bit M1 8-core
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Memoria SK Hynix H9HCNNNCRMMVGR-NEH 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) LPDDR4
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Memoria flash Kioxia KICM225VE4779 128 GB NAND
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Modulo Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Murata 339S00763
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IC di gestione dell'energia Apple APL1096/343S00474
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IC di gestione dell'energia Apple APL1097/343S00475
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IC di gestione dell'energia Richtek RT4541GQV
Might this actually be LPDDR4X as in the M1 MacBooks? SK Hynix does sell both, but SK Hynix’s Model Decoder would indicate this may actually be LPDDR4X. H9HCNNNCRMMVGR-NEH and the 10th digit: U is LPDDR4, M is LPDDR4X.
The circular thing looks like the weird power socket shown in photo #1 in step 4.
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Ora mettiamola giù, giriamola e ruotiamola:
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Memoria flash Kioxia KICM225VE4779 128 GB NAND
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Memoria flash Macronix MX25U6472F 64 MB serial NOR
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Controller ethernet Broadcom BCM57762
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Controller cavo USB-C Infineon (formerly Cypress Semiconductor) CYPDC1185B2-32LQXQ
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eFuse con monitoraggio del carico di corrente e protezione sovratensioni Texas Instruments TPS259827ON 15-amp
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Codec audio Cirrus Logic CS42L83A
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Un misterioso tasto con tre LED al di sotto: per cosa può essere? Diagnostica? Un segreto codice morse diretto a Tim Cook? Diteci cosa ne pensate nei commenti!
The “mysterious button” you mention here is actually a diagnostic LED (common in all of Apple’s desktops). In the picture provided here, the right-most LED is LED 1, the middle is LED 2, and the left LED is LED 3. Apple describes their indications as follows:
LED 1 = Communication to power adapter is OK.
LED 2 = Computer may be asleep or shutdown.
LED 3 = Computer is awake.
To view the diagnostic LEDs as described below, use a black stick to press the diagnostic LED button.
- LED 1 Indicates that the power adapter is plugged into an electrical outlet and trickle voltage from the power adapter has been detected by the main logic board. This LED will turn on when you connect the iMac and power adapter to an AC power source.
- LED 2 Indicates that the computer may be in sleep or shutdown.When the computer has been shut down correctly, LED 2 behavior may differ: If a startup event is scheduled in System Preferences/Energy Saver, then LED 2 will stay on after a correct shutdown.If no startup event is scheduled in System Preferences/Energy Saver, then LED 2 will turn off and will stay off as long as the iMac and power adapter are kept connected and an AC power source is present. Unplugging the power adapter or the AC power source from the power adapter, then plugging it back in will turn this LED back on, even if the computer is still off.After disconnecting and reconnecting the AC power source, this LED could remain off: If the AC power source is missing or the power adapter is disconnected.If the logic board is disconnected from the power adapter.If the power adapter is faulty.
- LED 3 Indicates that the computer is awake. This LED will be on when the computer is turned on and a video signal is being generated. If LED 3 is on and there is no image on the display, then the display or the cables between the display and logic board might be installed incorrectly or need replacement.
Neat! Thanks for confirming and sharing this info!
@arthurshi My pleasure!
M1… what could it B? Wait… M1B… MIB! Don’t ever push the button, or at least until your training agent tells you to. That connects to an AI that has petabyte transfer rates. The Matrix, indeed. Was Agent Smith also a former MIB agent…?
HAHA, The technicians worst nightmare.
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Ora passiamo alle porte! La scheda USB C ruota verso l'alto come la copertura dell'accendino nella tua macchina. Da qui si possono scollegare dalla scheda di interconnessione (incredibilmente sottile).
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Anche queste piccoline sono abbinate al colore. Non sempre concordiamo con le scelte di Apple, ma non possiamo negare che si impegnino nel prenderle.
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Dopo aver rimosso questa scheda di interconnessione sottile come un wafer, tuffiamoci nella nostra seconda porzione di chip da identificare:
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Controller ASMedia ASM3142 PCIe-to-USB 3.1 Gen 2
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Controller presa/alimentazione USB-C Texas Instruments CD3218B12
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Retimer Intel JHL8040R Thunderbolt 4
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Switch mux con compatibilità USB 3.1 type-C ASMedia ASM1543 10 Gbps 4:2
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Riduttore sincrono a due fasi Analog Devices (ex Linear Technology) LTC3890-2
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Sensore della temperatura Texas Instruments TMP464 a cinque canali
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Amplificatore audio Analog Devices SSM3515B 31 watt classe D
The Analog Devices SSM3515B is what the HomePod uses for its tweeters. SEVEN SSM3515B ICs
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Se tu, come noi ed alcuni utenti di Twitter dall'occhio fino, hai pensato che quelle camere in metallo erano parte del nuovo sistema di speaker, avevate ragione!
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Sono incredibilmente sottili (circa 1,5 mm all'apertura), ma la loro area si estende fino a coprire parecchio dello spazio interno, e di conseguenza aria, per un suono più pieno. Buon utilizzo di spazio che sarebbe altrimenti rimasto vuoto.
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Parlando di aria, il nostro modello intermedio di iMac include due piccole ventole (mentre nel modello base ce n'è solo una). Questo denota il primo dispositivo con M1 a doppia ventola, il che dovrebbe essere più che sufficiente, considerando quanto si sia comportato bene il MacBook Air M1 senza ventole con lo stesso chip.
Apple’s “obsession with audio quality” died when they quietly removed digital audio outputs from all of their devices in 2015.
What are you referring to? Digital audio output is available from the various types of USB ports that most of their devices have. If I understand correctly, the iPhone and iPad Lightning port only has digital audio output, and requires an adapter to expose an analogue audio output suitable for earphones or headphones (assuming that the device doesn’t have a headphone jack).
There must be a reason for including one or two fans, even though not required in other M1 devices. I wonder if Apple increased the M1 CPU clock rate for higher performance with one fan, and increased it further with two fans? I guess that this will become evident in M1 CPU benchmark testing.
Do your left and right side speakers sound the same? Mine has more bass on the right one and more treble on the left one. Do you think it could be an hardware problem, like maybe the left one wasn't “attached” to the metal chamber during assembly? Or maybe I just have some other problem on the speakers of one side. They don’t sound “broken”, just like totally different. Dark on the right, bright on the left.
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Ora vediamo più da vicino quella scheda delle batterie. I due contatti in uscita misurano 3 V, il che suggerisce che queste siano probabilmente delle batterie CMOS in parallelo. Ma perché averne due? E perché la strana posizione al centro del dispositivo?
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Solitamente ci aspettiamo una sola batteria CR2032 a protezione della NVRAM, come negli iMac precedenti.
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Miglior ipotesi: Il nuovo iMac era troppo sottile per avere una CR2032 sulla scheda madre. Questo è corretto: non potevano inserire la batteria da un AirTag. Quindi Apple ha invece utilizzato due batterie CR2016 alte la metà e spostate in questa posizione per avere spazio.
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Un'ispezione più da vicino rivela una striscia adesiva estensibile camuffata sotto la scheda delle batterie, dello stesso tipo utilizzato per tenere ferme le batterie degli iPhone.
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Anche qui la sottigliezza suggerisce una risposta: questa è una scheda sottilissima, tenuta ferma da una sottile striscia di adesivo.
Probably not for redundancy, but for capacity.
CR2032 is too thick for this model, so they used 2 CR2016s instead, more or less the same thing.
I think is the same Idea. The capacity of CR2032 is 220mAh and the CR2016 is 90mAh.
Is more thinner CR2016 than CR2032 but lower capacity reduce the time of retain CMOS memory like less than 5 Years (the estimated life time of this products)
And yes, for any think this, the CMOS battery is one of the “planned obsolescence” parameters.
@tomchai We took some measurements and I think you’re right. Good catch! The CR2032 battery from an AirTag is literally too thick for this iMac. Wow. Step has been updated accordingly.
I understand the need for some sort of battery for the CMOS but the placement seems to insure that the machine will eventually be bricked (or at the very least severely handicapped) by those getting depleted and almost impossible to replace. Why no making those user serviceable ?
To be honest I don’t this is “almost impossible to replace. It is literally right in the center once your take off the screen.
Also it doesn’t seem to cause the device to brick either. Most of the time you get inaccurate clock whenever you unplug the computer from power and that’s it.
Tom Chai -
It’s doubtful a dead CMOS battery will brick the machine. Modern systems usually only have these to keep the realtime clock going when the unit is powered down AND unplugged. In fact, if your Mac is plugged in, the drain on the batteries is probably 0, so the clock (pun intended) only starts running down substantially when the machine is taken out of service. These lithium cells have a crazy long shelf life; I have a copy of Legend of Zelda from the late 80s which still has the save games intact, backed up by a CR2032. RTCs draw a bit more current, but it’s still low.
I don’t expect these batteries to become an issue for multiple decades.
is it for find-my imac (bluetooth le advertise)?
why would they need RTC when they have internet??
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Cosa altro possiamo rimuovere da questo iMacPad? Abbiamo trovato:
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Una presa jack modulare. Buone notizie, considerando che questa è la porta che probabilmente verrà usata di più. La sottilezza del dispositivo ha un lato positivo: la presa jack non è sul retro.
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Un tasto di accensione, montato su un robusto supporto in metallo, incollato direttamente sulla copertura. Si attiva su una piccola cerniera.
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Il gruppo del triplo microfono con "qualità da studio": due in alto e uno rivolto in avanti vicino alla fotocamera.
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Il logo di Apple sul retro non si illumina come sui classici MacBook, ma irradia ancora. Come negli iMac precedenti, ha un foro che agisce come conveniente finestra per un antenna.
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La protezione dello schermo ha due fessure orizzontali che si appendono a delle alette sulla copertura, per tenere lo schermo fissato in sicurezza. La storia, ma nessun segno, indica LG come un possibile produttore per questo pannello.
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La cerniera del supporto non è più accessibile dall'esterno, quindi scegli l'adattatore VESA fin da subito o mettiti l'anima in pace, oppure usa una rotella per l'apertura degli iMac.
I’ve read that you can take it to the Genius Bar and they’ll put on a stand if you changed your mind about the VESA iMac but I have not tested this theory.
Asked them how much to put a vesa stand on mine whilst it was in for repair. Quoted me £125 so it can be done. Not sure of price swopping vesa to stand though
Michael -
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Come promesso, torniamo sulla nuova tastiera! Nonostante l'aggiornamento, resta difficile da aprire, ma la tripletta di ventosa resistente, alcool isopropilico e pazienza mostra i risultati.
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Il tasto del Touch ID potrebbe sembrare un semplice tasto da sopra, ma il retro sembra molto simile ad un sensore Touch ID di un iPhone 7.
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Questa non è una completa sorpresa: i sensori Touch ID sono stati associati crittograficamente ai rispettivi dispositivi originali per anni. Ma queste periferiche con Touch ID sono nuove, quindi abbiamo continuato a provare:
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Due iMac, una tastiera: una volta associata una tastiera ad un iMac, deve prima essere dissociata per riassociarla ad un altro iMac. Dissociandola invalida il profilo Touch ID sull'iMac, anche se viene riassociato alla stessa tastiera successivamente.
What else is in there?! What chips does it use?
what are the differences between the internals of the magic keyboard and the touch id one? Is there a new security chip?
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Il nuovo alimentatore (con la presa ethernet integrata) potrà vivere all'esterno al momento, ma non sfuggirà ai nostri strumenti! Abbiamo dovuto tirare fuori gli attrezzi pesanti, ma ne è valsa la pena.
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Benefici alla riparazione: se l'alimentatore dell'iMac si rompe, puoi sostituirlo facilmente. Inoltre, la mancanza di grandi condensatori esposti all'interno dell'iMac (come abbiamo visto su quelli precedenti) significa che sarai più al sicuro mentre lavori all'interno.
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D'altro canto, non potrai più sostituire i condensatori: non riuscirai ad entrare senza distruggere l'alimentatore.
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L'interno sembra simile ad un normale caricatore per i MacBook, anche se con un cavo internet che ci passa attraverso.
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La piccola scheda ethernet probabilmente rafforza ed indirizza il segnale internet attraverso il fascio di cavi nero.
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I cavi rossi passano la corrente nella corda magnetica non-Magsafe.
How does the coaxial magnetic connector on the (unpictured) other end of the cable connect (presumably) eight wires (four twisted pairs) for gigabit Ethernet? Are there tiny little fingers in the inner tube of the female connector on the iMac’s processor board? Can you take a look?
If you look closely at an X-ray transmission photo or a close-up photo of the motherboard, you can see 12 metal contacts on the circumference. Normally, the Ethernet signal line is 2x4, but I guess they made it 3x4 so that it is equivalent even if the connector is turned 180 degrees. On the other hand, I think the 15.9V9A DC current is supplied by the center electrode (positive) and the surrounding cylindrical electrodes (negative).
Thanks for that. It could alternatively be that the extra four contacts are for stuff like orientation sensing, communication with the power brick, standby power, voltage sensing …
I’m interested in what the connectors in the power cable are carrying:
Is the central metal pin in the connector at the iMac end connected to a conductor in the cable?
The four red wires carry DC from the power supply.
Do the remaining eight wires carry ethernet, i.e. four twisted pairs? If this is true, then is the ethernet transceiver on the iMac’s logic board, and the ethernet board in the power supply is only a passive connector?
An upcoming “M1X” Mac Mini is rumoured to use the same magnetic power connector. Will the power cord ethernet be capable of carrying 10 Gbit ethernet, an option they must be planning to provide, since it is an option on the existing M1 Mac Mini?
Yes, since you show a Broadcom BCM57762 ethernet controller chip on the main logic board, then the ethernet components in the power brick must be entirely passive.
Hi James! That’s a great observation and deduction!
What is the width in millimeters of the connector jack on the display side?
Did you make note what he DC voltages/amps that are being sent to the iMac? I have a crazy idea to convert one of these for usage off a 12V camper van setup and would love to know before I start dissecting!
Is the 16-pin chip on the underside the ethernet line side transformer?
If so can you check out the connections? Your photo shows 2 of them looking very dodgy.
My iMac is not able to get more than 100M through that connector and I’m guessing one of these connections is bad on my power brick also. Apple might have a quality issue here (though many wouldn’t notice the speed drop even if they use this niche port).
Ah I see that’s not the transformer now… it’s probably built into the RJ45 connector. The twisted pairs look to be in that black bundle that runs down to the RJ45 on it’s own little board with a weird bundle termination… Still, lots of places for a broken or bad connection between there and the Broadcom chip at the other end of the braided cable.
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Questo conclude il nostro smontaggio più viola finora, scusa Pixel.
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Il nuovo Apple iMac segue gli altri dispositivi M1 in una strada interessante, ma sempre meno riparabile.
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Un mucchio di ingegnerizzazione impressionante è servita per rendere questo dispositivo il più sottile possibile, ma serviva davvero a qualcuno un desktop all in one più sottile? Le priorità di Apple continuano a confondermi.
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Resta connesso! I prossimi sul tavolo degli smontaggi sono la nuova Apple TV e il telecomando con Siri, e forse anche un iPad Pro, quindi continua a controllare.
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Come sempre, lasceremo al nostro punteggio di riparabilità il giudizio finale.
Erstaunlich genug, daß Ihr für dieses "Bic Einwegfeuerzeug " eine 2 gebt!!! Eine 0 wäre wohl gerechter, denn " REPARIEREN " läßt sich das Teil ja wohl nicht mehr, nur wegwerfen und neukaufen! ƒ¨ç∆ Åππ@€!
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- Le ventole, le porte USB, la presa jack, il tasto di alimentazione, gli speaker e la fotocamera sono tutti ragionevolmente modulari ed aggiustabili velocemente.
- L'alimentatore esterno è banale da sostituire, ma molto difficile da riparare.
- Lo schermo è noioso da rimuovere e sostituire, ma è la componente più accessibile.
- Non c'è possibilità di modificare la memoria interna: un duro colpo alle riparazioni, agli aggiornamenti, il recupero dei dati ed anche alla sicurezza.
- La RAM è saldata direttamente sull'M1, rendendola impossibile da sostituire od aggiornare.
- L'unico ingresso è passando attraverso l'adesivo dello schermo, rendendo le riparazioni noiose.
Considerazioni Finali
Punteggio Riparabilità
(10 è il più facile da riparare)
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94 Commenti
Adhesive…humbug! Give me magnets.
Why? There is nothing upgradeable in the chassis. One can’t upgrade the SSD or RAM so what’s the point of going inside it other than that rare time to maybe clean the dust out of it?
Yeh that's true ..like having a ton of space inside and can’t even have a upgradable m.2 slot thts way too bad. I mean they cold have give a spare slot somewhere.
This is exactly what I want to know too! :)
Well actually I’m interested to know if it’s painted or an adhesive plastic, It would be nice for the chin to be transparent so you can see the speakers, fan and at least the metal shielding around the motherboard.
bob obba -
Well, if you want black, and are prepared to put up with a particularly snitty web page, take a look at dbrand.com.
Only if you replace the entire display.
Brandon -
Interesting look at the stand mount. Swapping the foot for VESA mount is going to require removing the display.
The VESA Mount iMac is a special build to order option from Apple. It is not a user-installable option.
can’t wait to see the screen cables and connectors…
Information is circulating that the M1 SSDs have a problem of premature wear? have you done wear tests on the M1 SSDs?
The SSD disk write issues have been fixed in 11.4 which came out today. The person who found the issue in first place says it was a result of a kernel bug. He also said 11.4 is said to have addressed the excessive write to SSD. Look at twitter link below for his statement.
People on MacRumours who are on 11.4 also said the SSD writes are much lower than before the update.
@vincentmaggio: check out this photo from Apple’s website which shows the VESA mount: https://store.storeimages.cdn-apple.com/...
I love the colors but the lack of upgradeability isn’t exactly making me rush out and get one. I wish they had kept the thicker design with magnets in the screen. A desktop machine does not have to be ultra thin. Please Apple, get off the thin and light trend.
I agree with you. But even if it were thicker, which would be nice because you would not have an audio cable sticking out of the side for powered speakers, the Apple Silicon platform means no more upgrades ever. Soldered RAM and soldered storage from this point forward. Having to pay Apple prices for more RAM and more storage. Nothing is repairable in this Mac, except the display. Something goes wrong, whole new motherboard.
”Nothing is repairable in this Mac, except the display.”
The power supply and the fans are the most likely things (still unlikely) to fail over time. The PSU is external and the fans can be replaced.
I would love to see upgradeable RAM though but it seems that the days for that are over. Also, RAM isn’t very likely to fail over time.
If Apple’s pricing was more reasonable I wouldn’t care about it at all, just buy enough when you buy the computer.
As someone who has fixed countless iMacs over the past 6 years from 2007 models to 2020 models I can confidently say that adhesive is here to stay and that is a good thing. The repair time on 2007-2011 models is significantly higher and more annoying. The adhesive is honestly convenient and nice, with 3-4 cuts you have the entire display off. An SSD upgrade can be done in 25 minutes on a 2015 iMac, on a 2011 the same repair would take 45 minutes.
Brandon -
PSA: The SSD disk write issues have been fixed in 11.4 which came out today. The person who found the issue in first place says it was a result of a kernel bug and he also says 11.4 addresses the issue. Update to 11.4 if your on M1 macs. Users on 11.4 from MacRumours have also reported that SSD writes are much lower on 11.4.
is it me or the x-ray of the M1 is missing the other fan? it seams to only have one on the left side.
In the comments above, the X-Ray is the base model unit with two ports and one fan. It is not the one they tore down.
The “metal plates” are obviously acoustic chambers, like in the 2015 iPad Pro. Look at the way they connect exclusively to the woofers.
Literally no reason for there to be a chin.
Multiple reasons: 1) the user can actually see the color, 2) the iMac is instantly recognizable, instead of a totally generic screen, and 3) Apple likes it. There are no technical reasons for the chin, since all the components would pretty clearly fit under the screen, so there are obviously aesthetic ones.
Jared -
I was so excited for new iMacs - but imo it’s a bigg miss in many respects. Not really a feat to make it slim when the psu is external. Not making the board user replaceable from the bottom (like ram on the old iMacs is a missed opportunity that really limits the repairablity and lifespan of this machine…
There are separate versions of iMac for use with VESA mount, thus no foot included.
Hopefully the extra space is for a battery. Apple is going to be sued for false advertising showing these things turned on with no power cord, and is going to have to recall them and install a battery.
I am just happy you can get in easily. If you want more storage, than you can plug in an external hard drive. Unfortunately RAM is soldered. Other than that, I am happy with the insides of the new iMac.
Are the ribbon cable connections to the logic board using the same connectors as the previous generation iMacs? Maybe there is hope for making a FrankenMac from a damaged 24” model…
Hrm, I’m wondering, since the glass directly covers the chin, could the very ambitious remove the paint from the interior of the glass and leave it clear (seeing the motherboard), or custom paint it.
I would have added to the summary that putting consumable parts like the two coin cells behind all that glue is just making a mockery of repairablity. Talk about engineering in a life span.
Those batteries should only be needed when it loses power and that is probably enough juice for it to be unplugged for 10 years.
Only Apple makes a computer that is beautiful on the inside but also impossible to open.
Actually I am a little disappointed. I felt sure Apple could get it down way below 2/10 on the ifixit scoring system. What were they thinking?
Right. I think all those color matched parts increased the modularity.
I can think of someone that might welcome thinner and lighter iMacs. “Low-level PC” techs. If you ever had to slug 300 new computers into a school and replace desktops, you’ll welcome the weight savings. It adds up to the wear and tears on one’s back. Just because a YouTube reviewer can’t think of a reason for something, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. No shade directed at iFixit. Just a self-awareness check for people that criticize for a living. Thanks for the hard work iFixit in bringing repair guides to the every-person!
If I can’t take the internal storage out of the case before I send the hardware off for repair, my company will not buy them which means they are effectively disposable.
Clunky solution: Get the least storage they offer, use it only for System and apps, and use external storage for everything else.
Calion -
It’s basically a glorified smartphone.
>in our testing, the iMac only draws about 60 watts at most.
Is that with the.Analog Devices SSM3515B 31-watt class-D audio amplifier on full blast? Does that mean it’d only draw 29 W without an amp? How about without a display? Does the Mini have the same amp in it?
And what do these chips do, with no battery to manage? Does the mini also have these?
>Apple APL1096/343S00474 power management IC
>Apple APL1097/343S00475 power management IC
>Richtek RT4541GQV power management IC
Good question John! We mostly tested the iMac at the brightest display level and fully loaded processor cores. We didn’t think to crank the volume up to 11 while we did that! That would probably add a substantial bit of watts.
That’s not a computer!
You need to be able to pop the lid, swap in a new SSD etc.
It probably will make a good office machine, look great on a receptionists desk etc., but of very limited appeal to those into computers.
It looks like the Mac mini is my only option - assuming an M1 Mac pro will cost way to much $$$$$
You can't swap in a new SSD on the Mini either.
Calion -
The question for me is if this new M1 iMac is also prone to the gray-spots-in-the-corners issue that all other iMacs have been over the years. Looking at the internal side of the screen panel it doesn’t seem sealed well around the metal frame to keep dust particles coming through the fan intake port from penetrating the display behind the glass. I guess only time will tell…
Why? There is nothing upgradeable in the chassis. One can’t upgrade the SSD or RAM so what’s the point of going inside it other than that rare time to maybe clean the dust out of it?
Eduardo Gomez - 11 hours ago
What about when those fans eventually seize, or clog up? What about a damaged headphone jack? How about replacing the screen due to damage/cracking? Those batteries will run out eventually too! 101 reasons why you should be able to (easily) access YOUR own device.
So it’s an iPad with a big screen. Apple really wants 100% disposable devices, doesn’t it? This is ridiculous. This is even worse than buying a car where the tires are permanently attached and you can’t change the oil. Oh, but you can replace the mirrors! Yeah, like anyone ever has to do that unless they’re in an accident…2/10 is ridiculously generous. It should be 0/10.
Everyone that says “So it’s an iPad with a big screen” is evidence that Apple is guilty of false advertising for showing them turned on displaying a screen saver, without being plugged in. How many people are going to be disappointed that it has no battery? I think Apple will have to recall them and put in the missing battery.
I noticed that the needle in the gauge on the Repairability Score jiggles a bit. Does that mean some of these iMacs are just slightly more repairable than others? So maybe 1.999999996 to 2.000000004?
This is a big step for Apple. They improved security to fully protect their devices from tampering by rogue consumers who falsely believe that just because they purchase a device, they have some kind of right to upgrade or repair it. Apple knows full well that there is an ample supply of fools who will overlook this limitation because PURPLE.
Here's the thing about this: The only difference in repairability between this and previous iMacs is that you can't replace the memory or storage. That's due to the increased speed from having it as an SOC, not to make it disposable. Although repairability is nice, so is speed.
Too bad the whole thing’s not ZIF, though.
Calion -
It’s basically becoming a gigantic smartphone.
Lol do you know anything about this thing? just because it Uses ARM Instruction set doesn’t mean its a Smartphone.
What in !&&* is the battery for? What is when they are empty?
It's for the clock when you unplug it.
Calion -
Can the TouchID keyboard be purchased separately if the original seems to fail? I’m looking on Apple’s website and it doesn’t appear to be available, at least for the time being.
This is freely replaceable, no special lockdown present.
Tom Chai -
As a longtime apple user this is a mockery of a computer, my current iMac has 20gb of Ram and still works without issues after 10 years, what is the lifespan of this machine, 2 years, max 3, it's obvious that every new iteration of macosx will transform this into a brick, just to assure that you buy another Mac… what a waste of resources and money
If you buy the high-end version, it will last a lot more than 3 years—however long 16 GB will be sufficient. I'm guessing about eight years, no less than most Macs.
Calion -
Apple makes some of the most clumsy machines in the industry.
They could easily have made the glass fit with magnets and allowed for RAM and SSD upgrades. Hopeless.
Well, no. Allowing RAM and SSD upgrades would slow down the computer and reduce the massive speed advantage of the M1.
Calion -
Lighter, thinner computers mean less packaging and less space, fuel and energy needed to store and transport them. A huge benefit to everyone globally, not just their owners.
Also, while people may not move desktops very frequently, when you do have to do it, it’s always appreciated when they’re lighter and easier to carry. Eg. If you work in IT and have to install them.
In other words, yes, there are people and there are good reasons for wanting this trend to not only continue at Apple, but also at other computer manufacturers.
Jonny T -
A lot of good that does if the computers have to be thrown away because they can’t be upgraded or repaired. It’s people like you who were responsible for “water saving” showerheads. They might use 20% less water, but you have to spend 2x longer in the shower to get the soap out of your hair. Great job. Same thing with super thin toilet paper. Do you really think people are going to walk around with sh*t on their a$$es just because it takes longer to pull off 2 miles of toilet paper to equal 5 squares of normal toilet paper? No. All it does is waste everyone’s time. If you make shopping bags thinner, people will just double-bag.
People aren’t going to just live with their slow/non-functional computer when it can’t be repaired or upgraded. They’re going to buy a new one. So much for your “energy saving” theory. The ONLY thing this does is increase the profits of Apple at the expense of everyone else.
Great job, but I think that complaining that really small components can’t be disassembled is kind of ridiculous. How do you “service” a (much bigger) Nvidia graphics card. Heck a single DIMM is bigger than the M1 SOC. A mechanical camera can be taken apart, cleaned, and modified. The (far more capable) camera in a good smartphone is a tiny package. As this stuff changes, I think you need to move the goalposts.
Think back to the Macintosh’s beginning. It has always been about simplicity: Simple to setup out of the box. Simple to use by non-computer users. Done.
Moving forward, Apple’s take on Macintosh simplicity expanded much further to its construction: If there’s no chance to upgrade/expand, the device is yet even more simple.The way you buy it is the way it remains for life…usually.
Lastly, as technology advanced and made it possible to create a nearly ‘solid state’ computer (thank you SSD and no thank you the need for an internal cooling fan(s)), we are now just south of Apple’s vision of Computer Nirvana: No moving parts. No upgrade opportunity. No user-serviceability. And (hopefully) no need for it to be serviced.
I remember my first solid-state, transistor radio. One-tenth the size of my desktop radio. Had good sound for both AM and FM, could accept a mini-earphone, and ran for a month of periodic use on two AA batteries.
Apple’s vision and quest to this end will remain…as long as there’s an Apple to do it.
Everything will need to be serviced: accident and bad batches happens, and if the only option is to change the entire machine, that’s the opposite of an environmental friendly company like they call themselves… And if we want to keep living on this universe, it’s better to go back on repairable stuff, or otherwise just nuke each other to speed up our end
Thanks this was really helpful now i can fix the one I have.
Bad Bad for Consumer and Service Facilities……
What about the stand? You didn’t try to disassemble the stand from the hinge part. There are silver covers giving access to the screws holding the stand to the plate. I’m wondering if the stand can be easily removed via the hinge maybe then it’s posible to have some kind and after market vesa adapter.
What are the specs (voltage and amperage) on the power adapter going to the iMac?
Is ist possible to unscrew the foot from the frame for a transport in a luggage?
Apple should reach that what is needed now for this earth. Our planet is full of junk. The time to throw away things is over. We need to repair, and recycle as much as it is possible. If Apple concentrates on this, they have my respect. But not if the produce things like this. The same old way of beautful colored glued unrepairable $@$*.
It would have cost them probably a few cents extra to make the backside of the “chin” a removable cover, and add an m.2 and/or sodimm slot.. but of course it makes more profit if the customer has to buy a new machine if he needs to upgrade.
M1 iMac Vesa mount
It would be interesting for you to do an teardown of the iMac B1 base model, to see the differences between them, which are many internally!
Is the foot removable ?
No, the foot is not removable. You can buy it either with this stand OR the VESA stand. But a user/consumer can not remove the stand.
How is it a Blow to Security that the SSD NAND is soldered to the Board????
I'm happy with the version with the table stand. It’s a pity that you can’t take it in your luggage because of the non-removable stand. The original packaging is huge.
Can you remove the silver round parts from the stand?
Just the fact that you can't upgrade the memory is a definitely no-no for me. I would like to know the results of their qualitative/quantitative research and the characteristics of the persona they created based on which they decided to create this computer (aka large iPad).
What is the purpose of the CR2016 batteries? My iMac locked up and after reset it does not start anymore. Revive or Restore don't work. Can it be that the CR2016 batteries are empty? The iMac is most of the time not plugged in, I use it in a second home. The iMac has only power when I'm there.
The CR2016 is responsible for CMOS (Which saves/keeps Time, settings, Boot disk selection, etc). So If It was unplugged for long periods of time, It is more likely it is drained.
Time to replace it.
Great tear down. Thank you!
Hey Apple, we wouldn't be mad if there were a dozen small screws on the back of the iMac. We would actually love it in fact. We would love the absence of the adhesive tape.
i didn't see the heat sink. Maybe the stand should be part of the heat sink. hmmm.
