Replacing graphics card Late 2009 27" iMac question

[libertyinmo]

We "fixed" the graphics card by baking it in October 2017. It just decided to fail again. Actually, we were surprised it lasted as long as it did. It is my children's computer. Debating baking the card again, replacing the card or getting a newer used iMac for them. What graphics cards are compatible with a 27" late 2009. We had upgraded the ram to 16 GB. It is a 2.8 GHZ intel core i7. Current graphics card is an: ATI Radeon HD 4850 512 MB

 

[chscag]

Welcome to our forums.

You're better off replacing the card rather than trying to reflow it again. You can check on eBay to see how much a newer card will cost, but be forewarned they're not inexpensive. I'm not sure which cards you can use, however, it's much better to get an exact replacement. Of course you need to decide if your iMac is worth the expense. If the machine does all you need it to do and the display and other things are OK, it might be worth spending the money on a new card.

By the way, I do not believe you can even buy a new card. The ones that are available are likely those which have been refurbished. There are repair specialists who do micro soldering that refurbish those cards and the ones for the portable Macs. Generally, the refurbished cards are like new. Make sure if you do buy one, you get a warranty.