Worth Upgrading a 2008 iMac?

Joined
Apr 2, 2015
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Brisbane, Australia
Your Mac's Specs
2.8 GHz C2D, 2GB RAM, 320GB HDD
Hi guys,

I just bought an early 2008 iMac off the classifieds because I really wanted an iMac, but this was the only one I could afford (I'm on a university student budget) at the moment. I figured, since it's an Apple machine, it'll last for a **** of a lot longer - I would never have bought a 7 year old Windows machine.

I want this machine to last at least two, maybe up to five, years, so I want your opinion: is it worth spending the money and getting more RAM and an SSD upgrade?

What's your opinion on using machines if Apple doesn't release software updates for OS X anymore? I'm pretty computer savvy so I know what not to download and how to keep myself safe online, generally.

But I thought I'd get advice from more seasoned Mac users.

Cheers :)
 
Joined
Jul 24, 2013
Messages
5,073
Reaction score
758
Points
113
Location
Ohio (USA)
Your Mac's Specs
2023-14" M3max MBPro, 64GB/1TB, iPhone 15 Pro, Watch Ultra
Well according to MacTracker (a free app download) you iMac can handle up to 6GB. You do not say how much memory is currently in it or what screen size (because I am curious not because it makes a difference)

An SSD will give you faster loading speed. I would suggest using OWC or Crucial SSD's as they specialize in Mac's.

You can update OS X Yosemite for free, if you want to: Apple - OS X Yosemite - How to Upgrade

Lisa
 
OP
A
Joined
Apr 2, 2015
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Brisbane, Australia
Your Mac's Specs
2.8 GHz C2D, 2GB RAM, 320GB HDD
Hi Lisa,

Sorry I didn't mention it. I have 2GB of RAM and a 24" screen. I don't really want to buy a new iMac because I just got this one set up.

To be honest, Yosemite doesn't really interest me. I have a mix of devices, and I'm happy with how it all syncs in Mavericks.

I'll be happy with Mavericks for the foreseeable future: I saw someone at uni the other day still using Snow Leopard on their MacBook and that still works fine.
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
17,494
Reaction score
1,541
Points
113
Location
Brentwood Bay, BC, Canada
Your Mac's Specs
2011 27" iMac, 1TB(partitioned) SSD, 20GB, OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan
Take a visit to everymac.com, and they provide all kinds of details on your Mac model and various topics and suggestions for updating and upgrading as necessary.

You'll find you iMac model here:
Apple iMac Specs (All iMac Tech Specs) @ EveryMac.com

And as Lisa mentioned, you'll get accurate info like being able to use 6GB memory rather than the maximum 4GB that Apple states!!

And I'd sure spend the money on RAM for memory first and not sure I'd even consider spending more for any SSD unless you come across some special need.
 
Joined
Jul 2, 2007
Messages
3,494
Reaction score
204
Points
63
Location
Going Galt...
Your Mac's Specs
MacBookAir5,2:10.13.6-iMac18,3:10.13.6-iPhone9,3:11.4.1
Memory and disk about sums it up, as lclev stated. More RAM means you can have more stuff open and running well or more demanding stuff open in addition to more pedestrian applications. A SSD speeds up everything in general from launching it, cached memory access, any binaries or internal DB's or the like accessed by applications. SSD speeds up or smooths out other things like converting DVD to M4V and the like, and can do a world of good speeding up any VM or hard disk-based video game you might run. Normally I suggest a SSD first, but with your 2GB of RAM an upgrade to 4GB or 6GB is probably first order of business.
 
Joined
Nov 28, 2007
Messages
25,564
Reaction score
486
Points
83
Location
Blue Mountains NSW Australia
Your Mac's Specs
Silver M1 iMac 512/16/8/8 macOS 11.6
Another five years will be stretching things and alas you may well be left behind. As others say upgrade the memory, throw in a suitable 256GB SSD and hang on for as long as you can. Often second hand SSDs appear on eBay and such. With SATA I an older drive would work very well, as there would be no point popping in a SATA III drive which would simply be choked back to SATA I speeds.

If you are 100% sure of the model, it is capable of running up to the latest operating system. If it were mine I would pop Snow Leopard on it and consider updating to Mountain Lion OS X.8 at least.
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
17,494
Reaction score
1,541
Points
113
Location
Brentwood Bay, BC, Canada
Your Mac's Specs
2011 27" iMac, 1TB(partitioned) SSD, 20GB, OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan
C

chas_m

Guest
Is it worth upgrading such an old Mac? Depends VERY heavily on your use, ie what you do with it. If you're in to pro apps, gaming, or other system-taxing uses, then I'd say absolutely not. At this point (it's already seven years old), this iMac is a medium-duty machine only. More RAM would be a wise investment, as would an SSD if you can find one cheap (and they're getting more affordable every day). But beyond that I wouldn't spend a penny on it, and would start saving up for something from this decade.
 
Joined
Jul 24, 2013
Messages
5,073
Reaction score
758
Points
113
Location
Ohio (USA)
Your Mac's Specs
2023-14" M3max MBPro, 64GB/1TB, iPhone 15 Pro, Watch Ultra
You say you are running Mavericks and it is working fine - so stick with it. If it ain't broke.... And you will get system updates much longer from Apple with Mavericks.

Upgrade to 6GB, pick up an SSD - I just prefer Crucial and OWC brands, and it should be good until you graduate and get to making big bucks so you can upgrade to an absolutely fabulous new Mac system!

Lisa
 
Joined
Apr 24, 2009
Messages
965
Reaction score
128
Points
43
Location
UK
Your Mac's Specs
Various Mac's
Whatever upgrade path you follow, consider a hard drive replacement, not necessarily for performance but for reliability. The older iMac hard drives are getting much more unreliable now.
 
OP
A
Joined
Apr 2, 2015
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Brisbane, Australia
Your Mac's Specs
2.8 GHz C2D, 2GB RAM, 320GB HDD
Thanks guys.

I think I will spend the roughly $400 and throw in RAM and an SSD. But, seeing as I do run X-Plane on this machine (I'm also learning to fly (hence why I can't afford a newer iMac) and so having a flight simulator, to me, is vital), I probably will upgrade eventually.

Perhaps as a graduation present to myself, I'll splash out on a top-of-the-line iMac. If anything, I might need it because next year I'll start commercial flight training.

Again, thanks for your replies folks.
 
Joined
Nov 28, 2007
Messages
25,564
Reaction score
486
Points
83
Location
Blue Mountains NSW Australia
Your Mac's Specs
Silver M1 iMac 512/16/8/8 macOS 11.6
Had you mentioned the $400 earlier would have suggested selling the 2007 and putting the money towards a later model, such as a 2011/2012. That will last longer than a 2007 model on the law of averages, and the increased memory capacity will make using the iMac a lot, lot easier. For example here is one selling for $650.00:-


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-iMac-...464?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20f9574c78
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
5,053
Reaction score
414
Points
83
Location
North Carolina
Your Mac's Specs
Air M2 ('22) OS 14.3; M3 iMac ('23) OS 14.3; iPad Pro; iPhone 14
Thanks guys.

I think I will spend the roughly $400 and throw in RAM and an SSD. But, seeing as I do run X-Plane on this machine (I'm also learning to fly (hence why I can't afford a newer iMac) and so having a flight simulator, to me, is vital), I probably will upgrade eventually.

Hi Alexander....... - welcome to the forum! :)

Boy, running Mavericks on a 7 y/o Mac w/ only 2 GB RAM along w/ the programs mentioned above - are you sure that the computer is really working well - just hard for me to believe?

But w/ all of the advice that you have received and if you decide to keep w/ this computer for the next few years, a RAM upgrade is mandatory - however, if the Mac has its original HD, you are playing w/ dynamite relative to a potential failure (I hope that you have a backup policy, i.e. at least Time Machine, in place?).

Look at the graph below, mechanical HDs (not a SSD) do fail - there seems to be 3 distinct stages: 1) Early death, like 'childhood mortality' likely related to production defects; 2) Stable middle period; and 3) Aging failures - the drive in your machine is probably beyond the 50% likelihood of imminent failure - SO, get a new drive in the computer - an HD is cheaper; a SSD much faster but be sure to buy the latter one w/ decent size, e.g. 256 GB. Good luck - Dave

.

Screen Shot 2015-04-03 at 5.29.50 PM.png
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
17,494
Reaction score
1,541
Points
113
Location
Brentwood Bay, BC, Canada
Your Mac's Specs
2011 27" iMac, 1TB(partitioned) SSD, 20GB, OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan
Thanks guys.

I think I will spend the roughly $400 and throw in RAM and an SSD. But, seeing as I do run X-Plane on this machine (I'm also learning to fly (hence why I can't afford a newer iMac) and so having a flight simulator, to me, is vital), I probably will upgrade eventually.

Perhaps as a graduation present to myself, I'll splash out on a top-of-the-line iMac. If anything, I might need it because next year I'll start commercial flight training.

Again, thanks for your replies folks.


That's quite the credit to the X-Plane developers if their software can actually run well with their Minimum System Requirements:

X-Plane 10 requires, at the minimum:
Dual Core, 2.5 GHz or faster
2 GB of RAM
A video card with at least 500 MB of VRAM.
DVD-ROM
X-Plane 10 System Requirements | X-Plane.com

Hmmm…??? But maybe that's close to the same and Apple saying that their OS X from ML 10.8.x up to Yosemite 10.9.x runs well with 2GB memory. And pigs fly and clams have legs… ;)
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
17,494
Reaction score
1,541
Points
113
Location
Brentwood Bay, BC, Canada
Your Mac's Specs
2011 27" iMac, 1TB(partitioned) SSD, 20GB, OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
5,053
Reaction score
414
Points
83
Location
North Carolina
Your Mac's Specs
Air M2 ('22) OS 14.3; M3 iMac ('23) OS 14.3; iPad Pro; iPhone 14
Just copying from another thread:

"I do not have an SSD, but I also have an iMac from 2008 (2.4 GHZ Core 2 Duo processor, and 4 GB RAM). I need to upgrade to some other operating system from Snow Leopard. I downloaded El Capitan but have to installed it yet because I am worried that I need need something lessor like Yosemite or Lion instead...

I would not hesitate to buy more RAM if that is needed. The hard drive was replaced in 2011, and I only use the computer for web browsing.

Thank you!"

Yes, I noticed and it's actually frowned upon to cross post.

Anyway, welcome but see my reply at your previous and almost identical post:
http://www.mac-forums.com/macos-ope...icks-yosemite-el-capitan-run.html#post1770164

Hello MSue - welcome to the forum! :) As stated by Patrick, you've committed two 'net-etiquette' mistakes: 1) Hi-jacking another thread, and although your question is related, the post may be ignored by members not wanting to look at the thread again, especially if replies have already been left; and 2) Cross-posting as already mentioned - this 'fractures' the discussion, i.e. all posts on a topic should be kept in one thread. I'll make some comments in the link above given by Patrick. Dave
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
5,053
Reaction score
414
Points
83
Location
North Carolina
Your Mac's Specs
Air M2 ('22) OS 14.3; M3 iMac ('23) OS 14.3; iPad Pro; iPhone 14
I'm sorry, but I don't know how to delete my post... :(

Well, if your go to that specific post and select the 'Edit' option, then the 'body' of the post can be removed and replaced w/ say 'DELETED' - you can even leave a comment as to the reason, e.g. 'Posted in another thread' - also, a mod/administrator often comes along to help, such as 'merging' threads. BUT, no big problem, so not to worry. - Dave :)
 
M

MacInWin

Guest
MSue, netiquette lesson #3. Don't post garbage as a placeholder. You edited the cross-post with random keys, not as RadDave suggested with "DELETED." That's not helpful. If you had put "deleted," then readers would know that the post was deleted, not just garbaged up.

Maybe a Mod can just delete the post altogether?
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
Taken care of. Thanks Jake.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top