@@craigneidelfair as someone who doesn’t do much on their channel I tend to be just fine using my 2015 MacBook Air but it only seems to be still good cuz it has Monterey
Best thing about these pcs now is people are making boards so you can turn the screen into a monitor. You essentially can skip the machine now and plug into a hdmi cable which allows for m1 plus macs and Mac minis to be used with this. I have even seen people put them inside the case and use them as an updated iMac
Couldn't agree more. I have a similar setup: 2017 27" Retina 5k iMac with 3TB Fusion drive; 64Gig memory. 2TB Flash drive. Extremely capable, gorgeous display, with all the benefits of MacOS, and none of the nonsense that comes with Windows. I paid $200 for the base system, upgraded the memory from 16 to 64, and added the flash drive. I rounded it out by adding a Dell 2k monitor for $75 installed vertically. For me it's an ideal low-cost workstation setup.
I used my 2007 iMac for 10 years with no problem except for 4K editing when that became a thing and 256 GB storage got used up fast. I bought the 2017 iMac specked out. It should run great until 2027 or longer.
I just ordered an i7 model with 16gb ram, 512gb ssd, 575 gpu for $300 from the university I work for. Can’t wait to pick it up next week, it’s my first Mac computer.
I love these computers. I bought a 2015 iMac i7-6700K, 2GB GPU, 500GB SSD, 32GB RAM for $1100 in 2020. Just recently upgraded my work set up for an M2 MBA, paired with a 34" widescreen 1440p display. The 5K iMacs were priced so well for their display value, it truly is hard to "go back" to a regular display.
You are spot on. I ordered a 2020 imac, I have the m1 imac but it looks like a child's toy. I will be using this and the new mac mini m4 on my samsung 55 odyssey ark. I am a med student and all I do is read. No video editing or anything. This is a champ. Let's be honest most users are just watching TH-cam and scrolling websites. Lol
I couldn't agree with you more. Picked up a 2017 from OWC for about $599, inserted a 1gb OWC Aura Pro NVME and a 1 GB Samsung SSD for internal storage...upgraded the RAM...I wanted to install bootcamp, but the OWC Drive wouldn't allow it, so I got a copy of Windows Parallel and now Windows runs faster than installing it via Bootcamp...Good Machine and Great Video :).
I inherited a 27” 5k iMac from my dad when he died. I was a win 10 user on an older laptop. I mainly use it from music production and my win 10 would stutter and crackle and pop when I had so many tracks recorded. I decided to try out music production on the iMac which now has 24 GB RAM (this must be the easiest computer out to put more ram in a two minute job)which I updated and a clean install of Ventura and installed my DAW and other software. This thing is unstoppable and I could probably have 50 tracks of audio recorded and it doesn’t even blink at it. I have one external monitor and plan on installing another as it has the two thunderbolt ports for extended desktop displays. Stable and rock solid performance, just have to learn all the Mac quirks after using win 10. 😀
I am watching this on a 2017 27" iMac. The internal storage has been stripped out and a 512GB SSD from a Macbook Pro has been installed as the boot drive, a 2TB drive on SATA and an external Samsung SSD is hooked up to the thunderbolt port. It still absolutely flies for photo and even video editing.
Same page with him! I have 2009 27’ . And it’s just can do much for me, need to upgrade and I bought 2020 i5 27’ iMac. Top reason, is the model year and screen size. This more than enough to what I do.. video and photo editing the main purpose, with my experience with Mac will last 10+ year with out reformatting the machine..thank you for making this video..
Thanks for the feedback and for watching. Yes, the 2020 machines are great machines and are fine with 4K editing and just about anything. Good luck with everything.
Did the same, upgrade the ram to 32, and hard drive to SSD 1t for a total of $250. Converted it to only run and boot into Window10 and runs like a dream, though I do miss some of the various multi media programs on the Apple side. All about the screen, one of the best monitors on the market. RAM CRUCIAL 32GB (2X 16GB) and a Samsung Evo 870….you will need also a Mac adhesive screen kit to install screen again once SSD upgrade is done, RAM is simple slot behind stand. Once new hard drive is in boot from a Windows 10 USB installer, you will not require boot camp or any MacOS if you want a full conversion to PC. Note the hardware does not support Windows 11 unfortunately.
Couldnt agree more perfect, just got 27" 2017 model, cloned the OS to external 1TB ssd, booted up formated old 2TB HD, popped another 4TB External ssd USB 3 .2 for my storage, added 24gb ddr4 ram . Thing is flying.
I bought a iMac 5k in 2015. It is a late 2014 model. The SSD portion of the Fusion Drive died and is no longer visible in Disk Utility. What are my choices for building an affordable external thunderbolt drive?
I would just boot off an external SSD on one of the USB ports. You will get about 500 MB/s and it will actually appear much faster than then Fusion drive. There are videos out there on how to boot off external drives and I even have a few very old ones on my channel.
Hi Craig, Thanks to you and this video, I’ve just bought this awesome machine with 32GB for 650€ which was preowned and purchased in 2019. Your video really made my day. ❤
I have one max with 40gigs running Ventura from an ssd and works flawlessly.The screen is 100 times better than anything you’ll see in bestbuy today except for the new iMac; however, I just can’t see the big difference on the quality of the displays. This is totally relevant in 2023 and for years to come 🤙🏼
Subbed. Just picked up 2 x 2017 27” 5k iMacs with i5 3.4ghz, 32g Ram, 512gb SSD, each one was $699. Happy to get so many features at that price. Only concern is when updates stop but I didn’t have the budget at the moment to go newer and I needed 2 desktops. Thanks for the content and help in making the decision my man. 🤙🤙
Thanks for the feedback. Yes, that is really the only concern is the updates but for that price you got a great deal. You might look into something like Open Core to patch to the newest updates but that is an entirely different topic.
Recently picked up a refurbed 27" 2017 with a PCIE 500gb internal SSD (about $520 (amazing condition)). Increased the ram to 40gb for another $35 for 32gb and couldn't be happier. Installed Sonoma using OCLP, and it screams.
It’s April 2024 and I have a 2019 27” iMac with a decent spec. Wanted to sell it and get Studio Display to use with my Mac Book Pro. After doing a bit of research, I gave up this idea - my iMac is pretty amazing.
Yes, I just my 2017 to do most of my editing now. Is it perfect - no ... but it's doing the job for now and I wouldn't really care if it was 40% faster etc. since that would only save me like 20 minutes a week.
Well, bought one a few years ago…. Opened up the case and replaced the internal disk by an nvme Samsung ssd and also added a sata 2 TByte ssd. Boots blazing fast now. While doing so upgraded the i5 cpu to an i7. Has been working perfectly since then. You forgot to mention : the sound coming out of this case is amazing :-)
I just bought one for video editing to replace my 2014 27" iMac that I'm currently using. First time buying a refurbished Apple computer. When I first bought my 2014, I thought they would come out with a 32 inch but unfortunately, they went the opposite route and downsized the screen. I hope they come out with another 27 inch.
If you open a couple of windows in chrome this thing starts to put on the ventilators and sounds like it wants to take off… have one here… but it’s loud when working. It has 32gb ram
I've always been on used Macs as my daily drivers. Especially if you have a basic knowledge of how to upgrade them and install MacOS, they make a great choice to save a lot of money and still get a great experience.
I am upgrading my old AIO PC (which ran great until recently at 2.5 GHZ and 8GB RAM) for a 27" 2019 iMac with 64gb RAM. I expect it will run like a charm. I believe I'll get many years use and at 72 it may be the last computer that I'll buy! Older well maintained computers are a great buy.
I still have my 27 inch 2017 iMac and it still performs very good, but have to be honest. Really itching for a new one to come hopefully soon with Apple Silicon....
@@craigneidel I was tempted to get the 24 inch but after looking at it at the store, those 3 inches make a big difference for it to be my main display. so I’m holding out.
My biggest question right now is if I should upgrade my 2017 27" 5K imac to the 2020 27" 5K one - as its the last model with Intel Chip for gaming. Anyone here with that upgrade done? To compare I bought my 2017 one with the AMD 580 with 8gb graphics card, and wonder if the 5500TX 8GB card in the 2020 model I saw for sale in my town would be much of an upgrade. How does the 5500TX compare? How does the 5700?
Based on the CPU etc. it should be a nice upgrade but based on the Graphics card it's a bit closer. The AMD580 has a score of 8869 on the videocardbenchmark.net and the 5500TX has a score of 9157. So you can see the benchmarks are not that much different when compared strictly based on benchmarks (they don't always tell the tale though).
@@craigneidel Yeah it would maybe depend on what I could sell the 2017 imac for (its top spec). And I would surely wish for the 5700XT if possible. I have had 0 issues gaming on the 2017 intel based imac the last 7 years in 5K with games like WOW, Path of Exile, Diablo 3/4 and Destiny 2. Im sure other games can have issues. But the above ones has played nicely for me on the AMD580 in the 2017 iMac.
Just got 2 of these free. One is the 2017 and the other is like 2012 or so. Guy wiped the units could not reinstall, put them on fb said he was done fooling with them. Both working now. Took me about 1hr.
I bought imac 27” late 2015 i5 3,3ghz radeon 395 2tb fusion drive and 24gb ram. Im blown away as it’s my first imac and change from pc. Just amazing. I payed 400 for display and mouse 2 and keyboard. Only problem is os which is monterey.
I have a 2017 i7 iMac. I upgraded the Ram to 24 gb and even though it is my oldest computer, it has the most RAM. It runs Logic Pro 10.7 great, even using some plugins that choke everything else but my M1Pro Macbook Pro, such as Arturia Augmented Strings. I will really miss it when it is no longer viable, but now it does everything I need just fine.
Things change for sure. If you can find an incredible deal and it has an SSD and then you add more ram (you can upgrade ram on these) they can still be a great machine for everyday work. For a few hundred dollars I still think they are good values.
thanks for your honest opinion! I not so long ago bought my first iMac and its the best computer I ever have! I bought an 27" iMac mid 2011! I did the upgrades( Rams and SSD) and now running Ventura works sooo good!
Not really unless you are using Open Core Legacy Patcher to upgrade to a newer OS. They you can use it as a second screen with a connection between both. I did a video on this but for the 24" iMac if you wanted to watch that.
Craig, I have had problems on my 2017 27 inch iMac with iCalendar not synching between my iMac iPad and iPhone. The person at Apple tech help mentioned that old iPhone (12) and old iMac and old iPad (5 th generation) was the reason. They did some type of refresh and things work now, but I am very worried about messing my calendar function up. Everything else works great. I love it! I want to wait a year to get the 30 or 32 inch iMac which is going to be at least a year till it comes out, but I'm feeling pressure to give in and buy the 24 inch iMac available now so that I have the newest operating system. Really appreciate your video. thanks PS I need the better system for large photography file, and the 3 TB storage works great. Don't really need or want the SSD.
Thanks for the post and good luck with things. I'm not sure there will be a 27 or larger iMac but the new Mac mini M4 paid with the studio display (was on sale for $1,249). So combined it would be around 2K and a very nice setup if that fits the budget. Otherwise the M4 iMac 24 inch should be out in a few weeks so check that out too.
Can you share what additions you purchased to get it to run fast. The names and brands. I am not tech saavy and I bought this computer in 2017 and haven't been able to use it since I didn't know how to upgrade the drive and storage.
You can use something like a samsung T9 or T7 if you don't want to build an external SSD to boot off of. If not I would just go with a Samsung 2.5 inch drive (Samsung Evo) and then I used the OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini - eshop.macsales.com/shop/owc-mercury-elite-pro-mini/usb-c for the enclosure. I did this a while ago so there could be better options but that is kind of what I did.
It's hard for me to trouble shoot each system and it depends on what OS and a bunch of other items (what OS to what OS) etc. I would search for a video on updating the 2017 to see if it has any clues that appear like the issue you are getting. Thanks for watching.
Not really but you can use something like Luna Display which is a dongle to make it a monitor. It's not perfect with slight lag in some cases but still the best at this time.
LOL. Watching this video on the I7 27" iMac that I bought myself for retirement in 2017. I upgraded memory and got the 3TB fusion drive to hold music sample libraries. Just ordered a M2 MacMini for music creation and will be using my iMac as an entertainment and communication system. Yes, a 32 in screen would be nice, but this looks so good. I'll just move it closer and keep using it. It will be used for all the things that I don't want to put on my decimated DAW.
What is your opinion on the current methods to force windows 11 on intel macs? I have a 2017 27inch 5k i5 imac. I really only use it to play games, so is 10 cool in your opinion please.
@craigneidel there are several youtubers with videos showing how to get windows 11 on a imac disabling the tpm and secure boot requirements. I wanted to know what your thought were on that? And if doing that is worth it for someone that just uses thier computer to play games. Or can I just keep windows 10 until.............
I still have my late model 2015 27” IMac. Loaded with 32 gigs ram and runs Photoshop like a hot knife through butter. But Apple is not updating the OS anymore it seems. And Adobe is needing the latest OS for its Apps to run everything. So now I am looking at my first new computer since 2015. Maybe the base Mini for $599.
You can install Open Core Legacy Patcher on the Mac to run the newest versions of the OS but you would need to wipe the system - there are videos on that installing this on TH-cam.
Latest officially supported macOS for iMac 2017 is Ventura. But, using hacks like opencore legacy patcher, more recent versions might also work (inofficially, no support from Apple). But even if everything goes wrong, there is still Linux (and even Windows).
It's a touch call and depends on price. The M4 will have much longer OS support etc. so at this point I'm leaning that way. Also, they are crazy fast as I have one with only 16 GB ram and it's like my 48 GB on my 2017.
I have an internal 28 GB SSD Drive on my IMAC 2017, so I installed Sonoma on that. WIFI cannot be found, Sonoma on my HDD is able to find all WIFI's. Do you know whats the matter?
I'm not sure and it's hard for me to troubleshoot things like that. But 28 GB is tiny so not sure if that has something to do with it as I thought Sonoma was more than then that.
is there any update on this being possible? without ripping out the internals? duet works well resolution wise but has some lag, havent tried luna but sounds like that has lag too which matters a lot for me cause i need it for design/video editing
@@craigneidel is the experience seamless? Used a non-retina iMac long time ago and after all these years and spending on displays I still don't forget how satisfied I was with that display.
I'm actually running it on a OWC enclosure with a Samsung QVO SSD which is only 2.5". Only get about 500 MB/s but still edited 600 4K videos on this so fast enough for sure. Anything faster will be even better.
I have a similar setup: 2017 27" Retina 5k iMac with 1tb fusion drive 3.4 ghz quadcore 8gb ram with jbl bt speaker + with bootcam gta v still manages to run 2048x 1536 n gta 4 in 2560x 1440 gonna uprgade to 16gb ram or do i need more to run games in 3k n also maya n after effects ?
@Craig Neidel Will a mint, hardly used 2016 (late 2015 model) i5 1TB Fusion Drive 27" iMac be good enough for internet browsing, youtube and MS Office Word, Excel, Powerpoint etc? RAM has been upgraded to 24 GB. Thanks in advance for your reply.
I think it would be good enough for that. While the Fusion drive isn't an SSD, it's got a small SSD part in it. If it was just a normal HDD then I would say no since the drive is what makes a difference but I think with the Fusion drive it's fine. Just make sure it's a very good price.
@@craigneidel Thank you very much for your reply. I have a 2022 Dell XPS 13 9305 at the moment which has Intel i5, 8 GB of RAM and 256 SSD Hard Drive. Will the iMac 27" described above be any slower than what I have at the moment in the uses I have for it? Also, will it run a second monitor? The main reason for the change will be for the 5K high resolution screen and also to get used to the MAC OS as I may be starting a job soon that uses Macs. The OS on this iMac is Monterey which will not be updated now.
Ok, thanks and good luck with everything. It's hard to know if one is slower then the other and I would just be guessing since I don't have the Dell here to test. You can run a second screen on the iMac.
I bought a Late 2015 iMac 27, i5, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB HDD, Apple keyboard and mouse with charging cable a few days ago. For $200. I installed Monterey on an external SSD, plugged it into the iMac and I was ready to go. I sold my 2014 iMac 27, i7, 32 GB, 4 GB video, 500 GB SSD for $400 last year. There was a 2019 iMac 27 for $400 in my area last week but it was located an hour away. I actually wanted a Dell Ultrasharp U2720Q instead but they run $580 so I was watching for a 5k iMac for a lot less. I got the screen, speakers, microphone, videocamera for $200. I use this next to an M1 Max Studio with 3 4k monitors. I run my production on the Studio and all of my office stuff on the iMac. This iMac runs really cool too. I've found that some run hot and some run cool. I would have been fine with the 2017, 2019 or 2020 models for the right price. I could set up OCLP if I wanted to run Ventura but I don't need to. There's a 2017 i5 16 GB 2TB for sale in Boston for $475 and it's been sitting on the market for 9 days. My guess is that it sells for $400 Max. No warranty and you have to pick it up and test it but that's the way I like to buy and sell. I also have 2009 and 2010 iMacs. The 2010 iMac with i7, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB HDD cost me $100 a few years ago. I use it to watch videos in front of my spin bike. It's nice to have the old model as it has an infared remote control so I can change the volume or skip to the next video if I want to. The 2009 is a spare monitor as it has Target Display Mode.
Thanks for sharing and I have a ton of older Macs too and they all run great. I have a 2011 iMac, 2012 iMac, 2012 Mac mini, 2013 iMac and 2017 iMac. I got all the machines for very cheap and love to still use the older tech. Thanks for sharing and watching again.
Hello if you wouldn't mined give me your opinion, im using a 2019 27" imac upgraded ram to 72 GB i5 radeon 5300 4gb, i noticed sometimes it pauses, i was thinking of getting a 2017 Imac I7 32 GB ram, radeon 580 8GB. thanks
found that I can run an ext SSD and buy a cheap iMac, and still get a super fast machine. I'll be using it for my music production. I'm on PC and have been since 1995.
Hi I have a main iMac 2020 and a secondary iMac 2017 (both 27 inch)m I bought thunderbolt 3 to thunderbolt 3 cable, try with command and F2 key and is not working, Can you give me some advice how to set up second iMac to use it as a second monitor? Thanks
This model was the first oen that I used in 2017 and it was a perfect and unforgettable experience lol and it wasn't mine but the company's and now I want to have my own though I have a MacBook pro 2023 but i still need this. thanks for this video. looking for this model somewhere..
@@craigneidel i am looking for this piece. Do you think this can still be efficient after 5 years i mean i like the monitor because it's wide and its quality i see the right colors well 😂 i do graphics most of my work.
brother many thanks for your video . i have a question which imac 27 2017 or 2019 or 2020. is good if i want to connect a windows pc to it and use it as monitor . i need easy way to connect a pc with windows to use it as monitor. without installing it in mac 27 . any idea .
I don't think that is possible as you can't really use these iMacs as a monitor. You can use something like Luna Display, for Mac to Mac but you may want to check that out to see if it can do Windows to Mac.
@@craigneidel yes brother. but I have windows cpu I want to use imac as display for that windows cpu . I m searching if some solution available. thanks again
Yes, you can boot off an external SSD on these macs. I have a few examples on my channel and you can find them on TH-cam. You don't even need to open up the Mac.
@@craigneidel thanks it was given to me it worked for maybe 3 months and no power i appreciate you for commenting.. I think it’s a big job to much for me my first MAC experience loved it for the short time
I am really tempted to buy one. The thing for me is I bought a new MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro about a year ago, and its screen has ruined all other screens for me. I used to be able to use 1080p screens with no issue but after the Liquid Retina XDR of the Mac all these lesser screens are unusable. The studio display is too expensive for me and I can't afford it. So I am thinking buying one of these, using it as a media machine in my room, as the screen is pretty big and is the only screen of such a good quality for less than 1000$, and also it comes with a computer. So I can watch my Netflix and TH-cam 4K HDR videos directly off it, and when I want to do more hardcore work in a bigger screen I am thinking of using something like luna fusion with my MacBook Pro to just use the iMac as an external screen.
Yes not a bad idea if you can get a good deal. I still use mine for editing but also for media consumption they are great. Just make sure it has an SSD or boot off external SSD. Mine also was updated to 24 gb ram.
@@craigneidel Thank you! I found one with a fusion 1TB for a bit less than 500 refurbished and with a 3 month warranty. Do you think that for basic tasks I will need to upgrade to an SSD? Basic tasks I mean TH-cam Netflix etc and the occasional email response. For actual work I will just connect my MacBook to it with luna display.
I boot off external SSD which is a 2.5" Samsung 1 TB QVO and the ram I got from OWC and you can get what they recommend for compatibility on the website for the 2017 iMacs. The drive I have been using for about 5 years now so I would go with a more updated drive.
Imac 2017, is the M2.ssd faster when built inside, or is the speed the same when external? the fastest external I know has 7 GB/S (Imac 2017 thunderbolt supports up to 40 GB/S)
I just bought a 2017 iMac 27 5k Retina display for only 300 dollars, the owner passed away and the person who inherited that iMac didn’t know anything about it, and he was asking for 500 on Facebook, I offered him 300 and took it without any hesitations…….I was very surprised with condition though it was almost as if someone bought and just never used it at all
well, 8 GB RAM, Imac 2017 with Sonoma I need 1 min. 55 Seconds until you can login, 13 seconds after login desktop appears. after adding 16 GB RAM I needed 1 min 30 seconds. and 5 seconds untill desktop appears after login not that much big difference during startup, faster only 25 seconds
I have 2 options and I'm really in doubt which one I should go for. The first is a Mac Mini M1 8gb 256gb SSD with all the stuff I'll need to buy like a mouse, keyboard, SSD, and 4k screen, which would result in the value of my second option. This other tempting option is an iMac 27, i5, 5K 32gb ram 4gb dedicated video with hybrid HD with sdd 1tb quad 3.5Ghz. Taking into account that I work with editing using Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere, and logic pro, what would be the best option for my case? Hugs from Brazil to you my friend!
Do you own the software? Do you subscribe to Adobe? If you're going to be using the latest software and aren't already invested in older software, it's time to move on to Apple silicone like the M1. I wouldn't buy an Intel based Apple as a first computer in 2023, not for professional use. If you already own the software that's native to Intel, there's no reason no to take advantage of some of the steep discounts right now and go with older tech. If you can't use old software and are subscribed for what's newer, you're going to need to buy a new computer in a few years to keep running that and you won't be saving any money if that happens.
Yes I have been comparing a 2.5k and a 5k 27 Imac to my HP Z820. I am running a 2014 one with 32gb of ram and opencore so I have latest OS and it works flawlessly and better than any 4k monitors or 4k tvs
Great video - Funny how this just comes up on my feed now after buying one and not before when I was trying to figure out if I should or not haha. It comes in the next couple of days and I am happy with my decision, especially after watching this. A glass of wine killed my 2012 MacBook Air and using an iPad since then just hasn’t been the same!
Thanks for the comment. Yes, they are nice if they have SSDs or you boot off an SSD like I do. The Fusion drives are ok but an SSD will really make these fly. Thanks again for watching and good luck.
@@craigneidel Thank you for the heads up. I will be checking out your vid on how to do that once I have played with it for a while. No doubt, I will go down the same route haha
Apple iMac 27" 5K Retina i7 Turbo 4.50GHz 64GB RAM Fusion 2TB HDD+128GB SSD 2017 - it’s worth to buy for 1000£? (Stunning condition). I need something for editing;I use only Lightroom and photoshop)
It's a nice system. Just note lack of oa updates on 2017 models. But system will be snappy. Just wish it had full SSD and not fusion. I can't really say what to buy based on you use case but it's a nice system.
@@craigneidelthank you for your answer. I need something for editing photo in Lightroom and photoshop. I’m a amateur photographer budget around £1500-£2000
@@fabiankowalski3356 it's a tough call as I don't have that model. For 2k something like 14 inch m2 pro MacBook pro will be much faster if you have external screen or need larger screen.
Currently looking at a 2017 that has a 1tb fusion drive...what's your opinion on the fusion drives and how hard is it to upgrade the hard drives? Thanks!
They are OK and I would see how you like it. They can be snappy for some things but you may want to boot off an external SSD or open it up and add an SSD to make it much quicker. If you get a good price they are great systems overall.
This guy nailed the price prediction. I just paid $375 in 2024. He is good!
Nice deal and thanks for watching.
Please where did buy it ?
@@craigneidel I bought it on Facebook Marketplace in the city of San Diego, CA.
It's how I see it, why buy a modern piece of tech when most old tech still runs fine and can just be upgraded
Yes with my channel I need to buy more modern tech but if I didn't have my channel I would for sure still be running older macs
@@craigneidelfair as someone who doesn’t do much on their channel I tend to be just fine using my 2015 MacBook Air but it only seems to be still good cuz it has Monterey
@@Hammersmith4602 yes the newer mac's a much better but some can get by with older models for sure.
Best thing about these pcs now is people are making boards so you can turn the screen into a monitor. You essentially can skip the machine now and plug into a hdmi cable which allows for m1 plus macs and Mac minis to be used with this. I have even seen people put them inside the case and use them as an updated iMac
Couldn't agree more. I have a similar setup: 2017 27" Retina 5k iMac with 3TB Fusion drive; 64Gig memory. 2TB Flash drive. Extremely capable, gorgeous display, with all the benefits of MacOS, and none of the nonsense that comes with Windows. I paid $200 for the base system, upgraded the memory from 16 to 64, and added the flash drive. I rounded it out by adding a Dell 2k monitor for $75 installed vertically. For me it's an ideal low-cost workstation setup.
Thanks for sharing and that is a great deal at only $200. With 64 GB and a SSD storage that must be pretty fast. Congrats on paying less for sure.
And you can have real windows on it and add a egpu to actually beat the apple machines in many areas.
Cheaper than.a 5k studio display.
I really enjoy your videos on older Mac computers. They're still viable machines after just a little upgrading and they don't break the bank.
Thanks Bryan. Yes, they still work great and if not for the OS updates they would last at least another 6 years.
Wrong!.. the older ones suck!
I use a 2013 iMac that was loaded at the time as my computer at work.. still runs like brand new.
Yes, they are nice machines for sure as long as they have SSDs.
I used my 2007 iMac for 10 years with no problem except for 4K editing when that became a thing and 256 GB storage got used up fast. I bought the 2017 iMac specked out. It should run great until 2027 or longer.
I just ordered an i7 model with 16gb ram, 512gb ssd, 575 gpu for $300 from the university I work for. Can’t wait to pick it up next week, it’s my first Mac computer.
Good luck with everything and with the SSD that should be a nice system for sure.
I love these computers. I bought a 2015 iMac i7-6700K, 2GB GPU, 500GB SSD, 32GB RAM for $1100 in 2020. Just recently upgraded my work set up for an M2 MBA, paired with a 34" widescreen 1440p display. The 5K iMacs were priced so well for their display value, it truly is hard to "go back" to a regular display.
Yes, nothing really compares to the 5K screens once you get used to them. So it's basically a Studio Display or a downgrade.
I bought this Mac on offer up for 100 dollars absolutely love this Mac
Yes for 100 that's a steal.
I absolutely love my 2015 iMac - 27 inch 5k, 32 GB RAM, 3 TB Fusion Drive.
They are nice systems for sure.
You are spot on. I ordered a 2020 imac, I have the m1 imac but it looks like a child's toy. I will be using this and the new mac mini m4 on my samsung 55 odyssey ark. I am a med student and all I do is read. No video editing or anything. This is a champ. Let's be honest most users are just watching TH-cam and scrolling websites. Lol
Thanks for the post and info. Appreciate that for sure.
I couldn't agree with you more. Picked up a 2017 from OWC for about $599, inserted a 1gb OWC Aura Pro NVME and a 1 GB Samsung SSD for internal storage...upgraded the RAM...I wanted to install bootcamp, but the OWC Drive wouldn't allow it, so I got a copy of Windows Parallel and now Windows runs faster than installing it via Bootcamp...Good Machine and Great Video :).
Thanks for sharing. Yes owc is a great place to pick up hardware and I have never had any issues.
I inherited a 27” 5k iMac from my dad when he died. I was a win 10 user on an older laptop. I mainly use it from music production and my win 10 would stutter and crackle and pop when I had so many tracks recorded.
I decided to try out music production on the iMac which now has 24 GB RAM (this must be the easiest computer out to put more ram in a two minute job)which I updated and a clean install of Ventura and installed my DAW and other software. This thing is unstoppable and I could probably have 50 tracks of audio recorded and it doesn’t even blink at it. I have one external monitor and plan on installing another as it has the two thunderbolt ports for extended desktop displays. Stable and rock solid performance, just have to learn all the Mac quirks after using win 10. 😀
Yes, they are nice systems and I love mine. Good luck with everything.
Bought one of these and installed Zorin Linux. It works great! Performance in unreal.
They are great for Linux. Good luck with everything and thanks for watching.
Just got one from a local auction. £160. The screen is phenomenal. Not quite got the grunt for gaming but as a general workhorse, it's fantastic.
Yes, if it has a SSD and 16 GB they are quite fast. No mac is that great for gaming though.
I am watching this on a 2017 27" iMac. The internal storage has been stripped out and a 512GB SSD from a Macbook Pro has been installed as the boot drive, a 2TB drive on SATA and an external Samsung SSD is hooked up to the thunderbolt port. It still absolutely flies for photo and even video editing.
Yes, I use mine for most of my video editing and love it. They are incredible for the age and still work for anything you can throw at it.
I got 2013 still working like a charm with no issues I just updated it to the latest OS. I like this shape more than the new design
They are great little machines for sure. Good luck with everything.
Same page with him! I have 2009 27’ . And it’s just can do much for me, need to upgrade and I bought 2020 i5 27’ iMac. Top reason, is the model year and screen size. This more than enough to what I do.. video and photo editing the main purpose, with my experience with Mac will last 10+ year with out reformatting the machine..thank you for making this video..
Thanks for the feedback and for watching. Yes, the 2020 machines are great machines and are fine with 4K editing and just about anything. Good luck with everything.
Did the same, upgrade the ram to 32, and hard drive to SSD 1t for a total of $250. Converted it to only run and boot into Window10 and runs like a dream, though I do miss some of the various multi media programs on the Apple side. All about the screen, one of the best monitors on the market. RAM CRUCIAL 32GB (2X 16GB) and a Samsung Evo 870….you will need also a Mac adhesive screen kit to install screen again once SSD upgrade is done, RAM is simple slot behind stand. Once new hard drive is in boot from a Windows 10 USB installer, you will not require boot camp or any MacOS if you want a full conversion to PC. Note the hardware does not support Windows 11 unfortunately.
Thanks for sharing all the details for others to see and good luck with everything.
Couldnt agree more perfect, just got 27" 2017 model, cloned the OS to external 1TB ssd, booted up formated old 2TB HD, popped another 4TB External ssd USB 3 .2 for my storage, added 24gb ddr4 ram . Thing is flying.
Nice, yes they are nice for the money right now and the screen can't be beat.
I have it with Sonoma installed. It just works fine
Thanks for info. They are great machines.
found one on market place for $500. i’ve been wanting a mac since i was little, i’m picking it up when i get off work! thank you for your video!!
Thanks for comment. What kind of drive does it have.
I bought a iMac 5k in 2015. It is a late 2014 model.
The SSD portion of the Fusion Drive died and is no longer visible in Disk Utility.
What are my choices for building an affordable external thunderbolt drive?
I would just boot off an external SSD on one of the USB ports. You will get about 500 MB/s and it will actually appear much faster than then Fusion drive. There are videos out there on how to boot off external drives and I even have a few very old ones on my channel.
@@craigneidel Thanks. I have a Samsung 870 EVO that I can use. Would there be any advantage to connecting to the thunderbolt port instead of USB?
I would just go with the fastest port you have but the USB works fine also. But if you have one already you can use that.@@gregorycollins3096
Hi Craig, Thanks to you and this video, I’ve just bought this awesome machine with 32GB for 650€ which was preowned and purchased in 2019. Your video really made my day. ❤
Thanks for watching and nice comment.
@@craigneidelthank you, you are right, think I will pay a little bit more for something newer that has SSD and 5k. Thanks again.
I have one max with 40gigs running Ventura from an ssd and works flawlessly.The screen is 100 times better than anything you’ll see in bestbuy today except for the new iMac; however, I just can’t see the big difference on the quality of the displays. This is totally relevant in 2023 and for years to come 🤙🏼
Yes, these are still nice computers and work perfect for most users. The screens are great at 5K too. Thanks.
Subbed. Just picked up 2 x 2017 27” 5k iMacs with i5 3.4ghz, 32g Ram, 512gb SSD, each one was $699. Happy to get so many features at that price. Only concern is when updates stop but I didn’t have the budget at the moment to go newer and I needed 2 desktops. Thanks for the content and help in making the decision my man. 🤙🤙
Thanks for the feedback. Yes, that is really the only concern is the updates but for that price you got a great deal. You might look into something like Open Core to patch to the newest updates but that is an entirely different topic.
@@craigneidel thx bro 😎
Thanks.
@@craigneidel so there’s a way to path any security after the 2 or 3 years after they stop
@@Demonslayer63559 it will patch the older os for a while. Then after that you would need to use something like open core patches
Recently picked up a refurbed 27" 2017 with a PCIE 500gb internal SSD (about $520 (amazing condition)). Increased the ram to 40gb for another $35 for 32gb and couldn't be happier. Installed Sonoma using OCLP, and it screams.
Nice deal. Yes, if they have and SSD they are still quick for the age. I love my 2017.
Where did you find 32gb ram for $35?
Ebay...used but working perfectly.@@ObjectiveTruthAdvocate
Nice.
Preach!
I *love* those 5K screens.
Two days ago I bought a 2019 27" i5 with 16 gb and a 512 gb ssd. For $400.
That is a very good deal and well worth the price for sure. Enjoy.
Where did you find this? Ebay?
It’s April 2024 and I have a 2019 27” iMac with a decent spec. Wanted to sell it and get Studio Display to use with my Mac Book Pro. After doing a bit of research, I gave up this idea - my iMac is pretty amazing.
Yes, I just my 2017 to do most of my editing now. Is it perfect - no ... but it's doing the job for now and I wouldn't really care if it was 40% faster etc. since that would only save me like 20 minutes a week.
Webcam on my 2017 27" iMac is not good enough for video calls. What is best way to improve the picture quality?
I use it for video calls all the time. Best way to improve it is by maybe setting up lighting so you have lights on you when talking. That does help.
Well, bought one a few years ago…. Opened up the case and replaced the internal disk by an nvme Samsung ssd and also added a sata 2 TByte ssd. Boots blazing fast now. While doing so upgraded the i5 cpu to an i7. Has been working perfectly since then. You forgot to mention : the sound coming out of this case is amazing :-)
Yes sound is great too. Thanks for watching
I just bought one for video editing to replace my 2014 27" iMac that I'm currently using. First time buying a refurbished Apple computer. When I first bought my 2014, I thought they would come out with a 32 inch but unfortunately, they went the opposite route and downsized the screen. I hope they come out with another 27 inch.
Yes, I'm not sure any 27" iMacs will ever come out but I'm hoping too. Thanks for watching.
I have an old buggy 2015 27” Mac. This is the ONLY reason I want to replace it. And I don’t get updates either, so why not?
The 2017 is out of updates too but you can load on something like Open Core legacy patcher if you want a newer OS.
I still have my 2020 5k iMac. :) Love it.
Yes, those are great machines. I still edit off my 2017 5K a bit.
If you open a couple of windows in chrome this thing starts to put on the ventilators and sounds like it wants to take off… have one here… but it’s loud when working. It has 32gb ram
Mine doesn't do that at all and I even use it for 4K edits. At that point the fans turn on but during normal use it's silent normally with 48 GB ram.
Hello,
can this iMac model can be used as a monitor for a 2020 intel MacBook Air or newer MacBook models ?
Thanks
No, these monitors don't have that capability unless you do some really crazy things, but overall it's really not an option on the 2017 iMacs.
I've always been on used Macs as my daily drivers. Especially if you have a basic knowledge of how to upgrade them and install MacOS, they make a great choice to save a lot of money and still get a great experience.
For sure and thanks for sharing and watching. I like older iMacs and wish they come out with new 27 inch iMac that's not the pro
I am upgrading my old AIO PC (which ran great until recently at 2.5 GHZ and 8GB RAM) for a 27" 2019 iMac with 64gb RAM. I expect it will run like a charm. I believe I'll get many years use and at 72 it may be the last computer that I'll buy! Older well maintained computers are a great buy.
Yes, that is a nice system for sure and it should last for a while. Good luck with everything.
I still have my 27 inch 2017 iMac and it still performs very good, but have to be honest. Really itching for a new one to come hopefully soon with Apple Silicon....
Yeah but I have 24 inch iMac and still use the Intel one more. I love both but maybe wait for M2 or m3 upgrade and hopefully price stays same
@@craigneidel I was tempted to get the 24 inch but after looking at it at the store, those 3 inches make a big difference for it to be my main display. so I’m holding out.
@@MichaelBordenaro you get used to it but I like 27 too so hope a cheaper version comes later.
My biggest question right now is if I should upgrade my 2017 27" 5K imac to the 2020 27" 5K one - as its the last model with Intel Chip for gaming.
Anyone here with that upgrade done? To compare I bought my 2017 one with the AMD 580 with 8gb graphics card, and wonder if the 5500TX 8GB card in the 2020 model I saw for sale in my town would be much of an upgrade. How does the 5500TX compare? How does the 5700?
Based on the CPU etc. it should be a nice upgrade but based on the Graphics card it's a bit closer. The AMD580 has a score of 8869 on the videocardbenchmark.net and the 5500TX has a score of 9157. So you can see the benchmarks are not that much different when compared strictly based on benchmarks (they don't always tell the tale though).
@@craigneidel Yeah it would maybe depend on what I could sell the 2017 imac for (its top spec). And I would surely wish for the 5700XT if possible. I have had 0 issues gaming on the 2017 intel based imac the last 7 years in 5K with games like WOW, Path of Exile, Diablo 3/4 and Destiny 2.
Im sure other games can have issues. But the above ones has played nicely for me on the AMD580 in the 2017 iMac.
Yes, and I always say get the system you need and if those are the games you like and they work then you have the right system.
Can I used this as external monitor for my Macbookpro m1?
Not really.
I bought it in August 2022! Gonna add memory
Memory and make sure it boots from SSD or boot off external SSD. They run great after that.
Just got 2 of these free. One is the 2017 and the other is like 2012 or so. Guy wiped the units could not reinstall, put them on fb said he was done fooling with them. Both working now. Took me about 1hr.
Thanks for watching and sharing. If they don't have SSDs then boot off external SSD and they will be much quicker.
I bought imac 27” late 2015 i5 3,3ghz radeon 395 2tb fusion drive and 24gb ram. Im blown away as it’s my first imac and change from pc. Just amazing. I payed 400 for display and mouse 2 and keyboard. Only problem is os which is monterey.
Yes, for the price they are great and the only issues are the older OS. Thanks for watching.
I ripped out the guts and converted my 2014 iMac to a 5K main display for my M1. Couldn’t be happier. Runs on 12VDC.
Nice, I think Luke Miani did something like that on his chanel.
I have a 2017 i7 iMac. I upgraded the Ram to 24 gb and even though it is my oldest computer, it has the most RAM. It runs Logic Pro 10.7 great, even using some plugins that choke everything else but my M1Pro Macbook Pro, such as Arturia Augmented Strings. I will really miss it when it is no longer viable, but now it does everything I need just fine.
Yes, the 2017 is great and I run all of my edits on this and I have also upgraded ram to 48 GB now.
Now it’s 2024 has anything changed or should I still buy one if I come across one
Things change for sure. If you can find an incredible deal and it has an SSD and then you add more ram (you can upgrade ram on these) they can still be a great machine for everyday work. For a few hundred dollars I still think they are good values.
I love this. Thank you so much. I already have one but upgrading it. It’s a beautiful powerful machine. Totally agree with you.
Yes, they are great when upgraded and you can still use them today.
Is this a good choice for making Music? Recording and making Beats?
🙏
I think so but make sure SSD and 16 gb ram.
thanks for your honest opinion! I not so long ago bought my first iMac and its the best computer I ever have! I bought an 27" iMac mid 2011! I did the upgrades( Rams and SSD) and now running Ventura works sooo good!
Yes, those are great systems for sure. Thanks for watching and the comment.
I didn’t know a 2011 iMac still runs Ventura. Are you kidding
You can run it with something like Open Core Patcher - works with older Macs.@@_blackbillgates5087
HELP NEEDED 🙏 Can I use this model as a second monitor for my Mackbook air as well as my windows laptop?
Thank you!!!
Not really unless you are using Open Core Legacy Patcher to upgrade to a newer OS. They you can use it as a second screen with a connection between both. I did a video on this but for the 24" iMac if you wanted to watch that.
Can you upgrade iMac 2017 to 5k screen and what upgrades would I need to enhance my TH-cam editing
I'm not sure what you are asking? 2017 27" is a 5K screen.
Craig, I have had problems on my 2017 27 inch iMac with iCalendar not synching between my iMac iPad and iPhone. The person at Apple tech help mentioned that old iPhone (12) and old iMac and old iPad (5 th generation) was the reason. They did some type of refresh and things work now, but I am very worried about messing my calendar function up. Everything else works great. I love it! I want to wait a year to get the 30 or 32 inch iMac which is going to be at least a year till it comes out, but I'm feeling pressure to give in and buy the 24 inch iMac available now so that I have the newest operating system. Really appreciate your video. thanks PS I need the better system for large photography file, and the 3 TB storage works great. Don't really need or want the SSD.
Thanks for the post and good luck with things. I'm not sure there will be a 27 or larger iMac but the new Mac mini M4 paid with the studio display (was on sale for $1,249). So combined it would be around 2K and a very nice setup if that fits the budget. Otherwise the M4 iMac 24 inch should be out in a few weeks so check that out too.
Can you share what additions you purchased to get it to run fast. The names and brands. I am not tech saavy and I bought this computer in 2017 and haven't been able to use it since I didn't know how to upgrade the drive and storage.
You can use something like a samsung T9 or T7 if you don't want to build an external SSD to boot off of. If not I would just go with a Samsung 2.5 inch drive (Samsung Evo) and then I used the OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini - eshop.macsales.com/shop/owc-mercury-elite-pro-mini/usb-c for the enclosure. I did this a while ago so there could be better options but that is kind of what I did.
How do I get the the 2017 updated. Keeps saying can't be installed
It's hard for me to trouble shoot each system and it depends on what OS and a bunch of other items (what OS to what OS) etc.
I would search for a video on updating the 2017 to see if it has any clues that appear like the issue you are getting. Thanks for watching.
Actually, I have been thinking about getting an 2017-2019 iMac now even before watching this video.
iMacs are great machines.
I'm viewing this on this exact machine. It's still great. I can't see myself wanting to get rid of that display.
Yes, they are the best screen to this day.
I have thought about buying a 2020 iMac too. I have one question, can a 2017iMac be used as a monitor to a M2 Mac mini?
Not really but you can use something like Luna Display which is a dongle to make it a monitor. It's not perfect with slight lag in some cases but still the best at this time.
Why ssd and not standard for regular using and what version of office to buy with it?
Mine came with Fusion Drive so I boot off external SSD on mine. Fusion is OK but just don't get one with HDD.
Agree with you. iMac 2017 - 2020 is the best overall iMac's for now.
Yes they are great systems for sure
LOL. Watching this video on the I7 27" iMac that I bought myself for retirement in 2017. I upgraded memory and got the 3TB fusion drive to hold music sample libraries. Just ordered a M2 MacMini for music creation and will be using my iMac as an entertainment and communication system. Yes, a 32 in screen would be nice, but this looks so good. I'll just move it closer and keep using it. It will be used for all the things that I don't want to put on my decimated DAW.
They are nice for sure. Thanks for watching.
Picked one up for $350 the other day. What a deal.
As long as they come with an SSD they are a good value at that cost.
What is your opinion on the current methods to force windows 11 on intel macs? I have a 2017 27inch 5k i5 imac. I really only use it to play games, so is 10 cool in your opinion please.
I'm not exactly sure what you are asking but something like Parallels is a good product to get Window on a Mac.
@craigneidel there are several youtubers with videos showing how to get windows 11 on a imac disabling the tpm and secure boot requirements. I wanted to know what your thought were on that? And if doing that is worth it for someone that just uses thier computer to play games. Or can I just keep windows 10 until.............
I have not really heard of that and think something like Parallels is the best way for Windows on the Mac.
I still have my late model 2015 27” IMac. Loaded with 32 gigs ram and runs Photoshop like a hot knife through butter. But Apple is not updating the OS anymore it seems. And Adobe is needing the latest OS for its Apps to run everything. So now I am looking at my first new computer since 2015. Maybe the base Mini for $599.
You can install Open Core Legacy Patcher on the Mac to run the newest versions of the OS but you would need to wipe the system - there are videos on that installing this on TH-cam.
Does it work now with the newest system? And do you have the i5 or i7?
Latest officially supported macOS for iMac 2017 is Ventura. But, using hacks like opencore legacy patcher, more recent versions might also work (inofficially, no support from Apple). But even if everything goes wrong, there is still Linux (and even Windows).
The 2017 models cannot be upgraded to somona but still get Ventura security updates. Or you can use open core patcher to put on somoma.
this or the new Mac mini M4? Comparing 2019 iMac 27 5k 3.7 i5 64gb ram rx580
It's a touch call and depends on price. The M4 will have much longer OS support etc. so at this point I'm leaning that way. Also, they are crazy fast as I have one with only 16 GB ram and it's like my 48 GB on my 2017.
I have an internal 28 GB SSD Drive on my IMAC 2017, so I installed Sonoma on that.
WIFI cannot be found, Sonoma on my HDD is able to find all WIFI's.
Do you know whats the matter?
I'm not sure and it's hard for me to troubleshoot things like that. But 28 GB is tiny so not sure if that has something to do with it as I thought Sonoma was more than then that.
afterwards I installed OCL- Post install root patch, and have WIFI
Ok, thanks. Not sure why that happened then.
Just bought an iMac 27” -2020, i7 3,8GHz, 8GB Radeon. Like new, only used around 10h according to the seller, I gave 1250$.👍
Add some ram to it, it's easy. Good luck with everything.
@@craigneidelThere is 64GB all ready, the graphic memory is 8GB.
@@martincarlberg9671 you should be all set then...
I boot off of a Samsung SSD. I need to upgrade the RAM though. I only have 8gb and the programs don't run as quickly as I'd like.
Yes, the ram is easy to upgrade on the 27" iMacs. Takes a few minutes and you will be good to go.
I listened to you and bought one. 4.2ghjz and 16GB with 500GB SSD. (I have no clue what that all means), except for the16 ram.
Ok, good luck with everything.
Is there a reliable work around for using 2017 iMac as a monitor for a Mac Studio? Great job on this video!
Not really except Luna display. I might do video on it in next few months. Thanks for watching.
is there any update on this being possible? without ripping out the internals? duet works well resolution wise but has some lag, havent tried luna but sounds like that has lag too which matters a lot for me cause i need it for design/video editing
Thank you for the video, it´s really clarifying! but do you think the same logic applies to the 2017 21.5 inch 4K 256gb I5 Imac?
Maybe but depends on cost. The 27 inch screen is also huge advantage since it's basically the studio displays.
The only problem with this is that I can't use it as a screen with my work MBP.
Yes true unless you get something like Luna display to help with that.
@@craigneidel is the experience seamless? Used a non-retina iMac long time ago and after all these years and spending on displays I still don't forget how satisfied I was with that display.
Yes, they were very nice displays for sure and I love my 2017.
Which external hard drive are you running?
I'm actually running it on a OWC enclosure with a Samsung QVO SSD which is only 2.5". Only get about 500 MB/s but still edited 600 4K videos on this so fast enough for sure. Anything faster will be even better.
I have a similar setup: 2017 27" Retina 5k iMac with 1tb fusion drive 3.4 ghz quadcore 8gb ram with jbl bt speaker + with bootcam gta v still manages to run 2048x 1536 n gta 4 in 2560x 1440 gonna uprgade to 16gb ram or do i need more to run games in 3k n also maya n after effects ?
I would add as much ram as you can since it's so cheap for these iMacs now. More ram won't hurt.
@Craig Neidel Will a mint, hardly used 2016 (late 2015 model) i5 1TB Fusion Drive 27" iMac be good enough for internet browsing, youtube and MS Office Word, Excel, Powerpoint etc? RAM has been upgraded to 24 GB. Thanks in advance for your reply.
I think it would be good enough for that. While the Fusion drive isn't an SSD, it's got a small SSD part in it. If it was just a normal HDD then I would say no since the drive is what makes a difference but I think with the Fusion drive it's fine. Just make sure it's a very good price.
@@craigneidel Thank you very much for your reply. I have a 2022 Dell XPS 13 9305 at the moment which has Intel i5, 8 GB of RAM and 256 SSD Hard Drive. Will the iMac 27" described above be any slower than what I have at the moment in the uses I have for it? Also, will it run a second monitor? The main reason for the change will be for the 5K high resolution screen and also to get used to the MAC OS as I may be starting a job soon that uses Macs. The OS on this iMac is Monterey which will not be updated now.
Ok, thanks and good luck with everything. It's hard to know if one is slower then the other and I would just be guessing since I don't have the Dell here to test. You can run a second screen on the iMac.
@@craigneidel Thank you. I just need to get used to the Apple Operating System having used and enjoyed Windows for years.
Yes, it take a little time but after that I'm sure you will like it.
Perfect timing! You convinced me to get one instead of a monitor for my M1 Air. Many thanks!
Make sure it has sad and they still work great
I bought a Late 2015 iMac 27, i5, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB HDD, Apple keyboard and mouse with charging cable a few days ago. For $200. I installed Monterey on an external SSD, plugged it into the iMac and I was ready to go. I sold my 2014 iMac 27, i7, 32 GB, 4 GB video, 500 GB SSD for $400 last year. There was a 2019 iMac 27 for $400 in my area last week but it was located an hour away. I actually wanted a Dell Ultrasharp U2720Q instead but they run $580 so I was watching for a 5k iMac for a lot less. I got the screen, speakers, microphone, videocamera for $200. I use this next to an M1 Max Studio with 3 4k monitors. I run my production on the Studio and all of my office stuff on the iMac. This iMac runs really cool too. I've found that some run hot and some run cool. I would have been fine with the 2017, 2019 or 2020 models for the right price. I could set up OCLP if I wanted to run Ventura but I don't need to. There's a 2017 i5 16 GB 2TB for sale in Boston for $475 and it's been sitting on the market for 9 days. My guess is that it sells for $400 Max. No warranty and you have to pick it up and test it but that's the way I like to buy and sell.
I also have 2009 and 2010 iMacs. The 2010 iMac with i7, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB HDD cost me $100 a few years ago. I use it to watch videos in front of my spin bike. It's nice to have the old model as it has an infared remote control so I can change the volume or skip to the next video if I want to. The 2009 is a spare monitor as it has Target Display Mode.
Thanks for sharing and I have a ton of older Macs too and they all run great. I have a 2011 iMac, 2012 iMac, 2012 Mac mini, 2013 iMac and 2017 iMac. I got all the machines for very cheap and love to still use the older tech. Thanks for sharing and watching again.
How do i turn it on ?there is no button
What are you talking about?
I just got one off Craigslist with 24g RAM and 2 1-TB drives for $350
Not bad.
Hello if you wouldn't mined give me your opinion, im using a 2019 27" imac upgraded ram to 72 GB i5 radeon 5300 4gb, i noticed sometimes it pauses, i was thinking of getting a
2017 Imac I7 32 GB ram, radeon 580 8GB. thanks
I'm not sure why you would go backwards from a 2019 to a 2017. Not sure that would be a great idea.
found that I can run an ext SSD and buy a cheap iMac, and still get a super fast machine.
I'll be using it for my music production.
I'm on PC and have been since 1995.
For sure I have a bunch of videos on my channel about booting off an external SSD.
@@craigneidelI'll look for those, thank you.
@@synthoelectro thanks
@@craigneidel welcome
I need a new mouse and keyboard for my Late 2013 iMac 27-inch. what kind can i get? thanks
I would get a refurbished Apple keyboard if you can swing it. They just work great with the iMacs.
Hi
I have a main iMac 2020 and a secondary iMac 2017 (both 27 inch)m I bought thunderbolt 3 to thunderbolt 3 cable, try with command and F2 key and is not working, Can you give me some advice how to set up second iMac to use it as a second monitor? Thanks
I don't think you can use any iMac over the 2013 as a second screen. You might need something like Luna Display for that to work.
This model was the first oen that I used in 2017 and it was a perfect and unforgettable experience lol and it wasn't mine but the company's and now I want to have my own though I have a MacBook pro 2023 but i still need this. thanks for this video. looking for this model somewhere..
They are still nice as long as you get an SSD and upgrade the ram. I still video edit on mine.
@@craigneidel i am looking for this piece. Do you think this can still be efficient after 5 years i mean i like the monitor because it's wide and its quality i see the right colors well 😂 i do graphics most of my work.
Also have u got a video re upgrading ram?
The monitor is the best.
There are a ton out there and it takes 3 minutes to do. I would just search on TH-cam and they will be there.
brother many thanks for your video . i have a question which imac 27 2017 or 2019 or 2020. is good if i want to connect a windows pc to it and use it as monitor . i need easy way to connect a pc with windows to use it as monitor. without installing it in mac 27 . any idea .
I don't think that is possible as you can't really use these iMacs as a monitor. You can use something like Luna Display, for Mac to Mac but you may want to check that out to see if it can do Windows to Mac.
@@craigneidel yes brother. but I have windows cpu I want to use imac as display for that windows cpu . I m searching if some solution available. thanks again
Look up Luna Display I think you can show a Windows PC on the Mac Screen.
@@craigneidel many thanks appreciated 🙏
can I build in an - M2 SSD 1 TB - ?
or SSD only ?
Yes, you can boot off an external SSD on these macs. I have a few examples on my channel and you can find them on TH-cam. You don't even need to open up the Mac.
Can you tell what could be the problem if it won’t power up
Bad power supply is my best guess. Make sure you check cable also and power source.
@@craigneidel thanks it was given to me it worked for maybe 3 months and no power i appreciate you for commenting.. I think it’s a big job to much for me my first MAC experience loved it for the short time
@@crossoverradio1 thanks and good luck with everything.
Hi. What RAM does it take?
I would just look that up on Google as the specific type.
I am really tempted to buy one. The thing for me is I bought a new MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro about a year ago, and its screen has ruined all other screens for me. I used to be able to use 1080p screens with no issue but after the Liquid Retina XDR of the Mac all these lesser screens are unusable. The studio display is too expensive for me and I can't afford it. So I am thinking buying one of these, using it as a media machine in my room, as the screen is pretty big and is the only screen of such a good quality for less than 1000$, and also it comes with a computer. So I can watch my Netflix and TH-cam 4K HDR videos directly off it, and when I want to do more hardcore work in a bigger screen I am thinking of using something like luna fusion with my MacBook Pro to just use the iMac as an external screen.
Yes not a bad idea if you can get a good deal. I still use mine for editing but also for media consumption they are great. Just make sure it has an SSD or boot off external SSD. Mine also was updated to 24 gb ram.
@@craigneidel Thank you! I found one with a fusion 1TB for a bit less than 500 refurbished and with a 3 month warranty. Do you think that for basic tasks I will need to upgrade to an SSD? Basic tasks I mean TH-cam Netflix etc and the occasional email response.
For actual work I will just connect my MacBook to it with luna display.
You can see if the fusion is fast enough or just boot off external SSD and I have videos on how to do that also. It works great.
Can you put links to the ram and SSD that you use?
I boot off external SSD which is a 2.5" Samsung 1 TB QVO and the ram I got from OWC and you can get what they recommend for compatibility on the website for the 2017 iMacs. The drive I have been using for about 5 years now so I would go with a more updated drive.
Imac 2017, is the M2.ssd faster when built inside, or is the speed the same when external?
the fastest external I know has 7 GB/S (Imac 2017 thunderbolt supports up to 40 GB/S)
You will get slightly better speeds internally then with an enclosure due to overhead.
I just bought a 2017 iMac 27 5k Retina display for only 300 dollars, the owner passed away and the person who inherited that iMac didn’t know anything about it, and he was asking for 500 on Facebook, I offered him 300 and took it without any hesitations…….I was very surprised with condition though it was almost as if someone bought and just never used it at all
Nice and thanks for sharing. If it doesn't have an SSD I would boot off an SSD for extra speed. Thanks.
How it’s working with h265 ?
Ok, but I have 48 GB ram. I still do my video on this and have many more modern macs so it can still do the job.
well, 8 GB RAM, Imac 2017 with Sonoma I need 1 min. 55 Seconds until you can login, 13 seconds after login desktop appears.
after adding 16 GB RAM I needed 1 min 30 seconds. and 5 seconds untill desktop appears after login
not that much big difference during startup, faster only 25 seconds
Do you have an SSD. My is worlds quicker then that at login.
I have HDD, thinking about upgrading to SSD
Yes, SSD makes world of difference.
Bout to pick one up for 140 I can’t wait
Nice.
I have 2 options and I'm really in doubt which one I should go for. The first is a Mac Mini M1 8gb 256gb SSD with all the stuff I'll need to buy like a mouse, keyboard, SSD, and 4k screen, which would result in the value of my second option. This other tempting option is an iMac 27, i5, 5K 32gb ram 4gb dedicated video with hybrid HD with sdd 1tb quad 3.5Ghz. Taking into account that I work with editing using Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere, and logic pro, what would be the best option for my case? Hugs from Brazil to you my friend!
What is the year of the iMac? Thanks.
Do you own the software? Do you subscribe to Adobe? If you're going to be using the latest software and aren't already invested in older software, it's time to move on to Apple silicone like the M1. I wouldn't buy an Intel based Apple as a first computer in 2023, not for professional use. If you already own the software that's native to Intel, there's no reason no to take advantage of some of the steep discounts right now and go with older tech. If you can't use old software and are subscribed for what's newer, you're going to need to buy a new computer in a few years to keep running that and you won't be saving any money if that happens.
what did you choose?
Yes I have been comparing a 2.5k and a 5k 27 Imac to my HP Z820. I am running a 2014 one with 32gb of ram and opencore so I have latest OS and it works flawlessly and better than any 4k monitors or 4k tvs
Yes, they are great machines for sure and it's my favorite. I sure hope Apple brings back the 27" as it's the perfect size.
Great video - Funny how this just comes up on my feed now after buying one and not before when I was trying to figure out if I should or not haha. It comes in the next couple of days and I am happy with my decision, especially after watching this. A glass of wine killed my 2012 MacBook Air and using an iPad since then just hasn’t been the same!
Thanks for the comment. Yes, they are nice if they have SSDs or you boot off an SSD like I do. The Fusion drives are ok but an SSD will really make these fly. Thanks again for watching and good luck.
@@craigneidel Thank you for the heads up. I will be checking out your vid on how to do that once I have played with it for a while. No doubt, I will go down the same route haha
Came with a 2TB fusion which means it has 128GB SSD... impressed with standard speed at the mo! @@craigneidel
Good luck with everything.
Apple iMac 27" 5K Retina i7 Turbo 4.50GHz 64GB RAM Fusion 2TB HDD+128GB SSD 2017 - it’s worth to buy for 1000£? (Stunning condition). I need something for editing;I use only Lightroom and photoshop)
It's a nice system. Just note lack of oa updates on 2017 models. But system will be snappy. Just wish it had full SSD and not fusion. I can't really say what to buy based on you use case but it's a nice system.
@@craigneidelthank you for your answer. I need something for editing photo in Lightroom and photoshop. I’m a amateur photographer budget around £1500-£2000
Or which one do you recommend?
@@fabiankowalski3356 it's a tough call as I don't have that model. For 2k something like 14 inch m2 pro MacBook pro will be much faster if you have external screen or need larger screen.
@@craigneidelI got MacBook Pro m1 (base model) and damn…it’s so slow as heck 😂
Currently looking at a 2017 that has a 1tb fusion drive...what's your opinion on the fusion drives and how hard is it to upgrade the hard drives? Thanks!
They are OK and I would see how you like it. They can be snappy for some things but you may want to boot off an external SSD or open it up and add an SSD to make it much quicker. If you get a good price they are great systems overall.