iFixit: Users may be able to upgrade CPU and RAM iMac Pro themselves

Apple hasn’t soldered the iMac Pro’s CPU and RAM to the motherboard, allowing for future upgrades. That is what iFixit concludes with a teardown of the device. The iMac Pro is difficult to repair and open.

Once the device is open, it’s not that easy to reach the replaceable components, as they are located on the back of the PCB, according to the iFixit teardown. In addition, the Intel CPU is a specific variant that is only in the iMac Pro, making it unclear whether upgrades will ever appear. The iMac Pro does have standard 288-pin connections for memory.

The GPU is soldered to the motherboard, which rules out upgrades in the future. The teardown also shows that Apple has used a much larger cooling system in the iMac Pro than previous iMacs.

While upgrades of certain components are possible with the iMac Pro, it requires users to open the case, a process that requires the right tools and also carries the risk of breaking the screen. Performing upgrades is therefore not as easy as with the Mac Pros of the past.

Apple released the iMac Pro in the Benelux this week. With the iMac Pro, Apple wants to release a temporary successor to the Mac Pro from 2013. The desktop without a screen has not been given a successor for years, to the dismay of many people who work on Apple’s machines. Apple previously announced a new desktop, but it won’t be released until later this year.