Memory in New $1099 iMac is Soldered and Not Upgradable - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Memory in New $1099 iMac is Soldered and Not Upgradable

The 8GB of memory in the new, cheaper 21.5-inch iMac introduced earlier today is permanently soldered to the motherboard and is not upgradable, according to a teardown of the new machine by Other World Computing.

The $1,099 machine includes a 1.4GHz Dual-Core i5 processor from the MacBook Air, but users are permanently locked to 8GB of RAM. There is no build-to-order option to increase it and it cannot be increased later.

iMac 21-inch

Now that we’ve had time to teardown the new iMac, unlike the $1,299 iMac, we found this iMac has the memory is soldered to the motherboard removing any possibility of adding additional memory. Users will be permanently locked in to the 8GB of memory, as there is no Apple factory upgrade option.

The other 21.5" iMacs, launched last fall, can be upgraded through the Apple Online Store from 8GB to 16GB. RAM can also be added after purchase, but it requires removal of the screen and is an extremely difficult upgrade.

The current 27" iMac, on the other hand, has a easily accessed door on the rear of the machine that allows for simple RAM upgrades.

Related Roundup: iMac
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iMac

Popular Stories

LEGO imac g31

LEGO Considering Bondi Blue iMac G3 Set

Tuesday July 14, 2026 5:12 pm PDT by
LEGO today said the iMac G3 project submitted for consideration on its "Ideas" site has been moved to Parking Lot status, which means it hasn't been ruled out and could still possibly be turned into an official LEGO set. On its "Ideas" website, LEGO lets fans submit mockups and suggestions for future LEGO sets. Any project that gets at least 10,000 votes goes to the LEGO Review Board and has ...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple

Apple to Overhaul Mac Lineup With 11 New Models

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:13 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to refresh every Mac it sells over the next two years, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The plans come amid a Mac resurgence, with sales projected to climb for a third consecutive year, partly thanks to a growing following among users who lean on the machines for demanding, agent-based AI workloads. The wave of new Macs will begin this fall with a refreshed...
Apple iMac M4 hero feature

iMac Update Expected This Year, Model With OLED Display Also in Works

Wednesday July 22, 2026 9:10 am PDT by
Apple has finished development of a new iMac that it plans to release later this year, according to a report today from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The updated iMac is one of 11 new Mac models that Apple plans to release over the next two years or so. The next iMac will unsurprisingly have a newer chip, but the report did not indicate if Apple plans to use the existing M5 chip or the upcoming...

Top Rated Comments

158 months ago
Steve Jobs would have done this.
Score: 103 Votes (Like | Disagree)
US Marine Avatar
158 months ago
What a slap in the face. This new iMac really just reinforces the perception that Apple's hardware is overpriced and underperforming. /smh
Score: 78 Votes (Like | Disagree)
158 months ago
Consumers don't want upgradeable parts. They don't care. This is a sensible move from Apple and I support it 100%.
That's a false assumption. There are lots of us who would like to be able to upgrade our Apple computers. Specially considering the kinda absurd premium prices Apple asks for if we want to upgrade them prior the purchase.

Edit: And what advantages did this move bring to the consumer, to deserve your 100% support?
Score: 75 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
158 months ago
I'm assuming the people buying this model wouldn't be upgrading the memory and those complaining about it would never buy this model in the first place.
Score: 65 Votes (Like | Disagree)
158 months ago
This "Upgrade" only gets worse the more we know. Eddy's "best pipeline in 25 years" better have something exciting stuck in it.
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
158 months ago
So lame. I Hate that they make it just about impossible to upgrade the HD in the iMac and charge a ridiculous premium on the initial upgrade. Now restricting memory? Maybe people can't afford the upfront cost and want to upgrade over time.... just lame...
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors