iMac Intel 21.5″ EMC 2428 Teardown
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 16 Steps
We woke up to the news—brand new iMacs have landed! That means it’s time to grab our trusty suction cups and get to work. This iMac opens up just like earlier models: use two medium suction cups to lift off the magnetically-attached display glass, then unscrew the LCD. Curious what’s inside? Let’s dive in and find out!
Step 1
– Check out the new 21.5″ iMac—now with a Thunderbolt port and a speedy quad-core processor to keep things moving.
– Specs Rundown:
– Quad-core Intel Core i5, 6MB shared L3 cache (for those multitasking marathons).
– 500 GB Western Digital hard drive spinning at a reliable 7200 RPM.
– 4 GB of RAM—smooth sailing for your apps.
– AMD Radeon HD graphics with GDDR5 memory for crisp visuals.
– Handy Thunderbolt port for high-speed connections.
– Built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR for all your wireless needs.
Step 2
– Ports on the back of the iMac include: the SDXC card slot tucked under the optical drive, the audio line out, the audio line in, four USB 2.0 ports, the Firewire 800 port, the Thunderbolt port, and the Gigabit Ethernet port. When you’re ready to get inside, follow the steps carefully to access these connections. If you need help at any point, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 3
– Grab your trusty heavy-duty suction cups—they’re about to make separating the glass panel from the front bezel a breeze.
– The LED-backlit glossy widescreen display hangs on tight with several T10 Torx screws holding it to the front bezel.
Step 4
You’re looking at the same trusty display found in the previous 21.5″ iMac model—nothing new to surprise you here!
– Gently lift the LED-backlit display away from the front bezel—it should come out smoothly.
– This 21.5-inch glossy widescreen display packs millions of vibrant colors and handles up to 1920 x 1080 pixels in resolution.
– You’re looking at an LG-manufactured LED screen, model LM215WF3.
Step 5
Thunderbolt is a powerhouse, offering up to 10 Gbps data speed for both input and output. What’s even better is that PCI Express and DisplayPort each get their own 10 Gbps channel, so your display won’t have to fight with your external hard drive for bandwidth. Pretty neat, right?
– Just like we saw in the MacBook Pro 15″ Unibody Early 2011, the iMac Intel 21.5″ EMC 2428 comes with the Intel L102IA84 EFL Thunderbolt port IC. It’s a similar beast, but don’t let that scare you – it’s totally manageable.
Step 6
– Disconnect the three antennas and remove a few screws to free the AirPort card, then gently lift it out of its socket. The standout in wireless tech this round is Atheros, with the Wi-Fi card sporting an Atheros AR9388-AL1A 802.11n wireless LAN chip. If you need help along the way, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 7
In the upcoming steps, we’ll be removing several components that are quite similar to those found in the 21.5″ iMac. No worries—it’s straightforward stuff, and we’re here to guide you through each part.
– The WD Caviar Blue hard drive is securely fastened to the front bezel with a few screws, and, of course, the SATA data and power connectors are in play here.
– To remove the power supply, you’ll need to disconnect the AC inlet cable from the logic board. It’s a bit like unhooking a stubborn belt, but nothing too tricky!
– Once the power supply is out of the way, it’s time to tackle the LED driver board. It should come out smoothly after the power supply is gone.
– Just a heads-up! The WD Caviar Blue drive isn’t your typical SATA drive. The power connector is a little quirky with 7 pins instead of the usual 4. And the firmware? Non-standard too! This means that only Apple’s hard drives are a good match for this one. No generic SATA drives here!
Step 8
– Say goodbye to the optical drive — it’s not as essential as you might think! The latest iMac includes a Sony Optiarc optical drive, model AD-5690H, so you can keep on using discs if you like. The red-shaded area in the third picture shows where the optional SSD might sit. You’ll notice the three mounting points in that spot are empty in our machine — that’s because this upgrade is only available on the 2.7 GHz 21.5″ iMac models. If you need help with any part of this process, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 9
– Since the audio line-in and line-out ports are tucked way inside the front bezel, you’ll need to remove their mounting screws first. Once those are out, carefully lift the entire assembly out of the case. It’s a bit of a tight fit, but with patience, you’ll have it free in no time.
– The IR board, a leftover from the previous model, is pretty straightforward to remove. Just lift it straight up and out of the front bezel—no fuss needed here.
Step 10
To take the board out, you’ll need to carefully wiggle it free from the rest of the iMac. It’s a mix of gently pulling it upwards and away from the casing. A bit of jiggling, and it should slide right out. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
– A bunch of Torx T10 screws are holding the logic board in place. Let’s zip through them and get this part out of the way.
Step 11
– Does the heat sink layout remind anyone else of the classic Starship Enterprise? Typically in Apple devices, one heat sink handles the CPU while the other keeps the GPU cool—that’s just how they roll. And, as usual, to peek under the hood and see the processing guts, you’ll need to go past the warranty and get into the device. When it comes to RAM, this iMac has slots for four 204-pin PC3-10600 SO-DIMM modules—plenty of room for upgrades. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 12
– With a little finesse, the GPU heat sink pops off the logic board, revealing the AMD GPU underneath.
– The main chips on this GPU include:
– AMD Radeon HD 6750M GPU
– Four Hynix H5GQ1H24AFR T2L 1 Gb GDDR5 SDRAM chips, combining to a total of 512 MB
Step 13
– We’re all about science here—no holding back!
– Once you lift off the CPU heat sink, you’ll get a great view of that Core i5 processor.
– This device runs on a quad-core 2.5 GHz Core i5-2400S CPU, complete with 6 MB of Intel Smart Cache.
Luckily, the CPU and GPU on this device are properly cooled with just the right amount of thermal paste, unlike the messy application we saw on the MacBook Pro we recently disassembled. Proper thermal paste application helps keep the system running smoothly—so take your time and do it right. If you need a hand, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 14
– Let’s take a quick tour of the main chips that power this device’s logic board. First up, we’ve got the 2.5 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5-2400S CPU, packing 6 MB of Intel Smart Cache to keep things running smoothly. Next, there’s the Intel BD82Z68 Platform Controller Hub, acting as the central traffic cop. The Broadcom BCM57765B0KMLG handles your Gigabit Ethernet and Memory Card Reader duties seamlessly. The Cirrus 4206BCNZ audio controller keeps your sound crisp and clear. The SMSC USX2061, likely a USB 2.0 Hub Controller Family member, manages your USB connections. For GPU core power, the Intersil ISL6364 CRZ single-phase synchronous-buck PWM voltage regulator does the heavy lifting. Lastly, the Intel L102IA84 EFL Thunderbolt port IC connects you to high-speed peripherals. If you run into any snags during this process, you can always schedule a repair with Salvation Repair for expert help.
Step 15
This chip brings back some serious nostalgia—we spotted the same one way back in the first MacBook Air.
– Time to pop out the Bluetooth board from your iMac.
– Grab your ESD-safe vise and gently desolder the shield hiding the Bluetooth board. Underneath that shield? The main event!
– Here’s what you’ll find at the core:
– Broadcom BCM2046 Bluetooth IC
– 256 KB of SST 39VF200A CMOS Multi-Purpose Flash (MPF)
Tools Used
Step 16
– iMac 21.5″ EMC 2428 Repairability Score: 7 out of 10 (10 is the easiest to repair)
– Ever wondered what the inside of your machine looks like? Check out the iPhone 4 transparent rear panel!
– The front glass panel and LCD are a breeze to remove, giving you easy access to all the internal components.
– Replacing the RAM, hard drive, and optical drive is pretty straightforward—just be ready to remove the LCD for the drives.
– The minimal use of adhesives (almost all the fasteners are mechanical) makes disassembly a smooth process.
– Swapping out the CPU and GPU is possible, but you’ll need to remove the logic board first.
– Getting the logic board out can be a bit tricky, as you’ll need to disconnect a bunch of connectors and wiggle it free.
– When putting everything back together, getting the LCD and glass completely spotless is a challenge (but a little compressed air can help clear out dust).