iMac Intel 21.5″ EMC 2544 Teardown

– It might not come with a Retina display, but the new 21.5″ iMac definitely has some impressive specs to offer:

– A 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor with a 6 MB L3 cache to keep things running smoothly.

– 8 GB of RAM to handle your multitasking needs like a champ.

– A 1TB hard drive spinning at 5400 rpm, so you’ve got plenty of storage for all your files.

– NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M graphics processor with 512 MB of dedicated VRAM—perfect for those smooth graphics.

– Four USB 3.0 ports and two Thunderbolt ports for all your connecting needs.

– 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, so you’re always connected.

– Let’s talk about the new iMac—it’s impressively slim, but with some caveats. Its thinnest point near the edge is just 5 mm, making it sleek and minimal. However, at its thickest, it surpasses 4 cm—more than eight times thicker than the edge. Since the design is so slim, it doesn’t include an optical drive, but it still offers a solid lineup of ports: a 3.5 mm headphone jack, an SDXC card slot, four USB 3.0 ports, two Thunderbolt ports, and Gigabit Ethernet. If you need help with any repairs, you can always schedule a repair.

– Let’s start by locating the cooling vents on the back of the rear case—these are tucked behind the ‘foot.’ Unlike older models, you’ll see that the vent is rectangular rather than circular. Although there are vents at the bottom, the main fan is likely situated in the middle of the iMac—where it’s thickest—so these slots probably serve as the exhaust, pushing out air drawn in from below. Above the Apple logo, you’ll find the small dual microphone grates. Additionally, the model and EMC numbers can be found under the foot—look for A1418 and EMC 2544. Remember, the device is always listening, so handle it with care.

– Let’s start by gently loosening the adhesive that keeps the display assembly glued in place.

– Unlike older iMacs, this glass isn’t just held by magnets—there’s some adhesive action happening here.

– To move past the stubborn adhesive, we’ll need to use a heat gun and some guitar picks to carefully separate the display from the frame.

– Now that we’ve got the iPad-like adhesive out of the way, it’s time to get serious and break out the heavy-duty tools.

– Here’s a little repair nugget: Apple decided to fuse the front glass and the LCD to save space and minimize the gap between the glass and the screen. But if you want to swap out one of these parts, you’re going to need to replace both.

– That seamless, fused display may look sleek, but man, it comes with a price. Literally.

– The cost becomes clear real quick: when you open up the display, it ruins the foam adhesive keeping everything sealed. Reassembling it means you’ll have to remove and replace all that original adhesive—definitely a bit of a hassle for anyone tackling this repair.

– We were pretty surprised to see that the new iMac’s LCD shares the same model number—LM215WF3 from LG—as last year’s, even though it’s 5 mm slimmer. If it’s the same model, why is it physically smaller? Our guess is that Apple packed all the same components into a more compact housing, making it a bit of a squeeze. Don’t worry—this just means the LCD is efficient in design! If you need help with this process, you can always schedule a repair.

– Glance at the display control board and you’ll spot a couple of key ICs worth noting:

– Texas Instruments TPS65161 bias power supply

– Parade DP627HDE DisplayPort LCD timing controller

– This iMac definitely got a makeover—gone are the looks from last year’s model. Everything inside has been updated with a sleeker, more refined design.

– As we dive into this machine, we’ll see how Apple has worked their magic, trimming down the size of components, cutting millimeters and microns here and there, making everything more efficient.

– Hard drives? We love them! Especially when they’re paired up—like the new iMac’s 1TB drive. Let’s start by checking it out.

– Apple made a smart move here. By swapping out the bulky 3.5″ desktop hard drive for a sleeker 2.5″ laptop drive, they freed up a ton of space inside the iMac.

– To handle all that spinning storage magic, Apple turned to HGST—now part of Western Digital—to keep things running smoothly in the iMac.

– On top of being more compact, these smaller laptop hard drives are often quieter too. Less noise, more peace of mind, thanks to their smaller, more efficient moving parts.

– A rubbery housing is gently glued around the edges of the hard drive, sitting beneath the upper and lower plastic bezels. Unlike previous designs, this setup is a bit more compact, meaning vibrations can travel more easily through the internal parts. The rubber layer helps absorb those vibrations from the spinning drive, preventing them from bouncing around and causing issues elsewhere inside the device. If you need extra help, you can always schedule a repair.

– You might already know that we carry a 54-bit driver kit to handle any of your mechanical fastener needs. But here’s a little secret: the included extender can give you that extra torque boost to loosen stubborn screws—like the ones securing the power supply board inside the iMac. The power supply board takes the standard AC voltage from your wall socket and converts it into a tasty DC voltage that the iMac can use. The specified output is 12.1 V, 15.4 A. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.

– Here’s a fresh take on the fan layout! Apple’s shaking things up by swapping out multiple tiny fans for a single, centralized one—less clutter, more cool. Removing two-thirds of the fans might sound drastic, but it really helps save space and keeps things running smoothly. From the squirrel cage fan’s orientation, we see it pulls in cool air from the bottom vents and pushes hot air out the back grating of the iMac. If you need help with this process, you can always schedule a repair.

– In the good old days, iMac webcams were connected to the logic board with long, snaky cables that were a bit fragile—times have changed! Now, a sturdy, chunky ribbon cable keeps the FaceTime HD camera in touch with the logic board, making for a more reliable connection. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.

– Remember, the latest iMac comes with not just one, but two microphones. Double the mics, double the fun!

– Dual microphones have been around in mobile devices for ages, helping cut out that annoying background noise during calls. Now, they’ve brought the same tech to the iMac, giving your FaceTime chats with mom that extra clarity. It’s like you’re right there in the same room.

– It’s not everyday you see the microphone(s) and webcam separated like this. But hey, that’s a good thing for repairability! Having them modular means easier fixes down the line.

– First, gently flick a spudger or two to release the three golden antenna bars. They should pop right out.

– Even though the main Wi-Fi antenna likes to play hide-and-seek behind the iconic Apple logo on the back, don’t worry—these three antennas are here to cover your Bluetooth and secondary Wi-Fi needs.

– Hold up—it’s speaker time!

– The speakers might seem like a simple part to remove, but don’t be fooled. Apple has added a little challenge to the mix with a tricky barb at the bottom of the speaker assembly, making this step a bit more frustrating than it needs to be.

– After pushing through that challenge, you’ll finally be able to pull the speaker assemblies free from their snug home, ready to move on with your repair.

– The logical next move is to carefully lift out the iMac’s logic board.

– Flip the board over to reveal its backside—here’s where all the action happens, packed with components ready to be explored.

– Good news: The iMac’s RAM is actually user-replaceable! Bad news: You’ll need to unglue the screen and lift out the logic board to get at it. Our budget-friendly model comes with a solid 8 GB of Hynix PC3-12800 RAM, which is just a tiny bit less terrible than soldered RAM that can’t be swapped out at all. If you need help along the way, you can always schedule a repair.

– The AirPort card hangs out quietly in its corner, like a shy dancer at prom.

– After a brief break, Broadcom makes its grand return, bringing WLAN features to the iMac.

– At the heart of the tiny AirPort card is the Broadcom BCM4331, a single-chip WLAN solution.

– The three Wi-Fi antennas are powered by three Skyworks SE5515 Dual-Band frontend chips.

– Bluetooth and Wi-Fi now share a single card, a new addition from last year’s model, with the addition of a BCM20702 Bluetooth 4.0 processor.

– Say goodbye to that massive heat sink—off it goes!

– The new iMac sports a spring-loaded FCLGA1155 socket, channeling all those tiny signals to and from the CPU.

– And with it comes… wait for it… the CPU itself!

– The Intel Core i5-3330S runs at a solid 2.7 GHz, but can turbo up to 3.2 GHz when you need a bit more zip. This processor is definitely on the entry-level side for iMacs, but if you’re looking to upgrade, a 21.5″ model can be equipped with a more robust 3.1 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 that Turbo Boosts up to 3.9 GHz. If you need help along the way, you can always schedule a repair.

– Let’s meet the stars of the front side of the Lo-Bo:

– Nvidia GeForce GT 640M GPU—your graphics powerhouse.

– Intel E213B384 platform controller hub—handles the traffic like a champ.

– Texas Instruments Stellaris LM4FS1AH microcontroller—your board’s brainy sidekick.

– 2x Hynix H5GQ2H24AFR GDDR5 SGRAM—speedy memory for smooth moves.

– National Semiconductor VM22AC—keeps things running smoothly.

– Delta 8904C-F—tiny but mighty component.

– Broadcom BCM57765A1KMLG gigabit ethernet controller with built-in SDXC card reader—fast connections, easy file swaps.

– Hidden on the back of the logic board, we’ve spotted a few extra chips worth noting: the Intel DSL3510L Cactus Ridge Thunderbolt controller, the Analog Devices SSM3302 audio amplifier, the Vimicro VC0359 webcam processor, the Intersil ISL6364 multi-phase PWM controller, and the Cirrus Logic 4206BCNZ audio controller—yes, the same one from last year’s 21.5″ model. Keep an eye out for these components as you move through your repair, and if you run into any tricky spots, you can always schedule a repair.

– Alright, let’s take a look at these traces on the board.

– Notice this extra hole over on the left side?

– That’s where Apple’s special SSD connector would normally go.

– This iMac is the budget-friendly model, so we’re guessing only upgraded versions with the Fusion drive have that connector installed, plus a 128GB SSD plugged in.

– Sadly, it looks like this generation isn’t playing nice with our favorite dual-drive kit. Bummer.

– Just to check, we tried fitting the SSD from the 13″ MacBook Pro Retina Display—yep, it lines up perfectly.

– If you ever run into trouble or need a hand, you can always schedule a repair.

– Even though the rear case is the last piece we tackle, it’s actually where the design journey for the new iMac all began. To connect the case parts smoothly and securely, Apple used a special technique called friction stir welding. Think of it more like molding clay than traditional welding—it doesn’t melt the pieces but softens the edges and presses them together, creating a super-strong bond with no heat-weakened zones. If you need a hand with tricky steps, you can always schedule a repair.

– iMac 21.5″ EMC 2544 Repairability Score: 3 out of 10 (10 means super easy).

– RAM, hard drive, and CPU are still swappable—just takes some elbow grease.

– The glass and LCD are now one inseparable duo, and the magnets are gone. Time to break out the heat gun and channel your inner tech wizard.

– Most upgradable parts like RAM are tucked way behind the logic board, so get ready to disassemble almost the entire machine for access.

– If you’re hoping to add a second hard drive to the base iMac, you’ll need serious soldering skills to attach those missing proprietary connectors.

– To put your iMac back together looking seamless, carefully remove the old double-sided tape and apply fresh tape for a clean seal. If things get tricky, you can always schedule a repair.