Can you upgrade the RAM in the 27-inch iMac?

The 27-inch iMac still has a backdoor for RAM

One of the biggest deciding factors for some people have in figuring out whether to buy the 21-inch iMac or the 27-inch iMac is aftermarket upgradable RAM. The 21.5-inch does not allow for post-purchase upgrades without invalidating your warranty.

The 27-inch iMac, on the other hand, is the only iMac that allows for aftermarket upgrades to RAM. That means you can buy additional RAM any time you want, long after you've bought your new iMac, and install it yourself. It's fairly easy to do. We also have a guide that shows you how to replace the RAM in your 27-inch iMac.

Apple-installed RAM can come with a hefty price tag. You may not need more than 8GB of RAM to start but will want to upgrade to more a year from now. You may want a different supported brand of RAM than what Apple puts in the iMac by default. You're good to start with the lowest RAM and upgrade later when you're ready.

I've done this with two 27-inch iMac computers. Each time, I postpone a RAM upgrade until I need it, which gives me time to save up a little extra cash and keeps me from spending money unnecessarily.

The 21.5-inch iMac is still off-limits

Back in 2012, Apple shut off aftermarket RAM upgrades for the 21.5-inch iMac. RAM was relocated under the logic board, so it was no longer accessible without having to take apart the entire iMac.

These days, if you want to attempt a DIY RAM upgrade on the 21.5-inch iMac, you'd need a lot of experience and a special upgrade kit, something like the ones iFixit sells. Of course, doing so will void your warranty, so it may not necessarily be worth the risk.

If you decide to go with the 21.5-inch iMac, I highly suggest configuring it with the most RAM you can afford at the time you purchase it.

Some RAM options