In the back of each 27-inch iMac, there is a small memory bay door that houses the memory cage. The table below compares the three 2 TB SSD models offered by OWC for your Mac.If you own a 27-inch iMac, upgrading the memory is simple and should only take about five minutes to complete. OWC sells PCIe SSDs for your Mac which can replace your existing PCIe SSD without the need for purchasing addition parts. However, PCIe drives are much faster than legacy SATA. Replacing the existing PCIe SSD with a 2 TB upgrade would cost more for the drive.

Replacing the existing PCIe SSD versus adding a SATA SSD

According to OWC, this sensor will work both with OWC SSDs and SSDs from other manufacturers.

The thermal sensor is to be attached to the metal surface of the SSD by the included adhesive. This plugs in between the SATA cable and the ADAPTADRIVE bracket. Second, OWC offers a In-line Digital Thermal Sensor for Hard Drive Upgrade for 27' Apple iMac Late 2012 to Mid 2019 Models, which is shown below. According to OWC, this bracket will work both with OWC SSDs and SSDs from other manufacturers. You would mount the 2.5' SATA SSD in the bracket. First, OWC offers a NEWER TECHNOLOGY ADAPTADRIVE 2.5' to 3.5' Drive Converter Bracket, which is shown below. There are probably other suppliers that offer similar items. To install a 2.5' SATA SSD, additional items will be required. Below is an image of the cable and hardware. For example, this website offers both the cable and hardware. The above image was taken from this webpage.Ĭurrently, the SATA cable and 3.5' drive mounting hardware is available for purchase off the web in used (and perhaps new) condition. I do not see this cable or hardware in the image you posted. If you Mac does not have SATA drive, then there may not be a SATA cable and 3.5' drive mounting hardware included with your Mac. The PCIe drive is a SSD, which would be faster than a SATA SDD or HDD. Your model Mac can have a SATA drive and/or a PCIe drive installed. The yellow arrow in the image below points to the data connector where the SATA cable would plug into. The green arrows in the images below point to the power connector where the SATA cable would plug into. If the power and data connectors exists on the logic board, then the answer is yes. Is it still possible to upgrade with 2.5' SSD drive? I would post directly from the video, but the video usage policy instructs not to. I good video showing the steps is given here. You need to remove the logical board to exchange the SSD. The red arrow in the image below points to the connector where the SSD would plug into. The PCIe SSD is located on the back side of the logic board above the USB and Thunderbolt ports.

Replace imac hard drive with ssd