iFixit dismantles new iMac

As usual, our friends at iFixit have taken apart the latest hardware from Apple. Inside the new 20" iMac, they found that the machine's innards live behind the display, which must first be removed (this isn't new, but a lot less convenient than the G5s with their removable rear panel).

Notable is that the AU Optronics M302EW02 display isn't LED backlit, but has a CCFL backlight (four of them in fact, each run by its own high-voltage AC power). Also, the crew had to remove 22 screws before getting at the 12.7mm SATA 8x double-layer SuperDrive, which features a screw-free design. Go figure.

Finally, they uncovered six temperature sensors, the largest resting above above the 2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo processor, of course.

While my first inclination after receiving a brand new iMac certainly wouldn't be to take it apart, I'm glad that's just me. Thanks, iFixit!

[Via MacNN]

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Source: http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/First-Look/iMac-20-Inch/658/1

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Hardware iMac

As usual, our friends at iFixit have taken apart the latest hardware from Apple. Inside the new 20" iMac, they found that the machine's...

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paul merrill

We'd only be looking at a higher list price if they went with LEDs.

Think about price, folks.

March 04 2009 at 6:14 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Alex Mills

"G5s with their removable rear panel"

The iSight G5's used the same "screen first" design as this, though the alloy models have a lot more screws holding it together.

The screws he counted were just for the case and screen. Once off the superdrive is free to access.

March 04 2009 at 6:13 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Andrew

Has anyone found a new Mini takeapart posting? I bought one last night and intend to upgrade the RAM and HD, but am curious to see what I'm getting into first....

March 04 2009 at 3:14 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to Andrew's comment

Andrew

Answering my own question,

http://www.macminicolo.net/macmini2009.html

March 04 2009 at 3:56 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

czantra

They did the Mac Mini next: http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/First-Look/Mac-Mini-A1283-First-Look/659/1

March 04 2009 at 5:59 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Sam

this is interesting..Apple is making this whole big fuss about having their products being 'greener' but there still using a CCFL backlight (as opposed to an LED backlight) which is worse from an environmental standpoint and one for the consumer. All this talk about 'instant-on' displays turns out to be a bunch of crap when you buy apple's desktop products, eh?

March 04 2009 at 2:18 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Sam's comment

9600baud

I agree that the CCFL screen is a huge letdown. Not that i was in the market for one anyways but I was kinda surprised by this nevertheless...

March 04 2009 at 2:54 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

davejay

Does this mean that the new rev has the same janky display as the previous 20" model?

March 04 2009 at 1:54 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Slartibartfast

I find this to be rather hilarious:

"Inside the new 20" iMac, they found that the machine's innards live behind the display, which must first be removed (this isn't new, but a lot less convenient than the G5s with their removable rear panel)."

It almost sounds as if they were utterly mystified by this hot new way to put components behind the screen. Especially since you had to comment that this isn't anything new.

March 04 2009 at 1:37 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Slartibartfast's comment

robogobo

but of course, it isn't so hilarious, after you realize that he meant they're "behind" the screen rather than behind the removable panel, meaning the only way to get to them is to remove the screen.

March 04 2009 at 3:33 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply