You do have some limitations with this older system. So before you take the deep dive only to discover the rocks just under the water line, let’s see how deep you can go!
So let’s first check the specs for this system jumping to EveryMac [link|https://everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup/?search_keywords=2308|EMC 2308] Apple at this time was using EMC designation to define the models. If we grab one [link|https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-2-duo-3.33-21-inch-aluminum-late-2009-specs.html|2009 21.5” iMac 3.33GHz Core 2 Duo] we can look a bit deeper this build to order model offered a [link|https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/35605/intel-core-2-duo-processor-e8600-6m-cache-3-33-ghz-1333-mhz-fsb.html|Intel E8600] which is about all you can install (Code Name: [link|https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/codename/24736/products-formerly-wolfdale.html|Products formerly Wolfdale|new_window=true]). There are a few Xeon CPUs that can work (from within the same family) if you can find them.
This systems firmware is 64bit clean! So it will run macOS High Sierra (10.13). But the other hardware may limit you as you can’t run newer CPU’s as the micro code won’t support them and the power supply is also limited here.
You can boost the system to the max of 16GB using 1066 MHz PC3-8500 DDR3 SO-DIMMs (204-pin).
Sadly the USB ports are the slower 2.0 spec.
-
As far as internal storage this system offers a 3.5” HD bay which can support either a 3.5 or using an adapter frame a 2.5” drive. But the SATA interface is only SATA II (3.0 Gbps) as such you’ll need a fixed speed SATA II or a drive which auto senses the systems I/O speed which are getting hard to find Samsung is about it!. Review the spec sheet if it doesn’t state it explicitly it’s a fixed speed SATA III (6.0 Gbps) which won’t work properly).
+
As far as internal storage this system offers a 3.5” HD bay which can support either a 3.5” or using an adapter frame a 2.5” drive. But the SATA interface is only SATA II (3.0 Gbps) as such you’ll need a fixed speed SATA II or a drive which auto senses the systems I/O speed which are getting hard to find Samsung is about it!. Review the spec sheet if it doesn’t state it explicitly it’s a fixed speed SATA III (6.0 Gbps) which won’t work properly).
You do have some limitations with this older system. So before you take the deep dive only to discover the rocks just under the water line, let’s know how deep you can go!
+
You do have some limitations with this older system. So before you take the deep dive only to discover the rocks just under the water line, let’s see how deep you can go!
So let’s first check the specs for this system jumping to EveryMac [link|https://everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup/?search_keywords=2308|EMC 2308] Apple at this time was using EMC designation to define the models. If we grab one [link|https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-2-duo-3.33-21-inch-aluminum-late-2009-specs.html|2009 21.5” iMac 3.33GHz Core 2 Duo] we can look a bit deeper this build to order model offered a [link|https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/35605/intel-core-2-duo-processor-e8600-6m-cache-3-33-ghz-1333-mhz-fsb.html|Intel E8600] which is about all you can install (Code Name: [link|https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/codename/24736/products-formerly-wolfdale.html|Products formerly Wolfdale|new_window=true]). There are a few Xeon CPUs that can work (from within the same family) if you can find them.
This systems firmware is 64bit clean! So it will run macOS High Sierra (10.13). But the other hardware may limit you as you can’t run newer CPU’s as the micro code won’t support them and the power supply is also limited here.
You can boost the system to the max of 16GB using 1066 MHz PC3-8500 DDR3 SO-DIMMs (204-pin).
Sadly the USB ports are the slower 2.0 spec.
As far as internal storage this system offers a 3.5” HD bay which can support either a 3.5 or using an adapter frame a 2.5” drive. But the SATA interface is only SATA II (3.0 Gbps) as such you’ll need a fixed speed SATA II or a drive which auto senses the systems I/O speed which are getting hard to find Samsung is about it!. Review the spec sheet if it doesn’t state it explicitly it’s a fixed speed SATA III (6.0 Gbps) which won’t work properly).
You do have some limitations with this older system. So before you take the deep dive only to discover the rocks just under the water line, let’s know how deep you can go!
So let’s first check the specs for this system jumping to EveryMac [link|https://everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup/?search_keywords=2308|EMC 2308] Apple at this time was using EMC designation to define the models. If we grab one [link|https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-2-duo-3.33-21-inch-aluminum-late-2009-specs.html|2009 21.5” iMac 3.33GHz Core 2 Duo] we can look a bit deeper this build to order model offered a [link|https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/35605/intel-core-2-duo-processor-e8600-6m-cache-3-33-ghz-1333-mhz-fsb.html|Intel E8600] which is about all you can install (Code Name: [link|https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/codename/24736/products-formerly-wolfdale.html|Products formerly Wolfdale|new_window=true]). There are a few Xeon CPUs that can work (from within the same family) if you can find them.
This systems firmware is 64bit clean! So it will run macOS High Sierra (10.13). But the other hardware may limit you as you can’t run newer CPU’s as the micro code won’t support them and the power supply is also limited here.
You can boost the system to the max of 16GB using 1066 MHz PC3-8500 DDR3 SO-DIMMs (204-pin).
Sadly the USB ports are the slower 2.0 spec.
-
As far as internal storage this system offers a 3.5” HD bay which can support either a 3.5 or using an adapter frame a 2.5” drive. But the SATA interface is only SATA II (3.0 Gbps) as such you’ll need a fixed speed SATA II or a drive which auto senses the systems I/O speed which are getting hard to find Samsung is about I I trust. Review the spec sheet if it doesn’t state it explicitly it’s a fixed speed SATA III (6.0 Gbps) which won’t work properly).
+
As far as internal storage this system offers a 3.5” HD bay which can support either a 3.5 or using an adapter frame a 2.5” drive. But the SATA interface is only SATA II (3.0 Gbps) as such you’ll need a fixed speed SATA II or a drive which auto senses the systems I/O speed which are getting hard to find Samsung is about it!. Review the spec sheet if it doesn’t state it explicitly it’s a fixed speed SATA III (6.0 Gbps) which won’t work properly).
You do have some limitations with this older system. So before you take the deep dive only to discover the rocks just under the water line, let’s know how deep you can go!
So let’s first check the specs for this system jumping to EveryMac [link|https://everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup/?search_keywords=2308|EMC 2308] Apple at this time was using EMC designation to define the models. If we grab one [link|https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-2-duo-3.33-21-inch-aluminum-late-2009-specs.html|2009 21.5” iMac 3.33GHz Core 2 Duo] we can look a bit deeper this build to order model offered a [link|https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/35605/intel-core-2-duo-processor-e8600-6m-cache-3-33-ghz-1333-mhz-fsb.html|Intel E8600] which is about all you can install (Code Name: [link|https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/codename/24736/products-formerly-wolfdale.html|Products formerly Wolfdale|new_window=true]). There are a few Xeon CPUs that can work (from within the same family) if you can find them.
This systems firmware is 64bit clean! So it will run macOS High Sierra (10.13). But the other hardware may limit you as you can’t run newer CPU’s as the micro code won’t support them and the power supply is also limited here.
You can boost the system to the max of 16GB using 1066 MHz PC3-8500 DDR3 SO-DIMMs (204-pin).
Sadly the USB ports are the slower 2.0 spec.
-
As far as internal storage this system offers a 3.5” HD bay which can support either a 3.5 or using an adapter frame a 2.5” drive. But the SATA interface is only SATA II (3.0 Gbps) as such you’ll need a fixed speed SATA II or a drive which auto senses the systems I/O speed which are getting had to find Samsung is about I I trust. Review the spec sheet if it doesn’t state it explicitly it’s a fixed speed SATA III (6.0 Gbps) which won’t work properly).
+
As far as internal storage this system offers a 3.5” HD bay which can support either a 3.5 or using an adapter frame a 2.5” drive. But the SATA interface is only SATA II (3.0 Gbps) as such you’ll need a fixed speed SATA II or a drive which auto senses the systems I/O speed which are getting hard to find Samsung is about I I trust. Review the spec sheet if it doesn’t state it explicitly it’s a fixed speed SATA III (6.0 Gbps) which won’t work properly).
You do have some limitations with this older system. So before you take the deep dive only to discover the rocks just under the water line, let’s know how deep you can go!
-
So let’s first check the specs for this system jumping to EveryMac [https://everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup/?search_keywords=2308|EMC 2308] aApple at this time was using EMC designation to define the models. If we grab one [https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-2-duo-3.33-21-inch-aluminum-late-2009-specs.html|2009 21.5” iMac 3.33GHz Core 2 Duo] we can look a bit deeper this build to order model offered a [https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/35605/intel-core-2-duo-processor-e8600-6m-cache-3-33-ghz-1333-mhz-fsb.html|Intel E8600] which is about all you can install (Code Name: [link|https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/codename/24736/products-formerly-wolfdale.html|Products formerly Wolfdale|new_window=true]). There are a few Xeon CPUs that can work (from within the same family) if you can find them.
+
So let’s first check the specs for this system jumping to EveryMac [link|https://everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup/?search_keywords=2308|EMC 2308] Apple at this time was using EMC designation to define the models. If we grab one [link|https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-2-duo-3.33-21-inch-aluminum-late-2009-specs.html|2009 21.5” iMac 3.33GHz Core 2 Duo] we can look a bit deeper this build to order model offered a [link|https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/35605/intel-core-2-duo-processor-e8600-6m-cache-3-33-ghz-1333-mhz-fsb.html|Intel E8600] which is about all you can install (Code Name: [link|https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/codename/24736/products-formerly-wolfdale.html|Products formerly Wolfdale|new_window=true]). There are a few Xeon CPUs that can work (from within the same family) if you can find them.
This systems firmware is 64bit clean! So it will run macOS High Sierra (10.13). But the other hardware may limit you as you can’t run newer CPU’s as the micro code won’t support them and the power supply is also limited here.
You can boost the system to the max of 16GB using 1066 MHz PC3-8500 DDR3 SO-DIMMs (204-pin).
Sadly the USB ports are the slower 2.0 spec.
As far as internal storage this system offers a 3.5” HD bay which can support either a 3.5 or using an adapter frame a 2.5” drive. But the SATA interface is only SATA II (3.0 Gbps) as such you’ll need a fixed speed SATA II or a drive which auto senses the systems I/O speed which are getting had to find Samsung is about I I trust. Review the spec sheet if it doesn’t state it explicitly it’s a fixed speed SATA III (6.0 Gbps) which won’t work properly).
You do have some limitations with this older system. So before you take the deep dive only to discover the rocks just under the water line, let’s know how deep you can go!
So let’s first check the specs for this system jumping to EveryMac [https://everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup/?search_keywords=2308|EMC 2308] aApple at this time was using EMC designation to define the models. If we grab one [https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-2-duo-3.33-21-inch-aluminum-late-2009-specs.html|2009 21.5” iMac 3.33GHz Core 2 Duo] we can look a bit deeper this build to order model offered a [https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/35605/intel-core-2-duo-processor-e8600-6m-cache-3-33-ghz-1333-mhz-fsb.html|Intel E8600] which is about all you can install (Code Name: [link|https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/codename/24736/products-formerly-wolfdale.html|Products formerly Wolfdale|new_window=true]). There are a few Xeon CPUs that can work (from within the same family) if you can find them.
This systems firmware is 64bit clean! So it will run macOS High Sierra (10.13). But the other hardware may limit you as you can’t run newer CPU’s as the micro code won’t support them and the power supply is also limited here.
You can boost the system to the max of 16GB using 1066 MHz PC3-8500 DDR3 SO-DIMMs (204-pin).
Sadly the USB ports are the slower 2.0 spec.
As far as internal storage this system offers a 3.5” HD bay which can support either a 3.5 or using an adapter frame a 2.5” drive. But the SATA interface is only SATA II (3.0 Gbps) as such you’ll need a fixed speed SATA II or a drive which auto senses the systems I/O speed which are getting had to find Samsung is about I I trust. Review the spec sheet if it doesn’t state it explicitly it’s a fixed speed SATA III (6.0 Gbps) which won’t work properly).