Apple is rumored to be launching a few desktop lines and new models this year and, with that, support for some of the older computers has got to go. Is your Mac about to become obsolete? Or does Apple still consider it to be "vintage?" What does any of this mean?! What about your old iPhone that's barely hanging on.
Fret not! Mashable will help break it all down for you and let you know if you should start thinking about upgrading your Mac[opens in a new tab] soon.
Obsolete desktop Macs
When a Mac becomes obsolete, that's the end of the road for that particular Apple product. Apple typically supports products for a minimum of five years from when it was last distributed by the company. Parts, if they are available, can also be obtained by Apple for up to seven years as required by law.
However, after that seven-year period, your Mac is totally on its own. Apple will no longer service it or provide parts for that product.
Now, note, it's not more than 7 years since you bought it. Apple products are obsolete if it's been more than 7 years since Apple stopped officially selling them. So, even your old Mac probably has a pretty healthy lifespan if you bought it fairly close to launch, as Apple will likely continue selling the model for at least a few years after its release date.
But, still, maybe you have an obsolete Mac. Here are some of the desktop models that have recently been put out to pasture.
iMacs released in late 2012 and earlier
Mac Minis released in late 2012 and earlier
Mac Pros released in mid-2010 and earlier
Apple also lists extremely old lines like the Power Mac, eMac, and even the original Apple computer as obsolete. It should go without saying that these products are no longer supported by the company.
Vintage desktop Macs
If your Mac isn't on that list, don't celebrate just yet. You might have what Apple calls a "vintage" Mac. Apple products are considered vintage if they fall between that five and seven year stretch between now and when Apple stopped selling them.
This means that these Macs are on their way to being obsolete so perhaps start saving up for a new one.
iMac [21.5-inch, Early 2013]
iMac [21.5-inch, Late 2013]
iMac [27-inch, Late 2013]
iMac [21.5-inch, Mid 2014]
iMac [Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014]
iMac [Retina 5K, 27-inch, Mid 2015]
Mac Pro [Mid 2012]
It can be sad [especially for your wallet] to see your trusty Mac computer become obsolete. Apple discontinues these products because, according to the company, its technologically become out-of-date hardware-wise. And, honestly, since the M1-powered Macs were released, it's true. Apple's own M1 chip is lightyears ahead of these old Intel-powered Macs in speed and processing power.
If you see your Mac on this list and are looking for a new, affordable desktop computer, I highly recommend the Mac Mini M1[opens in a new tab].
There is no such thing as a “Late 2013–2015 iMac”. That range of iMac year covers a “no, probably not” to “sure, if you want something for only a couple more years”. 2013 iMacs [and all Apple products from that year] have now been ruled out of the latest version of macOS. Now that doesn’t mean they’re worthless.
Is an iMac 2013 worth buying?
The 2013 iMac is a good machine and can be upgrade for memory. Anything else like swapping out the drive is difficult but can be done. Of course the newer machine you buy, the longer usage you can get out of it. I personally do not recommend the 21″ iMacs because of their lack of upgradeability.
How much RAM can a late 2013 iMac take?
You can upgrade your Apple iMac 21.5-Inch [Late 2013] Computer to up to a maximum memory capacity of 16GB Memory.
What are the specs on a 2013 iMac?
27-inch iMac 3.4GHz
- Magic Trackpad.
- 16GB memory upgrade [two 8GB]
- 32GB memory upgrade [four 8GB]
- 3TB hard drive.
- 1TB or 3TB Fusion Drive.
- 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of flash storage.
- 3.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 [Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz] with 8MB L3 cache.
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M graphics processor with 4GB of GDDR5 memory.
How can I make my 2013 iMac faster?
10 tips to increase Mac speed
- Step 1: Restart occasionally.
- Step 2: Limit the apps you have open.
- Step 3: Limit your number of web browsing tabs.
- Step 4: Remove unused apps.
- Step 5: Reduce the number of apps in your Dock.
- Step 6: Get rid of your screen saver.
- Step 7: Upgrade your memory.
How much can I sell my 2013 iMac for?
iMac prices, trade in values & places to sell
iMac Core i5, 27-inch 2015 | $300 | $707 |
iMac Core i5, 21.5-inch 2015 | $240 | $334 |
iMac Core i5, 21.5-inch 2014 | $200 | $144 |
iMac Core i5, 27-inch 2013 | $220 | $366 |
How long will a 2013 iMac last?
This means that in general, you can expect at least 10 solid years of life from a Mac, barring any unforeseen hardware issues.
Can you upgrade the RAM on the new 27-inch iMac?
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.
Does iMac late 2013 have Thunderbolt?
If the Thunderbolt port is shaped like USB C and reversible it’s a Thunderbolt 3 Port. If you go to About This Mac and the model is Late 2013 or later and it is not a USB C port it is Thunderbolt 2. If the model is before Late 2013 it is Thunderbolt 1.
What GPU does a 2013 iMac have?
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CPU [Base/Turbo] | Intel Core i5-4570R [2.7GHz/3.2GHz] | Intel Core i5-4670 [3.4/3.8GHz] |
GPU | Intel Iris Pro 5200 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 775M [2GB GDDR5] |
RAM | 8GB DDR3-1600 | 8GB DDR3-1600 |
What generation is iMac 2013?
Details: This model is powered by a 22 nm, 64-bit “Fourth Generation” Intel Core i5 “Haswell/Crystalwell” [4570R] processor with quad cores [four independent processor cores on a single silicon chip, each with one thread].
How do I fix a slow iMac 2013?
14 Easy Ways To Speed Up a Painfully Slow Mac
- Shut down your Mac.
- Check your Startup Items.
- Clean up in System Preferences.
- Activity Monitor is Great for Frozen and Slow Mac Apps.
- Make Time Machine backup when YOU want.
- Clean up your hard drive.
- Download Onyx or CCleaner [it is free]
What are the specs of a 2013 iMac 27-inch?
The 2013 27-inch iMac features a 3.2 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 and Nvidia GeForce GTX 755M for $1,799; or with a 3.4 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 and the same Nvidia chip, up to 32GB of 1600 MHz DDR3 RAM, and up to 1TB of all-flash storage or 3TB of Fusion storage combining traditional hard drives with SSD.
What is the maximum wattage of the iMac 27-inch Core i5?
100V-240V [50 Hz to 60 Hz, single phase], Apple does not specify maximum wattage. Global original prices for the iMac 27-Inch “Core i5” 3.4 [Late 2013] in 34 different countries and territories follow; organized alphabetically by region.
Where can I find global original prices for iMac 27-inch Core i5?
Global original prices for the iMac 27-Inch “Core i5” 3.4 [Late 2013] in 34 different countries and territories follow; organized alphabetically by region. For global original prices for Intel Macs in one particular country on a single page, please refer to EveryMac.com’s Global Original Prices section.
What are the features of a late 2013 Apple iMac?
The “Late 2013” iMac models include a compact aluminum Apple Wireless Keyboard and the choice of either a multi-touch “Magic Mouse,” a multi-touch “Magic Trackpad,” or a traditional wired Apple mouse.