Will Samsung SSD 870 EVO and Sabrent bracket work with my iMac?

Hello

I have this machine with follwoing spec, which I am planning to upgrade with a SDD (Samsung SSD 870 EVO, 1 TB, Form Factor 2.5 inches/6.4 cm) and a bracket (Sabrent 2.5" SSD SATA Hard Drive to Desktop 3.5" SATA Bay Converter Mount Kit (BK-PCBS)).

The question is if these will work with my machine. Do I need anything else?


Thanking you for your advices!


--------------Specs------- 

 Model Name: iMac

 Model Identifier: iMac14,2

 Processor Name: Quad-Core Intel Core i5

 Processor Speed: 3.2 GHz

 Number of Processors: 1

 Total Number of Cores: 4

 L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB

 L3 Cache: 6 MB

 Memory: 24 GB

 Boot ROM Version: 433.140.2.0.0

 SMC Version (system): 2.15f7

 Serial Number (system): DG******8J9

 Hardware UUID: EC0B7F32-8ACB-5F44-8XX1-XXXXXXXX



[Edited by Moderator]

Original Title: Will Samsung SSD


iMac 27″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Nov 20, 2025 2:46 AM

Reply
6 replies

Nov 20, 2025 6:46 AM in response to saeed_y

Your iMac 14,2 w/ 3.2 GHz i5 sounds like a 2013 27" iMac, according to Mactracker.


Yes, those items *should* work just fine if your plan is to replace the internal drive.

I still have a similar 2013 iMac that I modified years ago with similar components. That iMac doesn't get much use these days.


If I recall correctly you may also need a temperature sensor. The original HDD may have had one built in and unless you replace it, the iMac's fans may run uncontrolled. I believe you can find that temp sensor at macsales.com or maybe ifixit.com.


That iMac is about fourteen (!) years old now and is very outdated and obsolete.

You might reconsider making this modification. It won't allow you to use any OS later than 10.14.7 Catalina, which is obsolete by six generations now. Neither the OS nor any of the browsers it can run receive love or support from their developers any longer.


Replacing the internal startup drive in this case is simply applying a bandaid to a bigger problem. It won't stop the bleeding as the iMac continues to age.


You might consider replacing the iMac with something newer.

Macsales.com has quality used Macs at reasonable cost.

Apple has their Certified Refurbished Macs.

Nov 20, 2025 9:55 AM in response to saeed_y

That's a late 2013 iMac which Apple considers obsolete. The latest system it can run is Catalina, 10.15 which is. no longer supported by Apple.


How much are those components?


You can get a new Mac Mini M4 for $1084 and a monitor which will run from $100 to $500 depending on what you get.


The following is food for thought:


A 10 Core Mac Mini M4 with 16 GB RAM and 1TB SSD ($1084) with a 32" LG 4k monitor ($331) from Amazon.com)  is $1415 which is $541 less than a similarly configured new 24" iMac ($1956)  re 07/2025. Keep your keyboard and mouse from your current Mac for use with the Mini. 


If you want to stay with the Samsung and have the skills to open, replace the drive and close the iMac successfully go for it. However, if you need someone else to do the work consider that cost along with the cost of the Samsung components against a new Mac Mini.

drive

Another thought: Rather than break into the iMac to replace the drive consider getting an external SSD in its own case, clone your internal boot drive to it and boot and run from the external SSD. That way you don't risk a damage to the iMac during opening and closing and have a good external SSD to take with you when you upgrade your Mac itself. In support of this method this user top shows how to clone an intel iMac: Using Carbon Copy Cloner to Make a Bootable Clone of Intel Mac  


Will Samsung SSD 870 EVO and Sabrent bracket work with my iMac?

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