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My late 2013 iMac 512GB PCI-e SSD is broken after 2.5 year. Apple can replace the SSD in the Netherlands for $994 :-( Looking at the current prices of SSD this $994 is absurd and I want to replace the SSD by myself. Looking in this forum it’s still not clear to me if there is a 512GB SSD which I can buy to replace the broken one. Please can someone tell my if it’s possible to replace the broken SSD? If the answer is yes which SSD should I buy?
How did you break the SSD? So far there is no 3rd party option that is officially supported for the very latest versions of iMac’s in replacing the blade SSD. Here’s the web site to watch: OWC SSD Flash Storage Upgrades for iMac. So what to do?? Frankly, I would recommend going with an external drive like this one: OWC ThunderBay 4 mini for now. It will offer the same if not faster access as your original blade SSD depending on how many drives you put in. The other option here is to put in a standard SATA III drive if you got a SSD only system. Here you could go with a traditional HD/SSHD (3.5") or you could go with a SSD with an adapter frame (2.5") but either will be slower than what your blade SSD offered. Consider the amount of work and the risks here in opening your system. Many people have damaged the display assembly as they didn’t use the correct tools and follow the IFIXIT guide to the letter, which required replacing it (an expensive mistake). Replacing the blade SSD will require the complete removal of the logic board Vs the replacing the SATA drive. But adding the needed SATA cables if your system didn’t have the drive will require the full removal of the logic board to gain access the headers on the logic board. Review the following guides: iMac Intel 27" EMC 2639 SSD ReplacementiMac Intel 27" EMC 2639 Hard Drive Replacement
