iMac 21.5-inch 2013-2015 Repair Johannesburg | iAssist
iMac 21.5-inch Repair2013, 2014 & 2015 Intel models
Three years of 21.5-inch iMac with three different personalities — Late 2013 with upgradeable RAM, 2014 and 2015 with soldered RAM, all OCLP-able to Sonoma. iStore turned every one vintage. We turn them on. Free diagnostic, nationwide courier.
Free diagnostic · Runs Sonoma via OCLP · SSD upgrade available · 6-month warranty
iMac 21.5-inch (2013–2015) at a glance
Display
1920×1080 21.5-inch (2013–2014) · 4096×2304 Retina 4K (Late 2015 4K model)
Models
iMac14,1/14,3 (Late 2013) · iMac14,4 (Mid 2014) · iMac16,1/16,2 (Late 2015)
Processor
Intel Core i5 / i7 1.4–3.3GHz (Haswell / Broadwell)
RAM
Late 2013: upgradeable to 16GB (display removal) · Mid 2014 & Late 2015: SOLDERED
Storage
SATA HDD · optional PCIe SSD blade (Late 2013 higher-spec only)
GPU
Intel Iris / Iris Pro · NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M (higher-spec Late 2013)
macOS
Native max: Big Sur (Late 2013/2014) / Monterey (Late 2015) · Sonoma via OCLP
Known issue
Mid 2014 and Late 2015: RAM permanently soldered — check before booking
Late 2013 (iMac14,1 / iMac14,3): Two SO-DIMM slots are present. RAM is upgradeable to 16GB DDR3 with display removal. ✓ Upgradeable
Mid 2014 (iMac14,4 — 1.4GHz only): RAM is permanently soldered. No upgrade is possible under any circumstances. ✗ Soldered — impossible
Late 2015 (iMac16,1 non-4K & iMac16,2 4K — all configs): RAM is permanently soldered on all models including the more expensive 4K. No upgrade possible. ✗ Soldered — impossible
What we repair on the iMac 21.5-inch 2013–2015
What an SSD actually does to your 2013–2015 iMac
These are not estimates. This is what we consistently measure on the machines we upgrade.
| Task | Before (HDD / Fusion) | After (SSD) |
|---|---|---|
| Boot to desktop | 3 – 5 minutes | Under 20 seconds |
| App launch (e.g. Chrome) | 25 – 40 seconds | 2 – 3 seconds |
| macOS update install | 3 – 5 hours | Under 45 minutes |
| File copy (10GB) | 8 – 12 minutes | Under 90 seconds |
| Spinning beachball | Constant | Essentially gone |
| General feel | Sluggish, unresponsive | Fluid, fast |
iMac 21.5-inch (2013–2015) repair price guide
Estimates only. Final price confirmed after free diagnostic. Written quote before work begins.
| Service | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Screens & display | |
| 1080p display replacement (2013–2014) Separate glass and LCD on older models. Glass-only possible if LCD intact. |
R2,500 – R3,800 |
| Retina 4K display replacement (Late 2015 4K) Laminated 4K display assembly. Full unit replacement. |
R3,500 – R5,500 |
| Backlight repair Flashlight effect or backlight failure. Panel may be reusable. |
R1,200 – R2,500 |
| Logic board & power | |
| Logic board — component-level repair Power rail, GPU IC, USB/TB controller repair. |
R1,500 – R5,500 |
| Power supply replacement (185W, A1418) PSU unit R2,500 + display removal labour + OEM adhesive strips. |
R3,800 – R4,200 |
| Storage & memory | |
| RAM upgrade — Late 2013 only (per 8GB DDR3) Display removal required. 2014 and 2015 models: RAM soldered — not possible. |
R1,600 / 8GB + R800 labour |
| 500GB SSD upgrade (we supply) SSD + adhesive strips + display removal + internal dust clean. |
R3,800 |
| SSD fitting — client supplies drive Labour + adhesive strips + display removal + internal dust clean. |
R1,800 |
| Thermal & other | |
| Thermal paste + full dust clean CPU/GPU thermal compound replaced + internal clean. Display resealed. |
R2,500 |
| Liquid damage treatment Ultrasonic clean, corrosion removal, component repair. |
R900 – R2,800 |
| Data recovery No T2 chip — drive removable. High success rate. |
R900 – R2,800 |
| macOS upgrade via OpenCore Sonoma via OCLP on all 2013–2015 models. SSD + 8GB RAM required. |
R1,500 |
| Collection and return — Gauteng Door-to-door via Eliz Courier. |
R500 |
Which iMac do you have?
Jump to your exact model for model-specific pricing, parts, and known faults.
iMac 24-inch M-series
View M-series repairs → 2017 XeoniMac Pro
View Pro repairs → 2019 - 2020iMac 27-inch (late Intel)
View 27" late Intel repairs → 2015 - 2017iMac 27-inch 5K
View 27" 5K repairs → 2013 - 2014iMac 27-inch
View 27" early repairs → 2017 - 2019iMac 21.5-inch 4K
View 21.5" 4K repairs → 2013 - 2015iMac 21.5-inch
View 21.5" early repairs →Free diagnostic
We confirm the exact fault before quoting — no charge if we can't help or the repair doesn't make financial sense.
Component-level repair
Microsoldering means we fix what others write off. We replace the failed chip, not the whole board.
Written quote first
Fixed price confirmed in writing before any work begins. No surprises on collection.
6-month warranty
All parts and labour carry a 6-month warranty. If the same fault reoccurs, we fix it.
Data stays safe
We never start a repair that could affect your data without securing it or getting your explicit approval first.
R500 Gauteng collection
Insured door-to-door collection and return anywhere in Gauteng. iMacs are heavy — we handle transport.
Three ways to get your iMac to us
Drop it off, arrange Gauteng collection, or ship from anywhere in South Africa. iMacs are heavy and the displays are fragile — we transport them properly.
Drop it off at the workshop
Walk in to our Silvamonte workshop any business day. Free parking, free diagnostic on the spot. Bring the original box if you still have it — otherwise we have appropriate transport packaging on hand.
11 Swemmer Rd, Silvamonte, Johannesburg
Mon-Fri 08:00-17:30 · Sat 08:00-14:00
Door-to-door via Eliz Courier
Eliz Courier & Messenger Services collects and returns your iMac across Joburg, Pretoria, Centurion, and the East Rand. R500 round-trip — slightly higher than our laptop rate because iMacs need specialist transport packaging and careful handling.
WhatsApp to book collection →Ship via The Courier Guy
Anywhere in South Africa — Cape Town, Durban, PE, Bloem, Polokwane. We arrange Courier Guy collection from your door with proper iMac packaging, repair, and return. Pricing depends on size; WhatsApp us with your model.
WhatsApp to arrange courier →iMac 21.5-inch 2013–2015 — FAQ
Can I upgrade the RAM on my 2014 or 2015 21.5-inch iMac?
No. The Mid 2014 and all Late 2015 21.5-inch models have RAM permanently soldered to the logic board. No upgrade is possible — not even with display removal. Only the Late 2013 21.5-inch has SO-DIMM slots that a technician can access.
Can my 2013, 2014, or 2015 iMac 21.5-inch run macOS Sonoma?
Yes, all three years can run Sonoma via OpenCore Legacy Patcher. The Late 2013 and Mid 2014 natively maxed out at Big Sur; Late 2015 at Monterey. iAssist performs the full OCLP upgrade for R1,500 — SSD and 8GB RAM required.
My 2013 21.5-inch iMac has cracked glass — can just the glass be replaced?
Yes. The Late 2013 21.5-inch iMac has a separate glass panel held by magnets in front of a separate LCD. If the image underneath is undamaged, only the glass needs replacing at a lower cost than a full panel replacement. Free diagnostic first to confirm LCD status.
Is an SSD upgrade worth it on these older models?
Absolutely. These machines were shipped with slow spinning hard drives that are now years old. An SSD upgrade brings boot times from 4–5 minutes to under 20 seconds and transforms the overall experience. Combined with OCLP for Sonoma, the machine feels significantly faster.
Do you offer collection for the iMac 21.5-inch?
Yes — R500 insured door-to-door collection and return across Gauteng. WhatsApp us on 078 742 4769.
My 2013 or 2014 21.5-inch iMac makes a loud clicking noise from the hard drive — what does that mean?
Clicking from a hard drive is a mechanical warning sign — the drive heads are failing to read correctly. This is a precursor to total drive failure and data loss. Stop using the machine for anything important, back up immediately if you can, and bring it in urgently. We can attempt data recovery from a clicking drive, but the window of opportunity closes fast. An SSD replacement after recovery prevents this from ever happening again.
Can I still get replacement parts for a 2013 or 2015 21.5-inch iMac?
Yes — screens, power supplies, fans, and logic board components for these models are still available. The 2013 and 2014 21.5-inch iMac uses well-documented, reasonably available parts. The 2015 model is slightly less common but still serviceable. iAssist confirms parts availability during the free diagnostic before issuing any quote.
My 2015 21.5-inch iMac is stuck on Monterey and apps are stopping working — what are my options?
Apple dropped the Late 2015 21.5-inch from Ventura support, meaning it natively maxes out at Monterey. As developers continue updating their apps for newer macOS versions, compatibility issues will grow. OpenCore Legacy Patcher allows a clean Sonoma installation on your machine for R1,500, restoring app compatibility and keeping your browser current. An SSD is required first if you don't already have one.
