Do i need a tempature sensor for my late 2013 27" imac?

So, I’m planning to put my 1TB Samsung EVO 860 SSD inside my iMac. I’ve been seeing everywhere that the iMac fans will go crazy if I don’t install the sensor, but it’s really expensive. Do I need it? I really don’t want to buy it because it is really expensive.

iMac 27″, macOS 15.0

Posted on Apr 16, 2025 2:11 PM

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Posted on Apr 17, 2025 9:17 AM

I strongly suggest that you consider obtaining a SSD from a manufacturer known to support Macs. The Samsung "EVO" series SSDs do not enjoy a good reputation among Mac users. OWC is the only source I have used and can personally recommend. They will have the thermal sensor you need. It is not optional.

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Apr 17, 2025 9:17 AM in response to uras146

I strongly suggest that you consider obtaining a SSD from a manufacturer known to support Macs. The Samsung "EVO" series SSDs do not enjoy a good reputation among Mac users. OWC is the only source I have used and can personally recommend. They will have the thermal sensor you need. It is not optional.

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Apr 18, 2025 10:34 AM in response to uras146

You might consider getting an external SSD, clone your system to it with Carbon Copy Cloner , and boot and run from it. The benefit would be you don't have to expend money for parts that you can't take with you when you upgrade your iMac. You can take the external SSD with you as a working data disk or a backup data disk with CCC.


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Apr 16, 2025 2:18 PM in response to uras146

Yes, you'll want to replace the sensor if you want to keep the fans under control.

I don't think they're so terribly expensive.

OWC - In-line Digital Thermal Sensor for 27-inch iMacs

About $40.

But I guess it depends on one's perspective.


Not sure I'd spend any money on an obsolete twelve (!) year old computer, though.

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Do i need a tempature sensor for my late 2013 27" imac?

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