Review on OWC iMac 2012 In-Line Digital Thermal Sensor HDD Upgrade Cable (Model: OWCDIDIMACHDD12) by Joseph Katipally

DANGER - READ BEFORE PURCHASINGUpgrade - Star Rating Downgraded from 5 to 1 Star VIEW PHOTOS This is what my iMac screen looks like just over 48 hours after using the OWC kits. I have used 2 of these thermal kits from my iMac and my wife's iMac. I upgraded both to internal SSDs. My wife's iMac worked without any problems. Mine also needed a fan so I bought a fan from ifixit and had to wait for it to be delivered to me so my upgrade was delayed until I got the part. So on Thursday evening 12/6/18 I upgraded mine to an internal SSD and a new fan. My fan was noisy so I decided to replace it while I had my iMac open. Everything was going well until about 7:00 this morning. I just loaded my iMac and went outside to let the chickens out and when I came back I heard a crash and saw my wife with my iMac screen in her hands. She tried to catch him as he fell off the iMac. As you can see from the photos, my screen has crashed. Before I made mine, I ran to my wife's iMac and applied clear tape around the perimeter of the display. And yes, it was loose as I could easily get my fingernail between the frame and the screen. It was only a matter of time before hers fell off too. I've been working with computers for over 40 years so I'm not new and can read instructions. Before installing the OWC kits I removed ALL traces of the old tape from the frames and screens. I closed the back of the iMac and pressed firmly with my thumb and forefinger around the entire perimeter of the displays where the tape meets the bezel/display. It turned out that they stuck very well. BUT, as you can see from the photos, it didn't last long. Mine lasted just over 48 hours before failure. As you can see in photos 11 and 12, the strap came loose from the frame and failed catastrophically. This tape is thin and does NOT look like the original Apple tape used in the original assembly. The OEM tape is thicker and has a foam core. I suspect the foam is there to thicken the tape and create a cushion at the interface. If I were you I would still buy a thermal sensor from OWC because you can't get it anywhere, but DO NOT trust the rest. Your kit. Find bands elsewhere that have bands like the OEM band used during initial assembly. So here I am on a Sunday morning with an iMac that has a cracked screen over a cheap non-OEM tape. Right now I have clear gorilla tape around the perimeter of both of our iMacs and I have NO IDEA where I could get a 27 inch screen for my late 2013 Intel iMac or how much it would cost. I avoided reviews of tapes that were horror stories of this nature and bought 2 sets from another seller here at Revain, not knowing that OWC included tapes with their temp sensor sets. I used what came with OWC sets due to their reputation. It was very expensive. I guess I was lucky that the cables on the back of the display didn't snap or otherwise damage the motherboard connectors. So look at the pictures and ask yourself if you want to trust the included OWC straps. And if you are using their tapes right now I would put some gorilla tape on at least 4 spots on your display as you never know when it's going to happen to you. ============================================= == === =================================Original Feedback I am just a verified buyer and have nothing in return for this review. When I see a product or company that outperforms most others, I'm willing to take the time to give them a positive review. I personally think they're overpriced compared to what you get, but what other hardware interface option is there? There's nothing like that, so if you have an Apple iMac that needs an upgrade I would just use the thermal sensor and OWC bands. Your SSD option is built for you BUT there are far better and faster drives out there than the ones they sell. Personally, I've used Crutial MX500 drives for my SSDs. Go to the hardware guide and look for SSD comparisons and you'll see that OWC SSDs aren't that good. For those considering this for their Imac because you are replacing the internal drive with an SSD or HDD, it works just fine. I had 2 iMacs to do. both were late 2013 and I upgraded to internal SSDs. Apple calls them VINTAGE in late 2013 even though I bought them just over 3 years ago. Shame on Apple for leading the company to its founding. If all you need is an SSD to bring your lazy iMac back to life, why on earth spend $2,000 on a new one. I only bought 1 heat sensor and one with tools. If you're just making an iMac and don't have tools, buy a sensor with tools. Tools are a godsend when you start the job, especially the pizza cutter and suction cups. I could just skip the sensor and run the smcfancontroller app, but I wouldn't trust it. it is an application, not a hardware solution. Remember you will be provided with a set of screen straps to reattach the screen to the frame using both jig and jig with tools. Don't do what I did and buy 2 sets of screen tapes because I didn't know they came with sensors. On the other hand, I have 2 extra sets in case I need to open them again in the future. I recommend OWC for everything you need for iMac/Mac. Their products are high quality, shipping is fast and packaging is better than most.