OWC’s 72-piece Advanced Toolkit is designed to help folks like me service and repair our computers, tablets, and small household device. And it comes in handy even if you don’t necessarily have to use it to change memory in an iMac (more on that in a moment).
The $29.95 set includes 58 interchangeable bits, a utility knife, an anti-static wrist strap, anti-static tweezers, a SIM card ejector pin, LCD suction cup, a triangle plectrum (a flat piece of plastic), plastic and metal spudgers, a stainless-steel ruler, a cleaning brush, and a telescopic flexible shaft.
A spudger is a tool that has a wide flat-head screwdriver-like end that extends as a wedge, used to separate pressure-fit plastic components without causing damage during separation.The telescopic shaft is adjustable to four different lengths and a variety of angles.
The OWC Advanced Toolkit features Pentalobe Security bits. While some toolsets offer Pentalobe bits that let you access some Apple products, this toolkit provides bits that make it easy to work with all Apple products that feature Pentalobe and Pentalobe Security screws.
So why would you want to service, repair, and upgrade your Apple equipment yourself? Well, upgrading my iMac from 8GB memory to 32GB would cost $600 if I had ordered a memory upgrade along with the all-in-one from Apple. Ordering the same amount of memory from OWC cost $274.88.
I ordered the memory upgrade AND the Advanced Toolkit and still saved almost $300. You can argue whether Apple overprices its products if you wish, but what the company charges for memory upgrades is ridiculous.
The Advanced Toolkit makes it a little easier to change memory in an iMac, though, admittedly, it’s not that hard. However, once you have it, it will prove useful in a variety of other situations.
