Can you use iMac 2012 (High Sierra) as 2nd display with iMac 2020 Big Sur?

[zanchit]

I have an iMac 27inch, late 2012, currently running on High Sierra that is very tired and slow despite adding more RAM (currently on 32MB, I think). Thinking of getting new iMac in the new year which will obviously have Big Sur installed. Is there any way I can hook up my 2012 iMac as a second display? (I could upgrade it to Mojave or Catalina)

Also, Apple support told me Big Sur not compatible with Microsoft Word. Is that really true? I have Office 365.

 

[efecanarar]

In Big Sur, you can use Microsoft office. And you can sell your iMac rather than use as second display. You can use it like that with a thunderbolt 2 cable and its adapter. But I can confirm that you will never use a second display with iMac 5k. And you should wait more for new iMacs with arm cpu/gpu

 

[zanchit]

In Big Sur, you can use Microsoft office. And you can sell your iMac rather than use as second display. You can use it like that with a thunderbolt 2 cable and its adapter. But I can confirm that you will never use a second display with iMac 5k. And you should wait more for new iMacs with arm cpu/gpu

Thank you so much for that. Had read though that new ARM based iMac with cpu/gpu might not have the ability to add third party RAM, which is bit of a financial issue. Think my old iMac can limp along till that comes out if it's worth waiting for..

 

[efecanarar]

RAM doesn’t mean a lot of thing without gpu/CPU

 

[zanchit]

RAM doesn’t mean a lot of thing without gpu/CPU

 

[zanchit]

Ah, so definitely better to wait then? Not sure I understand the GPU/CPU bit v RAM. Will mainly be running Photoshop and Lightroom with the new iMac and tend to have loads of images open at the same time. Current iMac 27 inch (2012) on 32gb ram is giving me the wheel of doom rather a lot. Keen to avoid this!

 

[ader42]

I thought the 5K retina iMac came out in 2014?

And that was the first to not support Target Display Mode?

I know 2011 iMacs can be used as external monitors (target display mode).

So I think you can use a 2012 iMac as an external monitor.