Could I use a Late 2013 iMac 21.5" as a screen for a Mac Studio?

[chublet]

OK, please don't slate me for this potential use scenario, but I am looking to upgrade my trusty Late 2013 iMac as I fancy getting more speed and want something that will last me for many years to come. I am looking at a Mac Studio but don't fancy shelling out for the expensive screen, I am quite happy with the screen on my old iMac so was wondering if there would be some way of using it as a screen for a Studio.
I know the wonderful graphics performance of the Studio would be woefully underused in such a scenario but that wouldn't bother me, all I need to know is - would it work and be easy to set up?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Mike Boreham]

Target Display Mode should work on a 2013 iMac
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204592

 

[TechnoLawyer]

Do you need the power of the Studio? I can't imagine you do, given that you're wanting to use a 21.5" screen.

Why not save a ton of money and use an M1 Mini instead?

 

[uller6]

I had a similar idea with my old 2013 iMac 21.5" but unfortunately I couldn't get target display mode to with my M1. I would not be confident of it working on the M1 max or ultra.

 

[chublet]

Thanks for the replies, I know the studio would be overpowered for my current needs but wouldn't intend to buy a new machine for at least ten years so want to future-proof it a bit.
Doesn't sound like it would be a '100% it would work' scenario at present though...

Regarding the Mac mini suggestion, I am guessing I would have the same issue as to whether it would connect to my iMac?

 

[meson]

Unfortunately the answer is No.

The iMac would need to be running macOS High Sierra or earlier. (Possible, but you may need to reinstall an older version of MacOS/OS X)

The new machine needs have been released in 2019 or before and NOT upgraded past macOS Catalina.

In your shoes, I would look very hard at the 24" iMac. It's not a slouch by any means. Even with bumping the RAM and storage, you will be saving a significant chunk of change and have a machine that will last you a good many years.

 

[aurora_sect]

People keep mentioning Target Display Mode, and I keep reading this on Apple's website:

• The other Mac that you're connecting it to must have been introduced in 2019 or earlier and have macOS Catalina or earlier installed.

My interpretation of that is that no M1 Mac can drive a TDM-equipped iMac.

 

[chublet]

Yeah, I guess that sounds like the best idea, will probably wait until M2 comes out then and get an iMac

 

[TechnoLawyer]

Thanks for the replies, I know the studio would be overpowered for my current needs but wouldn't intend to buy a new machine for at least ten years so want to future-proof it a bit.
Doesn't sound like it would be a '100% it would work' scenario at present though...

Regarding the Mac mini suggestion, I am guessing I would have the same issue as to whether it would connect to my iMac?

Instead of spending $3k on one computer to last 10 years, you'd be better off spending $1500 on one computer to last five years. Technology advances too much.

Also, seriously, go to a store in person and look at a new m1 imac's screen.

 

[Mike Boreham]

Apologies for raising false hope and giving misleading info about Target Display Mode.

 

[mariomike]

If you don't mind giving up the use of your 2013 imac computer, you can convert it's display to a HDMI monitor. I converted a dead iMac 5K to a 5K monitor recently and it's great.

If your display uses the LM215WF3(SD)(D1) panel this adapter would work - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002747148442.html

 

[ader42]

You could always (optionally) get an SSD put in the iMac to speed it up a bit, then buy an M1 Mini, use a HDMI ghost adaptor on the Mini, ethernet cable between the two Macs and then use Jump Desktop / Screen Sharing / VNC to have the Mini display on your iMac. (I did this with a Mini and my 2014 27” iMac).

 

[mariomike]

You could always (optionally) get an SSD put in the iMac to speed it up a bit, then buy an M1 Mini, use a HDMI ghost adaptor on the Mini, ethernet cable between the two Macs and then use Jump Desktop / Screen Sharing / VNC to have the Mini display on your iMac. (I did this with a Mini and my 2014 27” iMac).

What's the latency and quality like? Identical to HDMI?

 

[fc4090]

*** Don't hate me for suggesting this ...
Sell the 2013 iMac (21.5" HD screen, 1920-by-1080 resolution), you might get some $250 for that.
Get a 27inch 4k Monitor (Samsung/LG/Dell etc) which might cost you $300 or so (if you don't want to spend a fortune for a 5k monitor).
Get the base line Mac Studio (plus the touch ID keyboard, mouse/trackpad), you will be covered for next 5-6 years or more.

 

[ader42]

What's the latency and quality like? Identical to HDMI?

I used it with Jump Desktop and it was good at 2560x1440.

I then got spoilt by using Luna Display for a higher 5k iMac resolution (5120x2880) - that was still ok, but you could tell it was around 45 frames per second instead of 60. You won’t have the 5k option of course and your iMac is only 1920 x 1080 so should be fine if connected via a cable imho.

And actually, while I think about it, seeing as your iMac is 1920 x 1080 you might not need a hdmi ghost adaptor and you can try the OSX built in screen sharing feature for no cost too.

I’ll admit though, if you have the budget it would be nicer (and easier) to just get the new 4.5k iMac 24” - but not the base model seeing as you want it to last you a while.

Decisions, decisions…

 

[Gregintosh]

Thanks for the replies, I know the studio would be overpowered for my current needs but wouldn't intend to buy a new machine for at least ten years so want to future-proof it a bit.
Doesn't sound like it would be a '100% it would work' scenario at present though...

Regarding the Mac mini suggestion, I am guessing I would have the same issue as to whether it would connect to my iMac?

Instead of spending $3k on one computer to last 10 years, you'd be better off spending $1500 on one computer to last five years. Technology advances too much.

Also, seriously, go to a store in person and look at a new m1 imac's screen.

I agree with TechnoLawyer here, I don't understand why anyone would buy on expensive machine and keep for 10 years when they can get a machine for 1/3 the price and upgrade every 3.5 years. Same "price" in the end but the advantages are huge.

1. The machine you get 3.5 years from now will have updated codecs and technologies even the Mac Studio won't have.

2. By upgrading every 3 years or so you reduce the risk of hardware failures. If you keep a machine for a decade you are more likely going to face the scenario of the hardware failing and your "future proof" machine becomes a paperweight -- especially on the current Macs which have 0 user replaceable parts. Maybe in generations past you could've swapped the HD or RAM or even processor and kept it going, but those days are long gone.

3. Spending so much on the Studio seems to cut into your budget. You might end up happier with a Mac mini + Studio Display than plugging a Mac Studio to an old iMac (hopefully at least 4K model?) and the price would be more or less the same (especially if you recoup a few hundred bucks by selling your old iMac).

4. Assuming the setup works now, it might get broken by future software updates or be plagued with instability issues. Another reason to just upgrade the whole setup and be sure everything works perfectly. In the case of the Studio Monitor you will get an extra 6 inches, much better speakers, cam (once they update the firmware apparently), and other functionalities.

 

[staypuftforums]

Thanks for the replies, I know the studio would be overpowered for my current needs but wouldn't intend to buy a new machine for at least ten years so want to future-proof it a bit.
Doesn't sound like it would be a '100% it would work' scenario at present though...

Regarding the Mac mini suggestion, I am guessing I would have the same issue as to whether it would connect to my iMac?

If you have the money and *want* to buy it, then that’s great. But we shouldn’t delude ourselves with rationalizations like “future proofing”.

I think for most people, if you have to ask if you need the Studio, then that means you don’t need the Studio. It’s a tool built for a very specific purpose. Facebook will not load any quicker compared to a Mini or iMac.

 

[wakka]

I think this one is a no-brainer. Buy a new iMac 24" and be happy. It has tons of headroom in terms of power for your needs, includes an excellent built in screen, and will last you many years (probably as long as you've been using your 2013).

Compared to buying a Mac Studio and trying to hack together some kind of solution for your using old iMac as a monitor, it's vastly cheaper and will be zero hassle.

 

[TechnoLawyer]

I think this one is a no-brainer. Buy a new iMac 24" and be happy. It has tons of headroom in terms of power for your needs, includes an excellent built in screen, and will last you many years (probably as long as you've been using your 2013).

Compared to buying a Mac Studio and trying to hack together some kind of solution for your using old iMac as a monitor, it's vastly cheaper and will be zero hassle.

The improvement in the screen cannot be understated. It isn't a little better. It isn't a lot better. It's miles, worlds apart better.

 

[pshufd]

You can use Target Display Mode with 2009 and 2010 iMacs from Macs that can output DisplayPort to a MiniDisplayPort cable. I am using an M1 Mac mini with a Late 2009 iMac 27 and it's really great. The speakers in the iMac sound great as well. You may be able to pick up a Late 2009 or 2010 for about $100 on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. You could also just buy a monitor.

I think that the Mac Studio is a great computer but overkill for the vast majority of people. If you need more power than M1 but less than M1 Max, in a desktop, then Apple doesn't really have a good solution. There are rumors that Apple will do an M1 Pro in the mini enclosure and that may be a better solution. The Mac Studio is just a ridiculously powerful computer compared to the needs of the average consumer.

 

[chublet]

Thanks for all the replies, it has helped making a decision although has confused my processes even further but that is the fun of all this I guess!

Yes, the Studio would be vastly overpowered for me, my sole uses for the iMac are internet, running a local Plex server and uncompressing .rar files - that is pretty much it! But I have been really holding back on spending for the last few years as I had other priorities which are now fulfilled and I can afford to buy myself something nice again - I know buying a cheaper machine every few years makes more actual sense, but when I had to go out and spend in 3 years time I would just wish I had bought a more powerful machine originally as wouldn't be spending out again, even though the amounts would be lower!

Having said that, by far the most sensible option for me will be to buy an iMac I think - the screen will be an improvement, the machine will hopefully be far faster at my limited tasks - but then I have to decide whether I would need 8gb ram or 16, I am guessing 8 would be fine for my uses.

I currently use an old Core 2 Duo iMac for emulation so could repurpose the Late 2013 for that (I have already upgraded to an SSD so it is still snappy enough for me), at least then I would only have to find a use for the very old machine - I hate getting rid of old tech as it always holds fond memories, plus, although it would undoubtedly never be worth money, I have scrapped previous tech that would be worth tens of thousands now if I had just held onto it.

 

[pshufd]

I currently use an old Core 2 Duo iMac for emulation so could repurpose the Late 2013 for that (I have already upgraded to an SSD so it is still snappy enough for me), at least then I would only have to find a use for the very old machine - I hate getting rid of old tech as it always holds fond memories, plus, although it would undoubtedly never be worth money, I have scrapped previous tech that would be worth tens of thousands now if I had just held onto it.

If it's a 2009 iMac, then you could use it as a monitor. I have two Core 2 Duo Macs. A Late 2009 iMac 27 which works really well as a monitor and a 2007 MacBook Pro 15 which I don't use but I test it a few times a year and the battery still holds a charge. You can still use Core 2 Duo systems but they're pretty slow though you can improve performance with more RAM if your iMac can go up to 8 or 16 GB and it's really cheap.

 

[chublet]

Yes, its a 2009, I did try to use it as a second monitor for my current iMac and bought the supposedly correct lead to do so but wasn't able to make it work, perhaps that is something I can mess around with a little more - even if I never use it it is generally fun to get stuff working

 

[pshufd]

Yes, its a 2009, I did try to use it as a second monitor for my current iMac and bought the supposedly correct lead to do so but wasn't able to make it work, perhaps that is something I can mess around with a little more - even if I never use it it is generally fun to get stuff working

I think that you just need a Thunderbolt cable.

You need to use an Apple keyboard, though, to turn on Target Display Mode on the 2009 iMac. Regular Windows keyboards don't work.

 

[Gregintosh]

I think your conclusion that the iMac is best is probably the best option then. I would add the extra RAM since that extra $200 to make it 16GB will be the best "future proofing" you could do at a price that makes sense.

I personally got the iMac 24" with 512GB/16GB configuration.

Your old iMac can either continue serving as a server, or just sell it off and use the proceeds to bump up the spec on the new iMac. You can probably make enough to cover an extra SSD bump and go 512 or 1TB with 16GB of RAM. That would truly be a machine that can last many years into the future.