iMac as second screen

[KelvinChong]

I am thinking of getting an iMac to double up as a screen. Since I don’t owe a Mac(current MacBook Pro is provided by my company). Should I go with a this setup or a Studio Display with a Mac Mini? I know the latter can be more expensive but I don’t need a Mac urgently, I have a iPad Pro for my personal day-to-day.

Your advice is highly appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[Chuckeee]

Unless you are willing to settle for a fairly old iMac that supports target mode, it is very difficult to use a iMac as an external display. This is a frustration that is source much shared disappointment and grief among iMac owners

 

[KelvinChong]

Unless you are willing to settle for a fairly old iMac that supports target mode, it is very difficult to use a iMac as an external display. This is a frustration that is source much shared disappointment and grief among iMac owners

Thanks, I assumed target mode is still available on the new iMacs.

 

[curnalpanic]

Thanks, I assumed target mode is still available on the new iMacs.

You assumed poorly. It has been gone for almost a decade.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

Luna Display — by Astropad

The only hardware solution that turns any Mac or iPad into a wireless second display.

astropad.com

 

[KelvinChong]

Luna Display — by Astropad

The only hardware solution that turns any Mac or iPad into a wireless second display.

astropad.com

This looks promising. Thank you!

 

[ChrisA]

Thanks, I assumed target mode is still available on the new iMacs.

You can always use the iMac as a second computer. Each will have it's own desktop. This is almost as good as a second monitor. For example one screen can have a web browser up and the other some text windows where you are working on some documents or software. If you share files over the local network you can even have the same file open in each screen. Abt the only thing you loos is cut and paste between screens. You can simulate this by using (say) notes or a shared file. The two computers cn even run different versions of MacOS.

My usual reason for having two screens is to have one for reference material or to look fr images in a library and the other one for actual creative work. Using two computers works for this.

A maybe worse solution is screen sharing. Worse only because it is laggy. But if you have two M2-powered Macs, it is not so laggy. Then you log in twice, once directly and once via the built-in screen-sharing app. You will have two desktops but on the same Mac.

 

[curnalpanic]

The best way to use an iMac as a true external monitor seems to be to convert it into one. But it's not so easy, however if could be done.

DIY 5k Monitor - success :-)

My "latest Macs" are a heavily upgraded 2009 Mac Pro (6c CPU, M.2 SSD, USB 3, RX580...) and more recently a 12c 2013 Mac Pro with an eGPU (Vega 56) - both machines with more than enough CPU power, GPU power and RAM for my needs, but I long aspired to upgrade to a nice 5k monitor to replace my...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[KelvinChong]

You can always use the iMac as a second computer. Each will have it's own desktop. This is almost as good as a second monitor. For example one screen can have a web browser up and the other some text windows where you are working on some documents or software. If you share files over the local network you can even have the same file open in each screen. Abt the only thing you loos is cut and paste between screens. You can simulate this by using (say) notes or a shared file. The two computers cn even run different versions of MacOS.

My usual reason for having two screens is to have one for reference material or to look fr images in a library and the other one for actual creative work. Using two computers works for this.

A maybe worse solution is screen sharing. Worse only because it is laggy. But if you have two M2-powered Macs, it is not so laggy. Then you log in twice, once directly and once via the built-in screen-sharing app. You will have two desktops but on the same Mac.

Does it mean that I will have 2 sets of keyboard and mouse?

 

[Juicy Box]

I think you would be better off getting a Mac Mini and a monitor, and would not get a M1 iMac with the intentions of using it as an external display to your work laptop.

If you already had an iMac and wanted to use it as a second display to another device, there are options for you, but none are as good as a native monitor. Getting a new iMac for the purpose of using it as an external display for another device is just a waste of money, imo.

If you want an iMac quality monitor, there are options.

Thanks, I assumed target mode is still available on the new iMacs.

It was available for some of the Late 2009 to Early 2014 iMacs. Apple removed the feature for the 4K and 5K iMacs due to a HW limitation with TB2, but there was no reason they couldn't of brought back Target Display Mode for the TB3 iMacs and up.

I think Apple crunched the numbers and figured that having the feature, which would have been easy for them to do, would have cost them in sales of higher priced iMacs later on.

It is a shame, too. I own many iMacs, but will probably not purchase another one due to how wasteful they are once the HW performance no longer meets my needs. It has a beautiful display, that could continue to be used long after it gets too slow for my needs, but Apple doesn't see it that way. So many end up getting recycled or trashed, when they could be repurposed as a display for another device. I guess the environment only concerns Apple when it also helps their bottom line.

A maybe worse solution is screen sharing. Worse only because it is laggy.

I use Share Sharing daily with many different Macs from my main Mac, and it isn't that laggy if you have a wired network connection. It isn't as good as a normal display, but in full screen mode, it is basically like using that other Mac.

This could be an option for the OP with an iMac, but I would still recommend a MM and a monitor over an iMac.

 

[KelvinChong]

I think you would be better off getting a Mac Mini and a monitor, and would not get a M1 iMac with the intentions of using it as an external display to your work laptop.

If you already had an iMac and wanted to use it as a second display to another device, there are options for you, but none are as good as a native monitor. Getting a new iMac for the purpose of using it as an external display for another device is just a waste of money, imo.

If you want an iMac quality monitor, there are options.


It was available for some of the Late 2009 to Early 2014 iMacs. Apple removed the feature for the 4K and 5K iMacs due to a HW limitation with TB2, but there was no reason they couldn't of brought back Target Display Mode for the TB3 iMacs and up.

I think Apple crunched the numbers and figured that having the feature, which would have been easy for them to do, would have cost them in sales of higher priced iMacs later on.

It is a shame, too. I own many iMacs, but will probably not purchase another one due to how wasteful they are once the HW performance no longer meets my needs. It has a beautiful display, that could continue to be used long after it gets too slow for my needs, but Apple doesn't see it that way. So many end up getting recycled or trashed, when they could be repurposed as a display for another device. I guess the environment only concerns Apple when it also helps their bottom line.


I use Share Sharing daily with many different Macs from my main Mac, and it isn't that laggy if you have a wired network connection. It isn't as good as a normal display, but in full screen mode, it is basically like using that other Mac.

This could be an option for the OP with an iMac, but I would still recommend a MM and a monitor over an iMac.

Thanks!!! I have decided to get a studio display and a Mac mini when I have to return my MacBook Pro to the office