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Using iMac Monitor With Mac Mini M1?

I have an iMac 21.5 2017 Retina. I’m starting to learn how to edit videos. Ive started with iMovie and now I’ve moved to DaVinci Resolve 17.
The iMac slows down and it lags when I try to edit large 4K videos.
I want to speed the process and thought about getting an a Mac Mini M1. I would like to use the iMac 21.5 2017 Retina as my working monitor for the Mac Mini M1.
I don’t know if this setup would work. iMac screen with Mac mini M1??

The reason why I would want to do this is because I don’t want to get rid of the iMac Retina Computer as I would like to use the wonderful monitor of this machine to work as my main monitor for the Mac Mini M1.
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Jose Luis

Comments: 4 Responses to “Using iMac Monitor With Mac Mini M1?”

    3 years ago

    When you ask computer to do more work, it will take longer. It wouldn't be unusual for your Mac to slow down if you are pushing it to its limits by editing 4K videos. So there's nothing wrong with it working that way, but I can understand you'd want a new machine if you want to maximize your time and effort.

    You cannot use that model of iMac as a screen. That was a feature available in much older iMacs, but not more recent ones.

    Screens aren't that expensive. You can get a 4K HiDPI (retina) screen for about $300. And a screen like that will use a lot less power than your old iMac would anyway. Plus you can probably get way more than $300 selling your old iMac.

    Another thing I feel I need to mention. If you are editing 4K videos in an app like DaVinci Resolve (I don't use it myself) then you may want to consider something more powerful than a small iMac (with no GPU, I assume) or a Mac mini. Either way it sounds like you are trying to use a budget machine to do professional work. If this isn' really professional work, then that's fine I guess. But otherwise, maybe wait to see what Apple comes out with this year and get something more powerful.

    Jose Luis
    3 years ago

    Hi Gary;
    Thank you for the clear information. I'll just have to think about what to do. Thanks again.

    Mark
    3 years ago

    I have a mid 2010 iMac. Will I be able to use that model as a monitor if I bought a mini? And if I bought a new iMac (2021) with the new M1 chips, would I be able to use my older model as a 2nd screen?

    Thanks!
    Mark

    3 years ago

    Mark: I don't know if that model is supported. Even if it is, not that it would be an old standard display, not the UHD (retina) displays that look so great on all Macs now. I would just sell or recycle your old Mac and get a 4K UHD display. They aren't that expensive and worth it.

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