Can I use a 27" iMac as a Display for a new 2023 Mac Mini?

VBBob wrote:

Thanks, you've answered my question. I hate to just give up that nice 27" iMac display, but the iMac no longer comes in 27" size so I moved to the Mac Mini. I'll have to bite the bullet and find a more appropriate display, unfortunately the $1599 Apple product, while probably top-notch, is a budget buster. Too bad they don't have any choices that might be more reasonable.

Unfortunately, there are only three 27" 5K displays out there (the Apple one, the LG one, and a new Samsung one), and they are all budget-busters.

Apple's pricing on the 27" 5K Studio Display, and on separately-purchased Magic Keyboards and Magic Mice, makes (Mini / Studio)-based systems that are the rough analog of a (non-existent) 27" 5K Retina Apple Silicon iMac much more expensive than the 27" 5K Retina Intel iMacs used to be.

I guess you could get a 27" 4K monitor and run it in Retina "like 2560x1440" mode. Or get a decent 27" 2.5K monitor (with an IPS panel and near-100% coverage of sRGB) if the budget is really tight.

Review the document: Use your iMac as a display with target display mode - Apple Support

Target display mode is a feature available with late 2009-Mid 2014 iMacs. The display Mac has to be running macOS High Sierra or older and the signal producing Mac has to be running macOS Catalina (ca. 2019) or earlier.

Your setup does not qualify on several aspects.

I would check out the LG offerings of 4K 27 inch displays. I have had good luck with them and aren't budget busters especially if you catch them on sale.

5K Retina iMacs never supported Target Display Mode. That feature went away when the first 5K iMac came out.

There are "workaround" products (USB-C version of Luna DIspay; Duet Display) that might let you reuse the 27" 5K iMac as a second screen. You'd still need a real monitor for your main screen – and the workarounds could involve significant compromises. (For instance, even with a Thunderbolt-to-Thunderbolt data path between the two Macs, Luna Display wouldn't support 5K resolution at a refresh rate of more than 30 – 45 Hz.)

+1

If you really want/need a fully functional dual display setup, get yourself another 27" external display.

see > Connect a display to Mac mini - Apple Support

You're welcome.

Do another 27" Samsung.

I personally have dual Samsungs connected to one of my Mac mini's and dual LG's connected to the other.