What iMac screen can I use successfully with my MacBook Pro m1 2020? I’m looking to use the most recent compatible iMac in the largest size preferably. Any information Much appreciated. Thanks.
None of them.
I see that you were looking at an article about Target Display Mode.
Apple placed restrictions on "the other Mac" that say that it has to have been made in 2019 or earlier, and that it has to be running Catalina or earlier. The M1 MacBook Air came out in 2020. It can't run anything before Big Sur. Either of those strikes is fatal as far as being able to use an iMac as a TDM display is concerned.
An iMac introduced in 2019 or later, running macOS Monterey or later, could serve as an AirPlay receiver for a M1 MacBook Pro. But my understanding is that AirPlay doesn't give you results anywhere near as good as an actual hardware display connection. I wouldn't buy an iMac just to do AirPlay streaming to it. It would make much more sense to put the money towards a good standalone 27" 4K (3840x2160) monitor. (AirPlay to Mac would be a toy that you could play with if you already had bought the iMac for something else, making the incremental cost $0.)
System requirements for Continuity features on Apple devices - Apple Support
None of them.
I see that you were looking at an article about Target Display Mode.
Apple placed restrictions on "the other Mac" that say that it has to have been made in 2019 or earlier, and that it has to be running Catalina or earlier. The M1 MacBook Air came out in 2020. It can't run anything before Big Sur. Either of those strikes is fatal as far as being able to use an iMac as a TDM display is concerned.
An iMac introduced in 2019 or later, running macOS Monterey or later, could serve as an AirPlay receiver for a M1 MacBook Pro. But my understanding is that AirPlay doesn't give you results anywhere near as good as an actual hardware display connection. I wouldn't buy an iMac just to do AirPlay streaming to it. It would make much more sense to put the money towards a good standalone 27" 4K (3840x2160) monitor. (AirPlay to Mac would be a toy that you could play with if you already had bought the iMac for something else, making the incremental cost $0.)
System requirements for Continuity features on Apple devices - Apple Support
There are third-party workaround products that might let you make a "software"-type connection to an iMac:
I believe the second is "subscription" (rental) software.
There might be drawbacks compared to a real hardware connection to a standalone monitor. For instance, if you used the USB-C version of Luna Display, and a Thunderbolt cable, to connect to a 5K Retina iMac, you would use both of your M1 MacBook Air's USB-C / Thunderbolt ports, leaving no room to plug in any other accessories – or even the cable from your A/C power adapter. Even with the Thunderbolt connection the maximum refresh rate at 5K resolution might be limited to 30 or 45 Hz.
My feeling is that a good 4K display is the way to go. (Assuming that you don't have a huge budget that would let you purchase a 27" 5K display from Apple, LG, or Samsung.)
What iMac screen can I use successfully with my MacBook Pro m1 2020? Much appreciated. Thanks.
