My MAC is a 2009 and is becoming obsolete

A late 2009 is end life, but you should be able to squeeze a few more months out of it. At least until Firefox 115ESR support ends this March and then a bit longer. You really should probably be thinking about replacement options.

Short term, you could try a different email client or web browser. Which one are you currently using?

If you need a newer email client Thunderbird 115.18.0esr was last updated December 2024 and may work. If you are using a web browser see the previously mentioned Firefox 115 ESR.

https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/115.18.0esr/releasenotes/

https://www.wikihow.com/Access-Gmail-With-Mozilla-Thunderbird

https://archive.mozilla.org/pub/thunderbird/releases/115.18.0/mac/en-US/

Download Firefox in English (US) and more than 90 other languages

Currituck-coy wrote:

i use gmail, but the MAC OS cant support it any further....or, can you suggest how to get Gmail to work with High Sierra 10.13.6?

The version of Mail in High Sierra is too old to meet Google's current security requirements. I can think of only a couple of possible workarounds.

1. Generate a Gmail app password, and reconnect your Mac's Mail program to your Gmail account using the app password. (See: Google – Gmail Help – Sign in with app passwords)
2. Access Gmail through Google's Web interface (https://www.google.com/gmail) rather than using a mail client. High Sierra's version of Safari is pretty old, so you might want to try using Firefox 115 ESR . It, too, is no longer getting new features; and it might not get even "critical security updates" after March 2025; but, overall, it is a little newer and might let you access some sites that pose problems for Safari.

If you decide to get a Mac mini (wise choice if it is a new M4 variant) then. you will need an external display (they start at <$100) your old iMac is a computer and not an external display for other devices. It's time to recycle it. Also on the MM, get one with the same amount of storage as your 2009 so you don't run into issues. For about $800-$1000 you can have a VERY nice computer. As for re-using your old keyboard and mouse, yes you can use those on a new MM.

As the others have explained, you can't use the monitor. Your old iMac doesn't support Target Display Mode and your new Mac would not support using any iMac as a Target Display.

It would be a bad idea to reuse a small (by today's standards) 500 GB mechanical hard drive, just for the sake of saving a few pennies. That thing is now at least 15 years old, and old hard drives have a way of failing.

To migrate your data from your old Mac to the new one, I would suggest

• Making a current backup of your old Mac on an external USB drive, using Time Machine, Carbon Copy Cloner, or SuperDuper!
• Transferring the USB drive to your new Mac, with the aid of an Apple USB-C to USB adapter or any of the many other ways of converting between USB-C (USB) and USB-A (USB).
• Pointing Migration Assistant at the Time Machine backup or at the "startup disk" (bootable CCC / SuperDuper! clone backup)

It is not 'becoming obsolete', it is obsolete. Has been for quite a while.

It's definitely time for a new machine.

Whether you get a desktop or laptop is entirely up to you and will depend on your needs and preferences.

The least expensive way to get into a new Mac is going to be an M4 Mac mini.

You may be able to get to Gmail via any web browser that will run on your Mac. The most recent version of Firefox requires macOS 10.15, but they still offer downloads for earlier versions so you can probably find one that will run on your Mac, though I can't confirm that Gmail won't have issues with it.

As to whether you should go with a desktop or a laptop, we can't offer any opinions without knowing anything about your needs and preferences. But quickly: a desktop will give you more features and performance for a given amount of money, while a laptop will of course offer portability. Which will be of more importance to you I have no idea right now.

Regards.

I’ve had people being happy with both solutions; if you want to keep your new device nearly as long as your old Mac, you should probably watch/read through some comparison videos or articles. Some simplified standpoints:

• if you look for a device for using only at your desktop as it’s part of your workflow, you should probably get a Mac Mini/Studio/Pro
• if you need a device that’s powerful, yet still portable, go for a MacBook
• if you need maximum performance out of your device, consider getting a Mac
• if your device should be versatile, a MacBook is your choice

attention: if you plan on using your MacBook as your desktop computer, fast battery drain is probably going to kick in, as it’s constantly charging

No, the Mini is too new to be able to use the older iMac as a monitor. That feature was discontinued several years ago. However, you can get a 27" or 32" monitor for anywhere between $100 - $350. I got an LG 32" monitor with a Mini M4 with 16 GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD for under $1500. That's more than $300 less than a similarly configured new 24" iMac.

You could open up the old iMac and remove the HDD to put it in an external enclosure. However, that model only had 7200 rpm HDDs and they would be questionable as far as future longevity and reliability. There are many other options for additional external drives, particularly SSDs, that it wouldn't be worthwhile to go that route. It's just too old.

If you get rid of your old iMac, this may be helpful:

What to do before you sell, give away, trade in, or recycle your Mac - Apple Support

Note that your iMac predates Internet Recovery – and would have come with a set of optical discs that you could use to reinstall the original operating system (a version of Snow Leopard).

If you give or sell that Mac to someone else, be sure to give them those optical recovery discs. I'm not sure who would want the machine now except to run old games, but failing either to prepare the machine for transfer or to include those recovery discs could unnecessarily complicate life for the next owner.

No, it's too old to have any value. However, Apple will recycle it for you at no cost if you take. it to an Apple Store, assuming one is in your vicinity. If that does not work, use one of Apple's free recycling programs: Apple Recycling Programs

+1 to KiltedTim's post, your iMac is not becoming obsolete it was obsolete years ago. Time to replace it!

Currituck-coy wrote:

Thank you for your insightful advice. If I choose to go with the Mac Mini, can I use the monitor and hard drive?

My MAC is 21.5”;

3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 duo;

4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3

500 GB of hard drive.

If so, how would I connect it?

Not with Target Display Mode, on two counts:

1. The 2009 iMac would have to be a 27-inch model
2. Your new Mac would have to be introduced in 2019 or early and running no higher macOS than 10.15 "Catalina," itself already an obsolete macOS version.

Currituck-coy wrote:

Great advice! I assume I can trade this dinosaur in?

I once asked Apple's trade-in site for the trade-in value of my 27" Late 2009 iMac – same hardware model year, but with a larger screen, better processor, bigger hard drive, and more factory-installed RAM. The site said that Apple wouldn't pay me anything for it, but would recycle it for free. I declined the offer.

I'm sure when you plug in the serial number of your iMac, you'll also get a "we won't pay anything but we will be happy to recycle it for free" response.

Apple Trade In - Apple