Use 21.5" iMAC as External Monitor for PC

Depending on the year of the iMac it may or may not be possible. Please refer to the following 2 articles, read them VERY CAREFULLY as they provide all the information you will need to determine if what you want to do can be done and how.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3775

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3924

The ONLY possible way is if your PC has a Thunderbolt output which is highly unlikely. Therefore no you cannot use the iMac as an external display to the PC. If you want to get the same quality display there are similar displays available such as Apple's LED Cinema Display. You did not complete your profile so I don't know where on the planet you are located but if you are in the US the US online Apple Store sells this display refurbished for $829. Here is the link:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC007LL/A

Mohamed,

Please forgive my being blunt however I have provided all the answers already, it will not work with your PC!

nope you're wrong kaufmann- and you don't have to be a prude, just don't reply in the first place if you feel you have answered sufficiently.

raouf use the adapter.

thunderbolt is an intel innovation, and patented and trademarked accordingly, not exclusive to apple. few if any pc's have adapted it, but several external drives use it, possibly other peripherals.

Unfortunately you have no idea what you're talking about. Show me one PC that will work in Target Disply Mode with a late model (2011 forward) iMac. You know you can't you stop trying. Read what Apple has to say about the matter and then tell me Apple doesn't know their own business. Quit trolling 4 month old threads and post some facts.

Target Display Mode 2011 & Later iMacs

What about a Mac Mini that has thunderbolt and is running Windows 7 via bootcamp? Would the W7 partition be able to use the thunderbolt output on the Mac Mini to then use the iMac as its display?

Mr. Louis wrote:

What about a Mac Mini that has thunderbolt and is running Windows 7 via bootcamp? Would the W7 partition be able to use the thunderbolt output on the Mac Mini to then use the iMac as its display?

Probably not but you can try, the issue is Windows 7 probably does not support Thunderbolt.

FYI, just found some useful information after read this thread.

"Anandtech just did a preview of the MSI Z77A-GD80 Thunderbolt motherboard."

The article provide links to explain a demonstration of using tb port build-in motherboard and Lucid's Virtu GPU virtualization software to display on a Mac Thunderbolt Display for a PC.

In http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3924?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US#12 Apple says that "Converters not made by Apple may provide options to convert other electrical, video, and audio protocols to Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt compliant signals."

Couldn't it be a VGA to Thunderbolt converter?

I have an imac mid 2007 how can I use with a new dell as second monitor???

Please read the thread prior to posting.

Ok wait I am attempting to build my PC Gaming Rig But love mac and there iMac 21.5 (late 2012) display

It says here that with my late 2012 iMac that Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt connections are supported by Target Display Mode...

http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT3924

So with that being can't I just buy a compatible motherboard that has thunderbolt ports such as this one?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128703

This should work am I wrong?
If I get no reply I'm just going to go ahead and buy it in the next few months and ill post here if it works or not! 😀
Wish me luck

Hi LeeEwing02,

did you try that?

i want to do that as well and been searching the web for answers these few days,

will be happy to know if anyone finded a solution.