So, As I've recently grabbed another PC for the youngest, I'm trying to decide what to do with this beastly 27" top of the range model from 12 years ago! It's effing slow and I'm getting issues with many different websites (unsupported or just not running). Is it worth putting a Linux distro on it and using it as a browser/ time capsule or should I just get rid of it? OSX 10.6.8 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 4GB DDR2
This page tells me that the late 2009 models shipped with dedicated graphics cards and that it's a 1440p screen. That means it's definitely worth firing up something like OSMC or LibreELEC and seeing how it copes with modern video - it could make for a decent media playback machine. The CPU is... old now but a lightweight Linux distro like Mint or Xubuntu/Lubuntu really don't need a lot of grunt to run - I'd say to start with Mint first and go down from there. You can always swap in a cheap SATA SSD and more RAM (DDR2 should be cheap by now!) to give it a bit more life. iFixit have a bunch of guides for this model (and others, in case I've got the wrong model number). Also - and this would be the thing I'd try first - you can apparently use this model as a display for any other computer which outputs video via DisplayPort. You just need a DisplayPort to Mini-DisplayPort adapter. There's reports of success in this thread where people have used it as a display for PCs - ignore the first couple of replies that basically say "No, go away, RTFM, it won't work 'cos you need another Mac" and keep scrolling.
Great info @Byron C, more comprehensive than I'd have offered. Agreed on trying lighter weight Linux and more RAM. Reuse as a 27" monitor is a real win too.
Whoa that's awesome re the re-use as a monitor - it does run reasonably hot though so not sure if I can "turn-off" unnecessary internals and still keep the monitor running. More research is needed! Thanks so much for the replies!
No worries! TBH I'd really want to try and re-use something like that as well, I'll bet it has an amazing screen...
I wonder if the cooling fan, (assuming it's similar to a laptop or PC AIO), needs a clean and the CPU repasting. Out with the suckers to get the front off I guess.
I've not done one, but a friend locally is very adept at getting them to pieces and back together intact. GLW Service
Back in 2010, when the 27inch iMac was the first 1440p screen available. I considered buying it to use as a monitor. But upon extensive research, I found out the computer itself must be turned on and sucking power to use the display as monitor. So I went with Dell U2711 based on the exact same LG panel. It was either £800 for Dell U2711 or £1200 for iMac, £400 for a whole computer seems like a good deal...... until I found out about the extra electricity draw and always-on fan in the iMac. For what to do with it. Upgrade to SSD and install lightweight Linux on it should make it usable. It'd be a good family internet or homework machine.
If you replace the HDD, please ensure the screen is replaced securly. My previous employer missed this step when a machine was upgraded, the screen fell out, then got brown parcel taped back in.
I think I'm going to go down the external monitor route with a conversion kit - basically, strip the PC components, add a power supply and bobs your distant relative that we don't talk about anymore... Turning a 27" iMac into an Apple Cinema Monitor for the Mac Mini M1 and Review - YouTube I still have an old Mac Mini bought from The Laser Hive which has everything in it that the 2009 iMac had albeit it minus screen etc so if I do end up needing a Mac to use, I can!
