can I update my old mac pro to modern standards? I have an 8 year old 27 inch iMac which is slowing down already so I wondered if I could buy components for the old pro. Could I then use the screen on my iMac as a monitor?
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MP All Models update to mac pro
- Thread starter churnetvalley
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I think you can run Catalina. I would not Try Big Sur even if it is supported. I don't think it is.
I would make sure you have at least 32gb of ram and an SSD drive so things launch fast.
I would make sure you have at least 32gb of ram and an SSD drive so things launch fast.
That depends on the age of the Mac Pro , the budget and the time you're willing to spend.
If the Mac Pro is a MP 4,1 (2009) or newer it is possible. A MP3,1 (2008) can be upgraded to a modern level too, but is a bit more complicated.
Latest officially supported OS on the Mac Pro 4,1/5,1 : Mojave 6,1: Catalina
There are ways to install the latest OS too.
This is in a nutshell!
The iMacs between 2011 and 2014 support Target Display Mode.
If your iMac is 8 years old, that would be an iMac 2013.
Thunderbolt is the type of connection you'll need to use your iMac as a screen.
The only Mac Pro models that come stock with Thunderbolt ports are the Mac Pro 6,1 (2013) and the most recent 7,1 (2019).
BTW: another viable option is to upgrade your iMac replacing the HDD (fusion drive) by a faster SSD (~5X faster I/O speed).
Since Mojave a new disk format APFS was introduced which is optimized for SSD drives and doesnt really work well with HDD.
Some iMac models from 2013 came with an extra PCIe slot on the MainBoard where you could install a NVMe SSD ,which is ~ 30X faster than the stock HDD.
This upgrade implies removing the screen to open it, so should be done by a professional.
AFAIK max RAM is 32Gb (4x8GB) for a 27" model.
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