Does CS5 work much better on OS Sierra 10.12.x? You did mention it works in OS Mohave?
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Will Adobe CS5 work on OS Monterey?
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For me it did. Yesterday I reread my install notes as I wasn't sure, if a recent Java version had to be installed additionally to the folder structure of the legacy Java. As far as I can tell, I didn't have to install any Java on macOS Mojave, just the empty folders to make CS5 and CS6 work. Later on I installed OpenJDK, though. But it wasn't needed for Adobe CS apps, as far as I can remember. The process to create the folders should be the same for macOS Mojave.
Yes, I run CS5 and CS6 on macOS Mojave as my MBP 2019 can't run any macOS below.
I'll be getting an M2 Mac Mini when they become available. Due to limited space I'd like to run the M2 Mini and a 2018 Mini off the same monitor/keyboard/mouse using a KVM switch. The M1/M2 Macs work best with a 4K monitor and a 2018 Mini has display support for a 4K monitor that the 2014 Mini(2560 x 1600) doesn't have. This is why I would like to attempt to run CS5.1 on Mohave. If running CS5.1 on OS Sierra is much better than I guess I can figure something out with the monitor. Running both off a 4K monitor will make my setup easier.
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According to Macktracker the Mac mini 2014 can display up to 3840 by 2160 pixels at 30Hz or 4096 by 2160 pixels at 24Hz (HDMI) and the Mac mini 2018 up to 4096 by 2160 pixels at 60Hz (HDMI) or 5120 by 2880 pixels at 60Hz (Thunderbolt). I have no idea, if the 30Hz compared to the 60Hz will make much difference.
One issue you´ll likely run into with Photoshop on a Mac (mini) without a separate dedicated graphics card, is that some features like 3d and Canvas rotation probably won't work. For those features, you´d need a Mac with an extra NVIDIA or AMD graphics card.
If I were you, I´d try the Mac mini 2018 if you do have the time for the following experiment: Make security adjustments in Startup Security Utility to be able booting from an external volume. Beware that Startup Security Utility is not accessible anymore, once you formatted the internal drive to HFS+. So choose the settings wise. I recommend "No Security" and "Allow booting from external or removal media". After regular installation on the internal APFS formatted drive, use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone the internal volume to an external (APFS) volume (can be HDD), format the internal volume to HFS+ and clone the external APFS volume back to the internal HFS+ drive.
Getting Adobe CS5.1 up and running can be demanding, too. You'll need the proper installers, if you don't already have them. Those from the boxed version probably won´t work, as Adobe stopped the activation servers. To obtain the installers that work without activation servers, you can either download them from your Adobe account or you'll need to get the download links from a chat with Adobe stuff (if they still give them away). The installers probably won't run in GUI mode, but they can be executed in Terminal. There might be updates available, that aren't included in the main installers. Depending if you´re really talking about CS5.1, those might be different to the CS5.5 updates. In Adobe Creative Suite 5.5, the version of Illustrator still is CS5.1 (15.1.0) as well as Photoshop is CS5.1 (12.1), but InDesign is CS5.5 (7.5.3.333).
Good luck for successful installing. I´d like to read about your experience…
One issue you´ll likely run into with Photoshop on a Mac (mini) without a separate dedicated graphics card, is that some features like 3d and Canvas rotation probably won't work. For those features, you´d need a Mac with an extra NVIDIA or AMD graphics card.
If I were you, I´d try the Mac mini 2018 if you do have the time for the following experiment: Make security adjustments in Startup Security Utility to be able booting from an external volume. Beware that Startup Security Utility is not accessible anymore, once you formatted the internal drive to HFS+. So choose the settings wise. I recommend "No Security" and "Allow booting from external or removal media". After regular installation on the internal APFS formatted drive, use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone the internal volume to an external (APFS) volume (can be HDD), format the internal volume to HFS+ and clone the external APFS volume back to the internal HFS+ drive.
Getting Adobe CS5.1 up and running can be demanding, too. You'll need the proper installers, if you don't already have them. Those from the boxed version probably won´t work, as Adobe stopped the activation servers. To obtain the installers that work without activation servers, you can either download them from your Adobe account or you'll need to get the download links from a chat with Adobe stuff (if they still give them away). The installers probably won't run in GUI mode, but they can be executed in Terminal. There might be updates available, that aren't included in the main installers. Depending if you´re really talking about CS5.1, those might be different to the CS5.5 updates. In Adobe Creative Suite 5.5, the version of Illustrator still is CS5.1 (15.1.0) as well as Photoshop is CS5.1 (12.1), but InDesign is CS5.5 (7.5.3.333).
Good luck for successful installing. I´d like to read about your experience…
Do you have the installers since you are running CS5 and CS6 on macOS Mojave on your MBP 2019? If so can I get them from you?
I got the installers directly from Adobe about 2 years ago. Adobe didn't serve any app updates and it was hard to find some of them on an Adobe FTP server that disappeared since then.
Giving away the main installers to someone else is a violation of Adobe EULA that I agreed with and I'm not allowed to do so.
I recommend to get the original installers from Adobe, too. Usually, you should find the downloads of your registered apps in your Adobe account. Here is how to get them:
Creative Suite archive
If you purchased Creative Suite 5, 5.5, or 6 from Adobe or registered your app, you may be able to download the installer for your app from your account.
If there's no download link in your Adobe account, chat or mail with them and refer to those files that can't be downloaded anymore.
Apologies for interjecting but I was actually able to get a copy of Lightroom 5.6 working in Monterey on my Intel machine. Was really surprised I didn't encounter any errors even when exporting my edits 
CS6 must have more 32-bit authentication apps because I haven't been able to get LR or PS CS6 working
CS6 must have more 32-bit authentication apps because I haven't been able to get LR or PS CS6 working
You've recently tried installing CS6 and it's not activating?Apologies for interjecting but I was actually able to get a copy of Lightroom 5.6 working in Monterey on my Intel machine. Was really surprised I didn't encounter any errors even when exporting my edits
CS6 must have more 32-bit authentication apps because I haven't been able to get LR or PS CS6 working
I think Mojave will be the last one you can even attempt to use CS5 and most of CS6. I know in CS6 Photoshop had an update that made it a 64 bit app. I don't think Illustrator was updated to 64 bit and I know Indesign was not updated to 64 bit till the next release Adobe CS. I would think it might be better to try and learn something new like the software from Affinity rather then trying to maintain old software that's time is limited (unless you plan to never upgrade your computer).
From Photoshop CS6 Release Notes:
There were some updates, but not especially related to 64-bit:
These were the changes. As an Adobe CC subscriber, a perpetual licensed version could get updated to 13.1.2 and was thereby changed to a subscription version.
Although I guess there are 32-bit code fragments inside every CS5 and CS6 app, just Photoshop CS5 is showing up completely as 64-bit in Activity Monitor. The ServiceManager can removed by renaming it to .bak.
I can't resist to ask that someone should try to install Photoshop CS5 on macOS Monterey 🤓 Even if it could get installed, probably it won't be reliable, because APFS is mandatory.
The best option for you to run old CS5/CS6 applications* on an new ARM Mac is:
Similar to something like this:
* Windows versions
- virtualisation software (like VMWare Fusion, Parallels, Virtualbox etc.) with an installed OS Windows for ARM, that has built in emulator for x86 software
- emulation (Box86 with WINE, QEMU etc.) with Windows installation
- or there is always WINE (for user friendlines you can use CodeWeavers Crossover or other similar tools).
Similar to something like this:
* Windows versions
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Is this what you did to get CS5 to work? Did you do this experiment? I picked up a 2014 Mac Mini cheap to experiment with. I'll be loading Mohave on it this weekend and give it a try.
For CS5 you can install older system(s) on that Mac mini 2014, that will work better with that 12 years old Adobe application pack...
I know. However I'm trying to test it in Mojave so I can use it on a 2018 Mac Mini which I don't have yet. I'm planning on getting an M2 Mini when they are released and I can use a KVM switch with a 4K monitor for both a 2018 and M2 Mini. The 2014 Mini won't work with a 4K monitor.
Yes, I was doing exactly this on a MacBook Pro 2019 that's running in this officially unsupported configuration since 3 years. As a Mac mini 2014 has no T2 Security Chip, you can forget about the "Startup Security Utility" part until you'll get the Mac mini 2018 that has a T2 integrated. You can try running all apps with standard APFS formatted drive, but I bet you'll see some weird bugs during file operations that will be resolved by switching back to HFS+.
Well, it depends. The ingrated Intel Iris 5100 supports 4K at 60 Hz, but macOS/MacOS X and it's drivers are crap in that regard. There are some workarounds tho, yet still (very) limited.
In contrary, under Windows, Linux etc. you can use the very high resolution(s) with proper HDMI or Displayport cables.
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