You bought the most recent iMac computer model a few years ago, and it was a great piece of machinery at the time. But, when it becomes obsolete, what can you do with an old iMac? Let’s find out with FittingChairs now!
When Can I Consider My iMac To Be Too Old?
When it became slow, and after banging your head against the wall, you decided it was time to upgrade.
But what are you going to do with your old iMac?
When dealing with an old iMac, there are several logical options to consider, such as recycling it through the Apple Trade-In Program or converting it into an emergency Wi-Fi hotspot router.
Another option is to convert it into a network-attached storage system, or even better, clean it and reintegrate it into your workstation. You can install Linux on an old Mac or PC.
With 40 million tons of tech and electronic waste generated globally each year, it’s clear you’re not the only one considering getting rid of old electronics.
You can easily see many same questions as many other iMac owners:
- “What can I do with an old iMac?”
- “Should I recycle my old iMac?”
And so on.
As new iMac models are released in major Apple stores and other authorized dealer shops, older devices quickly become obsolete, with some models lacking simple software upgrade options.
But, when can you consider your iMac to be too old?
For some, an iMac that is running slowly has frequent lags, and is incompatible with new devices and software may be considered too old or nearing the end of its functional lifespan.
Here are a few things you can run to see if your old iMac is truly obsolete:
- You frequently encounter software incompatibilities.
- Your device is unable to run the most recent MacOS.
- You frequently run out of storage space, and your iMac restarts.
Although some of these issues are minor and can be remedied temporarily, if you experience all or some of these issues, your iMac may be too old and should be recycled or traded.
However, if your old iMac has hardware issues, recycling it through a program like the Apple Trade-In Program is the most cost-effective option.
Apple Trade-in: What Is My Old iMac Really Worth?
What is the best price for your old iMac? Are old iMacs worth anything?
Finding out the trade-in value of your old iMac device and trading it in for cash or trade-in credits to upgrade to a new Mac device is a better option.
The bad news is old Apple products are not worth much. However, this is not always the case.
Regardless of whether you believe it is worth anything, you should conduct your own due diligence and check first.
How Do I Check My iMac Trade-In Value?
- Log on to the Apple Trade-in page.
- Scroll down and click on Computer.
- enter the serial number of your old iMac device and click Verify to see your iMac trade-in value in the input field.
Can My Old iMac Be Updated?
Your old iMac can be updated to a newer macOS version.
If your iMac is too old and incompatible with the macOS version you’re installing, you may encounter some problems.
After a few years, the hardware in your old iMac will no longer be compatible with newer versions of macOS, and you will be unable to upgrade them further without performing a hardware upgrade.
So, how does this affect you? What can you do with an old iMac? It means you’ll have to buy a new iMac rather than upgrade your old one.
In fact, Apple estimates that a computer should be used for 4 to 5 years. Following that, technology has advanced to the point where old systems can no longer keep up with current developments.
It’s time to spend more money with their company in order to get the newest, latest, greatest machine! However, you can update your old iMac if it is still within its product life cycle.
Updating macOS is usually a simple process.
However, if you are encountering difficulties and consistent errors while attempting to download or install the new macOS on your device, it could be due to one of the following reasons:
- Your old iMac is incompatible with the new macOS that you are attempting to install.
- Your old iMac is out of storage space and will be unable to accommodate the new OS files.
- You could be running the update over a bad network connection.
Apple frequently provides software and operating system updates for iMac devices. So, if you encounter errors while updating your old iMac, contact Apple support to see if the version of macOS you’re using is compatible with the device.
How Can I Set Up My Old iMac As A Network-Attached Storage Server?
What can you do with old Mac products? If you want to use your old iMac with a network storage system, you’ll need to connect the two computers using an Ethernet router.
You can configure your iMac as a network drive by following these steps:
- Step 1. Reinstall OS X on your old iMac. Make sure to erase any existing partitions with disk utility.
- Step 2. Navigate to System Preferences >> Sharing >> File Sharing to configure file sharing. Then, examine the File Sharing
- Step 3. Choose the location to share, and the user folder is the most recommended option.
- Step 4. For each user account, select the appropriate Read and Write privileges. Set Read and Write privileges for your user account; others can be Read-only or Write-only.
Can My Old iMac Be Used As A Monitor?
Can an old iMac be used as a monitor?
For the question regarding what can you do with an old iMac, another is an excellent alternative to a gaming or PC monitor due to its simple setup.
The iMac screen’s Ultra-fine OLED Pro display provides high-resolution video output with a high refresh rate of up to 144Hz. This gaming setup is really ideal for gaming.
With a display-to-HDMI adapter, you can also use your old iMac as a display monitor for gaming consoles, as well as a display monitor for your other Mac computer.
Setting up your old iMac as a display monitor is as simple as the following:
How To Connect Your Old iMac As A Display Monitor?
To use your old iMac, make sure both computers are compatible with thunderbolt cables.
Connect both iMac computers with a thunderbolt cable and press command + F2 on your keyboard. Then, your iMac display will show your desktop.
Check out our comprehensive guide on how to use an iMac as a gaming monitor.
How Can I Use My iMac As A Wi-Fi Hotspot?
Any ideas for what to do with an old iMac? In general, your old iMac can also serve as a Wi-Fi hotspot, but you’ll need an Ethernet cable to connect it to your new iMac.
Here’s how to set up your internet sharing settings:
- Select Internet Sharing in System Preferences >> Sharing.
- Choose Ethernet from the Share your connection drop-down menu.
- Select Wi-Fi from the To Computers menu, then click on Wi-Fi Options to configure the network’s username and password. On the Security pop-up menu, select WPA2 Personal.
- Check the Internet Sharing box in System Preferences >> Sharing.
Installing Linux On Your Old iMac Computer
You may decide to dust off your old iMac and give it another shot, but the most recent macOS may not be compatible with it.
If you think there’s no hope for your old iMac, you can still use your old iMac if you think outside the box a little bit by converting it to a Linux machine.
Indeed, installing Linux on an old iMac is an excellent alternative solution!
Why Linux? It’s a highly customizable open-source operating system, is compatible with older computers, and can easily run on your old iMac. It has a familiar user interface because the Ubuntu OS is very similar to macOS.
Even if you’ve never used Linux before, it’s simple to set up.
However, keep in mind that you can always find online guides for installing the Linux operating system on your iMac computer or hire an expert to consult you with the installation.
Through this post of FittingChairs, we hope you will get an ideal method for what can you do with an old iMac. Consider the above listing them and define where you can fetch the value your iMac deserves.
Don’t hesitate to drop your comment to let us know more great choices or your experiences on what to do with an old iMac!
