Budget secondary monitor for 27" iMac

[rbasi02]

Hi,
I currently have a 27" 5K iMac and I am looking for a budget (<£300) monitor that will match the style and theme of the iMac. I was thinking about buying a 2009 iMac second hand to use solely as a monitor in Target Display Mode however I need it to support VESA mounting.
It doesn't have to be high res, however the higher the resolution the better, obviously. I would just like something that satisfies my OCD!

 

[Slydude]

If I read this Apple support document correctly that should work. I suggest giving it a quick read. It's quite easy to understand and mentions a couple of options. The easiest of which is probably connecting the computers using a Thunderbolt cable. This article may give you a better overview of the pros and cons.

 

[rbasi02]

If I read this Apple support document correctly that should work. I suggest giving it a quick read. It's quite easy to understand and mentions a couple of options. The easiest of which is probably connecting the computers using a Thunderbolt cable. This article may give you a better overview of the pros and cons.

Thanks dude, I've already seen that article and considered the option, however I don't wish to buy iMac VESA hardware and it would probably be more cost effective going another route.

 

[Slydude]

Thanks dude, I've already seen that article and considered the option, however I don't wish to buy iMac VESA hardware and it would probably be more cost effective going another route.

Probably so, Unless you either have the second iMac or got a really good deal.

I've been kinda looking at monitors myself recently since I'm experiencing some issues that may/may not be related to my Samsung monitor. I've seen lots of cheaper monitors/TVs that would be fine for secondary monitors but haven't seen one yet that matches the iMac aesthetic. Haven't looked for that feature though as it's not a priority that it match my iMac.

 

[chscag]

I've seen lots of cheaper monitors/TVs that would be fine for secondary monitors but haven't seen one yet that matches the iMac aesthetic.

I'm afraid now that Apple is out of the monitor business, that's going to be pretty much impossible unless you want to buy an older TB display. Apple has recently signed a deal with LG to provide monitors and although they're nice, they're also costly. (around $1200 for the 27" 5K model)

 

[Slydude]

I've seen several that would be excellent for most needs at about half that cost. When I mentioned that they don't match the iMac aesthetic I was thinking more about the exterior etc. The LGs and Dells look pretty good picture wise but I'm afraid they are out of my budget.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Hi,
I currently have a 27" 5K iMac and I am looking for a budget (<£300) monitor that will match the style and theme of the iMac. I was thinking about buying a 2009 iMac second hand to use solely as a monitor in Target Display Mode however I need it to support VESA mounting.
It doesn't have to be high res, however the higher the resolution the better, obviously. I would just like something that satisfies my OCD!

It depends on what you would be happy with.

Have a look at this article:

The Best 27-Inch Monitor
http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-27-inch-monitor/

If you'd like something even less expensive, the following article is a bit dated (some of the offerings have been replaced by new models), but is extremely helpful:

Most Popular Budget Computer Monitor:
http://lifehacker.com/five-best-budget-computer-monitors-1685766022/1686634995

My wife, for instance, without even consulting with me about it, ordered this Asus monitor from Amazon for only $120:

ASUS VS238H-P 23" Full HD 1920x1080 2ms HDMI DVI VGA Back-lit LED Monitor
$120 with free shipping
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005BZNEVQ/?tag=macforums0e4-20

I thought that, at the price, it would show up and be an utter POS. She mounted it to the wall via a VESA mount, fired it up, and I was stunned by how beautiful the image was! It makes me shake by head every time I look at it.

I hope this helps.

 

[S.SubZero]

This explains the various monitor specs supported, if that helps.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206587