The latest OS version I have is 10.15.7 - it won't update beyond that. Is there anything I can do? It's a great computer, but alot of my programs need updated as well. It's sluggish all the time.
I certainly can't afford to purchase another IMac, just hoping there's something that can be done to upgrade this one.
Thank you so much
sandylynn131 wrote:
The latest OS version I have is 10.15.7 - it won't update beyond that.
macOS 10.15.7 (Catalina) is the end of the line for your iMac (27-inch, Late 2013).
Is there anything I can do? It's a great computer, but alot of my programs need updated as well. It's sluggish all the time. I certainly can't afford to purchase another IMac, just hoping there's something that can be done to upgrade this one.
Thank you so much
Catalina is not one of the "most recent three" versions of macOS that vendors like Microsoft and Adobe support. It fell off that list more than two years ago, in October 2022, when Ventura came out.
Catalina is good enough to run current versions of
These may help to substitute for some of the things that you can't get.
As for upgrading your hardware, there is no hardware upgrade you can make (short of replacing the Mac) that will let you run anything newer than Catalina, but you can
If your Mac currently starts up from a mechanical hard drive, adding an external SSD and making into your startup drive (use CCC or SuperSuper! to clone your current system onto the new SSD) would probably be the thing that would do the most to make the Mac feel "snappier" in everyday use. The RAM upgrade would mainly help if you're currently starved for RAM (something you might want to check with the help of Activity Monitor).
sandylynn131 wrote:
The latest OS version I have is 10.15.7 - it won't update beyond that.
macOS 10.15.7 (Catalina) is the end of the line for your iMac (27-inch, Late 2013).
Is there anything I can do? It's a great computer, but alot of my programs need updated as well. It's sluggish all the time. I certainly can't afford to purchase another IMac, just hoping there's something that can be done to upgrade this one.
Thank you so much
Catalina is not one of the "most recent three" versions of macOS that vendors like Microsoft and Adobe support. It fell off that list more than two years ago, in October 2022, when Ventura came out.
Catalina is good enough to run current versions of
These may help to substitute for some of the things that you can't get.
As for upgrading your hardware, there is no hardware upgrade you can make (short of replacing the Mac) that will let you run anything newer than Catalina, but you can
If your Mac currently starts up from a mechanical hard drive, adding an external SSD and making into your startup drive (use CCC or SuperSuper! to clone your current system onto the new SSD) would probably be the thing that would do the most to make the Mac feel "snappier" in everyday use. The RAM upgrade would mainly help if you're currently starved for RAM (something you might want to check with the help of Activity Monitor).
Nope, it has reached the end of the road for updates. As far as the sluggish behavior is concerned then the only thing to do at this point is to try and found out why. I suspect at 12+ years old it may be having hardware issues such as a failing drive. Please do the following.
It will help us get a good idea of what is causing your problem if you provide a report of your system, that way we do not have to play 20 questions with you. The report we are requesting does NOT provide any personal information and is extremely safe to use. Please navigate towww.Etrecheck.com and download the free version of EtreCheck. Once you have you downloaded the app and installed it, please run the report and save it. This report will help us get a good idea what has been installed on your system and help us be able to diagnose what may be wrong.
When you have your report, you can attach it when you reply to this message and we can then review it and help you determine what is needed to get your system running well again.
For instructions on how to download your EtreCheck report and attach it to your reply to this message please click How to use the Add Text Feature When Post… - Apple Community It is helpful to us if you download the report to your Desktop.
If you cannot afford another iMac I would strongly suggest looking at the new M4 based MM which would be a HUGE upgrade over your current machine. For less than $1400 ( $999 for a MM with 16GB RAM and a 1TB SSD + $300 for a vert nice display) you have a very very nice solution. Also, did you know that Apple offers 12 month no interest financing, so the $999 can be amortized over 12 months or about $83 per month. You can also use the old iMac mouse and keyboard so the < $1400 is very real.
please look on Apples website for the Mac Mini. All they need is a display and you are in business. I found a nice 27” 4k display on Amazon for $249, add that to the MM with 16TB of RAM and a 1TB SSD and you will have a huge upgrade!!!!
Thank you so much for responding, What is the new M4 based MM? Have no clue what that is.
I'm considering the new iPad which is a bit more.
I appreciate your help and input. I will wait until my daughter comes over to help with the Etrecheck thing, she's much more savvy than I am.
If I understand this, I could use my current iMac 27" monitor??? This would be wonderful!!! I'll definitely look into this, or have my daughter - I'm pretty darned old so forgive me for asking so many questions :)
sandylynn131 wrote:
If I understand this, I could use my current iMac 27" monitor???
Nope.
Your old iMac supports Target Display Mode using Thunderbolt input – but Apple added restrictions on Target Display Mode. No current Mac supports using any iMac as a Target Display.
See the bad news here: Use your iMac as a display with target display mode - Apple Support
You would need $80+ in specialized Thunderbolt connection hardware just to make a Thunderbolt connection between a new Mac and your Mac, and then you would discover that you could only use the link for data.
Better to put the money towards a real monitor. Although 27" 5K monitors are quite expensive ($800 – $1600), you can get 27" 4K ones with IPS panels and near-100% coverage of sRGB for as little as $300 – $350, or ones with the same 2560x1440 resolution as your 27" 2013 iMac for a bit less than that.
No, you cannot use your iMac as an external display. Current iMacs do not allow that. Target Display Mode has been dead for over a decade now, please read Use your iMac as a display with target display mode - Apple Support
2013 27" Imac will not update anymore
