Encore vs Yam Air Desk.
For an old iMac as a monitor.
Yam Air Desk costs $7.99 once after a 7-day trial, works over Wi-Fi or Ethernet and needs macOS 10.15 on the iMac, so Late 2012 or newer. It is the cheapest paid option we found. Pick it if your iMac runs Catalina and you only want a plain extra screen. Pick Encore for an older iMac or for the extras on a cable and a smart display.
Who should pick which
- Pick Yam Air Desk if your iMac is Late 2012 or newer on macOS 10.15 or later, and the lowest price matters most.
- Pick Encore for an iMac from before Late 2012, for a Thunderbolt connection, for the iMac's keyboard and mouse over a cable, or for a smart display when you stop.
Side by side
| Encore | Yam Air Desk | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free during the public beta | $7.99 once after 7 days free |
| Your Mac | macOS 14 or later | macOS 10.10 or later |
| Oldest iMac | Late 2009 (macOS 10.13); 2007 to Early 2009 with Encore Receiver Legacy | macOS 10.15 Catalina or later on the second Mac, so about Late 2012 |
| Connection | Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet or Thunderbolt | Wi-Fi or Ethernet |
| Picture | Sharp, lossless picture over a cable; Retina iMacs at up to 2560 x 1440 | 30 or 60 fps; extend or mirror; Retina support listed |
| iMac keyboard and mouse (camera and microphone coming soon) | Yes, over a cable | Not listed |
| Smart display when idle | StandBy clocks, weather, calendar, AirPlay music, Hey Mac | No |
Who it suits
Yam Air Desk is a small, inexpensive way to extend your desktop over your network or an Ethernet cable. It is sold through the Mac App Store and needs its free Yam host app on your main Mac. For most iMacs from Late 2012 on, it is worth a look at this price.
Where Encore differs
Encore also covers iMacs from Late 2009 to 2012 and adds Thunderbolt, the iMac's own keyboard and mouse over a cable, and a smart display when you stop. For Encore's cable requirement, see the cable guide: at least 400 Mbps, which means Gigabit Ethernet or Thunderbolt.
Where Encore is weaker
Yam Air Desk is cheaper and accepts a Mac back to macOS 10.10 as the sender. Encore needs macOS 14 and has no published latency figure yet. If you hit a snag on either, the help center covers Encore.
Facts on this page were checked on 9 November 2026 on the linked pages. Speeds are each maker's own figures, not independent measurements. Something out of date? Tell us and we fix it.
Questions
How much is Yam Air Desk?
It is listed on the US Mac App Store with a 7-day free period and an unlock for $7.99 once, checked 9 November 2026.
Which iMacs can use Yam Air Desk?
Its listing asks for macOS Catalina 10.15 or later on the secondary Mac, so Late 2012 or newer iMacs.