Can my MacBook Air handle this?

[nhod]

I have a 2015 11” MacBook Air i5 1.6 GHz 8GB and I'm connecting it to a late 2009 27 inch iMac in target display mode. I'm interested in playing world of warcraft on low graphics in target display mode with the iMac. Do you think this a good idea? Am I going to harm this MacBook Air? I notice when I'm playing world of warcraft the fan is running continuously regardless of target display mode.

Are there quantifiable metrics to look and see if I'm working the MacBook Air too hard?

Also, I noticed that the display turns off when I close the MacBook Air. Am i unable to use the iMac as a display when the MacBook Air is closed?

Is it going to be more overhead if I can't close the MacBook Air? If I turn the brightness down all the way on the MacBook Air, does it effectively make it as thought the display isn't be used at all by the system?

 

[Ma2k5]

Several points you've made so i'll try cover them the best that I can.

Do you think that it is a good idea

Well, it isn't an ideal gaming machine but if you must you must.

Am I going to harm this MacBook Air

You will make it work hard, but that doesn't equate to harm. It will heat up and the laptop is designed to manage it's workload against thermals as required, it will throttle down as neccessary so as not to "harm" itself.

fan is running continuiously regardless of target display mode

I would be more worried if it wasn't, as it would mean you may have a faulty fan!

Are there quantifiable metrics to look and see if I'm working the MacBook Air too hard?

You can view the system monitors which will show how hard your computer is working. As for working it too hard? Well the laptops are designed to be able to run whatever you want, they just may not run it perfectly due to overheating or having insufficient capability.

Also, I noticed that the display turns off when I close the MacBook Air. Am i unable to use the iMac as a display when the MacBook Air is closed?

You should be able to? More info here I guess: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204592

Is it going to be more overhead if I can't close the MacBook Air? If I turn the brightness down all the way on the MacBook Air, does it effectively make it as thought the display isn't be used at all by the system?

Yes it will be more overhead, as the MacBook will still have to push those pixels to the screen, irrelevant of any brightness setting or activity on screen.

 

[ftaok]

Instead of extending the desktop, just mirror your MBA to the iMac. Select an appropriate resolution and viola!

This way, the MBA won't be wasting CPU/GPU cycles on two screens.