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Introduced in May 2011, the iMac (Mid 2011) models improved on the previous iMac (Mid 2010) line, adding quad-core processors across the line. The iMac (Mid 2011) were also the first desktop Macs to include the new high-speed Thunderbolt I/O port. But if an app you need isn’t available from the Mac App Store, you can use DVD or CD Sharing. This convenient feature of OS X lets you wirelessly “borrow” the optical drive of a nearby Mac or PC. So you can install applications from a DVD or CD and have full access to an optical drive without having to carry one around. Click here for Links Twitter - Facebook Page - http://www.facebook.com/mattsaundersmcp.

Which Mac operating system is the best is a topic of numerous debates among Apple fans.

Since the mission of this blog is to refute myths and legends around Macs, it’s time for me to provide my 2 cents about the issue on hand. While everything below is just my opinion, as a long-time Mac user and veteran software engineer, I hope my opinion worth something.

The best Mac OS version is the one that your Mac is eligible to upgrade to. In 2020 it is macOS Big Sur. However, for users that need to run 32-bit apps on Mac, the best macOS is Mojave. Also, older Macs would benefit if upgraded at least to macOS Sierra for which Apple still releases security patches.

How to Tell Which macOS You Are Running

To find out which macOS is currently running on your Mac, follow these steps:

Click on Apple logo in the top left corner of the menubar
In the dropdown click on the first item: About This Mac
The first line in the Overview tab is the name of the current OS.

What Version of OS Can My Mac Run?

Not all Macs can be upgraded to the latest OS version. For instance, old Macs powered by PowerPC CPUs cannot run OS intended for Intel-based computers. Also, some versions have hardware limitations.

For instance, Mojave cannot be installed on MacBook Pro earlier than Mid 2012 model.

Check below to know exactly what version of OS your Mac can run.

Which OS is Best for my Mac

Anytime someone asks me which OS is best for them I always suggested going with the latest. Things have changed recently, however.

Should I Upgrade to macOS Catalina or Big Sur?

While personally I like macOS Big Sur and have it installed on my MacBook Pro, it comes with serious breaking changes.

The first issue is compatibility.

Big Sur is a transition OS which is designed to help Apple to move from Intel processors to their own chips on ARM.

After I installed Big Sur on my MacBook Pro mid 2020 (pre-Silicon), most of my apps, including Microsoft Office, were working as expected.

However, my VMWare Fusion 11 does not start anymore, so I have to purchase a new license if I want to keep using it (or roll back to Catalina). Luckily, I took a full backup before the upgrade.

The second breaking issue is the lack of 32-bit app support.

macOS Catalina and Big Sur can only run 64-bit apps.

If you wondering whether you should upgrade to macOS Catalina or Big Sur, first verify that you don’t have any 32-bit apps. But first, take a back up, so you can go back in case something breaks after the upgrade.

For instance, I had to remove uTorrent after upgrade. And I didn’t know that uTorrent is 32-bit!

How to Know If App is 32-bit or 64-bit

To find out whether the app on your Mac is 32-bit or 64-bit follow these steps:

Click on Apple logo in the top left corner of the Mac screen
Click on About This Mac option
Click on System Report button in Overview tab (first one)
Scroll down to Software -> Applications
Find the app and check Kind

Which macOS Should I Use

If you have an older Mac which is not eligible to upgrade with some latest software or hardware, I’d suggest upgrading at least to Sierra (or better High Sierra) for the following reasons:

Sierra is still supported by Apple, and it gets security updates
APFS file system is available
It supports Siri
Significant security improvements

The most important point when choosing the best OS is the ability to get security updates. While Apple generally does not announce the OS end of life dates, it is possible to know when they stop releasing security updates from this page.

For instance, according to the page, the last security update for OS X Yosemite was released on September 12, 2017. The last update for OS X El Capitan was in July 2018, and Carnegie Mellon University confirmed that El Capitan’s end of life date was August 2018.

Snow Leopard Myth

I know that some users on forums believe that the best OS version for Macs was Snow Leopard. But that is a myth. And I know how such myths get created.

Once I worked in the company, which was selling a 20-year old product. And customers were still using and didn’t want to switch to new versions, because the old one was rock solid.

I then talked to the engineer who worked on the project, and he revealed that the product was a total disaster when it was first deployed. Engineers had to work on-site for almost a year in order to fix all bugs.

After five or so years of polishing the product, it becomes virtually bug-free, and nobody now remembers how bad it was when it was first rolled out. A similar thing happened Snow Leopard, and it was recognized as best mac os version after some time.

How to Update to the Latest Version

There are two ways to update to the latest OS version on Mac:

From the Software Update section in System Preferences
Use a download link

Using Software Update

This is by far the best option, but it only available if you have Yosemite, or later OS installed already. If you enabled automatic updates, then Mac will inform you that the next macOS is available.

Just open System Preferences, go to Software Update and click on the Upgrade Now button.

This method is also best if wondering how to check if you have the latest version of OS installed on your Mac. Only the version compatible with your hardware will appear here.

For instance, my the latest version for Mac Mini 2012 is Mojave, I can’t install anything newer than that.

Using download links

For older systems or in case you need to downgrade, you have to download a standalone installer in DMG format. DMG stands for disk image, similar to ISO, just different formats.

After downloading the installer, just double click on it and follow instructions. Again, do not forget to take a backup before the upgrade.

Mac OS Comparisons: Requirements, Features, Compatibility, Download Links

Following is a high-level description of all Mac operating systems as early as Mountain Lion.

You can refer to those descriptions when deciding which operating system is best for your iMac, Mac Pro, Mac mini, or MacBook.

With each OS description, I included a list of Macs supported. However, you can use Mac OS compatibility checker for more detailed information.

macOS 11 Big Sur

macOS v11 (codename Big Sur) is the latest version of the operating system for Apple computers.

Release date: October 13, 2020

Hardware Requirements: RAM requirement 4GB. Big Sur is the first OS to support new Macs using ARM technology (in the future).

Features

The biggest design refresh since macOS X.
Support for new ARM processors.
Safar improved performance and power consumption.
Time Machine supports backup to APFS volumes.
One-click translation for 7 languages.
Redesigned maps

Software Compatibility Issues

Only 64-bit apps are allowed to run on Big Sur.

How to install

There are two ways to install Big Sur: enable automatic updates in System Preferences or download by using the following link.

List of Apple computers compatible with macOS Big Sur

MacBook (2015 and later)
MacBook Air (2013 and later)
MacBook Pro (2013 and later)
Mac mini (2014 and later)
iMac models (2014 and later)
iMac Pro (2017 and later)
Mac Pro (2013 and later)

macOS 10.15 Catalina

Release date: October 7, 2019

Hardware Requirements: RAM requirement increased from 2GB to 4GB.

Features

Introduced Sidecar, which allows for Macs to use an iPad as an external display.
iTunes was replaced by separate apps: Music, Podcasts, and TV.
Find My Mac and Find My Friends have merged into one app.

Software Compatibility Issues

macOS Catalina is the first Mac operating system that does not support 32-bit applications. Only 64-bit apps are allowed to run on Catalina.

How to install

Can You Game In A Late 2011 Mac Mimi Cooper

There are two ways to install Catalina: enable automatic updates in System Preferences or download by using the following link.

List of Apple computers compatible with macOS Catalina

MacBook (Early 2015 or later)
MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or later)
MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or later)
Mac mini (Late 2012 or later)
iMac models (Late 2012 or later)
iMac Pro (All models)
Mac Pro (Late 2013)

macOS 10.14 Mojave

Release date: September 24, 2018

Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 18.5GB free space on disk

Features

The main feature of Mojave is “Dark Mode”
FaceTime adds group feature which allows chatting with up to 32 people
News, Stocks, Voice Memos, and Home apps were ported from iOS to Mac.

How to install

If your Mac is eligible to update to Mojave, then the easiest way to install it is by enabling automatic updates. Downloading a standalone Mojave installer could be a little tricky.

List of Apple computers compatible with macOS Mojave

MacBook (Early 2015 or later)
MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or later)
MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or later)
Mac mini (Late 2012 or later)
iMac (Late 2012 or later)
iMac Pro (All models)
Mac Pro (Late 2013 and 2010-2012 models with upgraded GPU)

macOS 10.13 High Sierra

Release date: September 25, 2017

Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 14.3GB free space on disk

Features

APFS (Apple File System) becomes the default file system in High Sierra. It’s a significant upgrade from the older HFS+ in terms of speed, size, and security
iCloud support of Messages which allows sync messages of the account across multiple devices
Mail app uses 35% less storage space due to optimizations

List of Apple computers compatible with macOS High Sierra

MacBook (Late 2009 or newer)
MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
Mac mini (Mid 2010 or newer)
iMac (Late 2009 or newer)
Mac Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)

How to install

Can You Game In A Late 2011 Mac Mimic

Here is a High Sierra download link.

macOS 10.12 Sierra

This is the first macOS version. Previous OS versions for Macs were called OS X (X stands for 10).

Release date: September 20, 2016

Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk

Features

Siri was introduced to Macs
Optimized storage with iCloud sync
Auto-lock feature allows unlocking MacBook with paired Apple Watch
APFS preview available
Disk Utility can manage RAID sets again
Significant security improvements

How to install

Here is a Sierra download link.

List of Apple computers compatible with macOS Sierra

MacBook (Late 2009 or newer)
MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
Mac mini (Mid 2010 or newer)
iMac (Late 2009 or newer)
Mac Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)

OS X 10.11 El Capitan

Last OS X version.

Release date: September 30, 2015

Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk

Features

System Integrity Protection – a security feature that protects even when the root user executes the process
Performance improvements: open PDF files four times faster, Mail is twice faster, launching apps 40% faster
Notes app similar to the app in iOS

Macs compatible with OS X El Capitan

same as OS Mountain Lion.

How to install

Here is El Capitan download link.

OS X 10.10 Yosemite

Release date: October 16, 2014

Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk

Macs compatible with OS X Yosemite

Same as OS Mountain Lion.

Features

Major user design overhaul
Introduction of Handoff and Continuity features
Photos app replaced iPhoto and Aperture

How to install

Here is Yosemite download link.

OS X 10.9 Mavericks

First free Mac OS. Previous OS versions vary from $19.99 to $129.

Release date: October 22, 2013

Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk

Features

Compressed Memory feature automatically compresses inactive apps when approaching maximum memory capacity
Timer coalescing is a feature that reduces CPU usage by up to 72 percent
App Nap puts apps that are not currently visible to sleep

Macs compatible with OS X Mavericks

Same as OS Mountain Lion.

How to install

OS X Mavericks installer is not available on Apple Site. Follow instructions here to install Mavericks.

OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion

Must be purchased. Fixed many bugs introduced in OS X Lion.

Release date: July 25, 2012

System Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk

Features

New apps: Notification Center, Notes, Messages, Game Center
AirPlay mirroring allowed to mirror Mac screen to Apple TV
Application updates automatically install from the App Store

List of Apple computers compatible with OS X Mountain Lion

iMac (Mid-2007 or newer)
MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)
MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)
MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)
Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)
Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)
Xserve (Early 2009)

How to install

Mountain Lion installer is not available on Apple Site. Follow instructions here to install OS X Mountain Lion.

List of older Mac OS Versions

Following Mac OS versions are still running on older Macs, but Apple does not support them anymore, and there is no point to upgrade (or downgrade) to them:

OS X 10.7 Lion
OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger
Mac OS X 10.3 Panther
Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar
Mac OS X 10.1 Puma
Mac OS X 10.0 Cheetah

Can You Game In A Late 2011 Mac Mimi Full

Before you begin

To minimize the possibility of damage to the computer components due to static discharge, it's important to wear an antistatic wrist strap while you work with your computer's memory.

Choose your model

Mac mini models have different memory (RAM) installation requirements. Choose your Mac mini model for more information. If you need help determining which Mac mini you have, find out how to identify Mac mini models.

2020
Mac mini (M1, 2020)

2018
Mac mini (2018)

2014
Mac mini (Late 2014)

2012
Mac mini (Late 2012)

2011
Mac mini (Mid 2011)

2010
Mac mini (Mid 2010)

2009
Mac mini (Late 2009)
Mac mini (Early 2009)

2007
Mac mini (Mid 2007)

2006
Mac mini (Late 2006)
Mac mini (Early 2006)

2005
Mac mini (Original)

2020

Mac mini (M1, 2020) has memory that is integrated into the AppleM1chip and can't be upgraded. You can configure the memory in your Mac mini when you purchase it.

2018

Mac mini (2018) does not have user-installable RAM. You can configure the memory in your Mac mini (2018) when you purchase it. To upgrade the memory in your Mac mini (2018), go to an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider.

2014

Mac mini (Late 2014) has memory that is integrated into the main logic board and can't be upgraded.

2012, 2011, 2010

To remove and install memory in your Mac mini (Late 2012), Mac mini (Mid 2011), or Mac mini (Mid 2010), use the following steps.

Remove the bottom cover

Turn off your Mac mini. From the Apple menu (), choose Shut Down.
Disconnect the power cord and all other cables from your Mac mini.
Lay your Mac mini upside down on a soft cloth or towel, and then rotate the bottom cover counterclockwise to the unlocked position.
Press on the cover to pop up the opposite side, and then remove the cover.

Remove the original memory modules

Gently spread the clips at the ends of the top memory module just enough to let the free edge pop up.
Pull the module out of the slot.
Repeat to remove the second, bottom module.

Install the new memory

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Carefully press the notched edge of the new memory module into the bottom slot while keeping the opposite edge slightly raised.
Press down on the raised edge until the clips snap into place.
Repeat to install the top memory module.

Replace the bottom cover

Don't connect the power cord or turn on your Mac mini until you replace the bottom cover. Never operate your Mac mini without the cover in place.

Replace the bottom cover using the alignment dots to place it in the unlocked position.
Rotate the cover clockwise to lock it in place.
Reconnect the power cord and any other cables you disconnected.

After you install the memory, confirm that your Mac mini sees the new memory.

2009 and earlier

To remove or install memory in the following Mac mini models, go to an Apple Authorized Service Provider.

Confirm that your Mac sees the new memory

To check that the computer recognizes the new memory:

Start up your computer.
When you see your desktop, choose Apple menu , then choose About This Mac.
Confirm that the memory listed matches the memory you installed.

If the reported memory size isn't correct or if your Mac mini repeatedly plays three tones, it may be having trouble recognizing a memory module. If this happens, shut down your Mac mini, verify the module specifications against the requirements for your Mac mini model, and then repeat the memory installation instructions to make sure that the modules are installed correctly. If you still have issues, remove the memory and consult the support information that came with the memory, or contact the vendor who provided the memory.