Should I go from Big Sur to Monterey on my 2015 MacBook Pro?

Hi!

I'm currently using Big Sur on my MacBook Pro from 2015. I've been doing all the suggested updates, except for the upgrade to Monterey. (Hesitated on that one, in part because it came out so soon after Big Sur, and in part because going from Catalina to Big Sur made the start-up so much slower, and I feared it'd get worse with Monterey (more "fancy stuff" that I felt I didn't need).

Now, the other day when I got an update prompt, it only suggested Monterey - no "safety updates" for Big Sur. Which made me wonder, if I ought to go ahead and upgrade to Monterey?

I know that's the last OS-version my Mac is compatible with.

Or should I stick with Big Sur, which works just fine. (So far, anyway.)

-Any suggestions?


Milla


[Re-Titled by Moderator]


MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.7

Posted on Nov 22, 2023 07:12 AM

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Posted on Nov 23, 2023 07:06 AM

Thanks for the answer!


I'm guessing I was prompted for Monterey, if Big Sur will not be getting any more security updates (like P.Phillips said, in the other answer I got...)..? And since my Mac apparently is too old for Sonoma...

The prompt came up like the security update prompts, with a red circle on the Settings icon.


I don't have a specific need for Monterey, I guess I was just concerned about the security updates.

But as long as Big Sur works, I'm fine with it.


5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 23, 2023 07:06 AM in response to Phil0124

Thanks for the answer!


I'm guessing I was prompted for Monterey, if Big Sur will not be getting any more security updates (like P.Phillips said, in the other answer I got...)..? And since my Mac apparently is too old for Sonoma...

The prompt came up like the security update prompts, with a red circle on the Settings icon.


I don't have a specific need for Monterey, I guess I was just concerned about the security updates.

But as long as Big Sur works, I'm fine with it.


Nov 23, 2023 02:44 AM in response to myvinge

Big Sur will probably, no longer be getting Security Updates


This is normal in the skein of thing from Apple


They normally do offer Security Updates from 3 Years from Date of Release


Monterey will still get Security Updates until the Successor to macOS 14 Sonoma is released sometime in the Fall of 2024


Word of some caution if I may.


Starting in macOS 12 Monterey specifically


Should the computer have an After Market Drive ( Non Apple Original Drive ) this could be problematic to upGrade to Monterey


There is an EFI Boot ROM in Monterey that checks the Internal Drive Before allowing the Installation to commence


If No Apple Original Drive and it may refuse to UpGrade to Monterey


Should this occur you have to flip out the After Market Drive and replace with Apple Original


Install Monterey to that drive.


Reverse the previous step and Install Monterey to the After Market Drive


The EFI Boot ROM needs to Flash the Computer and Not the Drive


Nov 23, 2023 07:19 AM in response to Owl-53

Thanks for the answer!


Good to know about Apple's security update practices.

It's those I was a bit concerned about, when I started considering upgrading to Monterey.

But if Big Sur will still work okay, I guess I may stick with it?


I think my Drive is an Apple original. (I haven't done anything "internal" with the Mac since I bought it.)


Nov 22, 2023 08:13 AM in response to myvinge

Monterey was released one year after Big Sur just like every other OS is released one year after the previous one.

Big Sur Release Date: November 12, 2020

Monterey Release Date: October 25, 2021.


If you have no real need for Monterey at this time you can ignore it if you want to.


Though it is kind of odd you were prompted for Monterey specifically. Monterey is 2 versions down form current, so there's no real reason to be getting that prompt anymore.

Where exactly did you see this prompt?

What were you doing?

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Should I go from Big Sur to Monterey on my 2015 MacBook Pro?

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