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Big Sur v Catalina
- Thread starter Janeilfen
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I've not noticed much difference. Performance wise, about the same. I don't really use the widgets. I'm not a heavy user. I still have a copy of Catalina on an external SSD so any issues I can go back easily. Currently unable to back up/clone BS with SuperDuper so if there are issues I can switch external SSDs.
Ultimately it depends on the model of your Mac and your peripherals. Big Sur has been a huge change for the reliability of my 2018 Mac mini and my eGPU. Both worked okay with Mojave, but I would receive T2/Bridge OS errors on every reboot, my eGPU would occasionally freeze up macOS when playing certain games, and I could not reliably boot macOS with the eGPU connected as the primary output to my monitor. Catalina fixed the T2/Bridge OS error, but did nothing helpful with the eGPU and in some cases took a huge set backwards with graphical artifacts in games that worked fine in Mojave. Big Sur has resolved all these issues and has made my system perform as I felt it should have performed from the beginning. YMMV of course.
No performance complaints really. I just don't like the UI and the wasted space (think window title bar height).
The biggest change I have noticed since upgrading to Big Sur is how using it has taught me to type, especially in the forums section of Macrumors 
TextEdit is a total mess with so many bugs it should have its own complaints section. How can SO MANY bugs appear in it when it worked before? Was it rewritten from scratch through the media of interpretive dance instead of the usual input devices? Airport Utility --> Wireless Clients now displays IP addresses and/or Computer names as some form of morse code. Why was Airport Utility messed with? Mail is still a very basic App but is now laid out differently for no apparent beneficial reason. Big Sur feels slower in many ways but it hard to pin where and by how much without being able to go back to Catalina and test, which I can't do. Would I go back to Catalina? Yes. Until Apple combs the flea's out of this dog in version 11.1 or even 11.2. Apple computers for many of us are(were) productive tools for work not toys for information consumption, such as the iPad. I fully understand why Apple wants to move to ARM with Apple Silicon but Big Sur feels like it was somewhat rushed out. Apple will get it right, we will just have to wait and hope.
TextEdit is a total mess with so many bugs it should have its own complaints section. How can SO MANY bugs appear in it when it worked before? Was it rewritten from scratch through the media of interpretive dance instead of the usual input devices? Airport Utility --> Wireless Clients now displays IP addresses and/or Computer names as some form of morse code. Why was Airport Utility messed with? Mail is still a very basic App but is now laid out differently for no apparent beneficial reason. Big Sur feels slower in many ways but it hard to pin where and by how much without being able to go back to Catalina and test, which I can't do. Would I go back to Catalina? Yes. Until Apple combs the flea's out of this dog in version 11.1 or even 11.2. Apple computers for many of us are(were) productive tools for work not toys for information consumption, such as the iPad. I fully understand why Apple wants to move to ARM with Apple Silicon but Big Sur feels like it was somewhat rushed out. Apple will get it right, we will just have to wait and hope.
I started this thread and thought I would update what I have done. I originally set up BS on an external drive to get a handle on it and find out if any of my requirements had changed or if anything didn‘t work. My Samsung M2070W scanner didn’t work. I have an old MacBook Pro (2010) running High Sierra and the scanner works with that. So as I can use that for scanning, I decided to install BS on my 2018 mini. I did what I always do with new operating systems and updated to BS rather than a clean install. Well, guess what - the scanner works. Same drivers, same everything but the scanner works. Result. But does it make any sense?
Excellent thread! Myself I always keep up with the latest version of the Mac OS, even if it has nothing really new or "earth shattering" to offer. I am running the latest version of Catalina, OS 10.15.7, on both of my Macs, and it is rock solid, problem-free, and reliable. I do plan on moving to Big Sur, but 1) it is not stable enough yet (heck, V11.1 is coming out shortly, but I suspect it will still have issues), and 2) I still have 4 critical programs that are not yet compatible. Two of them, though, are getting real close to releasing compatible versions, and when that happens, I will download the latest non-beta version of Big Sur, install it on a partition on an external SSD I have, and test it out.
But glad to see this thread. Very helpful!
But glad to see this thread. Very helpful!
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Totally agree and in my experience this has always been the case - can vary enormously depending on the particular computer model, its age, and even can vary between seemingly identical computers (like in an iMac lab for example, 10 computers may be fine but two might be problematic).
In my case with a 2019 Mac Pro, the current Big Sur 11.1 RC makes the machine the best it has been & really, shipping with Catalina always felt like a bit of a kludge with minor bugs etc. Big Sur on the other hand is very smooth indeed and this Mac Pro clearly likes it a lot. This incudes the fact that this machine runs much third party software including many audio and video plugins, DAWs, NLEs & external RAID storage etc. No IO issues including for bluetooth, wifi, LAN etc.
Yes, YMMV, & I suspect this will be very much related to the exact machine model & config. For many earlier machines I'd be staying with no later than Mojave. If the machine shipped with Catalina, then I'd say yes, try for a Big Sur upgrade - apart from the obvious eye candy & M1 support, to me it very much 'feels' like a fix for Catalina.
Yes, what Mac model one has can make a huge difference. Also, how "lean, mean, and clean" one's Mac is is also important. Myself, I am expecting good performance by Big Sur on my late 2018 Mac Mini, but not as "great" on my early 2017 Mac Book Air. Nothing wrong with the Air, and it does run well. It's just the "mechanics' of the 2 machines vary widely. Now, I am looking at, within the future, replacing that early 2017 model with the new M1 MacBook Air model that just came out. But will need 1) some factual, detailed reviews, and 2) all my third party software to be compatible with the M1 chip. That second one, right now, has a long way to go.
Meanwhile, Catalina performs very well on both of my Macs (although I use the Mini about 95% of the time). Real stable, runs fine, and no bugs/issues at all.
Meanwhile, Catalina performs very well on both of my Macs (although I use the Mini about 95% of the time). Real stable, runs fine, and no bugs/issues at all.
You may want to try this:
VueScan Scanner Software for macOS, Windows, and Linux
VueScan is the easiest way to get your scanner working on macOS, Windows and more. VueScan includes a driver for your scanner even though it isn't support anymore.
I have used VueScan for years. Works seamlessly and it's updated frequently.
Lou
^^^ Don't think this is the thread for VueScan, but yes, a fine product (I use it). Seems like you want this one:
forums.macrumors.com
But yeah, the op did mention in post #7 above about his scanner now working with Big Sur.
Catalina made my Canon Scanner useless
Hey, I got a new mac pro and added my Canon Pixma 515 multifunction scanner/printer in the system settings. Printing works fine, but the device just doesnt show up as a scanner anymore. I was trying to download any drivers or software from canon but it says, that the printer is no longer...
forums.macrumors.com
But yeah, the op did mention in post #7 above about his scanner now working with Big Sur.
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That does seem strange. My Canon MX890 Printer/Scanner has consistently worked with Mojave and Catalina. But just like flowrider mentioned above, I use VueScan for my scanning needs, versus any Canon scanning software (I also have successfully used the printer drivers contained within the Mac OS for usual printing tasks).
Once I download and start testing Big Sur, I'll make sure to run such tasks with my printer/scanner.
Well, here you are again^^^ Don't think this is the thread for VueScan, but yes, a fine product (I use it). Seems like you want this one:
Catalina made my Canon Scanner useless
Hey, I got a new mac pro and added my Canon Pixma 515 multifunction scanner/printer in the system settings. Printing works fine, but the device just doesnt show up as a scanner anymore. I was trying to download any drivers or software from canon but it says, that the printer is no longer...
But yeah, the op did mention in post #7 above about his scanner now working with Big Sur.
In Post #7, which I was responding to. Janeilfen said that his scanner stopped working in Big Sur so he hooked the scanner to an old MBP running High Sierra. I don't want or need you responding to or editorializing my posts.And yes, VueScan is just one of a myriad of software that has been updated to run on MacOS 11.
Lou
Man, I guess you cannot read! I corrected my snafu with that last sentence in my post. Here it is:Well, here you are again
And yes, VueScan is just one of a myriad of software that has been updated to run on MacOS 11.
Lou
"But yeah, the op did mention in post #7 above about his scanner now working with Big Sur."
And if I see something is mistaken, I will say what I want. Who the heck are you to tell me not to?
Steady guys . This thread wasn't meant to stir up a hornet's nest. A caveat to my scanner observations. I need to truly test it out. At least it is now recognised in my Big Sur install, which was an update from Catalina. It was the stand alone clean install of BS on an external drive, where the scanner was not recognised.
Catalina was and still is a hot mess. Wouldn't wish it upon the most seasoned of Windows users. Big Sur is still rough around the edges, but it's still a marked improvement. That all being said, as has been the trend for the last nine years (if not longer) of Mac operating system launches, the first few months are usually rough with device compatiblilty (and it's probably all the moreso given that Big Sur is the first macOS release for Apple Silicon Macs).
I am almost certain you did not do a clean install.
Big Sur is not that much slower compared to Catalina. From other thread, you mentioned running on 2019 MBA, so the HW is more than capable.
Lots of changes with Big Sur, big and small. Good sense is to do a clean start.
It is running very well on my 2013 MBA.
I have Mojave and it’s rock solid on my 2019 iMac. I like to keep up but Catalina was a disaster from the endless threads and Big Sur still sounds like it’s raw and buggy.
Decisions, decisions
Decisions, decisions
I shouldn't have updated as my existing VMware Fusion doesn't work. An update is available but its $80. I don't know why I need to be charged for compatibility purposes.
Additionally I despite the UI. It's just big and feels like Apple in the early to mid 2000's, Forstall style. Also Safari's new tab button needs to go back to the end of the last tab, not in the middle of the menu bar
The OS update just felt a little unnecessary
Additionally I despite the UI. It's just big and feels like Apple in the early to mid 2000's, Forstall style. Also Safari's new tab button needs to go back to the end of the last tab, not in the middle of the menu bar
The OS update just felt a little unnecessary
I have had some minor problems with Parallels but I guess that's how software devs make their money with the updates. Other than that it's meh same same. I agree the Safari new tab button needs to go back... What were they thinking? It's not a huge deal for me because my main browser is Firefox
Man, I do plan on, eventually, moving to Big Sur via a clean installation. In fact, as soon as Onyx and Thunderbird are compatible (should happen very soon), I plan on downloading the non-beta V11.1 of Big Sur and doing a clean installation of it only a partition I have on an external SSD. I will then migrate/copy files, folders, apps, settings, etc. from a SuperDuper! backup I'll do right before that installation.
According to reports on this thread and another one, VueScan works fine, and thus I expect that to be the case for scanning with my Cannon MX890 Printer. But I truly hope normal printing tasks work with the built-in drives within Big Sur. That's the way it has been for at least the last 3 versions of the Mac OS.