Newest macOS 13 Ventura only for hardware up to 5 years old. Up until recently Macs received the newest OS usually for 7 years.

[porg]

Up until the Ventura, the newest macOS was made available for Mac models being up to 7 years old on average. Has been that way for a while. Now with Ventura Apple got more aggressive with the compatibility cuts, and we are now down to only 5 years:

macOS 13 Ventura (2022) →→→→→→→ Eldest supported models 4-5 years old (2017-2018)*
macOS 12 Monterrey (2021) →→→→→ Eldest supported models 6-7 years old (2014-2015)*
macOS 11 Big Sur (2020) →→→→→→→ Eldest supported models 5-7 years old (2013-2015)**
macOS 10.15 Catalina (2019) →→→ Eldest supported models 7 years old : (2012)
macOS 10.14 Mojave (2018) →→→→→ Eldest supported models 6 years old : (2012)*
macOS 10.13 High Sierra (2017)→ Eldest supported models 7-8 years old (2009-2010)
macOS 10.12 Sierra (2016) →→→→→ Eldest supported models 8-9 years old (2009-2010)
OS X 10.11 El Capitan (2015) →→ Eldest supported models 8-10 years old (2007-2009)
OS X 10.10 Yosemite (2014) →→→→ Eldest supported models 7-9 years old (2007-2009)
OS X 10.9 Mavericks (2013) →→→→ Eldest supported models 6-8 years old (2007-2009)
OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion (2012)→ Eldest supported models 5-7 years old (2007-2009)
OS X 10.7 Lion (2011) →→→→→→→→→ Eldest supported models 6-7 years old (2006-2007)
OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard (2009) → Eldest supported models 3 years old : (2006)
*Excluding the Mac Pro. MacOS 13 supports 2019 (3 years!), Mac OS 12 supports 2013 (8 years!), and MacOS 10.14 supported 2010 (8 years!).
** Big Sur was weird for iMac support. Lowest and highest 2014s were supported, but for mid-tier models a 2015+ was needed.

Security updates usually are maintained for 1-2 OS versions back.
But in total you only get at most 5 + 2 years now.
Include that into your purchase decisions.

 

[Colstan]

I wouldn't be surprised if macOS 15 is the last version to support x86 Macs, if not sooner. It looks like Apple is moving to end support five years after a Mac is released, probably to speed up the transition to Apple Silicon. They did this during the PowerPC to Intel switch, as well.

I'm currently using a 2018 Mac mini as my daily machine. I'll probably wait it out until Apple stops releasing new versions of macOS, and perhaps hang on with security updates. At the very least, I'm waiting for TSMC's 3nm process and the M3.

Apple has historically wanted their customers on the latest technology and the writing is on the wall for Intel Macs, it has been for some time.

 

[FNH15]

I wouldn't be surprised if macOS 15 is the last version to support x86 Macs, if not sooner. It looks like Apple is moving to end support five years after a Mac is released, probably to speed up the transition to Apple Silicon. They did this during the PowerPC to Intel switch, as well.

I'm currently using a 2018 Mac mini as my daily machine. I'll probably wait it out until Apple stops releasing new versions of macOS, and perhaps hang on with security updates. At the very least, I'm waiting for TSMC's 3nm process and the M3.

Apple has historically wanted their customers on the latest technology and the writing is on the wall for Intel Macs, it has been for some time.

To your point, if you’d bought the last PowerPC iMac, the G5 with iSight, you would’ve had less than 4 years of “new" OS support (October ’05 release, the last update to Leopard was in August ’09). The last security update to Leopard was in 2011, so 6 years of overall support.

It’s also worth noting that previous OS releases receive 2 years of security updates. This means that a 2015 MBP dropped with Ventura will still have support through 2024. That’s 9 years of support.

Some of the support was also skewed by the nature of Intel’s extended chip cycles. A late 2013 and 2014 MBP are the same, as are a 2015 and 2017 MBA. Having used a 2017 MBA on 12.0, by the way, that’s a machine which is definitely showing its age and really should be dropped.

A 2016 MBP being dropped is a bit disappointing, but the other limiting factor might be Intel’s microcode updates. Not sure if they’re still pushing out updates to Skylake.

 

[StellarVixen]

It's over, and it has been clear for 2 years now. Intel Macs are working on borrowed time.

Transition from PPC to x86 was also kinda quick, I remember many people being caught of guard when 10.6 didn't support PPC Macs anymore.

 

[Heindijs]

Sierra requires a 2009 iMac, not a 2007 one like Wikipedia says. So the 9 years of support isn't true.

EDIT: and actually, Monterey is supported on the 2013 Mac Pro
EDIT2: I just remembered that Mojave is natively supported by Apple on the 2010 Mac Pro if you have a Metal GPU

 

[FreakinEurekan]

El Capitan was an aberration; OS X Mountain Lion (10.8) was the last upgrade Apple charged money for. Mavericks, Yosemite, and El Capitan were all free and that caused issues with reinstalls if a Mac was shipped with Snow Leopard - if you did a factory-reinstall you didn’t want to have to “Buy” Lion or Mountain Lion to then upgrade past it. So any computer that ran SL, could directly upgrade to Mavs/Yosemite/El Capitan. Finally with Sierra they dropped support for computers that would run SL so it was no longer an issue.

 

[Heindijs]

El Capitan was an aberration; OS X Mountain Lion (10.8) was the last upgrade Apple charged money for. Mavericks, Yosemite, and El Capitan were all free and that caused issues with reinstalls if a Mac was shipped with Snow Leopard - if you did a factory-reinstall you didn’t want to have to “Buy” Lion or Mountain Lion to then upgrade past it. So any computer that ran SL, could directly upgrade to Mavs/Yosemite/El Capitan. Finally with Sierra they dropped support for computers that would run SL so it was no longer an issue.

I don’t get it, Sierra also ran on Macs which originally came with Snow Leopard, so what makes it different?

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I don’t get it, Sierra also ran on Macs which originally came with Snow Leopard, so what makes it different?

Sierra RAN on them, but it wouldn’t update Snow Leopard. The Mac had to be updated to Lion first, before Sierra - which would have been a charge.

This primarily was an issue with second-hand Macs, so the “New” owner hadn’t already purchased Lion & therefore couldn’t redownload it from purchases.

Edit: I did say “dropped support for computers that would run SL” and that’s not entirely true, of course. But it did drop support for (most) computers that required a DVD to install; Internet Recovery was on the 2010 models. The Late 2009 iMac and MacBook were the exceptions.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Extending the list a bit:

macOS 10.13 High Sierra (2017) → Eldest supported models 8 years elder (2009)
macOS 10.12 Sierra (2016) → Eldest supported models 7 years elder (2009)
macOS 10.11 El Capitan (2015) → Eldest supported models 8 years elder (2007)
OS X 10.10 Yosemite (2014) → Eldest supported models 7 years (2007, other than very specific 2006 Mac Pros)
OS X 10.9 Mavericks (2013) → 6 years
OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion (2012) → 5 years
OS X 10.7 Lion (2011) → 5 years (2006)
OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard (2009) → 3 years
OS X 10.5 Leopard (2007) → Only supported certain G4 and higher, so probably 2002? 5 years.

So certainly, there’s a bump at the processor change from PPC → Intel, and I expect a similar one between Intel → Apple Silicon.

 

[padams35]

Here's a better list
macOS 13 Ventura (2022) →→→→→→→ Eldest supported models 4-5 years old (2017-2018)*
macOS 12 Monterrey (2021) →→→→→ Eldest supported models 6-7 years old (2014-2015)*
macOS 11 Big Sur (2020) →→→→→→→ Eldest supported models 5-7 years old (2013-2015)**
macOS 10.15 Catalina (2019) →→→ Eldest supported models 7 years old : (2012)
macOS 10.14 Mojave (2018) →→→→→ Eldest supported models 6 years old : (2012)*
macOS 10.13 High Sierra (2017)→ Eldest supported models 7-8 years old (2009-2010)
macOS 10.12 Sierra (2016) →→→→→ Eldest supported models 8-9 years old (2009-2010)
OS X 10.11 El Capitan (2015) →→ Eldest supported models 8-10 years old (2007-2009)
OS X 10.10 Yosemite (2014) →→→→ Eldest supported models 7-9 years old (2007-2009)
OS X 10.9 Mavericks (2013) →→→→ Eldest supported models 6-8 years old (2007-2009)
OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion (2012)→ Eldest supported models 5-7 years old (2007-2009)
OS X 10.7 Lion (2011) →→→→→→→→→ Eldest supported models 6-7 years old (2006-2007)
OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard (2009) → Eldest supported models 3 years old : (2006)
*Excluding the Mac Pro. MacOS 13 supports 2019 (3 years!), Mac OS 12 supports 2013 (8 years!), and MacOS 10.14 supported 2010 (8 years!).
** Big Sur was weird for iMac support. Lowest and highest 2014s were supported, but for mid-tier models a 2015+ was needed.


Monterrey was in line with Apple's update trend since Mojave, but Venture has the harshest upgrade requirements we've seen since Snow Leopard... and actually tied with Snow Leopard in the case of how bad it was for the Mac Pro.

 

[CTHarrryH]

My Macbook Air 2017 isn't supported. I think this will be the first time I have had a Mac that couldn't run the latest. Planning to get a M2 Air so hopefully it will be a short time without latest but seems strange

 

[ponzicoinbro]

I wish no more Intel Mac support just because I hate the Intel era.

It was important to move from PPC to Intel because Motorola-IBM were not delivering.

But a Mac isn’t a real Mac if it has PC hardware inside it.

Now we have real Macs again. It’s even more Mac than the Motorola era because now it is pure Apple Mac.

 

[Dr_Charles_Forbin]

Hey, I have a 2015 MBP that’s working quite well thank you. I have no urge to upgrade simply to say that “Intel is in the rear view mirror”. I already have to upgrade my 2015 MacMini, thank you… it just doesn’t have the horsepower. Thats $1500 right there. When they stop offering security updates, I’ll have a hard decision to make.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Monterey was in line with Apple's update trend since Mojave, but Venture has the harshest upgrade requirements we've seen since Snow Leopard... and actually tied with Snow Leopard in the case of how bad it wasb for the Mac Pro.

And, like Snow Leopard, it’s an upgrade shortly after changing processor architecture. But of course back then, they were on a 2-year cycle, not annual. I would not be surprised to see Apple Silicon required for macOS 15 and later.

 

[Dr_Charles_Forbin]

Just give us a couple of years to change over… really all I ask. i can’t swing 2 computer purchases in the same year.

 

[ASentientBot]

Not to be overly pessimistic, but I think it's pretty clear now that this is the last Intel macOS release.

Monterey supports 2013 and newer. Ventura's cutoff is 2017. That's 4 years of models dropped this year. Considering the cylinder Mac Pro an outlier makes it 3 years. Either way, that brings us to 2020 at next WWDC.

Why kill so many capable machines and then not commit to it? The way I see the strategy, Ventura halves the Intel support list, and macOS 14 finishes the job, making it seem more gradual than if 5+ years of models are unsupported all at once. It wouldn't make sense to anger so many people this year for no reason.

And... I wouldn't be sure about Apple Silicon, either. If they do kill Intel in 2023, I'd bet on them taking advantage of this "new normal" product lifespan, and unsupporting M1 in 2024-2025. We can probably expect 4 years going forward.

Really hoping I'm wrong, but cynicism seems to be the right approach to modern Apple. Absolutely fantastic products, undeniably greedy company

 

[porg]

@padams35 and @FreakinEurekan please feel free to edit my list in the initial post!

I had it published as a "wiki-style" post intentionally so that we can use the power of crowd-sourcing.
I like the monospace version for optimal table like scanning/reading.

If you do so, maybe change your posts to something like "I added new entries to the list" so that we don't have it too fragmented, but all in one place.

 

[BeatCrazy]

@padams35 and @FreakinEurekan please feel free to edit my list in the initial post!

I had it published as a "wiki-style" post intentionally so that we can use the power of crowd-sourcing.
I like the monospace version for optimal table like scanning/reading.

If you do so, maybe change your posts to something like "I added new entries to the list" so that we don't have it too fragmented, but all in one place.

7 years (recently), might be the norm, but we've also seen 8 years for the 2015 MacBook Pros, as well as 9 for the Late 2013 trashcan Mac Pro.

 

[chabig]

I don’t think it’s an Intel thing. I think the cutoff is based on the presence or absence of a Secure Enclave. I expect a few more releases will support Intel.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Not to be overly pessimistic, but I think it's pretty clear now that this is the last Intel macOS release.

I think it’s coming, but more likely macOS 15. There are still Intel machines being sold now, not the least of which is the Mac Pro. So they’ll need another year or two of updates.

 

[Colstan]

I don’t think it’s an Intel thing. I think the cutoff is based on the presence or absence of a Secure Enclave.

That's what I had initially assumed, as well. However, the exception is the iMac, which didn't get a T2 chip until 2020.

I think it's more likely that they are drawing a line in the sand and trying to transition macOS over to Apple Silicon as fast as possible.

 

[FNH15]

That's what I had initially assumed, as well. However, the exception is the iMac, which didn't get a T2 chip until 2020.

I think it's more likely that they are drawing a line in the sand and trying to transition macOS over to Apple Silicon as fast as possible.

I wonder if it’s microcode updates. Is Intel still releasing updates for Skylake processors?

As I recall the end of updates from Intel is what led Apple to drop support of the cMP.

 

[VivienM]

That's what I had initially assumed, as well. However, the exception is the iMac, which didn't get a T2 chip until 2020.

Did the 21.5" Intel iMac ever get a T2?

I was going to guess that next year's release would drop all Intel Macs without a T2, but that may be a bit too much... that being said, I agree, macOS 15 isn't going to be pretty for Intel. Maybe a few remaining 2020 T2-equipped models survive for that year, maybe they don't...

 

[pappkristof]

I wouldn't be surprised if macOS 15 is the last version to support x86 Macs, if not sooner. It looks like Apple is moving to end support five years after a Mac is released, probably to speed up the transition to Apple Silicon. They did this during the PowerPC to Intel switch, as well.

It’d leave the 2019 Mac Pro with only 5 years of updates and the iMac 2020 with only 4 years. I’d be really disappointed if Apple made this step.

 

[SoYoung]

Things was changed nowadays and Apple simply have to support their computers for at least 5 years at the bare minium. Just for environmental purpose is a good exemple of it. Computers are very powerful these days not to mention people don't want/feel the need to upgrade as often as the early 2000's.

I'd be extremely disappointed if Apple stop to support my 2020 iMac before 2025 at a point I think I'd return to Microsoft. Its a little Ironic that Apple is probably the company who support their mobile devices the longest, but its a little questionnable for their computers. My 2009 PC still have Windows 10 updates 13 years later.