ASK

> Which macOS upgrade?

I usually run the last major version of macOS, and now have to decide whether to upgrade to Big Sur, or Monterey. Which should it be?

Each of the previous macOS upgrades has brought major internal changes: switching the file system to APFS, killing all 32–bit software, dividing the startup volume into two, and in Big Sur, locking the system away altogether in a snapshot. Monterey is the exception to that particular rule, in that it consolidates rather than makes architectural changes, with all the problems those usually bring.

Entry requirements and incompatibilities are very similar between Big Sur and Monterey. The major difference for users is that, while Big Sur only gets security updates now, Monterey gets all the bug fixes in addition. In the case of macOS 11.5.2, that difference is significant, as it has no shortage of bugs which you would trip over.

Give Monterey a couple of weeks to ensure that there aren’t any hidden catches or urgent release of fixes in 12.0.1. Keep to discover valuable new features such as Live Text, and then, if macOS 12 is looking good, consider going the whole way. That should prove the better choice.