Mid-2015 Macbook Pro upgrade to High Sierra or Mojave?

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Level 1

8 points

Mid-2015 Macbook Pro upgrade to High Sierra or Mojave?

Hi folks,

I realise this question was asked loads a few years ago, but I'm asking it now as there will have been many updates to - for example - High Sierra since people were asking this question back in mid 2017 and early 2018 (when there were reports of it being slowed down).

I'm running a mid-2015 15in MacBook Pro (2.2 Ghz Intel Core i7; 16GB 1600 MHz DD3), with macOS Sierra. I've found Sierra great, and decided only to accept security updates after having had OS-upgrades slow down my last two (earlier) MacBook Pros until they were unusable. However, I'm starting to hit software I can't download without upgrading the OS.

So, while I've seen loads of problems with Catalina for mid-2015 Macbook Pros, people have been saying in those that Mojave has been fine. So my question is whether it's worth upgrading to High Sierra or even Mojave at this stage. I *really* don't want a slow down, and given how computer-dependent my work is during the Covid lockdown, want to minimise risk of computer problems (e.g. I don't think I could comfortably backtrack to an earlier OS, though I know that is possible).

Any answers very welcome!

David

MacBook Pro 15", macOS 10.12

Posted on Apr 4, 2020 4:52 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

leroydouglas

Community+ 2024

Level 10

183,816 points

Apr 4, 2020 5:48 AM in response to martispike

No reason you can not be running the latest Catalina at full flight speed.

Always have a robust backup plan in place—only in this way can you fall back.

3-2-1 Backup Strategy: three copies of your data, two different methods, and one offsite.

Boot clone https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-10081

How to use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201250

Use DiskUtility Restore feature https://support.apple.com/guide/disk-utility/restore-a-disk-dskutl14062/mac

note: >System Preferences>Security & Privacy >Privacy>Full Disk Access

unlock the padlock, press the + button and add Disk Utility

--------------------------------------------------

The decision is ultimately yours—

Typically you are always better off running the most current macOS your machine will allow—especially for the built in security features.

Old app compatibility maybe one reason to hold back— you have to do your own homework here: https://roaringapps.com/apps

32-bit app compatibility with macOS High Sierra 10.13 ... - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208436

-----------------------------------------

https://www.apple.com/macos/catalina/

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-catalina/id1466841314?mt=12&l=en-us

macOS Catalina - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP803?locale=en_US

System requirements macOS 10.15 Catalina

macOS Catalina will run on all Macintosh computers that supported Mojave:

MacBook: Early 2015 or newer

MacBook Air: Mid 2012 or newer

MacBook Pro: Mid 2012 or newer

Mac Mini: Late 2012 or newer

iMac: Late 2012 or newer

iMac Pro

Mac Pro: Late 2013 or newer; Mid 2010 or Mid 2012 if upgraded with a recommended Metal-capable GPU

---------------------------------------------------------

macOS 10.14 Mojave - Technical Specifications:

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP777

Upgrade to macOS Mojave - Official Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/macos/mojave

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-mojave/id1398502828?mt=12

MacBook (Early 2015 or newer)

MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or newer)

MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or newer)

Mac mini (Late 2012 or newer)

iMac (Late 2012 or newer)

iMac Pro (2017)

Mac Pro (Late 2013; Mid 2010 and Mid 2012 models with recommended Metal-capable graphics cards)

---------------------------------------------------------

macOS 10.13 High Sierra - Technical Specifications:

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP765?locale=en_US

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-high-sierra/id1246284741?ls=1&mt=12

How to upgrade to macOS High Sierra

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208969

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)

---------------------------------------------------------

If you can run macOS 10.12 Sierra, you can run macOS 10.13 High Sierra

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-sierra/id1127487414?ls=1&mt=12

---------------------------------------------------------

OS X 10.11 El Capitan - Technical Specifications:

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP728

How to upgrade to OS X El Capitan - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886

download direct: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-catalina/id1466841314?ls=1&mt=12

MacBook (Early 2015)

MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)

MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)

MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)

Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)

iMac (Mid 2007 or newer)

Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)

Xserve (Early 2009)

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Answer 2

martispike Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 6, 2020 2:51 AM in response to leroydouglas

Thank you, Leroydouglas.

The trouble is, this thread seems to suggest that Catalina will slow down a mid-2015 Macbook pro: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250706073

My experience previously was updated OSs making my previous MacBook pro and earlier Mac laptop unusably slow. While I realise it's entirely possible to backtrack, I'm not really confident enough to do that, and if my computer stopped working effectively right now during the outbreak, I'd be *really* stuck workwise.

Leroydouglas - do you know why people on that thread would have been having trouble?

Anyone else have any positive/negative experiences upgrading a mid2015 Macbook Pro from Sierra to High Sierra or to Mojave?

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Answer 3

Apr 6, 2020 7:02 AM in response to martispike

The trouble is, this thread seems to suggest that Catalina will slow down a mid-2015 Macbook pro:

The reference you ask about was running a BETA version of a yet unreleased macOS—not advised if this is daily driver/work machine.

2015 is quite capable of running the latest macOS.

3-2-1 Backup Strategy: three copies of your data, two different methods, and one offsite.

Boot clone https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-10081

How to use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201250

Use DiskUtility Restore feature https://support.apple.com/guide/disk-utility/restore-a-disk-dskutl14062/mac

note: >System Preferences>Security & Privacy >Privacy>Full Disk Access

unlock the padlock, press the + button and add Disk Utility

I have a 2012 MBP that runs flawlessly on macOS 10.15.4 Catalina since its release.

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Answer 4

dialabrain

Level 10

122,555 points

Apr 6, 2020 4:14 AM in response to martispike

FWIW, as a rule, when users have a problem after an update it's normally a problem local to their machine. They have something installed they shouldn't have or incompatible software. For example, I have 5 Macs upgraded to Catalina without any problems. Not because my Macs are somehow special.

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Answer 5

dialabrain

Level 10

122,555 points

Apr 6, 2020 4:21 AM in response to martispike

You're welcome. They range from a 2012 iMac to a 2017 iMac Pro. That includes a 2013 MacBook Air and 2015 MacBook. I don't happen to have a MacBook Pro but it really doesn't matter. Just be sure to have a current backup before you upgrade just in case something goes wrong.

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