You might be wondering whether to run macOS Catalina or macOS Big Sur on your Mac. The final decision to upgrade to macOS Big Sur is yours. However, it’s essential to consider what’s new in Big Sur and whether it’s worth an upgrade or not.
This also depends on your exact Mac model, as it might not support Big Sur. So, we’ve covered a detailed comparison between macOS Catalina and Big Sur below to help you decide.
macOS Catalina vs. Big Sur: Features
macOS Big Sur is Apple’s next macOS upgrade after macOS Catalina and has many new features. One of the biggest additions is the Control Center. This is similar to the Control Center on iOS and allows you to quickly control your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, brightness, and other system settings from the top menu bar.
Apple also gave macOS Big Sur a visual revamp and now offers a more refined and cleaner look. The app icons for Big Sur have also changed and now look more similar to iOS and iPadOS.
Before you decide on installing macOS Big Sur, you should make sure your system can run it. The following devices are compatible with macOS Big Sur:
As a comparison, only the following devices support macOS Catalina:
If you’re unsure which one you have, you can find your Mac’s model and year in the Apple menu > About This Mac.
Should You Upgrade to macOS Big Sur?
We recommend upgrading your Mac to macOS Big Sur if you haven’t done so already. Upgrading will allow you to enjoy the new features and protect your system from potential malware. You should also have a faster system, which is an added bonus.
However, if your Mac doesn’t support macOS Big Sur, you have no choice but to stick to macOS Catalina, which is still not bad at all by any means.
Always Update macOS to the Latest Version
Both macOS Catalina and Big Sur are great. If you’re confused about which one to run on your Mac, we’d recommend running macOS Big Sur, mainly because it’s the newer version and has more added features than Catalina.
Sure, macOS Catalina and Big Sur are great iterations of macOS, but they’re not the latest. Chances are your Mac may also be able to run macOS Monterey, or even macOS Ventura, in which case we’d recommend installing it on your system instead.