Best macOS for 15-inch Macbook Pro 2015

[winxmac]

Specifications
1 TB Apple SSD
16 GB RAM
Intel Core i7 2.8GHz
no discrete graphics

When I perform internet recovery to install the oldest version available, it gives me High Sierra. The latest version supported as set by Apple is Monterey. I am currently using Catalina on it since it is the last macOS 10.x and also, the last version designed with Intel machines in mind.

Now, I can either go with Big Sur or Monterey both of which I think are very stable now compared to when they were initially released, correct me if I am wrong. My only macOS experience prior to having this Macbook Pro is Catalina on a Hackintosh Dell laptop.

For those that have used/are still using a 2015 Macbook Pro, what version have you installed considering a good balance of features and performance?

I will just be using iMovie on it and that will be the most intensive task for the machine I have. I will be switching to Final Cut Pro once I have an Apple Silicon device. This will mostly be for Airdrop of photos and videos from iPad 9 and iPhone 7 Plus as well as internet browsing from time to time.

 

[Brian33]

I use a 13" Early 2015 MacBook Pro with 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM, currently running Monterey 12.6.5 (previously Mojave and I think High Sierra). Monterey is the latest macOS that can be installed "standard" on this machine.

It runs just fine. I don't see any performance problems, though my use of this machine is pretty light (browsing, email, Terminal, Screen Sharing, Maps). I don't know of any reason not to use the latest Monterey.

[Well, maybe one reason: Time Machine is annoying me with Monterey. I use TM to backup the MBP to my Mac Mini over WiFi, and it appears that after each backup, Spotlight wants to (re)index every previous backup! Never had this problem with Mojave.]