for those that have used Big Sur -- what's the verdict?

[ghanwani]

For those that have used Big Sur, please answer the simple poll.

I'm in two minds on whether to install given that whatever I have seen of the UI seems ugly. I'm normally the kind of person that installs the latest OS on day 1, but this time I'm reluctant.

 

[jazz1]

I also say “Yay” to all the brave Beta testers!

 

[Jack Neill]

Music app is still trash. Haven't tried Books but I'm sure its still trash too. Rest of the OS is great. Like the new UI a lot.

 

[macdos]

Downgrade in all respects. There is absolutely nothing improved, but lots of new bugs.

 

[comics addict]

For those that have used Big Sur, please answer the simple poll.

I'm in two minds on whether to install given that whatever I have seen of the UI seems ugly. I'm normally the kind of person that installs the latest OS on day 1, but this time I'm reluctant.

I thought I was going to hate it but to my pleasant surprise I'm really enjoying the refreshed look. Even on my non-retina MacBook Air the icons and translucent design looks very pleasing to the eye and it's a plus that it looks so similar to iOS. At least on my Mac it's quite fast for a x.0 release. Granted it's only been a day since I upgraded since I wasn't test-driving it during the beta phase. YMMV

 

[fitcious]

I like it.

 

[ww1971]

despite a few early hiccups due to Dropbox during installation, im delighted to see all existing applications including blender and Dropbox working fine on the MacBook Pro 2020 Intel 13”

 

[texasmac76]

I like the look of it and have no problems with it.

 

[ghanwani]

despite a few early hiccups due to Dropbox during installation, im delighted to see all existing applications including blender and Dropbox working fine on the MacBook Pro 2020 Intel 13”

what was the hiccup with dropbox about?

 

[ArPe]

From long experience, those who say a new update suddenly slowed down their computer noticeably are practising bad system housekeeping. They have done upgrade after upgrade every year without doing a clean install, their apps can be very out of date (sometimes because they pirate them), their caches and other library folders are full of old files that the system doesn’t need anymore, they haven’t reset their PRAM and NVRAM for a while, they may even have download bad software or malware that they don’t want to publicly admit to because of embarrassment.

When you upgrade always always always do the following:

Back up your data.

Reset NVRAM and PRAM.

Do a clean install.

Download and install the latest versions of your software and keep them up to date.

Periodically clear your caches, logs and other temp folders.

If you have a massive amount of files on your computer that you never open, back them up and delete them from your computer. The emptier your drive is the faster it performs.

Disable background apps and daemons that don’t need to run all the time. For example, Adobe’s app management software ‘Creative Cloud app’ can be quit instead of hidden so that it doesn’t chew processor time.

 

[ww1971]

what was the hiccup with dropbox about?

dropbox was in memory, it was open as the dock suggested. At one stage the installation failed and I had to try again. The next time I ran installation it stalled for a long while while dropbox was open and I decided to quit dropbox in the dock and then the installation proceeded much to my relief.

 

[quaffa]

Well, I don't like the look of Big Sur at all.
Why is there so much white? I keep thinking that windows are inactive because they no longer have a grey top bar on them.
Ironically, though, my menu bar has gone black because the photo I use on my desktop is dark at the top, and I don't like that either.
And as for the nutty sounds... Having a 'shutter' sound when you take a screenshot is okay, but why have they now made it bleep as well?

Seriously thinking of using the T-M backup I did before installation to take me back to 10.15.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

I'm on the fence.

I think my biggest gripe is how the U.I scales down to a 13" screen, because of the much extra space many elements now have.

The spacing on the menu bar is a joke at this size, making Bartender all the more important.

The app icons on the dock are less legible. I can't for the life of me understand why Apple didn't make them all more 3D like the new Final Cut Pro and GarageBand icons, which take advantage of the space outside of the icon frame whilst maintaining the new size.

Certain apps distribute toolbar buttons in strange ways as. Mail has less room to display the toolbar because of the way it's been re-arranged, and the Finder looks... well, less Finder-ish at the title bar.

'Reduce Transparency' now adds a black outline to windows and the dock, and makes it very difficult to see icons with any white space on them.

But there are genuine improvements to the OS. The consistency with rounded corners - particularly on menu items - is really pleasing to the eye. The Messages update was an absolute God-send. Control Centre in the menu bar is fantastic as it makes System Preferences redundant for many regular system changes. Safari is amazing.

I think the potential is there and I've no doubt that Apple Silicon Macs will be all the better for having iOS app support and the new incredible new speed, but from a productivity and graphic arts perspective, this really feels like a step back for someone who needs clear distinction between U.I elements. I actually wish I hadn't updated, and instead just waited until I purchased an Apple Silicon Mac next year.

 

[OliveroNYC]

I tried the beta months ago and my initial impression was that the UX was designed for a child in mind.
At the time I wasn't too worried about bugs or features. I uninstalled quickly...

Now I have the public version, I can see where they are coming from. We are all children and can't handle sharp design.
It kind of makes sense if you think that the iPad (and iPhone) are the most important devices. This approach makes me feel they would like to get rid of all Macs in time.

I know Apple has wanted to increase its userbase over the past decade, and it has very successfully, but at the expense of 'professional' users. While you could argue that the new professional is 16, making YouTube videos, TikTok and Instagram posts all day long. This is not me. I would like a sharper UX.

Big Sur is so ugly that I am seriously rethinking an upgrade to a new M1 machine.

 

[OliveroNYC]

But there are genuine improvements to the OS. The consistency with rounded corners - particularly on menu items - is really pleasing to the eye.

I 100% disagree with this, but the point is not that I think you are wrong, but rather I think we should both have the choice to choose the option we each like.

 

[shapesinaframe]

Big Sur upgrade caused the custom HiDPI resolutions for my LG Ultrawide monitor to be lost - but after a few hours I managed to get them back and working again.

So far: I really like it

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

I 100% disagree with this, but the point is not that I think you are wrong, but rather I think we should both have the choice to choose the option we each like.

I think this sums up how polarising this release is, and you have no need to explain your comments - it's an opinion. I would suggest that the screen size once again greatly affects how this system looks.

I connected my 13" MBP to a LG 4K just earlier, and unsurprisingly the system looks like it has a lot more room to breathe. Personally, I think this leads more credence to the 14" MB rumours.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

I tried the beta months ago and my initial impression was that the UX was designed for a child in mind.

I see where you're coming from, though I would argue that Apple has introduced 'fun' elements to the U.I for many years - or at least since the mid-90s from what I remember.

And it was that choice that made the system so likeable. Back when PCs where both the home-hub for work, play and everything in between for the entire family, having the customisation options in Mac OS 8/9 was a real delight. The Mac of a desktop publisher could look quite different to that in a home.

But computing has a changed a deal since then, and I imagine that Apple has struggled to keep the Mac OS's identity whilst making it fresh. Personally, I've always liked the playful elements as it makes the experience more enjoyable (in contrast to Windows' hard-edged, boring and inconsistent designs), but I completely understand the frustration of many users with Big Sur.

 

[Feyl]

I'd say wait a few months. If you like the design that's great for you and if you don't it's not gonna change anytime soon, but the system is not in great shape in terms of performance and bugs.

 

[James_C]

I installed a early public beta, and have been using Big Sur for a while now. I was not convinced about the new UI when I first installed it, but it does grow on you. I got to the point that I wanted to install on my Main Mac as well but held off until the final release, as I now prefer the UI to the prior look. So for those that say its ugly give it some time to grow on you, of course some will always dislike it.

 

[ghanwani]

So far, less than 75% saying yay. IMO, that's pretty bad.

 

[DNichter]

I like it. Definitely feels like a bit of an improvement over versions I have tried of macOS the last few years. Seems faster and more stable and I like the new design language.

 

[SiII5mb]

For those that have used Big Sur, please answer the simple poll.

I'm in two minds on whether to install given that whatever I have seen of the UI seems ugly. I'm normally the kind of person that installs the latest OS on day 1, but this time I'm reluctant.

The UI is like working with ATM and a load of corrupt bitmap fonts in System 6 on an old Adriod mobile with absolutley vile frames around everything.

 

[SiII5mb]

The UI is like working with ATM and a load of corrupt bitmap fonts in System 6 on an old Adriod mobile with absolutley vile frames around everything.

Wonder how long it will take the Russian hackers to get into the mission control menu too, so full of tasty data and system controls it's offering them on a plate

 

[Canukk]

For those that have used Big Sur, please answer the simple poll.

I'm in two minds on whether to install given that whatever I have seen of the UI seems ugly. I'm normally the kind of person that installs the latest OS on day 1, but this time I'm reluctant.

Some key features that I rely on in the Mac ecosystem have stopped working (handoff and importing pictures/scans from iPhone) while other features that I thought would sell it for me, such as automatic device switching for AirPods Pro, doesn't seem to work consistently. It's really maddening because I felt like Big Sur was an incomplete update to begin with. The software isn't as clean and polished as Catalina, the visuals are less than desirable (rounded corners on squared screens for instance), and I didn't see any increase in functionality or reliability. I may still revert to Catalina if they can't figure some of these bugs out soon.