For intel mac's i think ventura is the last good os. I think the human beings as users transcend fan heckling.. so its just a sad fact that apple need to start applying planned obsolescence to M1/M2.. forget about intel. The bloat is targeting making perfectly good APPLE SILICON machines feel slow. Intel is long forgotten. And what they would need to do to the os to slow down apple silicon would completely destroy anything intel.
Anyways, some tips for holdouts like me:
- The intel integrated gpu on the last mbp's are too slow for anything but default resolution, if you want to run at higher screen space, simply download a resolution tool and run the displays in 1x, non retina mode. My 2019 i9 runs ui as snappy as when i bought it in single retina mode. Given catalina could do the exact same work in full retina without a problem you have to ask the question.
- Ventura is the probably the last version of macos for intel. Reasons, it includes the last real feature apple added to the os, universal control. Low power mode seems more efficient on ventura than it does on monterey. If you're looking for a razer sharp build, 13.6.4 is amazing, but i have to admit the latest builds are doing fine. If you play games, i also found that native games performance for the 5500m with steam games was better on ventura than monterey.
I still love my macs with no notches, and they're smaller. In 2024, i even regret trading in a perfectly maintained butterfly keyboard 2018 macbook pro for the 16 i'm running.. the butterfly keyboards feel so expensive even to the quite decent keyboards they currently offer.