Is Big Sur useable yet?

[mj_]

I'd like to bring this thread back to topic by completely ignoring the childish bickering above. Yes, it is perfectly usable and has been pretty much since day one. Yes, Sophos was most likely the culprit in your particular case. In my personal experience antivirus software does more harm on macOS than good.

I've been running Big Sur on my 2017 iMac (updated from Catalina) and my MacBook Air M1 since launch and haven't experienced any major issues. Minor annoyances early on with some applications not running properly (i.e. Hazel) but those were ironed out many moons ago.

 

[LeeW]

My biggest surprise is that Big Sur has behaved so well, not able to note anything that I have had issues with.

 

[Feyl]

My only issues with my M1 Mac mini are sleep/wake issues and slow or crashing Rosetta apps. Other than that it works fine.

 

[vanhaze2020]

Running OSX Big Sur 11.3beta3 flawlessly and very smooth/snappy on my Intel macmini 2018, no issues at all.
(I did a clean install of BS back then, when the first official version came out).
I am using my macmini for audio and music production.
I have yet not encountered any audio/music software that i have and need, that doesn't work with BS.

I am a very happy BS user, i find it a great OSX version and i really do like the iOS alike GUI.
IMO Apple did/is doing a great job with it.

 

[hagar]

I advice you not to upgrade (yet). My iMac is barely usable on Big Sur due a performance issue with Fusion Drives. An Apple senior support engineer has confirmed Big Sur can't properly handle some Fusion Drives resulting in horrible performance (up to 5 minutes simply to boot your device). There's no workaround available, besides replacing your HDD with a SSD. I hope the next Big Sur update will finally fix the issue.
As there are a a lot of beta's of the upcoming version, I hope it will finally be a reliable version that fixes the most important bugs.

(I'm a macOS user since OS X Tiger, and never had any issues until now. Yes, I did a clean install after formatting my main drive, and yes I did not restore from a backup)

 

[Bruninho]

I advice to upgrade if you want the best in class Operating System in this world.

Fusion Drives should've been killed ages ago. Never liked them. Get a SSD, I did for all my Macs. Move along with the modern times. The progress will not stop just because you want to keep doing the same thing with an old computer.

 

[nebojsak]

If your needs are above those of an average user, or you're using any specific piece of software/workflow, I'd advise you not to upgrade at the moment.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I have had no problems running Big Sur since 12.24.20.

 

[fisherking]

If your needs are above those of an average user, or you're using any specific piece of software/workflow, I'd advise you not to upgrade at the moment.

having a great experience on my 'work' imac (logic, final cut), and on my macbook (writing, email, everything else).

there is no one answer for any of this; we all have different macs, software, peripherals... and needs.

 

[brerlappin]

My iMac is barely usable on Big Sur due a performance issue with Fusion Drives.

Hi! Just curious which iMac are you using? I've got a late 2014 retina iMac with Fusion and was thinking of upgrading. Thanks!

 

[ewu]

big sur is for M1 mac,

I think intel-based mac is not that suitable to run.

 

[hagar]

Hi! Just curious which iMac are you using? I've got a late 2014 retina iMac with Fusion and was thinking of upgrading. Thanks!

I have the late 2015 iMac. It was running perfectly with Catalina, and dropped to a halt with Big Sur. I have a Fusion Drive with a small SSD blade (24Gb). However, there are plenty of people running Big Sur fine on a Mac with a fusion drive as well. It’s not like every Fusion Drive is incompatible, otherwise this would be a huge deal all over the news. So I’m not exactly sure if you might be affected or not, I guess you’ll just have to try and see. but with the big update coming any moment now, I would just wait and try with that one.

I advice to upgrade if you want the best in class Operating System in this world.

Fusion Drives should've been killed ages ago. Never liked them. Get a SSD, I did for all my Macs. Move along with the modern times. The progress will not stop just because you want to keep doing the same thing with an old computer.

You’re missing the entire point of this thread. Obviously buying new hardware will get you better performance. And yes, we know that a new OS and new software feature will make your Mac run slower. We’re talking about issues that prevent normal operations of the device.

 

[Bruninho]

You’re missing the entire point of this thread. Obviously buying new hardware will get you better performance. And yes, we know that a new OS and new software feature will make your Mac run slower. We’re talking about issues that prevent normal operations of the device.

No, I am not. I did not tell anyone to buy new hardware. I told to upgrade. I am using a second hand 2013 rMBP 13-inch, upgraded to Big Sur, zero problems so far. The system runs amazingly smooth, faster. Nothing made my mac run slower, it just runs better.

There are zero issues with my system that prevent normal operations, so I definitely recommend the upgrade.

 

[hagar]

No, I am not. I did not tell anyone to buy new hardware. I told to upgrade. I am using a second hand 2013 rMBP 13-inch, upgraded to Big Sur, zero problems so far. The system runs amazingly smooth, faster. Nothing made my mac run slower, it just runs better.

There are zero issues with my system that prevent normal operations, so I definitely recommend the upgrade.

You wrote “get an SSD” which qualifies as new hardware. And while Big Sur will undoubtably run smoothly on most macs, it does not on all macs. Hence this thread.

 

[Bruninho]

What can I say, I am having a great experience with Big Sur. Even our old Macs here that are unsupported and do not have an SSD are running it thanks to a Big Sur Patch i’ve found on reddit. I’m sorry you’re not having the same experience as I am.

But seriously, get a SSD for your old Mac.

 

[blindpcguy]

Running a 2020 intel macbook air and been rock solid no issues crashing or anything out of the ordinary. have it set not to sleep when on my usb c dock and been running for weeks.

 

[decafjava]

No problems here, minor things like it takes a long time to eject my Time Machine external disk and longer than usual boot after shut-down, though I normally just sleep my iMac.

 

[fisherking]

big sur is for M1 mac,

I think intel-based mac is not that suitable to run.

haha... what? where did you get that info?

big sur runs beautifully for lots of people on intel macs (on mine, for example). it's designed to run on both archtectures.... on purpose. and it does (run).

 

[ewu]

haha... what? where did you get that info?

big sur runs beautifully for lots of people on intel macs (on mine, for example). it's designed to run on both archtectures.... on purpose. and it does (run).

I try in my iMac and mbp by installing big sur in external 1TB ssd, it is fast enough but I could see that it is powerless and no perfectly smooth comparing to Mojave/Catalina.

I try M1 Macbook pro 13 in Apple Store, it is running big sur very powerful, fast and smooth comparing to intel-based mac.

 

[fisherking]

I try in my iMac and mbp by installing big sur in external 1TB ssd, it is fast enough but I could see that it is powerless and no perfectly smooth comparing to Mojave/Catalina.

I try M1 Macbook pro 13 in Apple Store, it is running big sur very powerful, fast and smooth comparing to intel-based mac.

let's see... that's one intel mac, and one M1 mac. that's two macs, hardly enough to make any definitive observations.

i have two macs as well, both intel, both running big sur beautifully; even my (puny) 2016 12" macbook. but, like you, the only thing i can prove is that my two macs are fine; you've proven that your one intel mac didn't do well. not enough for either of us to make 'definitive' statements.

 

[mzeb]

Ah I have Sophos... hmmm that may be the culprit huh

Were you able to get your machine running well?