macOS Sonoma on Intel Macs

[JokerPower]

Hi all,

It's obvious that the new OS should run great on Apple silicon. But what about older Macs with Intel? Please share your experience using the OS on Macs with Intel processors.

For example, right now I'm using macOS Ventura on a MBP 16 (2019 model) with an i7 CPU and 16 GB RAM. As we're approaching the launch date of macOS Sonoma, is it worth upgrading to Sonoma? I mean in terms of overall system performance.

Thank you

 

[Feenician]

Hi all,

It's obvious that the new OS should run great on Apple silicon. But what about older Macs with Intel? Please share your experience using the OS on Macs with Intel processors.

For example, right now I'm using macOS Ventura on a MBP 16 (2019 model) with an i7 CPU and 16 GB RAM. As we're approaching the launch date of macOS Sonoma, is it worth upgrading to Sonoma? I mean in terms of overall system performance.

Thank you

I have the same model as you and I’m really happy with it. Purring like a kitten. I swear it’s running cooler and quieter than before too (subjective, as I have no actual data here). Can only imagine how it’s gonna fly on my work M1

Edit to add the one and only annoyance I’ve found worth mentioning: I’m using the (extremely cool) animated Lock Screen/wallpapers. When the screen is locked but not asleep and I receive a notification it makes the animation of the video jerky. I literally just updated to the newest beta and haven’t been locked and received a notification yet so no idea if it’s still an issue. Other than this minor annoyance I’ve had no real problems of note. Davinci Resolve is flying on it. Parallels is flying on it. Very happy with this release.

 

[Bill_D]

2018 Mac mini, 6-core i5, 16 GB RAM. No problems.

 

[Piipperi]

Top of the line 2018 Mac mini (i7-8700B, 64 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD + RX 5700 XT eGPU)

Some of these may or may not be Intel specific, but still issues I've noticed nonetheless

- There's a pretty bad lag spike when exiting screen saver mode.
- Final Cut Pro has some audio clipping issues with AAC and ALAC codecs.
- OBS does not work (records only for a few minutes until it encounters an unknown error).
- Intel Power Gadget has so far required a

sudo touch /Library/Extensions

after each beta update
- Chrome is really slow with websites like YouTube (probably will be fixed with a Chrome update tho, can't say much about other browsers).
- SteelSeries Engine (also now known as SteelSeries GG) just does not open any more, like at all. Doubt it'll ever get fixed since they still don't support Apple Silicon, but maybe something to be aware of (just in case if you rely on that poc lol).
- OWC Dock Ejector's kext (driver to enable higher powered USB ports on some of their hubs/docks) does not work due to missing dependencies.
- Althrough it's been getting better, there is that occasional lag spiking in the OS (might not be noticeable unless you're running a high refresh rate monitor tho)

 

[watagan]

2016 i9 16" MBP here. Sonoma has been rock solid for me the last two betas. The latest beta fixed some third party sound related app issues so its business as usual now. You may have some app compatibility issues at this pre-release stage, depending on the suite of apps you run, or you may need to reconfigure or re-install some apps but this is not unusual for a major version upgrade in my experience. Check out the dedicated thread on app compatibility if you have not already done so.

 

[Luckygreek]

2019 iMac, 64 GB RAM, 4GB 575x Radeon Pro, booting from external ACASIS Thunderbolt 3/4 w/ Samsung 990 PRO 1TB NVMe
- Running as smooth as can be expected for a beta, I've tested approx 80 apps with no real 3rd party app problems.
- Safari Technology does not play well with Widgets, solution; uninstall Safari Technology and problem solved, sorta not really a solution just a temporary work around.
- Some lags in System Settings
- OWC Dock Ejector works on my Mac although no choice as to which drive to ejects, it ejects everything.
- PathFinder, in my case is a better choice to eject volumes
- Carbon Copy Cloner will make a bootable backup volume, from an external drive. A caveat, with incremental Mac OS Updates you should use Legacy Boot Assistant to allow CCC to erase and clone the drive. I've booted both ways with an erase and without ,however to be "reasonable" certain to create a bootable volume you should erase with each incremental Mac OS update, according to Mike Bombich from CCC.
* Using an external Thunderbolt drive as a bootable volume, the speed difference is amazing compared to a spinner or even an SSD, which I did replace the internal with an SSD which made a substantial difference, Thunderbolt speed in incredibly fast, factory 1TB Fusion drive maybe 250 MBs, SSD 550's, Thunderbolt 3/4, 2,600+ read and writes.
A key advantage is cost and speed, using an external Thunderbolt ACASIS enclosure $110, NVMe 1TB $50-100, you don't have to pay Apple the ridiculous cost of upgrading the base model Mac, $400 1 TB, $800 2 TB.

*Booting from an external drive with an M1 or M2 Mac is a little more convoluted, with an Intel based Mac > System Settings > Startup Disk and select drive.
M1 or M2:

How to start up your M1 or M2 Mac from an external drive

Need to boot your M-series Mac with an external drive? It's not as easy as it used to be, as it likely requires you purchase new hardware.

www.macworld.com

 

[MisterAndrew]

I installed the RC on my Mac Pro (2019) and it's working well so far. I didn't try any of the betas and I skipped Ventura, so I came directly from Monterey. The system is more snappy overall.

 

[tomekwsrod]

Is bootcamp still working fine?

 

[Macdctr]

Once OCLP 0.6.9n became available I installed Sonoma on my 2015 laptops (see sig) and did not have any issues installing them. I have been using Sonoma since and haven't had any major issues so far. System updates have been smooth as well.

 

[MacGizmo]

Working great on an Intel MacBook Pro 16" w/32GB RAM. All Adobe and Microsoft apps running smoothly, as well as my VPN and most utilities.

Oddly, the only things that don't work perfectly well every time are Apple's own tech. Desktop Widgets in particular are an on-again-off-again thing, showing up blank about 40% of the time.

 

[WebHead]

Desktop Widgets in particular are an on-again-off-again thing, showing up blank about 40% of the time.

I was heartened to hear they're even supported on Intel, so hopefully they'll iron that out!

 

[Chuckeee]

Warning: Old Guy Ramblings

Weird. Brings back memories of the switch from PowerPC to Intel switch and the debates about switching to Leopard if you still had a PowerPC. How even if you had a PowePC, OS 10.5 was so much faster with newer features.

And the switch from 68040 to PowerPC and OS8.1.

I do realize that the switch to SoC is more gradual and spreads over more OS updates.

PS For me. When Snow Leopard (Intel Only) OS came out, ended up switching back to Tiger (last PowerPC only OS). But when OS8.5 (Power PC only) came out, I still stuck with OS8.1 (final version that included 68k compatibility)

 

[Macdctr]

I just updated Sonoma to the Release Candidate (23A339) on my 2012 5,1 MacPro this evening. With exception of Bluetooth not working (haven't started troubleshooting this issue yet), everything else is working well. Even Desktop Widgets are updating.

 

[lamboaudi4]

I installed it on my 2018 MBP when the RC first came out and so far I'm impressed with how smooth it has been running. This laptop will last me a while I think. My only complaint is that System Settings is still a nightmare to navigate and I don't see any changes to its interface whatsoever.

I like the new widgets and the extra animations when logging in is a very nice touch. I also really appreciate the fact that automatic switching for AirPods finally works properly on Sonoma. That was really annoying in the last few versions.

Also I read this in another thread but has anyone figured out a way to disable the blue caps-lock indicator? 👀

 

[Earl Urley]

RC solved a lot of issues on a 2018 rMBP with only 8 GB RAM.

Printing still sometimes buggy; page will render but nothing comes out on printer. Prints from Word, Illustrator, Preview all choke sometimes.

HTML5 Video playback was stuttery in betas on 8 GB, smooth on RC. However, extensions like Noir and Wipr cause slowdowns / stepping.

 

[MisterAndrew]

I just updated Sonoma to the Release Candidate (23A339) on my 2012 5,1 MacPro this evening. With exception of Bluetooth not working (haven't started troubleshooting this issue yet), everything else is working well. Even Desktop Widgets are updating.

That's impressive considering the 5,1 originally shipped with Snow Leopard in 2010 and basically the same as the 4,1 that shipped with Leopard.

 

[theorist9]

This thread should be a sticky!

 

[theorist9]

2019 iMac, 64 GB RAM, 4GB 575x Radeon Pro, booting from external ACASIS Thunderbolt 3/4 w/ Samsung 990 PRO 1TB NVMe...

* Using an external Thunderbolt drive as a bootable volume, the speed difference is amazing compared to a spinner or even an SSD, which I did replace the internal with an SSD which made a substantial difference, Thunderbolt speed in incredibly fast, factory 1TB Fusion drive maybe 250 MBs, SSD 550's, Thunderbolt 3/4, 2,600+ read and writes.
A key advantage is cost and speed, using an external Thunderbolt ACASIS enclosure $110, NVMe 1TB $50-100, you don't have to pay Apple the ridiculous cost of upgrading the base model Mac, $400 1 TB, $800 2 TB.

View attachment 2259627

FYI, in case you decide to do any further upgrades, an internal NVMe SSD is generally faster and more reliable than an attached TB drive. [I don't know why you think an internal SSD is slower, but I'm wondering if it's because you're comparing it with the SSD portion of your Fusion Drive, and that SSD additionally uses a SATA interface instead of NVMe.]

I upgraded the internal drive in my 2019 iMac with a 2TB WD SN850 NVMe SSD, and got the following results. And it costs about the same as putting a drive in an external enclosure as well: I didn't want to mess with taking the glass off so, for the cost of an enclosure (~$100), I was able to have my local Apple authorized service center install the SSD for me.

[If you're going internal, WD works better on iMacs than Samsung.] For more info., see:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/a-list-of-successful-imac-27-2012-2019-ssd-upgrades.2162435/page-39?post=31134473#post-31134473

 

[jchap]

Installed macOS Sonoma on a MacBook Pro 16-inch 2019, Core i9 model with 64GB RAM.

A few days after installation, I've noticed some significant GPU spikes (see image below). Fan noise has also been considerably noticeable. I do use an LG external display (2560 × 1080 px), but I don't use any graphics-intensive software—mostly just Excel, Word, Mail and Session, among other not-so-memory-intensive productivity apps.

I do use Parallels Desktop from time to time to run a Windows 10 VM, and I also use Adobe Acrobat as needed, but the spikes I'm seeing aren't consistent. As you can see from the image, the GPU usage ramps up and keeps going. It's almost like a GPU memory leak or something (?). CPU and memory usage don't seem to be peaking out at all. The room where I'm using the computer is a little on the hot side when I don't use air conditioning (around 28–29ºC/82–84ºF), but not too much so. I actually use two small adjustable keyboard stands/props to prop up the laptop at about 5º or so for better ventilation. The machine has been quite warm to the touch since I installed Sonoma, with airflow left/right sensors peaking at around 50ºC (122ºF), according to iStat Menus.

I wondered if the heavy GPU usage and fan noise had something to do with the use of the new wallpapers and dynamic desktop themes, so I decided to switch to a single-color wallpaper this morning. (Hard to imagine that the new wallpapers would use up THAT many resources, but...) Again, it's difficult to tell what the connection is. There are probably a lot of factors involved. Scrolling is a little bit choppier than before in most apps. Overall, Sonoma just does seem to tax this 2019 MBP a little more than expected... 🤪

 

[KeesdeW]

Installed macOS Sonoma on a MacBook Pro 16-inch 2019, Core i9 model with 64GB RAM.

A few days after installation, I've noticed some significant GPU spikes (see image below). Fan noise has also been considerably noticeable. I do use an LG external display (2560 × 1080 px), but I don't use any graphics-intensive software—mostly just Excel, Word, Mail and Session, among other not-so-memory-intensive productivity apps.

I do use Parallels Desktop from time to time to run a Windows 10 VM, and I also use Adobe Acrobat as needed, but the spikes I'm seeing aren't consistent. As you can see from the image, the GPU usage ramps up and keeps going. It's almost like a GPU memory leak or something (?). CPU and memory usage don't seem to be peaking out at all. The room where I'm using the computer is a little on the hot side when I don't use air conditioning (around 28–29ºC/82–84ºF), but not too much so. I actually use two small adjustable keyboard stands/props to prop up the laptop at about 5º or so for better ventilation. The machine has been quite warm to the touch since I installed Sonoma, with airflow left/right sensors peaking at around 50ºC (122ºF), according to iStat Menus.

I wondered if the heavy GPU usage and fan noise had something to do with the use of the new wallpapers and dynamic desktop themes, so I decided to switch to a single-color wallpaper this morning. (Hard to imagine that the new wallpapers would use up THAT many resources, but...) Again, it's difficult to tell what the connection is. There are probably a lot of factors involved. Scrolling is a little bit choppier than before in most apps. Overall, Sonoma just does seem to tax this 2019 MBP a little more than expected... 🤪

I have a MacBook Pro, 2,9 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i9, 32 GB, Radeon Pro Vega 20 4 GB. All is running quite fine, I haven't notices the spikes as you say, but the new animated screensaver lock screen is causing my fans the run full speed within seconds of the Lock Screen coming on with external high res display (also LG) attached. Disabled the animated Lock Screen and all seems fine so far.

 

[Miles Fu]

I have a MacBook Pro, 2,9 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i9, 32 GB, Radeon Pro Vega 20 4 GB. All is running quite fine, I haven't notices the spikes as you say, but the new animated screensaver lock screen is causing my fans the run full speed within seconds of the Lock Screen coming on with external high res display (also LG) attached. Disabled the animated Lock Screen and all seems fine so far.

I have a i9 16GB model with OS 13.6, it will become much warmer when connecting to a LG 27" 4K monitor. so I set to "Energy Saver" model when I need to do simple work to avoid the fan shouting.

 

[twanj]

No issues.

 

[arthur486]

On a 2020 13" MPB with Intel Core i5 and 16 GB RAM, everything is ok. The new, dynamic wallpaper is activated (default Sonoma one) and the laptop is connected to an external 4k display.

 

[baryon]

MacBook Pro 16 late 2019: Wow, it's terrible!

First, it broke Messenger, which I use a lot every day.
Second, icons on the desktop all pile up on the top right corner and I can't move them anywhere else.
Lastly every time the menu bar changes or a new webpage loads, or I open a new window, the area being redrawn flashes in bright red. It's... jarring to say the least.

Not being able to use the desktop and not being able to use Messenger has really messed up my work though, because everything I do requires workarounds now. Also the whole system just seems slower, like typing seems a bit laggy and scrolling is a bit more choppy. Not liking it at all so far.

I do have a backup and could format and reinstall but man I just can't be bothered to do all that just to downgrade. I would have to manually copy all the files I've created since then, and if I mess up I would just lose them.

 

[theorist9]

Tip for anyone wanting to try out Sonoma before committing to it:

Create a competely separate container (i.e., not a separate volume on the existing container), install it there, and use Migration Assistant to copy over your Applications folder. Then see how you like it before upgrading the OS on your existing container.

This is analogous to creating a separate partition.

I've found if you instead install the new OS into a separate volume on the existing container, it can mess up the current OS—i.e., installing the new OS into the same container seems to change that container in a way that affects the current OS. Thus, to maintain a clean separation between the two, install the new OS on a separate container.