When will Apple stop releasing software updates for core 2 duo machines?

[eddiejoer]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had an opinion on when Apple might stop supporting software updates for machines using Intel Core 2 Duo processors? Do you think the next major OS X release will still be supported on this generation of machines?

 

[t0mat0]

http://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/mac-software/will-my-mac-run-os-x-el-capitan-3521736/
Is the current position. Some able to run EL Capitan are 6-7 years old now. The lesser powered Macs might be first to not be able to run OS 10.12
Currently i'd say that El Cap, Yosemite, etc - they haven't been overly taxing a 2009 MBP for me - it's not like they've constantly been making the OS use more resources to run.

 

[DeltaMac]

Apple still sold new systems with core 2 duo in 2011. I would say that software updates will continue to support at least some Core 2 Duo for another 3 or 4 years.
You also have to note that the earliest Core 2 Duo Macs stopped at 10.7.5 - and some Macs can dual boot from Tiger and El Capitan (and any system in between)
You have Macs that are now close to 9 years old (ex. MacBookPro (15-inch mid/late 2007), with that wide range of possible systems that you can use on a single Mac.

 

[Ebenezum]

Hard to say for sure.

Even now many of the new features aren't supported in the oldest models (2007-2010). As for speed I haven't noticed any benefits on the oldest (2007-2008) supported Macs which isn't surprising since Apple is mainly focusing on the newer models.

10.12 may well have similar requirements as El Capitan but I would not be surprised if Apple would drop at least some of oldest supported models in 10.13.

 

[Rok73]

I have a mid 2010 MacBook (the last white one) and I've put 8 gigs of RAM and an SSD in it. It runs smooth as butter and flawlessly with El Capitan. I'd expect the same with the next major OSX update, except Apple does something really crazy with it.

Of course there are some features I can't use due to Apple's politics but it doesn't matter because it's not a machine for work or else.