Here comes the new age of MacBook operating system in Sierra, canonically dubbed macOS 10.12 by Apple. As Mac lovers can observe, Apple is now renaming OS X into macOS and Sierra is the first to receive this nickname.
If it is not yet obvious, MacBook laptops carry the name OS X in their operating systems from OS X Leopard to El Capitan. Sierra is the first that will pivot with a macOS surname. Apple thinks that there should be uniformity in lowercase prefix in their products like iOS in smartphones, watchOS in smartwatch and so on.
Going into the heart of macOS Sierra, MacBook owners should be conscious that models iMac, Air, mini and Pro from late 2009 to current production are qualified to upgrade. However, Sierra is leaning towards functionality rather than performance unlike in previous operating systems. This shift needs more resources compared to previous trimmed-down versions Apple is known for, Tech Radar said.
Apple made clear that macOS Sierra is designed to compliment new devices like iPhone 7 and iWatch 2. So expect half-baked experience and lesser benefits from Sierra if the MacBook owner doesn't have these products yet. Further, Sierra features like Hotspot and UniClipboard will only work for Macs from 2012 to current.
The above list of MacBook models is not to be taken lightly as well and owners should ensure to meet the criteria before upgrading. Trusted Reviews reported that Mac owners that operates Leopard and lower OS X will face a setback before installing macOS Sierra.
There is a barrier that limits lesser than Snow Leopard to upgrade even if the MacBook itself hits the required year of production. Remember that Snow Leopard costs less than $20 in Apple Store so owners have to do an install-then-upgrade procedure first.
After complying with above requirements, most MacBooks are qualified for macOS Sierra anyway because only minimum of 2GB memory and 8.8GB of disk space is needed.
