Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.
User profile for user: jwhick
jwhick Author
User level: Level1 10 points
Question marked as Best reply
User profile for user: Tesserax
Tesserax
User level: Level10 148,208 points
Posted on Oct 12, 2020 1:05 PM
In theory, a Late 2013 iMac could run the currently latest version of macOS Catalina. However, a few things may make it not a great choice, and those are:
- Are you dependent on any 32-bit critical apps? If so, and there are no 64-bit updates for them, you will not be able to run them under Catalina.
- How my system RAM does your iMac have? To run any version of macOS, not just Catalina, you will want at least 16 GBs.
- Does your iMac have an SSD or HDD system drive? You would want an SSD for Catalina for the best overall performance.
- Related to the 3rd point, how much free space does this drive have?
- Do you use any third-party peripherals with your Mac? If so, check with their suppliers to verify that they can be supported under Catalina.
Not trying to "turn you off" to Catalina, just wanted to make sure you are aware of these things. Actually, they would be true regardless of which version of macOS you decide to upgrade to.
Ref: Upgrade to macOS Catalina - Apple Support
View in context
Similar questions
- what MacOS is compatible with iMac 21.5 inch, late 2012what is the latest MacOS compatible with my iMac? 7062
- Which OSX is the best for a Late 2013 Macbook Pro (with OSX currently running 10.9.5)I have a Late 2013 Macbook Pro with OSX running 10.9.5. Those of you who have newer OSX, which one do you recommend? (also compatible with my device). I understand that i need to upgrade to the next compatible OSX and then a newer one, can someone guide me briefly through this? (not the process necessarily but the names of the new OSX's). Thank you 59944
- What iOS is best for my 2012 MacBook Pro 13”?What OS is best for my 2012 MacBook Pro 13”?[Re-Titled by Moderator] 2431
4 replies
Loading page content
Page content loaded
Question marked as Best reply
User profile for user: Tesserax
Tesserax
User level: Level10 148,208 points
Oct 12, 2020 1:05 PM in response to jwhick
In theory, a Late 2013 iMac could run the currently latest version of macOS Catalina. However, a few things may make it not a great choice, and those are:
- Are you dependent on any 32-bit critical apps? If so, and there are no 64-bit updates for them, you will not be able to run them under Catalina.
- How my system RAM does your iMac have? To run any version of macOS, not just Catalina, you will want at least 16 GBs.
- Does your iMac have an SSD or HDD system drive? You would want an SSD for Catalina for the best overall performance.
- Related to the 3rd point, how much free space does this drive have?
- Do you use any third-party peripherals with your Mac? If so, check with their suppliers to verify that they can be supported under Catalina.
Not trying to "turn you off" to Catalina, just wanted to make sure you are aware of these things. Actually, they would be true regardless of which version of macOS you decide to upgrade to.
Ref: Upgrade to macOS Catalina - Apple Support
Link
User profile for user: BDAqua
BDAqua
User level: Level10 238,575 points
Oct 12, 2020 2:55 PM in response to jwhick
I think High Sierra/10.13.6 is the best & least buggy.
Link
User profile for user: VikingOSX
VikingOSX
Community+ 2024 User level: Level10 110,798 points
Oct 12, 2020 3:19 PM in response to jwhick
I continue to run Mojave 10.14.6 (18G6032) on my Late 2013 iMac. Even though it has an internal SSD, and plenty of RAM, I prefer Mojave over Catalina, as I need to test certain features and applications in both Mojave and Catalina (which resides on another Mac).
Link
User profile for user: woodmeister50
woodmeister50
User level: Level6 19,594 points
Oct 13, 2020 4:50 AM in response to jwhick
I have a late 2013 27" iMac that runs Catalina just fine with no issues at all.
I do however, have 32GB RAM and an SSD.
Link
Which OSX is the best for a Late 2013 iMac
