macOS Big Sur: Reimagined and redesigned
The 17th release of the Apple Operating System, Big Sur is packed-full of changes and new additions. The various menu changes make it feel smoother and more efficient, and the additional customization options offer a more user-friendly system. A new design refresh, the introduction of a new Control Center, as well as various improvements to Safari, is set to greatly improve the overall experience from a usability standpoint.
macOS Big Sur changes
Most noticeable are the new system sounds, from a chime when you boot up your computer and file transfer pings to noise alerts for trashing and locking files. Along with that, the overall interface has also been refined. Sidebars are now full height, the menu bar has been updated to offer wider spacing, the toolbars are remarkably more space-efficient, and they boast a translucent look instead of just a plain white.
Along with these tweaks, your new Control Center is convenient as it places your controls in one place, making it easy to adjust settings when needed. There’s also an updated notification center that brings all your widgets and notifications in one area. Of course, many different useful widgets have been improved as well. Finally, Big Sur boasts a great ‘edit view’ where you can add all sorts of widgets on your screen, and customize them to your liking.
Support for Apple Silicon
Big Sur is the first MacOS version made for Macs with a special kind of brain called Apple-designed ARM64-based processors. It's a big shift from the older Intel brains, and it started with the introduction of the Apple M1 chip for faster and more efficient performance.
iOS and iPadOS applications
If your Mac has the new Apple M1 chip, you can now run iPhone and iPad apps directly on your Mac without any changes needed. It's like having a bigger selection of apps to choose from.
Time Machine gets an upgrade
Time Machine, your backup buddy, gets a major upgrade. It now uses a smarter file system called APFS, making backups faster, smaller, and more reliable than before.
Developers can now create apps that work on both the new ARM64 brains and the older Intel brains, making life easier for everyone.
Spotlight
The Spotlight search tool, which helps you find things on your Mac, is now faster and looks cleaner. It's the default search in Safari, Pages, and Keynote.
Signed system volume
Your Mac's main system gets a digital signature for extra security, preventing anyone from messing with it. Every file has a special code to make sure it's safe.
Software updates
Software updates can now start in the background before your Mac even restarts. This means less waiting time for you. The updates are smarter now, thanks to the special codes on each file.
Encryption
Big Sur adds a new way to lock up your files, one at a time. Before, you could only lock up everything on a part of your Mac. This change works with Macs using the new Apple M1 chip.
Safari Browser
Safari Browser has seen some changes owing to the system update too. Apple has introduced extensions that let it compete more effectively with Google Chrome. You can also convert your Chrome extensions to your Mac Safari Browser. The search engine also has new website previews that appear when you go over a tab.
Technicalities
This OS update is available for free for your Mac. We find that it’s a big improvement on the Catalina update. It’s a 12.6 GB download, so be prepared to wait for some update time. After installing, you may find that some mentioned features are not available.
Which Macs support MacOS Big Sur?
Unlike the previous MacOS Catalina, Big Sur says goodbye to some older Mac models. If you're wondering whether your Mac can handle Big Sur, here's the list:
- iMac (Mid 2014 or newer)
- iMac Pro (2017)
- MacBook (Early 2015 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Mid 2013 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Late 2013 or newer)
- Mac Mini (Late 2014 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013 or newer)
- Developer Transition Kit (only up to Big Sur 11.3 beta 2)
Our take
We’re big fans of the update. We love that Apple is catering to its users by providing more advanced customizations. The new features are keeping them relevant and make for a much better user experience.
Should you download it?
Yes, as soon as you can. This Mac update is full of system change goodness that every user will appreciate.
