As of May 2023, Apple considers the following Macs and older Obsolete: 11in MacBook Air (early 2014 and older) 13in MacBook Air (early 2014 and older) 13in MacBook Pro (mid 2014 and older)
These Macs were previously on the vintage list, but are now considered obsolete and are no longer eligible for repair. Obsoleted Macs include the late 2013 21.5 and 27-inch iMacs, the mid-2014 21.5-inch iMac, and the late 2014 27-inch Retina 5K iMac.
Major versions of macOS are generally supported for three years, so a Mac running macOS 10.15 (Catalina, released in 2019) will no longer get updates, while newer platforms like macOS 11 (Big Sur), macOS 12 (Monterey), and macOS 13 (Ventura) will continue to get maintenance updates for a while yet.
Apple advises that macOS Catalina will run on the following Macs: MacBook models from early 2015 or later. MacBook Air models from mid-2012 or later. MacBook Pro models from mid-2012 or later.
Apple typically classifies its products as obsolete after more than 7 years have elapsed since the company stops selling them officially. The MacBook 2015 was discontinued in April 2016 following the release of its successor, the MacBook 2016, which featured improved specs.
Apple considers Mac "vintage" if they were released between 5 and 7 years ago, and obsolete if older than 7 years. Obsolete Macs no longer qualify for service and support. Security updates are no longer available.
Which macOS version is installed? From the Apple menu in the top left corner of your screen, choose About This Mac. You'll see the macOS name and version number, such as macOS Catalina 10.15. 5; as well as your computer model and year.
Choose Apple menu > System Settings. Click General on the left side of the System Settings window, then click Software Update on the right. Or choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Software Update.
Upgrading to macOS Monterey is highly recommended, especially if you have a newer Mac powered by one of the Apple silicon chips, such as the M1 or M2 processors. Not only will you get better performance, but you'll also be able to take advantage of all the new features, some of which are really helpful.
iMacs typically last between 3 to 8 years depending on how they are configured.
Apple considers MacBooks obsolete when they are between five and seven years old. It considers them to be vintage when they are older than seven years. For a complete list of obsolete and vintage devices, see here.
Hardware. Apple hardware typically lasts much longer than that from competing manufacturers. Lots of people have Macs that are 10 or even 20 years old that still work. And there are a few that are even older than that.
A 2013 iMac can upgrade to the newer OS's like macOS Mojave 10.14 or macOS Catalina 10.15, I would recommend you upgrade to macOS High Sierra 10.13 first. Go to the Download OS section and click on the OS you want to install. Before upgrading make a full back up of your Mac.
With regards to the iMac; machines released in late 2009 or newer can still be useful today. These models are: Unibody iMac (Late 2009 to 2013) Slim Unibody iMac (Late 2012 to 2021)
In terms of performance, there is not much of a difference between Big Sur and Monterey updates. There is not much of a difference between the two options. If you are looking to upgrade to a new update aiming for performance enhancement, updating may not be a preference.
Problem 1: MacOS Monterey can't be downloaded
Ensure your Mac has enough free space. It's reported that the download and installation of macOS Monterey needs around 20GB of space. If you currently don't have enough, you can use Cleaner One Pro to clean your system and free up space. Check your Wi-Fi connection.
What to Do if Your Mac Won't Update. If you're having issues updating your Mac, make sure that you have enough RAM and storage space to download the update. You can also try restarting your computer and downloading the update manually. Finally, try booting in safe mode or repairing your hard drive in Disk Utility.
If the Mac is no longer functional, or if it's too old, you can recycle it. Apple's recycling program will take any of your devices and recycle them. They may even give you a gift card if the computer still has some value. You won't get a lot, and lately Apple's prices for Mac trade-ins have been very low.
Should I Throw Away My Old MacBook? Even if your MacBook is old and out of date, throwing it away is rarely the best option. Your MacBook may be useful for its parts, a vintage Apple collector may be interested in it, and you can always turn it into an electronics recycler as a last resort.
You can trade in many different Apple devices for trade-in credit or an Apple Gift Card. If your device isn't eligible for any trade-in value, you can still recycle it with Apple for free.
The best years for a used Macbook Pro are 2014 and 2015, or 2020 and 2021 if a more recent model is in your budget. Typically, you'll want to avoid Macbook Pros from 2016 to 2018 as these are notorious for keyboard problems. Price-wise, Macbook Pros from 2014 and 2015 will be cheaper than a used Pro from 2020 or 2021.