Using data from Apple's website and, we pulled together information on more than two decades of Mac releases-almost everything Apple has released between the original iMac in late 1998 and the last Intel Macs in 2020. But how bad is it, really? Is a Mac purchased in 2016 getting fewer updates than one bought in 2012 or 2008 or 1999? And if so, is there an explanation beyond Apple's desire for more users to move to shiny new Apple Silicon Macs?

This certainly seems more aggressive than new macOS releases from just a few years ago, where system requirements would tighten roughly every other year or so. Ventura requires a Mac made in 2017 or later, dropping support for a wide range of Monterey-supported Mac models released between 20. When macOS Ventura was announced earlier this month, its system requirements were considerably stricter than those for macOS Monterey, which was released just eight months ago as of this writing.

Further Reading macOS 13 Ventura dumps all pre-2017 Macs, including the “trash can” Mac Pro

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