macOS 27 Supported Macs: Full Compatibility List

Short version: if your Mac has an Apple Silicon chip — any M1, M2, M3, M4, or M5, or the A18 Pro in the new MacBook Neo — macOS 27 will run on it. If you're still on an Intel Mac, this is where the road ends for new macOS versions.

macOS 27 is a milestone: it's the first version of macOS to drop Intel entirely, completing Apple's transition to its own chips. macOS 26 Tahoe was the last release to support Intel. Apple has confirmed which Intel models are being left behind (we list them below) and says they'll keep getting security updates for three more years.

Good news for Air owners — every Apple Silicon MacBook Air is expected to run macOS 27, right back to the M1 from 2020. The M4 model from spring 2025 is the newest and most capable.

The M1 Air may show its age with heavy AI tasks — newer chips have faster Neural Engines — but for browsing, email, documents, and light editing it'll be perfectly comfortable on macOS 27.

The Pro has the most models to sort through, but the rule is simple: Apple Silicon is in, Intel is out. That now spans five chip generations, from the 2020 M1 13-inch up to the latest M5 Pro. Note that the 16-inch Intel MacBook Pro (2019) and 13-inch Intel MacBook Pro (2020, four Thunderbolt 3 ports) are among the models Apple is dropping.

The 24-inch M1 iMac (2021), the M3 (2023), and the M4 (2024) are all expected to support macOS 27. Any Intel iMac — including the 27-inch (2020), which Apple has confirmed is being dropped — is out.

Note: an M5 iMac refresh is expected later in 2026, and would of course support macOS 27 too.

Every Apple Silicon desktop runs macOS 27. The Mac mini's redesigned M4 model (late 2024), the Mac Studio (refreshed March 2025 with M4 Max and M3 Ultra), and the M2 Ultra Mac Pro are all supported. The lone exception is the 2019 Intel Mac Pro — which, despite its price, Apple has confirmed misses the cut.

One model that surprises people: the MacBook Neo, Apple's newer budget laptop, runs macOS 27 even though it doesn't have an M-series chip. It uses the A18 Pro — the same Apple-designed silicon family found in recent iPhones — and Apple counts it as Apple Silicon. So if you have a MacBook Neo, you're fully supported.

A note on RAM: 8 GB technically works, but you'll feel the squeeze with macOS 27's AI features. Apple Intelligence runs best with more memory, so if you're on 8 GB, don't expect the smoothest on-device AI experience.

No sugarcoating it: macOS 27 is the end of the line for Intel Macs. Apple has confirmed the four final Intel models that run macOS 26 Tahoe but will not get macOS 27:

• 16-inch MacBook Pro (2019)
• 13-inch MacBook Pro (2020, four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
• 27-inch iMac (2020)
• Mac Pro (2019)

Should you upgrade?

• If your Intel Mac still runs great: keep using it. Don't upgrade just to chase a version number.
• If you want macOS 27's new features: the M4 MacBook Air is excellent value, and the new MacBook Neo is the most affordable way in.
• If your Mac feels slow: this is the perfect excuse — Apple Silicon is a huge leap in speed and battery life.
• If you're a developer: you'll want to test on the latest OS, so upgrading becomes more of a necessity.