The latest version of macOS, dubbed macOS 27 Golden Gate, has finally arrived, but it's the end of the line for Intel machines. Golden Gate introduces several new features and improvements, perhaps the biggest of which is an AI-centric Siri overhaul aimed at making the digital assistant more useful in everyday tasks. Other changes include a more customizable Liquid Glass, AI photo editing tools, automatic tab organization in Safari, general performance enhancements and much more.

Golden Gate draws a line at the start of the Apple silicon era, so if your Mac uses an Intel chip, macOS 27 is incompatible across the board. Generally, this means if your MacBook is from 2021 or later, you're all set to upgrade your OS. There are a couple of 2020 release exceptions: the M1 chip versions of the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air can also run Golden Gate.

This discontinued support comes as no surprise, considering the Mac transition away from Intel hardware has been in the works since 2020. According to a former Intel engineer, it may have also come down to increasingly bad quality assurance with Intel's Skylake line. As inconvenient as it may be for those with older MacBooks, Golden Gate being the first macOS release that's Apple silicon-only is simply the final step in this transition.

If Apple's recent support timelines continue, macOS Tahoe will receive two more years of security updates, so those with an Intel Mac will be covered through September 2028. At that point, it will be time to upgrade.