Apple has officially unveiled macOS 27 Golden Gate, bringing Siri AI, Apple Intelligence upgrades, refined Liquid Glass visuals, performance improvements, and new productivity features to the Mac. Alongside the new software, Apple has also made a major compatibility change: macOS 27 is the first Mac release to completely drop support for Intel processors.
Last year, Apple confirmed that macOS Tahoe would be the final major software update for Intel Macs. With macOS 27 Golden Gate, that transition is now complete. If you’re still using an Intel-powered Mac, you won’t be able to install the new update when it launches later this year.
The move means every Mac compatible with macOS 27 is powered by Apple silicon, allowing Apple to focus on features designed around its custom chips, including Siri AI and system-wide Apple Intelligence experiences.
Macs compatible with macOS 27 Golden Gate
Apple says macOS 27 Golden Gate supports the following Mac models:
- MacBook Neo (2026)
- MacBook Air with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
- MacBook Pro with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
- iMac with Apple silicon (2021 and later)
- Mac mini with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
- Mac Studio (2022 and later)
- Mac Pro (2023 and later)
In short, any Mac equipped with an M1 chip or newer can run macOS 27.
Which Macs lost support?
Several Intel-based Macs that supported macOS Tahoe are no longer eligible for the latest update:
- MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
- iMac (2020)
- Mac Pro (2019)
While these Macs won’t receive macOS 27, Apple is expected to continue providing security updates for macOS Tahoe for a period of time.
Why Apple is moving on from Intel
The decision comes as Apple continues to build more advanced software features around Apple silicon. Many of macOS 27’s headline additions, including Siri AI, Visual Intelligence, intelligent writing tools, and deeper system integration, rely heavily on the machine learning capabilities built into Apple’s custom chips.
Apple completed its transition away from Intel processors in 2023, and macOS 27 marks the first release where the company is no longer supporting any Intel-based Mac hardware.
When will macOS 27 be available?
macOS 27 Golden Gate is available now as a developer beta. A public beta is expected in July, while the final version will be released to all users this fall.
If you’re unsure which Mac you own, click the Apple menu and choose About This Mac to view your model and processor details. If your Mac has an M1 chip or newer, you’re ready for macOS 27.
