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What are the key differences between Maverick and El Capitan OS X operating systems?
Maverick is an OS X operating system released by Apple in 2011 and designed to be similar to the Unix philosophy. El Capitan is an OS X operating system released by Apple in 2015 and was designed primarily as a refinement of Yosemite, with some influence from iOS 9. Yosemite was released in 2014 with OS X Yosemite being the least-updated version of OS X Yosemite. Both Mavericks and El Capitan came out during the same timeframe, and both have features that are different from their immediate predecessors. Mavericks introduced a new feature called Mission Control and included native support for Apple Pay using near-field communication (NFC). El Capitan improved the core iOS user experience with two new features: Quick Actions in Mail and an update to iCloud Drive integration. Note: This article will only cover the features that are different between Mavericks and El Capitan. Along with that, this article will not be covering the new features of OS X El Capitan which are a long list.
OS X Mavericks (2011) was one of two Apple operating systems released in 2011 , alongside OS X Mountain Lion (10.8) . Mavericks was released in conjunction with iOS 6, but on June 4, 2013 , Apple released a new version of OS X called OS X Yosemite .
OS X Yosemite (2014) was Apple’s first major OS X update in over three years , and the first version of OS X to be built on its own Unix-based foundation . In this update, Yosemite brings a substantial redesign that not only completely overhauls the interface but also updates many core system services and introduces new features.
OS X Yosemite comes in three forms: “free”, “desktop” (eligible for education discounts), and “pro”. It is available on Macs introduced in 2007 or later. A single license allows installation on a maximum of two Macs.
How do you decide which one is right for you – or do you need both versions installed on your computer system?
Maverick is designed for the power user and provides everything that Sierra does and more. Mavericks is a great OS for those who want to customize the system, or even provide a different experience on their Mac by installing another operating system such as Tails. On the other hand, El Capitan serves as an update to Yosemite and comes with some significant improvements that modernize its underlying support systems. For those who want to stick with Yosemite, El Capitan offers a lot of what Yosemite does and more.
If neither Mavericks nor Sierra appeals to you for whatever reason, there may be other options because installing a different version of OS X is possible. Apple provides support for OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, OS X 10.7 Lion, OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, and now OS X 10.9 Mavericks (also known as “Mavericks”). If you have the hardware and desire to use the operating system, here’s a look at some alternatives that can be installed on your Mac (individually or all at once).
1. OS X Snow Leopard
Snow Leopard is the oldest of Apple’s operating system options available on this list and is also the most unique. This is based on a version of Mac OS X that was released in 2009 and discontinued in 2011 because it was not compatible with Macs that were made after (and during) its development. It’s a great option for those who want to test running an older version of OS X or would like to try an alternative operating system.
2. OS X Mountain Lion [10.8]
Are there any features that are unique to each of the two versions of the OS X operating system that might make your decision easier for you to make?
Yes. Mavericks introduced a new feature called Mission Control. El Capitan’s features are an update to Yosemite’s features and include things such as the addition of Markup tools for edits within Notes, use of Apple Pay within Safari, iCloud Drive improvements and a new Picture in Picture mode for full-screen video playback. El Capitan also includes new features for Twitter and Facebook integration.
Tom’s Hardware Guide: How does Apple go about testing its operating systems?
Apple: We use a variety of internal and external beta testers to try to break OS X before it ships. (I know journalists are not included!) It is important over the years you’ve been testing to see if your bugs get fixed. If they don’t, Apple may notice that it’s an issue that is widespread and deal with it before the product ships.
Tom’s Hardware Guide: What can Apple do to make more people aware of its beta programs?
How much will it cost to upgrade from Mavericks to El Capitan, and is it worth the investment in time and money?
It’s going to cost $19.99 to upgrade from Mavericks to El Capitan. The only time it’s worth the expense is if it isn’t possible for you to use a computer without the update. Although El Capitan isn’t a major update, there are improvements in many areas that make it worthwhile for most people. The major improvement is the speed of the OS. The OS starts up much faster, and it’s less likely to slow down when working with tabs, applications and documents. Another hidden advantage is that El Capitan is significantly more secure. El Capitan addresses several issues that are frustrating for Mac users. The biggest issue is the large number of poorly written security apps that can affect an OS; one way these apps interact is by slowing down an OS system-wide. Issues like this have been made much easier in El Capitan.
There are also improvements to the MacBook Pro track pad, which should make laptop use slightly easier. The track pad has had some issues with scrolling and other gestures, but those have been fixed in El Capitan.
If you have an older computer system, will it be able to run either Mavericks or El Capitan without any problems, or do you need to upgrade your hardware as well in order to take advantage of the new software releases from Apple Inc.?
Your computer needs to be running Mavericks to install El Capitan. To install El Capitan, your computer needs to be running OS X Yosemite. If you’re running a very old system, this may not be a problem for you. The older the system, the less likely it is that it will work well with either OS X release. If you’re running an older system, this is likely the time to begin looking into a new computer. The following list is just a small sample of the minimum Mac specifications that will run either OS X Yosemite or El Capitan.
For the best performance, your computer should meet or exceed the following requirements:
At least 8 GB of memory
At least 20 GB of available disk space for installation
Graphics card capable of 1024 x 768 resolution or higher (see details below)
