macOS Monterey and macOS Ventura are major releases of Apple’s Mac operating system. Monterey was released in September 2022 while Ventura debuted in October 2022. Both updates introduce new features and enhancements to improve the Mac experience.
Many Mac users may be trying to decide whether to update to Ventura or stick with Monterey. Upgrading brings benefits like new capabilities and better performance, but some prefer to wait on major updates to ensure stability. This comparison of Monterey vs. Ventura looks at the key differences to help users evaluate the best choice for their needs.
Release Date
macOS Monterey was first unveiled at WWDC 2021 in June and released to the public in October 2021. According to Apple, macOS Monterey 12.0 was made available as a free software update on October 25, 2021 for compatible Macs.
In contrast, macOS Ventura was announced at WWDC 2022 in June and released in Fall 2022. Apple states that macOS Ventura 13.0 launched on October 24, 2022 as a free upgrade for qualifying Macs.
Therefore, Monterey preceded Ventura by about one year. Monterey first became available in October 2021, while Ventura launched in October 2022.
Compatibility
Both macOS Monterey and Ventura have similar compatibility in terms of the Mac devices they support. However, Ventura does have slightly broader compatibility.
According to Apple’s support page, macOS Ventura is compatible with these Mac devices:
- MacBook Pro (2017 and later)
- MacBook Air (2018 and later)
- MacBook (2017 and later)
- iMac Pro (all models)
- iMac (2017 and later)
- Mac Mini (2018 and later)
- Mac Pro (2019 and later)
- Mac Studio (all models)
Whereas Monterey supports a slightly smaller list of devices, lacking support for some of the newer MacBook Pro/Air and Mac Mini models released in the past 1-2 years.
Overall, both OSes have broad compatibility with Macs from the last 5+ years. But Ventura extends support to the latest models, while Monterey lags a bit behind.
New Features
Both macOS Monterey and Ventura introduced several new key features for users. Monterey added features like Universal Control, AirPlay to Mac, and Live Text. Ventura brings additions like Stage Manager, Handoff for FaceTime, and Continuity Camera.
Some of the most notable new features in Monterey include:
- Universal Control – Allows using one mouse/trackpad to control multiple Apple devices and seamlessly move between them.
- AirPlay to Mac – Lets users play content like music or movies directly to their Mac from iPhone or iPad.
- Live Text – Enables extracting text from photos or images on the Mac.
Ventura introduces features like:
- Stage Manager – Organizes apps and windows automatically to streamline multitasking on Mac.
- Handoff for FaceTime – Lets users start a FaceTime call on iPhone or iPad and fluidly pass it over to their Mac.
- Continuity Camera – Uses iPhone as a Mac webcam, with features like Center Stage, Portrait mode, and more.
Overall, both OS releases aim to enhance continuity, connectivity, and productivity across Apple devices. But Ventura takes it a step further with additions like Stage Manager.
Performance
When comparing the performance between macOS Monterey and Ventura, benchmarks show that Ventura has a slight edge. According to tests run by Dpreview, Ventura scored 11% higher on single-core tests and 16% higher on multi-core tests versus Monterey. Cinebench results were 10% faster on Ventura as well. This indicates that basic tasks may feel a bit snappier on Ventura, thanks to various under-the-hood optimizations by Apple.
However, some users have reported Ventura feeling slower or buggier, especially on older Intel-based Macs. As noted on Reddit, one user found their 2019 16″ MacBook Pro had a “pretty much negative” experience after upgrading to Ventura. So while Ventura benchmarks faster, real-world performance may vary depending on your specific hardware configuration.
In summary, Ventura has the potential to be faster than Monterey, but your mileage may vary. Checking forums for feedback on your specific Mac model can help determine if upgrading is likely to provide a performance boost or not.
Security
In terms of security, both macOS Monterey and Ventura offer important protections and improvements for users. However, Ventura builds on the foundation of Monterey with additional enhancements.
macOS Ventura introduced Rapid Security Responses, which provides security fixes and improvements outside of traditional software updates. This allows Apple to respond quickly to emerging threats and issues by delivering security updates between normal release cycles (Apple Support).
Ventura also introduced passkey support, which replaces passwords with secure login keys. This makes accounts more secure against phishing and brute force attacks. Ventura further builds on Monterey by adding live captions to FaceTime calls to prevent eavesdropping (Apple).
Overall, while Monterey established a strong security foundation, Ventura goes beyond with cutting-edge protections like Rapid Security Responses and passkeys. Users concerned about security and privacy may find Ventura’s additional safeguards worthwhile.
Stability
When it comes to stability, both macOS Monterey and Ventura have experienced some bugs and issues after release.
For Monterey, some users reported problems like random reboots, freezes, lags, overheating, and app crashes (https://www.gottabemobile.com/macos-ventura-problems-5-things-you-need-to-know/). Many of these issues were addressed in later updates to Monterey. Overall, Monterey is considered relatively stable now after months of updates.
Ventura has seen more bugs and stability complaints, likely because it is newer. Some common issues include installation problems, slowdowns, app crashes, battery drain, and problems with connectivity and syncing (https://iboysoft.com/howto/macos-ventura-problems-fixes.html). Since its release, Apple has issued updates to fix many of the launch bugs. However, as a brand new OS, it is normal for Ventura to have more stability hiccups that get resolved over time.
In summary, Ventura may currently be less stable due to its recency, but it is receiving ongoing fixes. Monterey has had more time to address bugs and offers greater stability. However, both operating systems had a bumpy start but have improved.
Default Apps
One of the biggest changes in macOS Ventura compared to Monterey is with the default apps. Ventura introduces the new System Settings app, which replaces System Preferences from previous versions of macOS. However, this change has caused some issues with setting default apps in Ventura.
In Monterey and earlier, users could set default apps for various actions like web browsing, email, and music playback in System Preferences > General. But in Ventura, the Default Apps pane in System Settings often doesn’t load properly, so users have no way to change defaults [1].
This is a major downgrade in usability from Monterey. Not being able to easily set default apps in Ventura means users are stuck with Apple’s default apps like Safari and Mail, even if they prefer alternatives like Chrome or Outlook. Overall, Monterey provides a much better experience for configuring default apps.
Conclusion
Overall, both macOS Monterey and Ventura offer significant updates and new features for Mac users. Monterey brings improvements like Universal Control, AirPlay to Mac, and Live Text, while Ventura introduces Stage Manager, Continuity Camera, and major updates to apps like Mail, Safari, and Messages.
In terms of performance and stability, Ventura has the edge as the newest release. However, Monterey is still an excellent choice for slightly older Macs that won’t support Ventura. Security is strong in both versions, though Ventura does add some additional protections.
For most Mac users, upgrading to macOS Ventura is recommended to get the latest features and security updates. However, Monterey remains a solid option for incompatible older Macs. The choice between them mainly depends on your device’s compatibility. Overall, Ventura is the best choice for supported Macs, while Monterey is good for older models.
FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the differences between macOS Monterey and Ventura:
What are the main differences between Monterey and Ventura?
The main differences are:
- Ventura has newer features like Stage Manager, Continuity Camera, and improved Spotlight search.
- Ventura has better performance and efficiency due to under-the-hood improvements.
- Ventura provides additional security protections not present in Monterey.
- Ventura supports newer Mac models released after Monterey.
Which version is more stable and reliable?
In general, newer operating system versions build on previous ones and introduce bug fixes and stability improvements. Ventura has had more time to address issues present in Monterey. However, as with any new software release, there is a possibility of new bugs being introduced in Ventura.
Should I upgrade from Monterey to Ventura?
Upgrading is recommended for most users to take advantage of Ventura’s new features and improvements. However, as with any upgrade, it’s wise to wait a few weeks after release to allow initial bugs to be worked out. Users who require maximum stability for critical work may want to wait even longer before upgrading.
If I upgrade from Monterey to Ventura, can I downgrade if needed?
Unfortunately, downgrading from Ventura to Monterey is not officially supported by Apple. It requires completely erasing the Mac’s disk and restoring from a Monterey backup. Users who wish to retain the option to downgrade should delay upgrading until they are sure Ventura will meet their needs.