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Is there a better OS for a 2012 MacBook Pro?

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Kevin D. -  
 Headinstars -
Hello,
I am wondering about changing the OS on my Mac (MacBook Pro from May 2012, 2.5 GHz, Intel Core i5, 4GB 1600 MHz DDR3) with the intention of optimizing its performance (speed, accessing more recent apps, etc.).

Currently, I have Lion OS X 10.7.5. It's quite sluggish.
I have asked around, and some say to go back to Snow Leopard, others suggest upgrading to Yosemite, Mountain Lion, or El Capitan. One person advised me not to switch to Mavericks at all. In short, I'm a bit lost and wondering if there is a "best" OS for my computer, and if so, which one?

Thank you very much for your attention and any potential responses,
Kevin

Configuration: Mac OS X Lion (10.7) / Firefox 43.0

2 answers

  1. Anonymous user
     
    Hello,

    Mac OS X 10.7, Lion, was the first version after the versions provided on CD, and therefore the first version that included a recovery partition.
    I have always considered this version as a beta for future versions.

    Today, OS X 10.11 is free, and everything is much better, but the downside is that you need to have at least 8 GB of RAM installed.

    Why? : for somewhat paradoxical reasons, in the past RAM was very expensive, and therefore Apple favored reading and writing temporary files on the hard drive, in the area we call Virtual Memory. Today, the cost of memory has decreased significantly, and the available capacities have increased per module. So Apple now uses the installed memory for temporary files instead of the hard drive for speed and responsiveness. It’s very efficient, but only if the installed memory is sufficient. If your Mac was delivered in May 2012, it is probably a model referred to as Late 2011 (end of 2011). And thus officially supports 8 GB of RAM, but probably even 16 GB. However, if you say its original OS is Snow Leopard, there is a peculiarity because in May 2012, all MacBook Pros were delivered with Mac OS X 10.7.

    If I refer to what you indicate: " 
    MacBook Pro from May 2012, 2.5 GHz, Intel Core i5, 4GB 1600 MHz DDR3
    " it should be a mid-2012 model in 15", but it could not have been delivered with Snow Leopard.

    Try to define exactly this model:
    https://www.commentcamarche.net/informatique/macos/1463-informations-systeme-mac/
    https://support.apple.com/fr-fr/HT201581
    https://support.apple.com/fr-fr/HT204308

    In any case, I advise you to install 8 GB, and then upgrade to OS X 10.11. Your Mac will be smooth and have fewer quirks than under 10.7.

    @+

    --
    Have a Great Day :-) - Francis
    Always indicate your exact system configuration and read the entire response given.
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    1. Kevin D.
       
      Thank you very much Francis,

      Indeed, I wrote May 2012 (referring to my birthday for the date!), but my computer is actually a mid-2012 MBP.

      How to install 8GB? Where and what to buy? And is changing the RAM the kind of operation I can easily do myself with a tutorial, or do you advise me to have it done?

      Thanks again!
      Kevin
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    2. Anonymous user
       
      Very easy to do it yourself, it's still planned for this model, here is the tutorial

      https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201165

      You need to follow the specifications and preferably choose a reputable brand, like Crucial, Corsair, Dane Elec... Sometimes Macway is perfect, sometimes not...
      0