OS X 10.11 El Capitan Runs on All Macs Capable of Running Yosemite - MacRumors
Skip to Content

OS X 10.11 El Capitan Runs on All Macs Capable of Running Yosemite

by

OS X 10.11 El Capitan, the successor to OS X Yosemite, is capable of running on all Macs that are able to run Yosemite, according to the OS X 10.11 release notes (via Ars Technica). The first developer beta is listed as supporting the following Macs, which are the same that are able to run Yosemite:

- iMac (Mid 2007 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)
- MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)
- Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)
- Xserve (Early 2009)

OS X El Capitan is focused heavily on performance improvements to make the Mac "snappier and more efficient." According to Apple, apps launch up to 1.4x faster and app switching is up to 2x faster. Displaying the first Mail messages when opening mail is up to 2x faster, and it's up to 4x faster when opening a PDF in preview.

elcapitanperfomanceenhancements
El Capitan also brings Metal to OS X for the first time, improving graphics for more fluid performance in games, high performance apps, and key system-level graphics operations.

iOS 9, the upcoming update for iOS devices, has also been designed to work with all devices that run iOS 8. Even older A5 devices like the iPad 2 and the iPhone 4s will be able to run the new operating system, and in many cases, performance will improve over iOS 8 thanks to the optimizations being introduced.

Both OS X El Capitan and iOS 9 will be available to the public in the fall, with a public beta becoming available in July.

Related Forum: OS X El Capitan

Top Rated Comments

mrxak Avatar
147 months ago
Pretty terrible name.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
keysofanxiety Avatar
147 months ago
Thankfully Apple's insistence to still sell computers with spinning HDDs, and release 'updated' computers with worse specs, has forced their hand to improve software performance. If you work around the limitations of the hardware, it's likely you'll bring out the best from the software.

Anyway, good job Apple. You did the right thing on focusing on performance rather than new features.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OriginalMacRat Avatar
147 months ago
Thankfully Apple's insistence to still sell computers with spinning HDDs...
MacBook: SSD only
MacBook Air: SSD only
MacBook Retina: SSD only
Mac Pro: SSD only

Only the iMac and Mac mini (and the legacy MBP 13") even have HDD options.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nezr Avatar
147 months ago
El Crappy name
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ReesMaxwell Avatar
147 months ago
You all DO realize that they named it El Capitan because it is supposed to be similar to Yosemite...not a huge update on features, but on performance...akin to Leopard, then Snow Leopard. Get it, Yosemite, then El Capitan!
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
147 months ago
Yay, my 2007 iMac is still chugging along pretty good.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 27 Next to iPhone

Here's When iOS 27 Rolls Out in Every Time Zone

Sunday September 13, 2026 3:00 am PDT by
Apple is about to release iOS 27, which will finally deliver more advanced Siri AI capabilities as well as a variety of other refinements, improvements, and new features to iPhones. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at Wednesday's iPhone event that it will be releasing iOS 27 sometime tomorrow – Monday, September 14. iOS 27 won't be the only release on...
deep black iphone 18 pro

Apple Says iPhone 18 Pro Max Sold in U.S. Differs in One Way

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:27 pm PDT by
As noted by Nicolas Lellouche, who writes for the French tech website Numerama, Apple has updated its tech specs pages for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to clarify which models are equipped with its new C2 cellular modem and where. Apple now says the iPhone 18 Pro has a C2 modem worldwide, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max uses the chip in every country except for the U.S. According...
iphone duo

IMAX Reacts to iPhone Duo's 1:1.4 Aspect Ratio Displays

Friday September 11, 2026 4:42 am PDT by
Production theater company IMAX has responded in a mixed way to Apple's embrace of a 1:1.4 aspect ratio on the iPhone Duo's inner and outer displays. The boxier ratio happens to be very close to the classic "full-frame" IMAX 1.43:1 aspect ratio, which comes from the geometry of the company's original 15-perforation/70mm film system. In response to an X post from someone wondering if we'll see...