Apple will continue with new beta versions, because Big Sur is not completely finished yet. However, we do not expect many new functions in the latest beta of macOS 11.4, since macOS Big Sur 11.3 already contained quite a few new things. Do you want a refresher on the macOS Big Sur 11.3 features? Then check our overview. Furthermore, it is good to know that in a short time we will already be presented with the first functions of the successor macOS 12.
Most recent macOS Big Sur 11.4
macOS Big Sur 11.4 beta 2
May 10, 2021 & ndash; The third beta of macOS Big Sur 11.4 is available to developers. The build number is 20F5065a.
In the second beta, this was new:
- Support for AMD & lsquo; Big Navi & rsquo; 6800, 6800XT and 6900XT
New: Support for more GPUs
Apple gives your Intel-based Macs the ability to connect more GPUs. These are GPUs using the AMD Navi RDNA2 architecture. Normally, you have little choice and you don't have access to PCIe slots to add additional graphics cards (except on the Mac Pro).
If you have an Intel-based MacBook with Thunderbolt 3 ports, you can connect an external GPU, the so-called eGPU. There are three new options in macOS 11.4, namely from the 6800, 6800XT and 6900XT series from AMD. This architecture is also used in the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X game consoles and delivers 65% better performance than the first generation. This can be useful for gamers or those who want to use heavy graphics applications.
Important to know: there is no GPU support yet on the M1-based Macs. This may follow in the future. So now you need an Intel-based Mac with Thunderbolt 3.
download macOS Big Sur 11.4 beta
The beta of macOS Big Sur 11.4 requires a macOS beta profile. You can find the macOS 11.4 beta profile in Apple's Developer Portal. Public beta testers can sign up for macOS betas in a different way. We expect the public beta of this new version soon.
Please note : these betas are only intended for developers and public testers and are not suitable for use on devices that you need every day.
Timeline macOS 11.4 Big Sur beta
Below is a timeline of the macOS 11.4 Big Sur beta & rsquo ; s for developers:
- macOS 11.4 Beta 3: May 10, 2021 (released, build number 20F5065a)
- macOS 11.4 Beta 2: May 4, 2021 (released, build number 20F5055c)
- macOS 11.4 Public Beta 1: April 22, 2021 (released, build number 20F5046g)
- macOS 11.4 Beta 1: April 21 2021 (released, build number 20F5046g)
- macOS 11.4 final: May/June (expected)
About macOS Big Sur
macOS Big Sur is a major update to the Mac. It is packed with new features, such as a completely new design that works more on iOS, innovations for all standard apps and more options to create Catalyst apps. Safari has a & lsquo; privacy report & rsquo; and a customizable home screen. The Control Center has also been brought to the Mac and the Finder is more like the iOS Files app. Read all that's new in macOS Big Sur in a separate article.
About testing beta & rsquo; s
You can often run into problems when testing betas. First of all, not all functions are usually immediately available, but are added and expanded during the test period. You can also suffer from crashes or some apps may not work properly yet. So keep this in mind if you decide to test a macOS update. It is therefore not recommended to install a beta on a device that you use every day, because there can still be many problems in the beta. You can also install macOS 11 on a separate partition.
This article will be published over and over with new betas, updating the newly added features. Responses can also be cleaned up more strictly than you are used to from us. This way we avoid having to work your way through dozens of now outdated responses from a few weeks ago.
Review history:
- 2021 – May 10, 7:20 PM: The third beta is now available.
- 2021 – May 04, 7:52 PM: The second beta is here.
- 2021 – April 22, 7:11 PM: The public beta is now also available.