MacOS Big Sur - need a new MacBook?

ATC110

I've got a 128Gb 2017 MacBook Pro with 18.8GB of storage remaining but the Big Sur update requires circa 46GB.

Is it necessary to install this update? If so, will I need to get a new Mac with more storage?

TIA

Gregor Samsa

It's not necessary to install it. You'll be able to get on fine for a long time to come with the OS version you have now (I assume Catalina).

I'ts also not necessary to get a new Macbook to install it. Just get an external drive to shift some files onto and free up space.

Something like one of the following (although there's loads of other choices)

Traditional HDD:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XDKWLJH/ref=twister_B08MW25PVY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Or and SSD like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B078STRHBX/ref=twister_B07XTSVFS4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Pick whatever size you think suits you best. I'd usually go with a 1TB drive minimum, but with only a 128GB hard disk in your MBP, you'd easily get away with a 500GB one and have loads of space spare.

Hell, you'd even get away with a 128GB USB-C thumb drive for next to nothing:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-Ultra-Type-C-Flash-Drive/dp/B01EZ0X55C/ref=sr_1_3

To be brutally honest, a 128GB capacity laptop is really designed to be used with external storage (physical or cloud), so I'd be thinking about getting something whether you upgrade to Big Sur or not.