When a new major operating system update is released, you’d expect to gain new features, improved performance and the usual array of bug fixes. Instead, according to Mac Rumors, some unlucky Mac owners upgrading to the newly launched macOS Monterey wound up with bricked machines.
Apple released macOS Monterey as the successor to macOS Big Sur one week ago, and it comes preinstalled on the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros. But for some upgrading older Macs, the upgrade process has been fraught with heartache. Freddy Mini (opens in new tab) took to Twitter to explain that his 16-inch MacBook Pro (2020) died while installing macOS Monterey. The 18-month-old laptop no longer boots and is now an expensive paperweight.
Another MacBook Pro (2019) owner, Daniel Lin (opens in new tab), says that his device is bricked again (after the same thing happened with last year’s Big Sur update). “Ports continue to stop working, not allowing charging, which bricks this,” Lin remarked. “Can’t reset SMC because there’s no power going in. What else could help me determine I bought a lemon?”
And it’s not just reports flooding Twitter regarding macOS Monterey wreaking havoc on Macs; Mac Rumors also points out that nearly a dozen threads popped up on the official Apple Support Communities that additional machines are no longer functional.
Mpotts94 explained in an Apple Support thread (opens in new tab) that is currently four pages long, “I also updated my MacBook Pro to Monterey and it is just black when trying to boot up. I know that it’s on for 2 reasons. 1. It can get extremely hot and 2 the mousepad clicks. I took it to Apple Genius Bar and they state it is due to my logic board. I’ve never had any issues until I updated and they say that I will owe $500 to fix it.”
Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason for the incessant bricking. Users report that iMac, MacBook Pro, and even Mac mini devices are susceptible to the ongoing problem. At this time, Apple has not made an official statement on these issues with macOS Monterey, so if you own a Mac and haven’t already upgraded, perhaps waiting would be prudent. But, on the other hand, you’re not exactly missing out on a lot by delaying the update while any potential bugs are squashed.
With that said, macOS Monterey is currently sitting at version 12.01, while version 12.1 is in beta. Hopefully, this update will solve any lingering bricking issues, but we’ll need to wait for Apple’s confirmation before getting too optimistic about those prospects.
