Apple's forthcoming macOS Sonoma will not support the same range of Macs as macOS Ventura, with a few models years chopped off the compatibility list.
It had been expected that macOS 14 would be a sufficiently minor update that it might well run on the same Macs as its predecessor, macOS 13. However, perhaps in order to support features across Macs, iPhones, and iPads, Apple has cut out some previously supported devices.
This means that macOS Ventura is now the final macOS that the MacBook will be able to run. Similarly, the 2017 iMac and 2017 MacBook Pro must remain on that OS.
The Macs confirmed by Apple to be able to run the new OS are:
- iMac 2019 or later
- iMac Pro
- MacBook Air 2018 or later
- MacBook Pro 2018 or later
- Mac Pro 2019 or later
- Mac Studio
- Mac mini 2018 or later
It's possible that Apple's list of compatible Macs will change as the final release of macOS Sonoma nears.