macOS Big Sur, Apple’s upcoming release of its Mac operating system, will let you watch 4K HDR Netflix content, but it turns out it’ll only work on 2018 or later Macs with Apple’s T2 security chip, according to a new Netflix support document.
That means the full list of Macs that can watch 4K content on Netflix, at least for now, is as follows:
- iMac (2020)
- iMac Pro
- Mac Pro (2019)
- Mac mini (2018)
- MacBook Air (2018 or later)
- MacBook Pro (2018 or later)
There’s an easy way to check whether your Mac has a T2 chip, as Apple points out on its website.
Disappointingly, older iMacs and pre-2018 Mac laptops that could theoretically play Netflix 4K content, whether on their built-in displays or via an 4K or 5K external monitor, won’t be able to. It’s not clear why the T2 security chip is required.
If you want to watch 4K Netflix and have a compatible Mac once macOS Big Sur comes out this fall, you’ll also need to subscribe to Netflix’s $15.99 per month Premium plan. And you can only watch 4K Netflix content using Safari, not other browsers, according to Netflix’s support doc.
