Run Big Sur/Catalina with iGPU or High Sierra with GPU

Specs:

  • Motherboard: Z97-AR
  • RAM: Kingston HyperX Fury 1600 16gb
  • CPU: i5 4690k @4.4
  • GPU: GTX 1070

I'm a software engineer - I use linux/macOS as lot at work and I really am starting to dislike Windows. I am actively trying to avoid Windows for development at home whether through WSL, a VM, using a linux server, etc. and I'd rather just dual boot a macOS with a new SSD.

My question is,

Would it be better to have a newer version of macOS and just use my integrated graphics, or use my GPU and stick with High Sierra.

I'm not going to be playing games on macOS, mostly just personal projects (ML, webdev, CAD, creative cloud) and I don't think GPU would really make a difference for any of these (aside from CAD and creative cloud, but I don't really use these all that often for it to be that irritating - if it was i'd buy an AMD gpu).

Might be a stupid question, but I don't know if one of these options is easier, more polished, if High Sierra and Catalina are really all that different, etc..

Thank you

submitted by /u/agrenet
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