New versions of macOS are generally compatible with Macs going back several years, but if yours is among the oldest supported by the current operating system, it may not have what it takes to be fully efficient.
At some point the processor, drive, amount of RAM and/or graphics card simply can’t keep up with the latest software. The Mac is old or its hardware can’t keep up.Is your Mac running slow? There can be several reasons why a Mac isn’t performing as it should, but they are often due to one or more of the following: