MacBook Pro Mid-2015 (i7 5th gen) - MDM Bypassed + OCLP Upgrade Questions

Hey everyone,

I have a MacBook Pro Mid-2015 with the following specs:

• i7 5th generation
• 16GB RAM
• Currently running macOS Monterey
• MDM bypassed (can't use online installers that require activation)

My Situation:

• Need to upgrade to run newer Xcode versions
• System runs fine when plugged in, some lag on battery
• Battery is new (under 100 cycles)

My Questions:

1. Can I upgrade in-place with OCLP without losing data/apps? Or do I need a clean install?
2. Ventura vs Sonoma with MDM bypass - I've heard Sonoma might require online verification during install. Can anyone confirm if:
   • Ventura installs completely offline via OCLP USB installer?
   • Sonoma works with MDM-bypassed Macs, or does it fail during installation?
3. Performance concerns - Will Ventura/Sonoma make battery performance worse on this hardware? Already have some lag on battery with Monterey.
4. Any specific OCLP settings/patches I should be aware of for MDM-bypassed systems?

My Goal: Primarily need Xcode support, so leaning toward Ventura for stability, but open to Sonoma if it works reliably with my setup.

Has anyone successfully upgraded an MDM-bypassed 2015 MBP with OCLP? Any advice or gotchas I should know about?

Thanks in advance!