by Henry Bueltmann
You can probably tell by my previous article that I know a lot about computers. I’ve been working with them all my life. When I was younger I used only Macs, so I have a lot of experience with how they work. A few years ago I switched to Windows and I never looked back. Here’s why.
Price and hardware
This is the easiest one to talk about. Macs are expensive compared to most other computers, with a new MacBook Air starting at $1,199 and a new MacBook Pro or iMac starting at $1,299. But if you want a good MacBook Air, with 16GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage (basic expectations for a laptop this price), it goes up to $1,899. A Windows laptop with 16GB RAM, 1TB storage, and an 8 core CPU costs just $859. In addition, you can get a great gaming laptop with those specs that also has dedicated graphics for just $1,299, capable of effectively running any video game and easily performing any productivity task such as using Adobe programs. The price of a Mac is simply not justified by its hardware, especially when compared to laptops with similar or even better hardware. For $1,899 you can buy a high end touchscreen folding laptop or a high end gaming laptop.
Operating system and software
Macs run OS X, Apple’s proprietary operating system. This is a problem, as the vast majority of software is developed for Windows and will not work on OS X. This means that most games and applications will be completely inaccessible from a Mac. In addition, the new M1 and M2 chips that Apple uses work completely differently than a normal Intel processor, meaning older software that isn’t completely changed to run on Apple Silicon just won’t run at all, and developers have to go through extra work to port their software over to Mac. All the power in M2 is much less useful if you can’t even run a lot of the software that demands that power. OS X is also much more restrictive than Windows, meaning you can’t actually do as much with your own laptop versus a Windows or Linux laptop that you have full control over. On older Intel Macs you can replace OS X with Windows or Linux as you please, but on a newer M1 or M2 Mac this is impossible, forcing you to keep running their operating system.
Removal of features and addition of flaws
Recently Apple has begun removing all the useful ports from their computers in the pursuit of thinness and style. This makes it much more difficult to customize your workspace with your own peripherals, forcing you to buy Apple brand items that work with their computers. Plugging in your own keyboard or mouse, plugging in an Android to upload photos, or plugging in a second monitor are fantasies of the past with the new iMacs. But hey, it’s in red now.
The new Mac laptops have notches for their webcams like on the iPhones. I don’t even need to comment on how ridiculous that is. They could have easily made the webcam protrude from the top, such as on the Lenovo Legion 5.
But instead they chose to obscure their display with an ugly black notch.
Anti repair/upgrade
The majority of laptops allow you to replace or upgrade RAM, storage, WiFi card, and some other parts in the laptop. With Apple’s new M1 and M2 chips this is completely impossible due to nearly every part being soldered to the chip. This means the longevity of the device is severely limited, and when just one part breaks you either need a very expensive repair or a new laptop. The only real way to upgrade the device is buying a new one and transferring your files over.
Summary
Windows offers more software options, better hardware, better price, and doesn’t sacrifice core features or add flaws. I highly recommend a laptop by Lenovo, Asus, MSI, HP, Acer, or other reputable manufacturers for a better laptop that is cheaper than a MacBook. Apple just is not worth it anymore and does not make good products or sell at a reasonable price.
Comments