The war between Mac and Windows devotees has been raging for decades, and last week we asked you to weigh in. Today we're taking a look at the best arguments on both sides to offer a clear picture of why you might choose one platform over another. This Post Represents How You Feel We didn't write this post to share our opinions on the Mac versus Windows argument, but rather to aggregate what you, the readers, feel as a whole. This post attempts to represent both sides of the arguments equally, but may be weighted more towards Windows users as Windows is the operating choice for the majority of Lifehacker readers. Please keep this in mind as you read and share your thoughts in the discussions. Mac Hardware Costs Too Much for What You Get Many feel the cost of a Mac is too high for what you get, but others justify the heftier price tag by citing top-tier support, higher quality hardware, and the benefits of the Apple ecosystem. Whether or not you feel those points are accurate, Mac hardwaredoes come with a number of limitations when it comes to specifications. If you want a machine you can upgrade beyond the drive, RAM, or sometimes anything at all, it'll cost you $2,499 for a Mac Pro. Reader (and systems administrator) Stego summarizes this problem nicely: The kicker with Mac, however, is that only a limited selection of hardware is officially sanctioned, and they're no longer the powerhouse machines of yore; few include dedicated GPUs, and those that do cost thousands of dollars (in other words, you can forget about a good gaming experience). If you want a cheaper Mac made by Apple, you're stuck with a computer you can't do much to upgrade and likely won't be able to use for gaming purposes. You can, of course, build a hackintosh to work around this problem. You can still use OS X, get more powerful hardware, and pay a lot less. That said, as Stego notes, the hardware isn't officially sanctioned by Apple meaning you handle the repairs and compatibility could break at any point. Windows Has More Software As reader Chris Vician mentions, Windows has "[t]ons of software. Just tons of it." If app stores offer any indication, he's right. The Windows Store already has over 50,000 apps despite its youth whereas the Mac App Store had a little under 14,000 at the end of its second year. Of course, the Windows Store is also a store for tablet apps, so those numbers may not be a perfect measurement. Mac users could also make a quality-over-quantity argument, but that's largely a matter of personal opinion. From our standpoint, as bloggers who sift through many downloads on each platforms, you'll find plenty of crappy downloads regardless of your platform. While what software you love and use may matter the most when choosing a platform, Windows unquestionably offers more options, at least when it comes to bigger apps like music players, video players, IM clients, and other things of that nature. Of course, both Windows and OS X have their own standout apps that aren't available on the other. The Bottom Line You can discuss the pros and cons of Macs versus Windows PCs in great detail, but here's what it comes down to according to you. Most of you recommend Macs for the following reasons: Macs offer a more straightforward approach to computing with fewer maintenance tasks Macs have fewer viruses and security issues (with the caveats mentioned in the relevant section above, of course) Macs can provide a UNIX-like experience and also have commercial applications Macs software, on average, focuses more on its user interface and making your experience enjoyable than Windows software does Other Apple devices work best with Apple computers Conversely, you recommended Windows PCs for these reasons: Windows PCs provide lots of flexibility and customization (with both hardware and software) Windows PCs offer support for cutting-edge hardware Windows has more software available than any other platform Windows offers great backwards-compatibility Windows provides a great gaming experience thanks to great hardware support and lots of games Windows offers better options for music production Windows is the same platform most of the world uses On average, you felt both platforms were equal in the following categories: Ease of learning Good for designers What are your thoughts about both operating system?. Comment below on how you feel.
I just don't like mac book because of apple . I have a Sony Vaio which is windows and in my opinion it's better than MacBook
it depends on what you are use too use, some people started with Apple and they hate windows and vice versa (started with windows and are hating apple)
Most viruses are made for Windows thus making Mac more secure. In terms of cost, Windows computers are cheaper. Macs are overpriced and you get a little bit of RAM and a little bit of hard drive space.
I work on Windows professionally but prefer my Macbook Pro at the end of the day, it is much more secure and easier to use. Most people get scared by trying something new and venturing out. I agree you are paying a whole lot more than you would for a PC but in about 5 -10 years I also wouldn't have to replace anything.
damn near all DJ uses MAC except for me lol. I cant seems to break away from windows. i love it too much and not a fan of apple every tho their products are really good.
