Ask Engadget: Is it a superb time to maneuver to Macs from Home windows?

Q: I am a Gen X Home windows consumer, I have been constructing my very own programs for many years, and I work primarily in 3D design for the constructing and development trade. I wish to know should you really feel switching to Mac is smart with all this pointless tariff turmoil?

I have been attempting to make the leap for years … I really feel like I want somebody to only inform me to go for it and never look again. — Jim from Bainbridge Island, Washington

A: It is undoubtedly a good time to make the soar from Home windows to Macs. The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are among the many highest-rated laptops we have reviewed over the previous few years, and the Mac mini and iMac are additionally incredible options for desktop customers. There is definitely a little bit of a studying curve when leaping platforms, but it surely’s largely only a drawback should you require specialised software program that solely runs on Home windows.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

What are the advantages of transferring from Home windows to Mac?

There are three huge benefits from switching from Home windows to Mac.

Pace

In the meanwhile, the most important benefit is the sheer pace of Macs. That is totally due to Apple Silicon, the corporate’s customized chips which are constructed to be environment friendly and really quick. In our benchmarks, even probably the most fundamental M4 chip blows away a lot of the {hardware} from Intel and AMD. Apple’s benefit solely grows as you progress as much as its Professional, Max and Extremely chips.

Apple Silicon’s pace would not simply present up in benchmarks. It is easy to see that trendy Macs, even the entry-level MacBook Air, really feel zippier than comparably-priced Home windows PCs. That goes for all the things together with net shopping and workplace productiveness apps, in addition to extra advanced duties like rendering video. Apple’s chips additionally embody some {powerful} graphics cores, providing you with the flexibility to simply run many video games from the App Retailer. Whilst you definitely would not mistake any Mac as a real gaming PC, I used to be nonetheless stunned that the MacBook Air was capable of run a posh new sport like Lies of P in 1080p at 60 fps.

Battery life

Since Apple Silicon relies on Arm’s cellular chip structure, it is also much more environment friendly than Intel and AMD’s extra demanding CPUs. That results in killer battery life throughout the board for Mac laptops. Each the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air lasted properly over 18 hours in our video benchmark, whereas the MacBook Professionals went past 30 hours. In real-world utilization, you may anticipate most Macs to final two full work days with no need a cost. Macs additionally have a tendency to carry their cost in standby mode much better than PCs, so you may have a bit extra religion that they’re going to be able to work the moment you flip them on.

Sturdiness

After reviewing Macs for the final 15 years, and supporting them as an IT employee for a decade earlier than that, I may also confidently say that Mac {hardware} lasts longer than PCs. Apple’s aluminum circumstances face up to bumps and drops much better than a budget plastic you may discover on some PCs. Now that is to not say they’re resistant to put on and tear, however from what I’ve seen Macs simply have a tendency to carry up properly. When you do have to get one thing mounted, it is also comparatively simple to get that achieved at an Apple Retailer, as an alternative of delivery a Home windows PC off to its maker.

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch from the front

What are the downsides of switching from Home windows to Macs?

Whereas I believe it’s value making the soar to Macs total, there are a number of downsides:

Home windows to Mac studying curve

Given how a lot of our computing lives revolve round cloud apps like Gmail and Google Docs as of late, transferring to Macs primarily entails studying the fundamentals of Apple’s platforms. Putting in software program exterior of the App Retailer works a bit in another way than Home windows — you typically have to tug an app to the Purposes folder, as an alternative of clicking by an installer. Apple’s trackpads additionally do not assist right-clicking by default. As a substitute, you both have to carry down the Management key and click on, or allow a Secondary Click on characteristic (System Preferences > Trackpad). There you may assign right-clicks to a two-finger faucet, or a faucet on the underside corners of the trackpad.

The macOS Dock may be complicated since it may’t present all your open apps just like the Home windows taskbar can. Subsequently, managing all your open apps could be a ache. My suggestion? Arrange Scorching Corners (System Settings > Desktop and Dock > Scorching Corners) in order that your Mac will reveal your apps everytime you drag your pointer to a nook of your display screen.

Since that characteristic debuted (it was initially referred to as Expose), I’ve set it as much as reveal present app home windows in a single nook, all of my home windows in one other, and the desktop in a 3rd. Apple’s Stage Supervisor, which debuted in macOS Ventura, may also aid you wrangle apps, however I usually solely use that once I wish to give attention to one or two packages.

Lackluster gaming library, restricted improve choices

Apple has traditionally been horrible relating to supporting video games on macOS, but it surely’s getting higher. Current titles just like the aforementioned Lies of P, in addition to Resident Evil Village and Demise Stranding, are available on the app retailer. There are additionally extra titles on Steam delivery with devoted Mac assist, and cloud streaming opens up entry to companies like Microsoft’s Xbox Recreation Move library.

However there’s no means Apple will have the ability to meet up with Home windows relating to total gaming assist anytime quickly. So should you truly care about all the time getting the most recent titles, you may wish to stick to PCs. That is doubly true should you even have any curiosity in ever eager to improve video playing cards, RAM or inside storage choices, all of which are not actually accessible on Macs — together with desktop fashions.

No touchscreen assist

Whereas Apple pioneered the usage of touchscreens with the iPhone and iPad, it’s stubbornly refused to deliver that characteristic over to Macs. So should you’re used to casually flicking a laptop computer’s display screen to scroll, you’re simply out of luck with Macs… for now. A 2023 report claimed that we might even see a touchscreen MacBook Professional this 12 months, but it surely’s unclear if that can truly occur. Personally, I don’t miss having a touchscreen once I use Macs, since Apple’s glass touchpads really feel simply as fluid.

A short historical past of Mac vs. Home windows

The battle between Mac and Home windows is almost as previous because the idea of private computing itself, and it’ll probably by no means finish. In 1983, Apple’s Lisa broke new floor as the primary shopper laptop with a graphical consumer interface (GUI), and the corporate adopted that up with the extra inexpensive Macintosh in 1984. Microsoft countered with Home windows 1.0 in 1985, however the platform did not actually take off till Home windows 3.0 arrived in 1990.

By that time, the philosophical variations between the 2 firms was clear: Apple was extra centered on delivering pleasant consumer experiences for its customized {hardware}, whereas Microsoft constructed up Home windows as a platform that would run on all kinds of computer systems. Consequently, the consumer tradition round each platforms grew to become pretty distinct: Macs grew to become the go-to alternative for anybody working in artistic fields and academia, whereas Home windows was extra centered on workplace work and easy productiveness. There’s additionally all the time been a significant worth distinction between the platforms, as Apple’s customized {hardware} has usually price way over your fundamental Home windows PC.

Through the years, Apple has gone from using Motorola’s PowerPC chips to Intel’s — a transfer that introduced Macs far nearer to Home windows PCs. And most lately, Apple fully modified issues up once more by moving entirely to its own Apple Silicon chips, that are constructed across the similar cellular structure utilized by iPhones and iPads.

Whereas Macs and Home windows stay very distinct, the variations between them have flattened a bit now that we’re counting on so many cloud companies. Utilizing Gmail or Google Docs on a Mac isn’t any completely different than on a Home windows system, in any case.

Which Mac is greatest for you?

It could sound cliche to say this, however Apple’s Mac household now has one thing for everybody (except you’re a hardcore gamer). We’re 4 generations deep into Apple Silicon chips, and all the firm’s {hardware} has seen some useful spectacular revisions. The actual query is determining which Mac is greatest for you.

A observe on pricing: Whereas Apple’s entry-level costs are extra affordable than ever earlier than, they do skyrocket as you add extra RAM and storage. You can also’t add extra reminiscence or storage to Apple Silicon programs down the road, so you may need to suppose arduous about what you want while you purchase a brand new Mac. I might advocate prioritizing extra RAM when potential, as you possibly can all the time use cloud companies or exterior drives for storage past your SSD. I might additionally recommend snagging a brand new Mac quickly should you’re , as there’s an opportunity Apple might begin rising costs to maintain up with tariffs. (Only recently, each Microsoft and DJI have elevated costs for ageing gadgets.)

However should you’re lastly prepared to tug the set off on a brand new Mac, these are your greatest choices proper now. It’s also possible to discover some glorious offers should you search for refurbished M3 and M2 variations of the programs under.

The MacBook Air is the most effective ultraportable laptop computer obtainable as we speak. It’s quick, extremely gentle, has nice battery life and can also be fully silent, because it has no cooling fan. Now that it begins at $999 with 16GB of RAM, it’s additionally a surprisingly whole lot. Except you want the extra ports and improved display screen on the MacBook Professional, the Air shall be all the computer you want for a number of years.

Stepping as much as the MacBook Professional will get you a excessive refresh fee display screen, quicker M4 Professional chips and all kinds of ports (together with extra USB-C connections, a microSD card reader and HDMI). Whereas it’s heavier than the Air, the 14-inch MacBook Professional continues to be comparatively gentle and is better-suited to sustained workloads, like video encoding or 3D rendering. The 16-inch MacBook Professional is just about the identical machine with a bigger display screen.

Beginning at $599 (however typically on sale for a lot much less), the Mac mini is a powerful-yet-tiny field that may outmatch full-sized Home windows desktops. It’s the perfect gateway to the world of Macs if you have already got a monitor, keyboard and mouse you want. The bottom mannequin is {powerful} sufficient to deal with any productiveness job you throw at it, however should you want extra efficiency you may also step as much as the M4 Professional-equipped Mac mini. Along with shrinking it down for this newest revision, Apple additionally appears to have heard my complaints and added two USB-C ports to the entrance of the Mac mini. Along with three extra USB-C ports on the rear, HDMI and Ethernet, the Mac mini serves up a complete array of ports and it’s arduous to consider a extra succesful $600 PC.

Whereas the iMac isn’t the primary all-in-one desktop laptop, it’s popularized the shape issue to the purpose the place most PC makers have their very own copycat merchandise. Now with an M4 chip, the iMac is extra {powerful} than ever, whereas additionally sporting a skinny profile which means it suits proper at residence on a kitchen desk. Its 24-inch display screen is excellent for getting a bit of labor achieved with out dominating a desk, and its audio system additionally sound surprisingly nice. The iMac is the perfect household laptop, one that may be arrange nearly anyplace and be helpful for youths and fogeys alike.

When you want extra energy than the Mac mini, the Mac Studio is a powerhouse of a desktop. Whereas it is nonetheless far smaller than a typical Home windows desktop, its M4 Max and M4 Extremely chips can simply tackle the most effective {hardware} from Intel and AMD. At this level, the Mac Studio is extra of a Mac for professionals than the precise Mac Professional, which is much dearer and extra meant for high-level company work.

Have a tech query you’d like Engadget to reply?

As tech reporters, the Engadget workers is all the time answering questions from readers, family and friends about electronics, software program, gaming, huge tech insurance policies and extra. So we determined to jot down down our solutions. This query got here from a listener of The Engadget Podcast, and has been calmly edited for readability and brevity. When you’ve obtained a tech-related query you’d like us to reply for you, please electronic mail ask@engadget.com.

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