Positive! I’ll admit it. As somebody who’s been testing each Windows and Mac machines for a number of years, the reality is plain. Apple makes higher laptops — don’t @ me.
Why did it take me so lengthy to just accept this? Don’t giggle, however I blame Stockholm syndrome.
Home windows had me in a chokehold for 30 years. I grew up utilizing a chunky, clunky Gateway pc. Upon turning it on, I heard the soothing chime of the Home windows 95 startup sound, whisking me away right into a world of Solitaire, Minesweeper, Paint, Web Explorer and extra.
It was my escape to a different dimension.
Home windows was the OG and I had no need to present Apple an opportunity — despite the fact that Microsoft abused me with PC-wrecking pressured updates, privateness breaches and safety vulnerabilities. Like a sufferer who saved working again into the arms of their captor, I’m sure Stockholm syndrome saved me shackled to Microsoft’s less-than-satisfactory ecosystem.
Why I am sticking with macOS
As a laptop computer reviewer who runs checks and benchmarks for dwelling, I now see the sunshine. Not solely are the best MacBooks sometimes extra performant than Home windows machines, however they’re additionally extra sturdy. From my 13-inch HP Envy x360 to my Lenovo Legion 7i gaming laptop computer, one thing all the time goes awry with the construct high quality in below two years.
In the meantime, save for being a fingerprint magnet, my midnight blue M2 MacBook Air nonetheless appears pretty much as good as new — even after dropping it a couple of occasions.
And don’t get me began on the battery life. With Home windows machines, put together to be chained to an outlet all day. MacBooks, however, are power-efficient beasts, due to the energy-preserving M-series chips. To be honest, although, PCs are enhancing in battery life, particularly these shifting away from Intel chips in favor of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite processors (which you may discover make up quite a lot of our listing for best laptops for battery life).
“However what about gaming?” some say. “MacBooks aren’t constructed for that!” Apple is slowly enhancing its gaming capabilities, however they’re proper. Macs haven’t totally caught up. However the fact is, I can’t stand gaming laptops. They’re cumbersome, power-hungry and nowhere close to as transportable as my Steam Deck.
Regardless of my newfound love for MacBooks, I nonetheless discover myself lacking some features of Home windows. That being mentioned, listed here are 5 causes I’m nonetheless wistful of PCs.
The place Home windows nonetheless wins
1. Finder might be higher
Much like Home windows’ file administration, Apple’s Finder on macOS has its flaws, however my largest gripe is the inconsistent search efficiency. Generally, Finder fails to discover sure information.
For instance, I’ve two photographs labeled “Samsung occasion” under.
However once I search Finder with the phrases “Samsung Occasion,” Finder can’t discover them. What provides? On Home windows, I may discover these photographs in a flash.
2. Why are saved screenshots defaulted to the desktop?
Every time I take screenshots on Mac (which I typically do to avoid wasting order affirmation pages or humorous tweets), Apple throws them proper up onto my desktop. Fortunately, this can be a fixable quirk. Use the Command + Shift + 5 shortcut to open the Screenshot app and click on on the “Choices” button. Subsequent, click on “Different location” and select your required location for screenshots.
Apple is commonly applauded for delivering a sophisticated, out-of-the-box expertise with out requiring a lot tinkering on the buyer’s half. So you possibly can perceive why this default setting baffles me — screenshots cluttering the desktop get messy.
3. Downloading packages is odd, however I perceive the profit
On Home windows, you obtain a program, click on on it, and undergo a seamless set up course of. On macOS, I discovered the set up course of to be fairly odd, significantly for packages exterior of the Apple Retailer (e.g., Google Chrome).
After downloading a .dmg file, I then have to pull it into the Functions folder. Subsequent, I’ve to seek out this system in Launchpad.
Don’t get me unsuitable. This course of isn’t tough nor convoluted — and there’s a safety purpose behind this drag-and-drop tactic. It prevents automated installations with out the person’s permission. Nevertheless, I can’t assist however miss Home windows’ uninterrupted circulation to the obtain course of, with prompts asking if I’d wish to launch this system after the set up is full.
4. FaceID – the place is it?
Home windows laptops that characteristic IR-based webcams allow me to make use of facial biometric authentication. In different phrases, as soon as I open the lid, my face is rapidly scanned to confirm me because the rightful person — and I’m off to the races.
On macOS, I depend on Touch ID, and it really works flawlessly, however I can’t assist however miss the broader vary of biometric choices accessible on Home windows. Let’s not overlook the conspicuous FaceTime digital camera notch dipping into my treasured MacBook Air’s display screen — if it’s going to take up that a lot house, it would as nicely justify its presence with extra performance.
5. No ‘Paint’ equal
Paint is arguably probably the most primary, rudimentary Home windows graphics editor app — in the event you may even name it that. I by no means thought I’d miss it, however I do. As a former Home windows person, I’d typically used Paint for minor photograph edits. For instance, if there was a blemish on somebody’s pores and skin or a distracting artifact on a photograph, Paint — an intuitive app with little-to-no studying curve — is a simple program for cleansing up photographs.
If I needed to rapidly add a background to clear PNG photographs, which I typically work with as a tech journalist who typically receives product photographs, Paint made this course of fast and simple. Plus, with Copilot+ PCs, Windows has made using Paint even better.
Sadly, macOS doesn’t have a preinstalled Paint equal. Even relating to third-party packages, discovering an app that’s equally easy and light-weight has been difficult.
Not dealbreakers
Though I miss sure features of Home windows-based laptops, I’m relieved that I’ve lastly pried myself away from Microsoft’s clutches. Not one of the aforementioned gripes are deal breakers. I’m completely satisfied to go away behind all of the botched upgrades, vitality inefficiency, ridiculous bloatware, awkward file switch programs, cyberattack susceptibility and extra.
As talked about, Home windows PCs are regaining their footing with the introduction of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chipsets, with the current Dell XPS 13 proving it. However for now, I’ve no need to ditch my sturdy M2 MacBook Air for a poorly constructed Home windows machine.
