The never-ending debate over which is best between Windows and Mac won’t be resolved anytime soon. Some fans will always think Windows is best, while others won’t touch it after using the Mac Mini and other Apple products. I’m on the fence. I was a long-time fan who swore by MacBooks due to their refined designs, power, and efficiency. I’ve now switched to Windows, primarily for gaming and customization options, and have never looked back.
Honestly, both are great, and the right one for you depends on your preferences. I think people are hesitant to try different platforms because they are happy in their comfort zones and don’t want surprises. I was the same, and I didn’t expect these four things I wish somebody had told me about Windows before I switched to it.
4
Varying performance levels
It depends on your budget
During my time in the Apple bubble, my desktop and laptop choices were limited to a handful of pricey models, with no option for anything else. These offerings varied in specs, but still offered a consistent experience and a relatively high performance level to handle most tasks easily. They all had the latest hardware, and I was assured of a certain standard and decent capabilities regardless of the model I chose.
Windows opened a new world because I now had the overwhelming choice of thousands of laptops and desktops to choose from. I could easily build models for specific tasks or choose laptops to meet a particular budget. The disadvantage is the lack of consistency in Windows performance, which varies depending on the specifications, brand, and components used.
To put this into perspective, I enjoy exceptional performance from my high-end gaming laptop, but I become disappointed when I use my wife’s mid-tier HP laptop, as it becomes sluggish with too many open browser windows. It’s worse for budget-conscious buyers because their entry-level machines provide a watered-down Windows experience that doesn’t do the OS justice.
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3
Inconsistent software quality
Quantity over quality
Windows offers a significantly wider software selection for every imaginable task. Every app, from graphics and productivity software, is available, and Windows users are spoiled for choice in every area. There is also no doubt that Windows is the best platform for gaming, as it offers the broadest range of compatible titles and hardware.
On the other hand, the quality of compatible Windows software varies by vendor and can be inconsistent. I find that many apps, especially those developed by smaller companies, either don’t work as advertised or, in some cases, fail to function at all, generating errors. One reason for this is that many sites offer Windows software and can’t test every app to the stringent standards of Apple’s App Store.
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2
More threats to worry about
Requires more caution
One of the downsides of Windows is its susceptibility to viruses and other internet-based threats. Life was predictably boring on my Mac, and I took my protection for granted because I hadn’t experienced any security issues after years of heavy-duty use. I didn’t bother with a third-party antivirus and relied on the built-in X Protect antivirus and Gatekeeper software, which effectively kept threats at bay without impacting performance.
Installing an antivirus was the first thing I did on Windows, and the overwhelming range of free and paid options blew me away. I eventually settled on the paid version of Norton, which does the job and picks up far more threats than I ever experienced on my Mac. However, it doesn’t detect everything, and I still need Malwarebytes as an alternative to find and remove some threats. My Windows laptop may be more susceptible to security threats than my Mac, but I’ve never encountered serious problems thanks to using high-quality protection.
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1
Requires more TLC
More restarts required
“It just works,” may sound like a tired cliché at this point, but it’s still as accurate as ever regarding Apple’s reliability. That’s not to say that modern Windows 10 and 11 machines aren’t reliable. Otherwise, I wouldn’t use them daily for many tasks. The point I’m making is that I always get more error messages and compatibility issues with Windows than I do with macOS. Unexplained glitches occasionally appear, and my Windows machines require more restarts to rectify issues compared to Apple alternatives.
I think the reason for this is simple. Apple’s hardware and software are tailor-made for each other, ensuring 100% compatibility. It’s the same with most macOS apps, which are guaranteed to work with specific hardware. Windows, on the other hand, works on a vast range of machines with widely varying specifications and hardware. The compatible apps must also work on countless different makes and models. This makes it impossible to have the same level of integration and compatibility with all of them, and a few issues are bound to happen.
What other things did I wish somebody had told me about Windows before I switched to it?
I initially found it challenging to sync my files from my iPhone to my Windows PC, after being accustomed to seamless integration within a single ecosystem. Otherwise, none of the above points are dealbreakers for me, and I consider them facts to be aware of before switching platforms.
