I use both and like both. I've been impressed with Windows 10. I don't really like the Apple's push to make everything like an iPhone but still prefer MacOS over Windows 10.

As far as hardware, I've found that Apple's computers last longer than the Dells and HPs I've owned. Even though Apple is more expensive, I believe they're cheaper in the long run. I'm on a five year old 15" MacBook Pro right now, and it still feels new and is very fast.

Apples generally have better aesthetics, too. Although, the new Microsoft tablet computers are really nice.

Mac

Note that there are different categories of machines. The consumer-grade hardware is a little junkier/cheaper than the business-class or professional-class hardware. I've had business class hardware last 10 years or more before retiring it.

One thing Apple does better is entry-level video editing. The entry-level stuff on the windows platform isn't that great and sometimes has stability issues (although adobe premiere elements isn't too bad). High-end video editing between the platforms is about equal--each platform has basically two major go-to options. Windows is a lot more versatile when it comes to the available conversion tools for importing and exporting for a variety video formats. But, if you're basically importing from one source and uploading MP4's online or authoring a basic video DVD, either platform would work.

Given how much other Apple stuff you already have, and the general build quality of Macbook Pros, that seems like a no-brainer to me.

Having said that, I have to use Windows 10 at work, and while I still prefer Mac OS, it’s come a long way since the Windows 7 days.

Agree 100%.

I use both for business and have for over 6 years (used both).

Also keep in mind the up front cost of your device but do NOT FORGET the possible ongoing annual costs involved with owning a Windows laptop vs. Mac.

A couple that people overlook are AntiVirus and Microsoft products which are essentially free with a Mac (OS X office suite of Numbers/Pages/Keynote), for all basic home user type word processing apps and such. Plus, if you have an iPhone, it crosses over well.

If you are ok with OpenOffice or Google apps, and free AV, Windows could be more affordable but as others have mentioned, the hardware will not last nearly as long. A lot of times with laptop hardware, you get out of it what you paid for it.

Mac all the way.

We have 4 macs (1 x 10 yr laptop - a little slow now in comparison but problem free)( 2 desktops and 1 mac mini) running at home and use Windows at work.

- no need for virus protection as 4x encrypted and regular updates keeps the computers running nice
- free OS updates
- awesome for photo management
- great for video editing and managment
- App store is great for computer software (games to little handy programs)
- good for running Parallels so you can run Windows on a mac - for me runs 3D solidworks better than my windows laptop

overall yes they are a little more expensive but they are high spec to begin with and run more efficiently for alot longer and last longer - mac all the way

The problem with the PC ecosystem is that a lot of people buy the cheapest junk available (such as a $250 toshiba or acer laptop) then complain that it doesn't last long. There are plenty of good quality, long-lasting options if you spend a bit more.

LibreOffice is the go-to option these days for an installed software suite. It was a fork of OpenOffice after development stalled a few years back.

Maybe on Windows but on mac OSX, I disagree. With OS X, if you are not going to use Google Apps or the iWork suite, OpenOffice is much more stable and easier to deploy and manage long term. I realize it's discontinued now and we are investigating other options such as LibreOffice but it was a great product while it lasted.

agree snyper2099 , pages and numbers is the equivalent to Windows Excel and Word and work easier and can except windows files

also programs like illustrator are great on Macs.

Macs are designed for the artistic types (video, music, art etc) as well as the general public

If you want it to last for 15 years and never spend another dime on it, Mac.

Waiting for my damn Mac Pro (16 years old) to die so I can get a new one.......still waiting.....

That's not quite true. While OS X isn't targeted nearly as often as Windows, it is still wise to install antivirus software. There are viruses and trojans floating around that specifically target Macs.

That's not unique to Apple. Windows and Linux platforms have that too.

Entry level, yes. Professional/high-end, it's about even.

It's a closed garden. There are a lot more software options (and games) available for the windows platform, which isn't restricted to one company's approval.

Is the hardware identical between your computers? I'm guessing you laptop has less powerful hardware in it.

What about all the software you have to pay for in the app store? The windows platform has a lot more free software floating around.

What about adapters, chargers, and other accessories? Apple branded stuff is ridiculously expensive--you're paying for the brand recognition. Adapters and chargers and whatnot for the PC ecosystem are very inexpensive.

Also, the product support lifecycle is a lot shorter on Macs (unpublished EOL cycles, but seems to be about 3-4 years before support/updates are dropped) than Windows (published EOL cycles, about 10+ years before support/updates are dropped).

It works fine on windows too.

That's a misconception. That's just Apple's marketing department talking--and they do have a very effective marketing department.

I can't comment on how well libreoffice works on OSX, but it does work well on windows. I just know an installer is available for OSX.

My wife's MacBook and iPad have both had problems, not minor ones either. My 8 year old ASUS laptop works like it did the day I bought it, best laptop I've ever owned. I'm using it now to type this post. Built like a tank and Windows 10 is so far superior to Mac's OS it's not even close. I've been using Windows 10 since day 1 and it's been flawless for me, I love it.

Is windows 8 an option?

This is true. if you but a $250 laptop, you are getting junk. I paid about $1,200 for my ASUS 15.6" laptop, it's awesome.

Windows blows, go Mac.

Haha

The Mac I own, has all the software I need.

Only problem with it is after 8 years the OS becomes obsolete and it will only support an OS that will also be obsolete in another 8 years.

Win10.

I use both on a regular basis for work. Macs do somethings better than pc's, but that gap is narrowing fast.

Mac
Expensive

Need adapters to plug ANYTHING in

Need to buy a new one every 3 years due to planned obsolescence

Annoying os

Constant updates to software that remove things you use every day and then theyre gone all of a sudden with no explanation or ability to go back

Pc
Cheaper machine with same power

Usb, hdmi, etc ports (mine has usb hdmi and usb c)

Software is controlled by YOU not a software updater that updates software and then doesnt allow you to roll back

I prefer the freedom of pc. Much like I like the freedom of my android tablet over an ipad. BUT, I prefer my iphone over an android phone. I just dont care for android as a phone os.

Take my comments for what they are, advice. You can do what you want, but I find once you buy a mac, you will be spending out the ass to buy more and more apple stuff until they got you by the balls. Theyre a consumer company that wants you to buy new stuff constantly to support their bottom line.

Do you want to live in constant fear of having to "eject" thumb drives? that always cracks me up.

When did they start that? I'm still using my 2009 Mac and recently updated it to El Capitan.

I like my Macs. I had a Bondi iMac. Then moved to one G-4, then two G-4s, then a G-5, and now a 2006 Mac Pro. I also have a 2008 Macbook. An iPhone 4S. I also have one Windows XP pee cee because sometimes you still need pee cee.

It used to be that anything you wanted to buy for your Mac was proprietary and more expensive. Now, replacement hard drives etc. are compatible with both platforms. It is easier to own a Mac today.

But here is my beef with Apple: You pay a premium for Apple's nice hardware designs, but the premium price you pay does not amount to all that much because in about 10 years Apple will label your Mac obsolete. I realize everybody has to make a living but Apple trying to force me to go buy a new Mac for thousands of dollars pisses me off.

In the "old" days, computers were slower. My Bondi iMac was 233 mhz. By today's standards, it was dog slow. The G-3 got faster, the G-4 got faster still. We went to the store and bought the latest gee-whiz Mac or PC because they were getting faster. By 2006, the year of my Mac Pro at 2.6 ghz is as fast as I will ever need. I don't need to replace this 2006 Mac Pro. But Apple is making it harder for me to keep it.

Issue #1) Thanks Apple, but I really prefer to buy a DVD with the latest operation system as opposed to your new way of giving me the latest OS for free. You see, I know what you are doing with this free OS upgrade stuff. You are taking control away from me. I upgraded my 2008 MacBook to OS 10.9, but found out I liked OS 10.8 better, but since I don't have an OS DVD I cannot go back to the earlier system that I like better since you have made that OS installer disappear. With the enticement of "free" upgrades you pulled control of how I use my Mac into your court and I do not have a say in the matter. I'm stuck with 10.9 and cannot go back to 10.8.

Issue #2) Apple, I was really impressed with the sneaky the way you time-bombed my OS 10.7 Lion software installer. But I figured you out and I can play your game. That was real tricky the way you tried to make the think my installer was broken. I wondered if you time-bombed the installer and so I rolled my computer's clock back to make this 2006 Mac Pro look like it was only 9 years old. And when I rolled the clock back I learned my OS 10.7 installer works just fine ( My current install is starting to act up and I am going to be doing another time rollback to re-install OS 10.7 shortly).

Issue #3) My 2006 Mac Pro works just fine, but I see you are starting to break things; Things like your Safari browser that does not work well at all anymore. And I see you have Google Chrome slowly breaking things for my version of Google Chrome, as well. Firefox is not playing your "we want you to upgrade" game. So, I find myself resorting to more Firefox usage. But I feel you will eventually figure out how to make Firefox toe the line and I will have to upgrade (spend more money) to a new Mac just so I can have a browser that works.

Issue #4) Apple, when I needed to buy a new printer, practices you used to try to get me to toss out this perfectly serviceable 2006 Mac Pro are bordering on shameless It was like one month I was shopping for a printer and when I made my decision to buy one month later, the printer manufacturer introduce a brand new line up of printers, and son of a bitch, there were no drivers for OS 10.7 Lion with the new printers. But I beat you at your game; I found the earlier model of the printer, with the drivers I needed, for sale on Amazon.

So, Apple I realize you need to keep the upgrade cycle going but I pay a premium for your products and really do not appreciate how you try to force me to throw away a perfectly good computer. Even if it is 10 years old.

Sorry, man. Mac Pro did not hit the streets until 2006. 11 years old max.

Sorry....I have the Pro, but also the G4...that's what I meant...

Bought a chromebook a while ago as a beater. We have 4 now and almost never touch our mac or pc at home.

LOL. That's funny you mentioned that as last night I bought my first Chromebook and hated it after kicking the tires for about 30 minutes. We're taking it back tonight in exchange for a cheap Win 10 laptop.

So true. People buy $300-400 windows laptops then they compare them to mac's that cost 1-2K.

My wifes macbook (last generation with a super drive) wont update to el capitan. It wont let her go past yosemite. Its more than 3 years old, but at my job, we have to update mac models about every 3 years to make sure everything works together in harmony.

Yeah, I tried to update from Snow Leopard to Sierra and couldn't do it. So El Capitan it is and that is as new an OS as it will take. But hey with already near ten trouble free years, I'm not complaining.

This always reminds me of those JJP vs. Stern discussions. lol.

I use Windows at work and it works fine. But for home use I really got my money's worth out of that Mac.

My kid started out with a Windows laptop and it was a pain to keep it going even with antivirus. Now she's had her Macbook for the last several years, and says once you go Mac, you never go back.

A little more on this "we are going to break your machine because WE NEED you to upgrade:

I'm a good Ebay shopper and recently bought one of those Hewlett-Packard 4600/4670 scanjet scanner so I can scan some play field stuff with that glass-bottomed scanner. That nice scanner that has pretty much been made obsolete by design.

Now, I can get the drivers for XP at HP's website but I really don't even need to do that because the Windows XP system already has the software installed that allows me to make play field scans.

But for the Mac? HP's web site had made all Mac software for this scanner disappear. It is just gone. I suppose I can't blame HP for this because when Apple moved the OS X system from OS 10.6 to OS 10.7, the move to the Intel chips was complete and Rosetta was no longer a needed item. So, a lot of toys got left in the dust when move to Intel chips was complete. the 4600/4670 Scanjet was one of those items to get left behind.

But, dammit to hell, Apple and HP, I beat you at your obsolescence game. You see, I kept my old G-4s hidden away. My Ebay find shipped in with the original discs and I got the drivers I needed. I even have a cart that holds the G-4, keyboard, and monitor and I can roll to anywhere I need and scan whatever the "F" I need without the two of you trying to shut me down .

Here is a patch that may let you update that Macbook.

https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac-software/how-install-macos-sierra-on-older-mac-3654960/

Oh wow, thanks! Ill check this out when Im off next week. Thanks againz

I have both. As an avid gamer, PC. For everything else, Mac.

Nice! It looks like I may be able to get 20 years out of this thing after all.

Castrol or Valvoline? LED's or Incandescent? Stern or JJP? Same argument.

Macbook Pro and in 5 years it will still run the latest OS and look the dogs bollocks!

I use Castrol, but they say people who know use Valvoline.

download (2) (resized).jpg

Yes, same here. When I got the Pro with ElCap I couldn't use my scanner. I set up the old G4 downstairs and hooked it back up so I could scan stills.
The scanners are so cheap now I may upgrade just so I don't have to walk downstairs....

Defenestrate!

I was forced to start using an apple laptop for work a few years ago, after reluctantly giving up the Toshiba i had been happily using with XP for years. I had just started getting interested in some of the features in Windows 7 (better at switching keyboard input language, for example) when 8 jumped out to frustrate everyone who didn't use a touchscreen.
My new job has provided me with an HP all set up with Windows 10 and MS office 365 and some other random (cr)aps, but i keep finding myself using my personal (4-year-old) macbook air instead all the time out of frustration with windoze. I am sure some if it is just that i have not figured out the proper settings/configurations to adjust it to the way i want to use it, but it's certainly encouraged me to get off the fence that i was climbing around on the last few years.

To reiterate: DEFENESTRATE.

(yes, i do just like saying that word)

I had mine checked just last month!

My son recently got a brand new 15" MacBook Pro, and I can't stand the thing. Maybe it's because I'm so used to Windows, but I just despise Apple's OS. It seems like every little thing you try to do is twice as difficult on a Mac. They're also really expensive. I tried to talk my son out of the Mac, because he could have had a much more powerful Windows machine with a way nicer graphics card for substantially less money.

No. It is not the same.

It is much easier to get in and manipulate the files on a Mac than on a PC. Granted, if you are PC centric and have studied the PC Koolaid you can get around pretty good. But for novice, or someone who needs to keep his computer tuned up, Pee Cee's don't come close to a Mac. Also granted, Apple is making it somewhat harder to get in there and keep your files tuned up, but Pee Cee's don't cut the mustard in this respect.

For the average user, Macs still just work.

Switched all of my family's computers to Mac and will never go back. Bought my wife a MacBook pro with Touch Bar which I think is awesome. Can't wait until they bring that to the desktop lines. I have a Mac pro (the trashcan) with 32GB of RAM and it will do anything you need and then some.

The Dell I had for work was an LT business class. It worked well, but became an absolute dog after about six years.

The new Microsoft pro-level tablet computers look legit, though. They feel like a true comparable to Apple's computers in terms of being sleek, solid, and well designed.

I would like to upgrade my 2006 Mac Pro with the Trashcan, but Apple went to that Thunderbolt connector for the monitor(s) and lost the DVI connectors. I don't think my Apple monitors with the ADC-to-DVI adaptors will work and I'm not sure any monitor with DVI connection would work. I thank would need to buy new monitors for the Trashcan, but not absolutely sure.