While deciding to purchase a new computer, individuals often come face to face with the question of whether to get a Mac or a PC. Mac is based on Apple’s very own Mac OS which is often called OS X, while any computer system with a Windows interface is referred to as PC. Although you can install any of these operating systems on most devices, they often come pre-installed in their very own branded devices.
As these systems vary greatly from one another in terms of design, user experience, and software package the ultimate choice of selecting either one of these depends on what you are hoping to achieve from your computer. To make things easier for you, let’s go through the dimensions of these computer systems which hopefully will help you decide which platform you should settle upon.
Design & Form Factor
Let’s start off with the design and form factor of both of these systems.
Whether you decide to buy a tablet, laptop, or desktop, you will have loads of possibilities in terms of screen size, port selection, resolution, visual aesthetics, and many more of the device you are going to build or purchase. Desktop sizes can range from a Mini PC to a Full Tower and you can select between these for finding the form factor that suits you the best.
Mac systems however are very limited in terms of design and form factor choice. Most Mac laptops such as the Macbook Pro and Mackbook Air come in three size variants, 13, 15, and 16-inch. As for other Mac systems, we have the All-in-Ones and a handful of tablet sizes. In terms of design and form factor, your choices are limited to screen size, touchscreen support, and 2-in-1 capabilities.
Though Mac devices are highly portable, clean, and pretty minimalist compared to a full-fledged PC. They look and feel premium and are designed to fit the status quo. Take the MacMini for example. A super compact mini PC that is loaded with performance upgrades.
Modifications & Specifications
With that aside, let’s talk about what powers these systems up and how many modifications can be done to them for future upgradability.
At the very beginning, Macintosh systems used to have Motorola 68000 Processors on them. Apple transitioned to intel in the mid-2000 and later integrated their very own M1 chip in early 2021. M1 is considered a system-on-a-chip and is very well capable in terms of processing power and graphical performance.
PCs however often have Intel or AMD chip integration on them and these brands have a huge amount of processor selections to offer, running from budget options to outright performance chips. Besides that, PCs have lots of room for upgradability starting from cooling solutions to components upgradability while Mac systems are simple, straightforward, and rely heavily on accessories.
Operating System & Software
The major difference between a Mac and a PC is their operating system. This is what sets them apart from one another. As mentioned earlier, Mac devices often use the Mac OS while PCs have mostly Windows on them.
Operating system differences often result in these systems having different kinds of software for a similar set of tasks. Take video editing, for example, Windows users often use Premiere Pro and After Effect while Mac users often rely on Final Cut Pro. It is highly debatable on which one is better than the other even though Mac software are known for their smooth functioning User Interface.
However, there is a catch. If you decide to buy a Mac you can get the best of both worlds by installing windows on it. On the other hand, using macOS on a windows based system requires a lot of effort. First, a 64-bit Intel processor is a must. You also need a separate storage device that didn’t have Windows ever installed on it. You might even face several issues along the way while using macOS on a windows based platform.
Ecosystem
We live in a dynamic tech world where we are constantly switching between devices to jump from one activity to another. Also, working with external devices such as an external monitor, storage or eGPU requires you to have certain types of port and connectivity options.
While choosing either PC or MAC, you need to keep in mind that your additional devices are compatible with either of the system so that you don’t face difficulty while working with them.
Pricing
Mac systems are limited in comparison to Windows as you get loads and loads of configuration options on them. This allows you to build almost any kind of system you want starting from entry-level ones at a budget pricing to super-expensive ones with powerful components. Currently, the 24-inch Apple iMac integrates their latest M1 Chip, up to 16Gigs of RAM and 2TB of storage that is priced around 1299 dollars. You get a handful of storage and color options and that is pretty much it.
As for the laptop segment, the pricing of Windows laptops is versatile as there are plenty of brands with their long line of product offerings. You can get a windows laptop for basically anything, starting from regular usage to high-scale rendering with top-of-the-line GPU as per your budget.
The same limitation of Mac systems holds true for their laptops as well given that they only have MacBook Pro and MacBook Air with a decent amount of configuration at a fairly higher price tag. Although pricy, Apple devices offer powerful processing in a minimalist approach that fits most creative’s status quo.
Final Verdict
So which one should you get? The choice completely depends on the types of task you will be performing on them. Mac is more creative friendly, feels premium, and fits the status quo while PC is for a broad range of activities such as gaming, executive, and stationary usage.
If you are a content producer, creative artist, or want to fit the status quo without caring much about the price tag, then you should go for the Mac. And if you are a gamer or want a system that can be upgraded independently to fit your purpose, then PC is the best choice for you.
