I switched from a Windows PC to a MacBook 3 years ago: here’s why I stayed

In December 2021, I changed my personal computer from a Windows PC to a 14-inch M1 Max MacBook Pro. Although it was an expensive purchase costing over $3000, I don’t regret it in the slightest, especially after getting used to macOS.

1 The Apple ecosystem is simply excellent

One thing that has always fascinated me about macOS is the cohesiveness of the Apple ecosystem. Apple designs its operating systems according to specific hardware, and each piece of hardware “talks” to each other.

Now that I have an Apple ecosystem consisting of a MacBook, an iPhone, a pair of AirPods, and an iPad, I can see why people enjoy it so much. For example, since most of my friends use iPhones, I can send them text messages directly from my MacBook. I also often use my iPad as a secondary monitor on the road with the Sidecar feature. I even enjoy switching my AirPods between my devices.

There are other benefits like copying on one device and pasting on another which saves a lot of hassle. I no longer have to email something to my iPhone just to open it on my Windows PC.

You can enjoy many of these benefits on Windows if you have an Android device with Phone Link. You can also use alternatives like Google Drive and WhatsApp for similar benefits.

That said, I don’t think the Apple ecosystem alone is worth switching from Windows to macOS. But if you’re switching for battery, performance, and portability, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the MacBook.

2 MacBooks better balance battery, performance and form factor

As a content creator, I bought the MacBook Pro mainly for high-performance video editing on the go without needing a power outlet for peak performance. This is what Apple advertised and this is what I got.

My MacBook Pro weighs just under 4 pounds, is incredibly thin, and has a form factor small enough to fit into any backpack with a minimal load. I can edit 4K videos on the go with rare performance hiccups for at least two hours straight – all without charging.

However, Windows laptops are catching up in these areas, which can be seen especially with the “hybrid architecture” of Intel’s 12th generation and later processors with efficient and powerful cores. That said, if the results are similar, I’d rather have Apple’s ecosystem and reliability.

3 macOS is more reliable and less prone to errors

Many Mac ads use phrases like “it just works” when describing the computer. After three years, I can confirm that these claims are quite valid. My MacBook has crashed about four times in the three years I’ve had it, while my Windows gaming PC experiences blue screens many times a year.

The only consistent problem my MacBook faces is memory pressure, but that’s a result of my own poor digital hygiene and leaving too many apps open at once, rather than something I can blame on the device.

On the contrary, Windows 11, even if it is not an unreliable OS in the least, has its unpleasant quirks. As Microsoft added features like Copilot to Windows, it added more ads to the operating system. While you can remove most bloatware from Windows 11, most non-power users wouldn’t bother to figure out how.

Apple’s continued focus on user privacy seems to have avoided many of these native OS bloatware issues compared to Windows.

4 Apple overcomes its disadvantages

When Apple’s silicon Macs first came out, macOS relied heavily on Rosetta 2 to translate programs written for older Intel-based Macs. Rosetta didn’t require a lot of computing power, but it affected macOS’s performance in the early years of Apple’s silicon.

However, in 2024, since Apple silicon is now Apple’s standard chip infrastructure, almost all popular software for macOS is generally written natively for it. This caused Rosetta’s performance hit to disappear almost entirely, except for a few legacy applications.

Similarly, macOS has always had a bad reputation for gaming. Although macOS remains far behind Windows when it comes to gaming capabilities and compatibility, the gap is closing every year.

For example, macOS now supports major titles like Baldur’s Gate 3, Final Fantasy 14, Minecraft, and Hades. macOS also does surprisingly well with emulation. Although performance remains lower than Windows PCs at a comparable price, the ability to play popular titles is quite nice.

In recent years, Apple has been moving towards greater flexibility and compatibility with macOS. Thanks to this, Apple constantly overcomes its biggest disadvantage compared to Windows.

As much as macOS has improved over the years, it’s not the ideal device for all users. I still mainly play games on my Windows PC and many apps still don’t support macOS. However, with the ecosystem, portability, reliability, and constant improvements Apple has made, I truly believe the MacBook is much better for me as a daily driver.