General design requirements are system agnostic. When you need much more specialized work, like video, VR, 3D or any really memory, graphics, or otherwise processor intensive applications, you will be seeking specialized componants and th.

Apple’s Mac and Windows PC are currently the two leading platforms for most of our day to day computing needs. Hence, this article, providing you with Mac vs PC comparison, in order to help you make an informed decision about whether to buy a Mac or PC.

1. It is agreed that today you can setup a PC or a Mac to work just a well for graphic design work. So let’s think about a few other things There is a factor of control, in a lot of companies all PC are “owned” by the IT department and they try to make everyone have a standard PC, with a standard setup. You have to ask the IT department.
2. Jul 10, 2020 How a Mac and a Windows-Based PC Are Different. The Mac OS supports both a left-click and a right-click for the mouse. In addition, you can hook up the mouse you use on your Windows PC to a Mac. While Apple's Magic Mouse may seem like it is a single button, clicking it from the right side produces a right-click.
3. Jul 11, 2018 Most die-hard Mac or PC fans are primarily attached to the brand they like because of the general interface, but the exterior design can be a major selling point (or detractor) as well.

Mac vs PC Comparison – Whether to Buy Mac Or PC

Once upon a time there was a clear and well defined divide or distinction between PC and Mac users. Those who needed a computer bought a Windows PC and those who had money bought a MacBook – It was that simple!

However, currently the imaginary line between Windows PC and Mac is fading, mostly due to Windows computers trying to compete with Macs in the looks department and becoming as expensive as Macs.

Hence, the question “Should you Buy a Mac or PC” and search for terms like Mac vs PC, Mac Vs Windows PC comparison and similar terms is showing an increasing trend and becoming more relevant to consumers looking to buy computers.

You will find below a listing of both Advantages and Disadvantages of Macs and PCs, which should help you in deciding whether to buy a Mac or a Windows powered PC.

Advantages of Macs

1. The biggest advantage of Macs is that they are well designed, sleek and visually appealing. While Windows computers are trying to match Macs in the looks department, they are ending up costing the same as Macs.

2. Macs come preloaded with almost all the software required to prepare documents (Pages), run spreadsheets (Numbers), create presentations (Keynote) and basic Photo Editing and Video Production software.

In comparison, Windows computers these days are mostly being shipped with trial versions of Microsoft Office.

3. In general, Macs have acquired the reputation of being less complicated, easy to use and trouble free compared to Windows Computers.

4. Software updates on Macs are consistent, effortless and trouble free. In comparison, software updates on Windows computers end up
generating discussions and heightened activity on internet forums

5. Going by past data, chances of being hit by viruses and malware on Macs are less compared to PCs. This could be due to a variety of reasons, ranging from Windows PCs having a larger user base to Windows Software being more familiar and appealing to attackers.

6. All the pre-installed software programs on Macs come directly from Apple and appear to be well tested and optimized to work well on Macs. In comparison, Windows computers suffer from bloatware due to pre-installed software coming from multiple sources – Microsoft, Manufacturer and associated companies.

7. Apple products rank high in terms of quality and customer satisfaction. When you buy a Mac, there is absolutely no doubt that you are getting a product of the highest quality.

It is difficult for Windows Computers to match this level of quality and customer satisfaction due to multiple manufacturers trying to sell Windows computers in multiple configurations.

8. Macs work better and flawlessly with other Apple products. This means that you are better off going for a Mac in case you use an iPhone.

9. The customer support at Apple is consistent, transparent and better compared to Windows Computers. If anything happens to your Mac, you can head straight to the nearest Apple Store in your location and expect support both for hardware and software related problems.

Such level of support is not possible in Windows computers due to software coming from Microsoft and hardware being assembled by a variety of PC manufacturers.

10. Whether you like it or not, Macs appear cooler/trendier and people are willing to pay more for Apple products.

Advantages of Windows PC

1. The biggest advantage of a Windows PC is its availability at multiple price points. Since, Windows PCs come from different manufacturers in multiple configurations, there is always a Windows Computer that can match your budget.

In comparison, Macs are available in limited models and at fixed price points, which you may or may not be able to afford.

2. The second biggest advantage of Windows PC is its productivity software. Most Windows computers come preloaded with Microsoft Office which includes two of the most popular productivity software programs in the world – Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word.

3. In case you are a gamer, you have no option but to go for a Windows PC. Macs simply do not have the Processing power, RAM and high end graphics cards required to play PC games.

4. Windows computers are available in multiple configurations and allow you to choose from various types of Processors, RAM, Storage, Ports, Displays and other options.

5. In general, Windows Computers offer superior hardware at competitive price points. In comparison, Mac users appear to be paying a higher cost for comparatively lower level of hardware.

However, it needs to be mentioned that almost every component on an Apple product is optimized for better performance, tweaked to consume less power and generate less heat.

6. Accessories for Windows Computers are easy to find and available at competitive prices compared to Macs. This makes Windows computers cheaper to operate and run compared to Macs.

7. It is easy to upgrade, reconfigure and refurbish Windows computers. This aspect of Windows computers appeals to tech savvy users who enjoy such activities.

8. In general, more Software programs are available for Windows PC compared to Macs.

9. Windows Computers have better backwards compatibility compared to Macs. For example, it is not uncommon to find 5 to 7 year old Windows computers running the latest version of Windows 10 without any problem.

10. Windows community and user base is larger compared to Macs. This practically means that it is easy to get support and advice for software and hardware related issues for Windows computers.

Disadvantages of Mac

1. The biggest disadvantage of Macs is that they are expensive compared to PCs. However, as mentioned above, Windows Computers are getting expensive and the gap between MacBook Air and a comparable Windows Laptop is not that much.

2. The second major disadvantage of Macs is that most of the work related software like Microsoft Excel, AutoCAD, Timberline, Primavera and Accounting software is designed for Windows computers and not for Macs.

While Macs have their own version of Excel (Numbers) and Microsoft Word (Pages), these programs are no match for the Power and Versatility of Microsoft Excel and the practical functionality of Microsoft Word program.

While you can buy Microsoft Office made for Macs, it is not uncommon to come across users reporting missing features, problems and overall lack of power while using Microsoft Excel on Macs.

3. Macs are clearly not built for playing PC Games. Even the most advanced MacBook Pro does not have the processing power, RAM and the Graphics to play PC Games.

4. Using a Mac is fundamentally different than using a Windows computer. Those coming from Windows PC background to Mac will require patience to get used to the way Macs work.

In the first few weeks you may often feel like going back to Windows PC. However, once you get used to Macs you should be able to work as effortlessly on a Mac as you used to on a Windows PC.

Disadvantages Of Windows PC

1. Windows computers are clearly getting more expensive and most likely driving budget customers to consider using a Mac Mini or even MacBook Air which are now available at tempting price points.

2. Windows computers come pre-loaded with bloatware from manufacturers, which makes them slow and buggy. While those with technical abilities can easily get rid of this bloatware, average computer users are not really equipped to deal with this issue.

3. Due to their large user base, Windows Computers are considered as being primary candidates for attack by hackers and computer viruses. However, it is not difficult to minimize this risk by keeping the software on your computer updated and installing a good antivirus program on your computer.

4. Although the situation is improving, software updates on Windows Computers are still far from being trouble free.

Should You Buy Mac or Windows PC

Good Pc For Work

As far as consumers are concerned, the decision to buy should be based on which platform really suits you better, while taking into consideration the purpose for which you are buying a computer and the budget allocated for your purchase.

For example, Windows PC is a better option in case your work requires the use of Microsoft Excel and other productivity or work related Software Programs. The same holds true, in case you are buying a computer for general and recreational use and your idea of fun is to play high intensity PC Games.

When it comes to budget, College students surviving on borrowed money are clearly better off buying a cheaper Windows PC or a Chromebook, instead of piling on more debt by going for an expensive MacBook Pro.

However, if you are working part time and having a MacBook makes you feel better (does it !!?..), make sure that you go for MacBook Pro and promise yourself that you will do better at both studies and work!

Image source: Apple, Microsoft

We see them everywhere. Studios, universities, tech companies. Being used by visual designers, illustrators, UX designers. No matter where you go and no matter what kind of design you practice, Macs are commonly heralded as the tool of choice. But why is that? What exactly has afforded the Mac this coveted title? I set out to find the answers to those questions by directly asking a bunch of designers why they think the Mac has been positioned as the superior tool. What I ended up with was a mix of hilarious, honest, and insightful commentary.

Legacy and Tradition

This was the first and most common answer that I received. It all started in the 1980’s. The race to develop a usable personal computer was under way and by 1984, Apple answered the call with the first Macintosh, which was accompanied by one of the strongest marketing campaigns in history. The Macintosh sold well, users loved it’s GUI (Graphical User Interface), and companies loved it’s desktop publishing abilities. In fact, it has been suggested that through leveraging PostScript, PageMaker, and the LaserWriter, Apple were effectively responsible for creating the desktop publishing industry as a whole.

By the early 1990’s, Apple had cornered the premium and consumer markets. With the release of System 7, they brought color to the user interface and introduced new networking capabilities. It would remain as the architectural basis for the Mac OS through 2001. As Apple continued to create a more design-centric product and OS, software companies followed suit and started producing design software exclusively for Macs. In fact, Adobe products were originally only available on the Mac. This further reinforced the necessity for designers to use Macs, especially as studios and universities continued to become “Mac only” operations. The Mac was developed for designers, the design software was developed for the Mac, and the designer was trained to design on the Mac.

Font Rendering

Pc Or Mac For Design Work Together

From a design perspective, the Mac has classically been better at rendering fonts. Whether or not that’s still an issue today is up for debate. But in the past, Microsoft and Apple took somewhat different approaches to how they chose to render fonts, and it made a pretty big impression on designers. The basic idea is that Windows renders for readability (resulting in a sharper type style), while Mac OS renders for visual appearance (resulting in style more similar to what you might see on a printed page). The Mac was also the first computer with multiple typefaces built into the OS.

In more recent times, Apple has demonstrated the desire to include classic typefaces in their OS, while Microsoft has continually commissioned “knock-off” typefaces like Arial (from Helvetica) and Segoe (from Frutiger). In this respect, the designers that I spoke with felt that Apple has always seemed to respect the design community more than Microsoft.

User Experience

Apple’s System 7 (released in May of 1991) was considered to be much more user friendly than Microsoft’s Windows 3.1 (released in April of 1992). It included a drastically improved user interface and functionalities, which were developed through UX processes that Apple was putting into place before most companies even knew what UX was. A famous occurrence of this was the “Pink and Blue” meeting that Apple managers held in March of 1988, shortly after the release of System 6. In this brainstorming session, ideas were written on index cards; features that seemed simple enough to implement in the short term (like adding color to the user interface) were written on blue cards, longer-term goals (like true multitasking) were written on pink cards, and “far out” ideas (like an object-oriented file system) were written on red cards. This began Apple’s high level task prioritization for System 7. It is no surprise that these early UX practices were present in the development of a system that was respected for it’s User Experience.

In more recent years, designers have fallen in love with smaller features that conform really well to design workflows and assist them in accomplishing their tasks with ease. An excellent example of this is the Mission Control functionality (formerly known as Exposé). It was first previewed in 2003, and more than 10 years later, it continues to be a core component of the Mac product. Apple also maintains a really nice gesture and short-key suite, which is seamless across their different products, yielding an extremely intuitive and predictable experience. One of the smallest yet most impactful features that I came across, however, was the fact that .PSD files (Photoshop Documents) can be previewed in the file thumbnails. This is not available “out of the box” with Windows, but it’s a massive timesaver for designers.

Beyond the software developed by Apple, it has also been noted that even third party apps seem to be more user friendly on the Mac. Apps that are exclusive to the Mac, like Sketch, Skala Preview, and Affinity Designer, have all been cited as excellent examples of third party software with great UX. And in some cases, like that of Sketch, the Mac exclusive software is critical to the designers workflow. Many UX teams depend on Sketch during their mockup phase, citing that they’re happy to use it because “it was created by people who put a lot of thought and care into their work.”

They’re Consistent and Pretty

Designers tend to appreciate Apple’s business model, where they build not only an operating system, but also the hardware that runs it. This allows for a truly seamless experience, where Apple controls what happens to the user from their first interaction to their last. Microsoft doesn’t have this luxury and it sometimes results in a total disconnect between the tangible product and the intangible software, where two companies with conflicting priorities, philosophies, and even target audiences, could both be working together on one product.

For me it’s not just about the specs and numbers, it’s about the object itself. It’s about the beautiful hardware and the way it works in sync with the software. Think of how much better Apple trackpads are than Windows PC trackpads. It’s because it comes from one company rather than Microsoft making the OS, Synaptic making the drivers, and whoever building the hardware.

Pc Or Mac For Design Work Free

The designers that I spoke to also weren’t afraid to tell me that Apple simply creates a sexy product and they appreciate that. Steve Jobs’ love for simplicity resulted in a kind of aesthetic that revolutionized the way we think about design. Meticulous attention to detail in every way. That can still be seen in the Apple products of today.

Honestly now I think it’s just because Apple has a higher quality for aesthetic. I’m a designer and I enjoy the design of Macs more.

Personal Preference

Pc Or Mac For Design Work At Home

Perhaps the most universal point of feedback that I got, however, was that in today’s day and age, there are no longer any major differentiating factors between the Mac and the Windows PC. Apple and Microsoft patrons alike were able to agree that it all really comes down to a matter of personal preference. Granted, there are some observable trends, like the fact that designers feel more at home on Macs while developers feel more at home on PCs. Many love one or the other, but can’t really articulate why. They just do. Plenty of critics have cited status, fashionability, and price point as driving factors behind the different platforms. But from a standpoint of core capabilities, they really aren’t that different. You can design a great site on a PC just as well as you can develop a great site on a Mac. What matters now is which platform you prefer to work with.