20 Jan Mac vs. PC: Choice Is More Important Than Ever
When it comes to the choice between PC vs. Mac, it’s the differences that count most. Decide which features are most important in your next device.
Looking Beyond the Surface: What to Consider
Say your computer died today, right now, with no warning. If you wanted to buy a new one, would you know what you wanted or would you try to find something better? The first question you may ask—like many others when buying a new computer—is, “Should I get a PC or a Mac?” But before you take a step into a retail store for a new device, it’s important to do some research on PCs (personal computers) and Macs (by Apple).
To get started, think about what sort of capabilities and choices you’d like in a device and how you use your computer:
- Are you multitasking during the day, jumping between videoconferences and office tools?
- Do you need a device that can keep up with your design applications for a 3D printer?
- Are you a frequent traveler, relying on your device to connect with family or coworkers on the go?
- Do you like to game with your friends or have a side gig creating tunes as a freelance musician?
These are just a small handful of tasks, responsibilities, and recreational activities, but the bottom line is this: If you use your computer on a daily basis for work, entertainment, or everything in between, a PC can give you the choice to do it all.
Even without extra fancy features and add-ons, Intel®-based PCs provide outstanding performance, connectivity, enhanced security, and graphics. But most importantly, PCs give you a better sense of choice, coming in a variety of form factors while also giving you access to a broader selection of software and accessory choices. Especially when powered by Intel® processors and graphics, PCs are undoubtedly going to be the better option for you if you rely on your device for everyday usage.
Form Factor
Another important consideration is what type of device, or form factor, you want: a laptop, tablet, desktop, or 2-in-1. Unlike the current Macs1, PCs give you the option to select your device’s screen size, resolution, thinness, touchscreen capabilities, port types, and color. By giving you a chance to customize your PC, you’ll be able to choose a device that fits your needs without having to worry about what you aren’t getting out of that device.
Recent Apple products tend to offer a limited set of form factors to choose from. With three sizes of laptops, an All-in-One, and a variety of tablet sizes, you’ll find yourself asking only two questions regarding form factor: “How big is it?” and “Does it have a touchscreen?” For example, if you’re looking for a device with touchscreen capabilities and a stylus for a 2-in-1 laptop combination, you could purchase one PC that already comes with these features. However, to get the same features from current Apple products, you would have to purchase each of them separately—a laptop, a tablet, and a stylus.
Performance
Nothing is more irritating than the spinning wheel of death when you’re trying to get something done. A device not configured to provide the right level of performance can make all the difference between finishing your work and winning a game or suffering from lag and being blocked all together. Owning a PC means you can have better peace of mind, and with Intel® processors you can customize your PC to get a range of possibilities and options that can support your workloads.
Compare 11th Gen Intel® Core™ processor performance to Apple M1
Intel-based PCs are designed to keep up with a fast-paced consumer lifestyle, offering fast connections and response times with Wi-Fi 6E and Thunderbolt 4. That means if you’re looking for a sleek, lightweight device with a reliable network and high-speed connectivity, Intel Evo platform-based laptops are a great choice. These remarkable devices also come with 11th Gen Intel Core processors and Intel Iris Xᵉ Graphics for powerful performance and dynamic graphics. An IntelEvobadge means these laptops were engineered for consumer needs. You can expect a greater experience and to not have to worry about poor connections, mediocre displays, or lagged responsiveness.
Price
The next consideration—if you haven’t thought about it already—is price. Comparing prices between PCs and the latest Macs1 is difficult because they usually have different preinstalled software and configurations. As you think about how you use your device, it’s important to evaluate whether a device has all the capabilities you’re looking for or if extra peripheral devices may be required.
With PCs, you have more choice when it comes to the system configuration that works best for you, and you’re likely to get the most out of what you pay for. If you’re looking for more memory and storage options, enhanced security, fast response times, and great performance, a PC is going to provide that right off the bat, giving you more for your investment. The latest Macs are likely to require you to buy extra add-ons that will quickly start to add up. Comparatively, you can be confident and feel supported knowing that most PCs will already have the ports to support a variety of connections.
Device Ecosystem
In our multifaceted lives, we need our devices to seamlessly flex along with us as we shift from one activity to the next.
Do you plan on connecting an external monitor, keyboard, mouse, or USB-connected device? Make sure the device you choose has all those ports available with the correct adapters you’ll need. With a PC, a gamer can confidently connect their gaming headset and controller. A video editor can easily connect a camera and view dynamic graphics with an eGPU (external GPU). Someone who works from home can easily manage their applications by connecting up to four external monitors (the latest Macs can only connect to one other monitor).
Current Macs1 can’t always support those external configurations because they have a closed device ecosystem—meaning that you won’t know what non-Apple products will or won’t work and what is or isn’t compatible until after you buy it. With a PC though, many of these features are already on it, and because they are compatible with a greater number of software programs and external devices, you are free to plug in external hardware or access the features you want.
Security
Having a great device will mean close to nothing if you get hacked. That’s why it’s critical to look for devices with layers of security features, defense capabilities, and support to help build resilience against viruses and cyberattacks. According to the 2020 State of Malware Report by Malwarebytes, the volume of security threats for Mac endpoints in 2019 was nearly double the number on Windows endpoints. On top of that, there was an overall higher prevalence of threats on Macs, more than 400 percent over the previous year. So, if you’re looking to keep your data safe, a PC is just going to be a better bet. Additionally, Windows 10—with built-in Windows Security—provides the latest antivirus protection, allowing you to take advantage of increased security no matter where you are or how you use your device.
Gaming
With PCs supporting more external devices with a greater variety of form factors, it’s no wonder that PCs are the first choice of gamers for running, downloading, or streaming games. No matter if you’re a casual or competitive gamer, most online and console games are only compatible with PCs.
Would you like to play Halo: The Master Chief Collection or Overwatch with friends? What about Red Dead Redemption II, PUBG, or Apex Legends? If you own one of the current Macs1, you’ll likely have to borrow a friend’s PC or download additional software (which could be prone to more crashes), or else you’ll end up sitting out altogether. With a severely limited library of Steam games, recent Mac operating systems can’t support hundreds of Steam games, leaving Mac users behind.
Content Creation
Listen up if you’re a content creator! PCs are known for supporting a diverse array of applications and being compatible across the plugins and applications that creators use every day. Whether you’re an artist, musician, or video influencer, a PC will allow you to continue using the applications and plugins you need, from music creation apps such as Ableton, Serato, and Avid Pro Tools, to workstation applications like Barracuda VPN, VMware Fusion, and Box Drive.
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