Mac Vs Pc | Which is better?

When we talk about PCs, we mean “personal computers”, which is quite a broad term. After all, your smartphone or laptop or even your calculator are all kinds of personal computers. But the term we use now originally meant “IBM PC-compatible”, and this related to IBM’s computers that could run certain operating systems. Nowadays we tend to think of PCs as computers that run operating systems such as Windows or Linux, and those computers have been separated from Macintosh computers. But in terms of hardware these days, we are not talking chalk and cheese. The differences are more like Camembert and Cheddar...for the record, we think Macs are former in this analogy. And of course, some people prefer one over the other- but why? Today we will look at some of the reasons, as we delve into some statistics.

So, the first statistic we will look at tells us that Windows OS is way out in front in terms of market share. It currently has a massive 88.53 percent share of the global market. Mac OS has 8.75 percent. Linux meanwhile is third at 2.27 percent. As for how many people in the world are currently using Mac compared to a PC, it’s said that over one billion people in 2017 were actively using Windows, with about 400 million of those people using Windows 10. Apple on the other hand said that the total number of Mac users was about 100 million. 

If so many people are fond of Apple’s OS, why are so few people using it? Well, the cost for one thing. A couple of years ago, the average Mac cost around $1,300 (290,000 pkr). That was compared to the $600 (135,000 pkr) the average person spent on a PC. If we look at Apple’s new top-of-the-line 15-inch MacBook Pro, the price is $2,799.00 (630,000 pkr). Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Surface Book costs around the same and there are plenty of other high-end laptops out there, but Apple doesn’t exactly have a bargain basement the way PC does. If we are talking about desktops, the iMac Pro is currently on sale for $4,999 (11 lacs pkr). Again, there are PC desktops out there that cost around the same amount of money, such as Microsoft’s Surface Studio, but there are many, many budget desktops that the average person can afford, while the smallest, cheapest iMac is still around $1,300.

But maybe you’re a gamer. We looked at lists of best gaming desktop computers and none of Apple’s machines were listed. Many of the best gaming machines were anywhere from $900 - $5,000, with some reviewers saying the best of the budget gaming PCs was the Dell XPS Tower SE at around $550 (110,000 pkr). The website TechAdvisor sums it up like this for gaming regarding Mac vs PC, “This category isn’t even close. If you like gaming, then a Windows PC is hands-down the better choice over a Mac.”, and the title of a 2017 article by Digital Trends should be answer enough, “Why gaming on macOS is dead forever and never coming back.” If you look at the popular gaming service Steam’s gaming statistics, the numbers show that around 99 percent of gamers were using Windows, indicating that the vast majority of gamers seem to prefer PC. What this all tells us is what you already probably know. Apple’s machines are sleek and look beautiful, but if you are a budget-minded person, there will likely always be a cheaper PC out there that is just as good in terms of what it can do.

If you are a gamer, a designer, or just someone who streams TV and writes emails, you can find a Windows PC as good as any Mac that will cost you less money. What it often boils down to is what operating system you prefer or what you have just gotten used to. Users become fluent in things like keyboard shortcuts or they just prefer certain programs on one OS. 

But it’s not all about functionality, though. Apple’s design looks good. It always has, and some people say that’s why Macs are so popular with the creative community. If you want to look good, you get a Mac, after all, not everyone who drives a Ferrari is interested in driving at 180mph or even cares what is under the hood. They bought the car as a status symbol, just as Macs still give people a high-status badge. Some people will likely deny this, but there is ample evidence out there that all around the world Apple products are indeed a status symbol. Most critics tell us this is slowly changing, though, as manufacturers of PCs have concentrated more over the last few years on making machines that look cool.

Now you may be thinking, oh no, not me, you see I’m all about security and I’m not interested in showing off. U.S. security firm Kaspersky wrote that while indeed Macs were prone to fewer online threats than PCs were in the past, that is changing. “The rising popularity of Mac operating systems in recent years has made them a prime target for cybercriminals and Macs have subsequently fallen prey to a number of viruses, malware, and other web threats,” wrote the company. It is still true, though, wrote Kaspersky, that Windows machines are presently more vulnerable to viruses than Macs. So that is one very good reason to buy a Mac, even though we shouldn't have a false sense of security in light of the growing number of Mac attacks, but for now, with the majority of the world using PCs, that’s where the majority of cyber-attacks are focused.

Another thing is the fact it’s so easy to build onto your PC compared to a Mac. Apple wants to keep you in its own ecosystem, and this isn’t always a good thing. It gives users fewer options and can add to costs. But Microsoft has its flaws too: When Windows 10 came out, it was severely criticized for being too pushy regarding advertising, and for employing data-tracking features in the OS that weren’t always obvious. “Windows 10 is spying on you”, became a headline for a while after the OS was released. 

For 2021, when we look at total PC sales against Mac sales, Apple is still way behind other manufacturers. Apple PC sales last year were 19.6 million, while Dell sold 41,821,000 PCs. Lenovo sold 54,857,000 PCs and HP was on top, selling 58,800,000 PCs. If we look at quarter one of 2022, the top four are still in the same position. Apple has so far shipped 4.26 million units, Dell 9.88 million, Lenovo 12.35 million, and HP 12.86 million. Many critics out there believe that Apple must once again stun people as it’s been resting on its laurels for too long. In terms of what’s under the hood, Apple’s machines aren’t much different from what many other manufacturers release.

In terms of sleekness and originality, many of Apple’s foes now have machines that are almost as pleasant to the eye as the Apple machine. If Apple wants to improve its market share, it’s high time they come up with a bold new design and offer improved hardware or more useful software.

Finally, we might add that Windows has a far larger application library. In 2017 there were around 670,000 apps in the Windows Store and four million applications outside the Store. The Mac App Store by comparison had around 30,000 apps, with some people a few years back asking if the company had given up on the store altogether. 

In conclusion, PCs have budget machines for all your needs- so if you are short a penny or two then PCs win all the way. Macs are great machines, though, and if you like the style and the functionality, then you should buy one, but if you are looking for power and are budget-minded, you should stick with a PC. So, which do you prefer? Is Apple’s outward style better than having better hardware inside? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. See ya!