Mac vs PC pros and cons: what computer should I buy?

Mac vs PC, find out which is the best personal and laptop computer. Get advice from other users. Should you trust Apple or buy an IBM-compatible computer? Check out our poll, vote and help others inform their decision sharing your experiences on the discussion forum below

What computer should I buy?

PC or Mac? Since the 80s this question has been dividing computer users. The PC and Mac are computer platforms. PC refers to an IBM-compatible computer that generally runs on the Microsoft Windows operating system. There are dozens of computer manufacturers that produce PCs. On the other hand, the Macintosh or Mac is a line of computers produced exclusively by Apple. It was initially targeted mainly at the home, education, and creative professional markets but now it also targets the science and business markets. These computer platforms are associated with certain types of lifestyles. It has been argued that through the purchase of their computers, people express some distinct features of their personality. But should we just follow our instinct and try to fit into one of these "tribes" or should we base our purchase decision on more rational criteria? Here we want to offer some of the most commonly argued PC and Mac pros and cons to help you make up your mind.

Mac vs PC: pros and cons

In favor of purchasing a Mac:

• Compatible software. Although Mac laptops and desktops use OS X, today they are also are compatible with other Operating Systems such as Windows and Linux. Moreover you can use on your Mac most types of files, including those from Microsoft Office. 
• Interconnectedness with the rest of the Apple ecosystem (iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, etc). If you already own some of the other Apple products you may consider buying a Mac as well. Apple makes it very easy for you to connect and synchronize all the devices they produce.
• Simple to use. Although for long-time PC users transitioning into a Mac can be confusing at first, most people tend to argue that Apple computers are generally more intuitive and easy to use than PCs.
• Better performance of the software. Apple controls the software produced for Mac and makes sure it is optimized for the hardware. Since the variety of hardware is much wider in PC, it becomes more difficult to optimize software performance for all PCs.
• Fewer viruses. Mac users tend experience many fewer problems related to computer viruses, trojans, etc.
• Good customer support. Apple puts a lot of effort into resolving quickly any problem emerging with your computer.
• Design. It would be difficult to deny that Apple products are very pleasing from a design perspective. Some PC manufacturers offer also excellent designs, but overall Mac tend to look better than their PC counterparts. Mac laptops not only look cool, but often are very light and easy to carry around.
• Consistency in terms of quality. PCs can be very good, but not all PC manufacturers show the same concern about quality controls. Apple standards are very high.
• Good resale value. There is a legion of people willing to buy used Apple products due to their high reputation. Since not everyone can afford a brand new computer, many users would be eager to buy yours in case you are not satisfied or you want to upgrade to a better or newer one.
• Innovation. Apple made innovation a key driver of its strategy. Apple products often compete at the highest end of the market for performance, and regularly introduce new features which become universal across all computer platforms.

In favor of purchasing a PC:

• Price ranges and variety of hardware. PCs are usually cheaper, in some cases much cheaper, than Macs. Moreover there are also high end, more expensive PCs. If you like the way PCs work but you want a computer with top technical specifications and nice design, surely you can find one.
• PCs are more upgradable and customizable. It is easier to upgrade PC laptops and desktop computers. One of the main cons of Mac computers is that they usually need to be substituted after two or three years of use. In the case of PC you can always replace some of the components and keep on using the same computer.
• There is more software available for PC than for Mac. Apple is more protective and arguably concerned about the performance of software and therefore the entry barriers for PC software developers are much lower. If you are an independent developer and want to launch a new product, it is probably cheaper and easier to aim at the PC world.
• More PC computers means a bigger community of users and of people who can share their expertise and support.
• Many programmers and developers, although they recognize the value of Apple products, still stick to PC because they feel they have more leeway to customize their hardware and software.
• Better backward compatibility of Windows with older programs.
• PCs are better for gaming, although there is an increasing number of games that can be run on Mac. There are certain brands of PC, such as Alienware, which specifically make high-end gaming computers.
• More compatible accessories available. Apple has a stricter licensing policy. In the realm of PCs there are hundreds of companies who create accessories for computers. This makes qualility less homogeneous, but also increases competition and lowers prices.
• Windows 10 may be considered a bit more complex that OS X, but it is also a more powerful operating system.

There are significant differences in terms of price, design, technical specifications, operating systems, software and security between PCs and Macs. Which do you prefer? Vote and comment below!

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