Are you looking for advantages of macOS over Windows? Here’s everything you need to know.
Two decades have passed since Apple pushed the first version of its now-iconic operating system, macOS. In that time, it has undergone many changes and improvements, becoming one of the most popular and user-friendly operating systems out there.
Whether you’re a new macOS user or a veteran who is simply fed up with it, you should consider a few reasons to keep using it before switching to alternatives. In this article, we’ll list and discuss eight advantages of macOS over Windows.
1. macOS Is More Secure than Windows
Although it’s not completely impervious to malware, macOS has less chances of getting malware compared to Windows. There are quite a few reasons behind this. One of them is that Windows is the bigger market, making it a more obvious target. Because of the sheer number of users, Windows has been the victim of more cyberattacks compared to macOS.
macOS is more secure than Windows because of the company’s policies and the lower number of machines running Apple’s operating system. Fewer computers mean fewer people creating malware for the OS. But as we said, that doesn’t make macOS immune to malware. You’d be on the safe side by installing an antivirus software on your Mac.
Because of Windows’ open nature, computers running the operating system have been besieged with viruses, spyware, ransomware and other types of vicious malware. Since Windows is so ubiquitous, it’s no surprise that it has to contend with so much malware. Microsoft has done an admirable job releasing security updates in recent years. However, given the sheer number of Windows users, the operating system will suffer a greater volume of attacks.
Generally, Macs are also more secure because Apple has full control of both the hardware and software. Then, there’s also the fact that macOS is based on Unix, which is widely known to be more secure than Windows. In most cases, each program that runs in a Unix-based OS runs its own server as needed by using its own username on the system.
2. macOS is Smoother than Windows
Design is a major but often overlooked feature that makes macOS so appealing. However, it’s not that macOS simply “looks better.” macOS offers a better design consistency compared to Windows. Working with any app feels intuitive because every app takes advantage of the menu bar, and you instinctively know where everything is supposed to be.
For example, you can access the settings for every app from the menu bar, allowing it to remain consistent with the rest of the operating system. In Windows, you’ll have to dig through different menus for the app to find such a simple setting.
While Windows 11 arguably looks much better than its predecessor, there are still a lot of design inconsistencies with Windows—the outdated control panel being one example. On the other hand, macOS’s latest iteration, macOS Ventura, features a totally revamped System Settings menu, more tailored for simple users.
3. macOS Offers Continuity Features and Ecosystem Benefits
Apple wants you to stay within its ecosystem, and they make a strong case for it with Continuity features. For example, with Continuity Camera, iPhone can wirelessly connect to the Mac as a web camera, allowing you take advantage of the phone’s better cameras instead of relying on the lower-resolution cameras that are often built into MacBook laptops. You can also use this feature to take a picture or scan a document and have it instantly show up on your Mac.
Likewise, there is the Universal Control feature, which allows a Mac keyboard and trackpad/mouse to also control a nearby iPad — or vice versa, if you’re using an iPad keyboard or accessory. Basically, it allows any nearby keyboard, seemingly, to control all devices. Hence, Universal Control.
There’s Sidecar, a feature that allows you to use your iPad as a second screen to your Mac. Choosing the option to extend your screen means that you can have one set of apps and browser tabs open on your Mac while having a completely different app or set of apps on the iPad. For example, you could watch a video on the iPad while typing on the Mac. You will also be able to drag and drop documents and other items from one screen to the other.
The other option when you set up Sidecar with iPad is to display the same screen on both devices by mirroring your screens. That means you’ll see the exact same set of apps on both screens at the same time.
Moving to Windows would mean you would lose access to such features. In fact, there are little to no exclusive ecosystem benefits with Windows. This is because Windows is a standalone operating system. You can pair your Android phone to your PC, but there’s not much you can do with it apart from moving files or contacts.
4. Macs With Apple Silicon are often faster than Windows Laptops
Starting with certain models introduced in late 2020, Apple began the transition from Intel processors to Apple silicon in Mac computers. The likes of the M1 and M2 processors both use Apple Silicon, marking a departure from Apple’s use of Intel CPUs.
The Apple M1 chip was the first Apple Silicon chip to launch, and has been installed inside the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, Mac Mini and iMac.
The M1 Pro and M1 Max chips launched in October 2021 as more powerful alternatives to the M1, becoming available in the MacBook Pro.
And then there’s the M1 Ultra processor which is the most powerful processor in the range yet, and is packed inside the Mac Studio desktop computer.
The 2020 M1 MacBook Air became highly successful solely because it featured the new M1 chip. It’s a silent and fanless yet utterly powerful machine for the money with great battery life, and it wrecked the competition in its price range.
While Intel and AMD might catch up in terms of raw power, it is unlikely that an Intel/AMD machine with a powerful processor could be that silent and power efficient. Developers are also adapting their applications for Apple silicon, and performance will only get better from here on out.
As such, it’s easy to say that most Windows laptops are slower than something like the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Of course, there are some exceptions, but you also need to take battery life and power efficiency into account.
5. macOS Software Updates are Exciting
Do you ever get excited when a new version of macOS is announced? Well, unfortunately, you likely won’t ever get that feeling with Windows. Each new version of macOS brings about tweaks and changes that make the overall user experience better than it already is.
For example, Mojave introduced Dark Mode to the Mac operating system, and also added Apple News to the Mac. Catalina brought better voice control to the Mac, a boon to those with disabilities. iTunes was replaced with the Music, TV, and Podcast apps, allowing more functionality in a less-cluttered user interface than iTunes.
If you had an iPad, Catalina was the first version to bring support for Sidecar, turning that iPad into an external Mac monitor. Big Sur brought ARM support, graphical changes, new icons, and a lot of bug fixes. Monterey introduced Portrait Mode in FaceTime, Universal Control, better Airplay features, and more. And now, Ventura has introduced us to Stage Manager, Continuity Camera, and other new features.
The interesting thing is that Windows gets updates more frequently than macOS, but most of these are security updates. Microsoft rarely releases an update that builds upon or tweaks the user experience.
6. Updating macOS is easy
All Windows users will agree that updates are, without a doubt, one of the biggest issues with Windows operating system. Windows receives far more updates than macOS, especially security updates. While it’s good that Microsoft often swiftly releases security updates, it can get frustrating updating Windows multiple times a month (as is sometimes the case).
Apart from that, Windows updates are generally slower than macOS updates. The worst thing is that you never know what new bugs that update will bring. This is something Windows users complain about all the time, as a new update can often break something rather than fix an issue.
On top of all that, when an update eventually does break something, you’ll be forced to restore to a previous backup or completely reinstall Windows in some cases. Would you want to deal with that?
macOS updates don’t always work as intended, but they have a better track record than Windows updates. Since Apple doesn’t release updates frequently, it can take its time fine-tuning them. And since Apple is pushing updates for computers it manufactures, it can better ensure updates won’t cause many (or any) problems.
7. macOS offers Better Exclusive Apps
macOS offers a variety of native applications that are designed to work well with, again, all your other Apple products. The App Store is also filled with more high-quality apps that are perfect for productivity, creativity, and entertainment.
In this regard, most professionals prefer to stick with macOS. If you’re a video editor who uses Final Cut Pro, you will have a hard time switching to Windows and Adobe Premiere. Similarly, Logic Pro X is by far the best digital audio workstation out there. It’s easy for newcomers to get started with Logic Pro X, and veterans swear by it because of its incredibly intuitive workflow.
Tweetbot is another great example. It’s a Twitter client available exclusively for macOS and iOS and features a better interface than the native app. There’s also an app called Parallels that works as a virtual machine client for macOS. There are alternatives to this app, but none of them are as stable or provide better integration.
Finally, you can’t forget about FaceTime and iMessage. Those are two apps that millions of people use every day. Make no mistake because you will miss these apps if you move to Windows.
8. macOS Offers a Better User experience Than Windows
Another big advantage of macOS over Windows is ease of use. Apple designed macOS to be intuitive for most people. macOS is usually stable and user-friendly platform, built especially for Apple’s computers.
macOS is a polished, more streamlined, and easy-to-use interface. Mac has an easy-to-use interface that restores the touch with the trackpad and mouse gestures. The windows here stand with a customization solution.
On its surface, Windows isn’t overly complicated – especially Windows 11. However, there’s a deeper well of menus and options when compared to macOS. This can make troubleshooting a pain. In addition, Windows isn’t as elegant as macOS, especially when you really dig deep and see anachronistic windows and programs. This is why most people find it easier to use macOS than Windows.
These are the Advantages of macOS Over Windows
If you’re thinking about switching to Windows from macOS, think again. There are a ton of advantages of macOS over Windows. macOS is faster, easy to use, has a brilliant ecosystem, and is much safer.
With so many advantages of macOS over Windows, switching to Windows operating system sounds dull, especially if you have invested in other Apple products, like an iPhone or iPad.
If you don’t own a MacBook, you may want to check out the 13 main benefits of a MacBook right here.