Apple vs. Microsoft, the age-old battle of the operating systems, has softened as of late. With Apple adopting Intel architecture and Windows entering the smartphone market, we see collaboration instead of competition. For no-nonsense, affordable computing, you chose Microsoft. For premium products with a creative bent, you chose Apple, until now.
Microsoft changed the computing landscape forever with the Microsoft Surface range. Slowly creative professionals were enticed away from their MacBook Pros by these nifty tablet PC’s.
While Microsoft has been cultivating an image as the go-to company for creative types looking for a companion PC; Apple sticks to their guns and continues to refresh their MacBook Pro range, are they doing enough to keep creative professional on side?
Computer X
I was the biggest fanboy of Apple computers. I would frequent the temple-like Apple stores and get excited for the latest product launches. After several faulty MacBook Pro’s and a chance encounter with a work colleague Microsoft Surface Pro X, I started to wonder what life was like on the other side.
I have been around fast computers all my life, but there was something special about the Surface Pro X. The name sounded cool alone, but when I put some time behind the screen, I realized what I had been missing while in the Apple camp.
Apple prides itself on sleek and aesthetically pleasing products, but the Pro X made my MacBook Pro look old fashioned. Wafer-thin and feather-light, the Surface Pro X felt like air in my hands, with no indication of how fast the hardware was.
Restrictions.
As I have stated on many occasions, I love Apple’s operating system, its clutter-free, easy to use, and looks beautiful, switching to Windows had always seemed pointless to me. After some time using the Surface Pro X, I started to really appreciate what Windows had to offer, especially when accessed on a fast, slim tablet.
While macOS tries to hide your computer’s inner workings, Windows embraces what’s under the hood. After serval days of messing around with Windows, I found it to be easier to understand, especially when dealing with file paths and structures. While Windows is clear and transparent, MacOS is frustratingly opaque.
Time for a change.
I honestly never thought I would make the switch to Windows, the hardware was unappealing, and I knew the MacOS like the back of my hand. When it came time to upgrade my aging MacBook Pro, I went straight to the Apple store to browse the new models. With a new Macbook Pro in hand, I would go home and find it to be almost a step backward from my earlier model; this disappointment started my slow drift away from Apple and towards Windows.
I have been through three 2016/2017 MacBook pros in the space of a year. Whether this was a result of serious design flaws on Apple’s behalf or extreme bad luck on my behalf remains to be seen. The 13″ MacBook Pro is a capable machine, but it seems to suffer from many hardware and software issues, something that should happen on a premium machine.
Microsoft’s Surface range has created waves in the portable computing scene. Impossibly thin hardware, amazing accessories like the Surface Pen and second to none warranty and after-sales support have mad eth Surface range viable contender to the premium computer throne.
After many a derivative product being released by Apple, and a frustrating level of obscurity at the operating system level, I decided to make the switch to Windows. I think I made the right choice.