My Journey Away From Windows: How Embracing the MacBook Changed Everything

Quick Links

• You Get Office Apps for Free
• The Apple Ecosystem Has No Match
• My Dislike for Windows Search Grows Even Stronger
• A Single Charge Lasts All Day
• My Surface Feels Choppy and Slow
• No More Waiting for System Updates
• Overheating Is a Thing of the Past

Key Takeaways

• On a Windows laptop, you have to pay extra to use essential apps like Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, but on a Mac, you’ll get free access to Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.
• The seamless integration of other Apple devices with a MacBook is so useful, and the Mac’s Spotlight feature showcases just how fast searching for files and folders can be.
• A MacBook can fulfill your needs throughout the day on a single charge, and unlike many Windows laptops, it doesn’t overheat, even when running resource-intensive programs.

After using Windows for over a decade, I have recently switched to macOS, and I regret not switching sooner. If you’re considering buying your first laptop or thinking about transitioning away from Windows, I’ll tell you why investing in a MacBook could be the right decision for you.

You Get Office Apps for Free

Whether you want to use a laptop for work, school, or general use, having three basic apps is crucial: a word processor, a presentation maker, and a spreadsheet editor. If you opt for official Microsoft applications like Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for these tasks, you have to subscribe to the Microsoft 365 plan .

But macOS offers Pages, Numbers, and Keynote for free, which enables you to manage the basic tasks without any additional cost. Essentially, you gain access to expensive office apps without spending a single cent. Since switching to macOS, I no longer need to pay for a Microsoft subscription every month. In fact, I canceled my Office subscription just last month.

The Apple Ecosystem Has No Match

Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek

The seamless integration of my Apple devices—Mac, AirPods, iPhone, and Apple Watch—is another factor that will surely keep me loyal to macOS.

Unlike Windows, where I have to disconnect my wireless headphones before using them with my phone, AirPods seamlessly switch between my MacBook and iPhone with just a few taps. Also, the effortless wireless sharing of photos via AirDrop across Apple devices, easy switching between devices via Handoff, and iCloud sync are features I greatly appreciate.

Although Windows Hello face recognition is impressive, the flexibility to automatically unlock my Mac when wearing my Apple Watch is another integration that showcases Apple’s innovation. Furthermore, the ease of screen sharing between iPad and Mac deserves mention. Together, these features offer a level of device integration unmatched by Windows.

If you own a few Apple devices, getting a MacBook and integrating it with your other devices will truly amaze you.

My Dislike for Windows Search Grows Even Stronger

While Windows has improved its Search feature over the years, it can still be buggy and sluggish. While it does a great job of finding apps, it often falls short when searching for files and folders. In contrast, macOS Spotlight boasts robust indexing and search capabilities that can help effortlessly locate files, folders, apps, or any item on your system.

Although Windows Search supports some of the features that Spotlight offers , such as checking the weather and converting units, you cannot perform searches using general commands like “Show me documents I created yesterday.” Also, you can’t preview files that appear in search results or look up spellings or definitions of words as seamlessly as you can with Spotlight.

If you’re used to Windows’ sluggish search feature, macOS Spotlight is a game changer.

A Single Charge Lasts All Day

Marcus Mears III / How-To Geek

Another benefit of the MacBook over my Surface laptop is its long-lasting battery life. Despite Microsoft’s claims that the battery lasts up to 11.5 hours under typical usage, my Surface Laptop 3 has never lasted more than seven hours. Even when it was new, it couldn’t sustain more than five hours when watching videos or running resource-intensive apps.

In contrast, I’m extremely satisfied with the battery life of my MacBook Air. I can use it throughout the day on a single charge; if I don’t overuse it, I only need to charge it once every two days.

My Surface Feels Choppy and Slow

After using a MacBook for over a month, my Surface laptop now feels notably sluggish. With a decade of experience using various Windows laptops, including the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3, I can confidently attest that none has provided the same level of stability and performance as my first MacBook.

Unlike my Surface device, I haven’t encountered any lag, stuttering, or other issues on my MacBook; the overall experience is remarkably smooth. If you’re tired of dealing with frequent slowdowns and are frustrated by programs consuming high system resources, transitioning to a MacBook will improve your workflow and productivity.

No More Waiting for System Updates

Jason Fitzpatrick / How-To Geek

If you’ve been using Windows for a while, you’re probably familiar with how frustrating Windows system updates can be. Not only do we have to install them every few days, but they also tend to pop up at the most inconvenient times, disrupting our workflow entirely.

If you postpone installing updates for too long, Windows 10 may display a short timer on the screen, informing you that your computer will shut down shortly. This popup offers no way to cancel, and Windows will automatically shut down your device to install the updates.

Also, there are instances when Windows will only let you shut down your computer after installing an update. While Windows updates are intended to resolve existing bugs, many come with their own bugs and issues, often requiring us to uninstall these updates .

Fortunately, such issues don’t occur with macOS, which is another reason I don’t want to return to Windows.

Overheating Is a Thing of the Past

One thing I’ve consistently disliked about nearly all Windows laptops I’ve used over the years is their tendency to overheat. Running a few resource-intensive tasks can quickly cause the laptop to feel burned up and slow down. Despite trying various strategies to reduce overheating on my Surface, there hasn’t been a day when my device hasn’t overheated.

The MacBook Air uses a passive heatsink design to prevent overheating, and it’s very effective. It also has no fan, so there’s minimal noise when using it.

These are areas where Apple has outperformed Microsoft. However, there are also some downsides to consider: MacBooks tend to be more expensive, with a narrower range of options compared to the wide variety of Windows laptops available. Also, if gaming is your priority, a MacBook may not be ideal.

Because of that, rather than blindly opting for a MacBook, you should carefully assess your needs. Depending on your specific use case, a Windows laptop might be a better fit after all. But for me, there’s no going back.

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