Posted on November 17th, 2009 by Chris Brennan

Mac vs Windows 7: the final verdict

In the final part of our attempt to convert a Mac user to Windows 7, Chris Brennan reveals whether Microsoft has done enough to tempt him away from Apple’s wares

I’m now at the end of my Windows 7 experiment and I have to return the PC users’ suit and tie to the PC Pro cupboard and put on my blue jeans, black turtle neck jumper and New Balance trainers.

It’s been a steep learning curve for me, but not in the ways I thought it would be. I had Windows up and running with all the applications I needed to do my job much more quickly than I thought. I’d arranged my desktop, partitioned the hard drive and worked out the basics in less than a day, and that includes installing the software.

I’ll admit that I made errors; some based on ignorance and others assumption. However, I can tell you with good conscience that everything I’ve talked about during this experiment has been my true experience. I’ve not said anything simply to stir the Mac vs. PC hornets’ nest or to get a rise.

What’s interesting is that despite the fact that the Mac market poses no threat or real competition to the PC world, there’s so much animosity between the two camps of users. Can you imagine Tesco customers arguing the toss over bread and cheese with Spar fans?

I’ve always been aware of the potential for Mac users and PC users to become heated in defence of their OS (I used to work for MacUser, which sits in the same office as PC Pro), but I’m surprised that even after all these years the arguments are the same. The row hasn’t changed even though Microsoft and Apple are largely transformed.

As I said at the start of this experiment, I’ve used Window XP, but that’s on an office machine and an IT manager maintains it so I’ve never really had a chance to play around with the system. This truly is the first time I’ve had the chance to snoop around and install questionable freeware and other such stuff on a Windows box. Nothing has really made me long for my Mac in that time. There have been a few differences, but none insurmountable and none that required me to go back to my Mac to get the job done.

I’m not sold on the “my PC is £800 cheaper than the equivalent Mac” argument because the price differential just isn’t that high. Not to mention the really, really dirty secret that no-one dare mention: price isn’t a factor for many people. Well, enough people to keep Apple in business, at least.

Honestly, I don’t think I’ll be switching my main Mac Pro for Windows 7, but my next laptop might be a Windows machine and that’s quite an achievement. I’ve set out to use Windows 7 in exactly the same way I would a Mac and I’ve found exactly zero problems. I still prefer my Mac, but whereas I find Windows XP a chore Windows 7 draws no such response.

If I were an XP user I’d upgrade to Windows 7 without hesitation. As a Mac user I’m a touch more hesitant, but that’s quite a shift in my opinion.

Click here to read the rest of Chris Brennan’s blog on converting from Mac to Windows 7

Posted in: Windows 7

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31 Responses to “ Mac vs Windows 7: the final verdict ”

Danny Thomas Says:
November 17th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
I’ve enjoyed this series, but i’m not hugely surprised by the conclusion. I use both Mac and PC for 20 years or so (my first computer was a mac se30). A PC is my main tool as I need MS Project. I find Macs easier and nicer to use but there are niggles, for example, I love a two button mouse with scroll wheel! Macs are also more expensive (although not by nearly as much as the Mac haters think), but they are also good quality, fast, well made etc. they might lose on price, but I think Value for money remain credible.

At the end of the day, both OS’s are good (excluding Vista) and I welcome both the choice and competition.
Matt Says:
November 17th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
I guess Microsoft did a better job of copying Apple this time, but in 18 months time they’ll be way behind again. I’ll stick with my Macs, thanks.
Matt Says:
November 17th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
@Danny Thomas If you want to use your two-button scroll-wheel mouse on your Mac, all you have to do is connect it! Not exactly difficult…
Ralph Hardwick Says:
November 17th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
@ danny thomas. Do what I do, run Windows under VMware fusion 2 on your mac for MS Project. I have a MBP with 8GB ram and give 5 to OS X and 3 to Win7 (I run a few other things under windows virtualisation other than project). It works like a charm!
Steve Cassidy Says:
November 17th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
I have to disagree about brand loyalty and vitriol. A mate sells spares for Subarus; the abuse in his mailbox from Mitsubishi fans is a thing of wonderment and occasionally, awe. They’re just cars – but that doesn’t stop people!
Gary Kearley Says:
November 17th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
I’ve found this series to be a very decent bit of journalism, well written and thank goodness all pre-conceived ideas were left at the door. I use most OS’s day in day out, Windows XP, Windows 7 Pro, OSX and Ubuntu and use the best OS for the task in hand.

Brand loyalty does go a long way for fan boys though and in a way I am thankful for that, as it makes all OS writers try that little bit harder, not to copy each other but to innovate.

Thanks for the good series Chris.
Maddog UK Says:
November 17th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
I tried Mac’s for 4 years and have given up on it. I sold my Mac Mini which was so underpowered it was not worth having.

My MacBook Pro is only used for Windows 7 and gaming now, nice hardware but OS X is useless and Apple is only interested in locking users further in to Apple. Software is expensive and their is hardly a game worth mentioning.

Tried it, not worth the money.
Windywoo Says:
November 17th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Macs aren’t a threat but that isn’t the point. The point is the continual smugness and anal nit-picking (that phrase sounds a bit dodgy but I can’t think of anything better at the moment) of Mac users, exemplified by their advertising.

Mac users harp on about the virus threat and exaggerate it beyond its true scale. They spread FUD about PCs being inferior hardware with only their own anecdotal evidence to back it up. They will blow a lot of hot air about PCs faults all the while ignoring that Apple for many do not offer a valid solution. Apple are deliberately niche, aiming at the high end, there is no low cost netbook, just a Macbook Air. There is no customisable tower for home use, no option to install OSX on the hardware that you choose, no machine for games. If Macs are so great then why do they not offer a wider range. Apple force people to use PCs by their own stubborn greed.

Mac u
Klem Says:
November 17th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
I want to support the more balanced comments here and add that I agree that this series has been a good bit of journalism. My main machines are an iMac and MacBook. Both run windows in virtualisation so I can continue to use some Windows only software. I also have an early netbook running XP. I also use and support my wife’s Vista now Win 7 Compaq.

The netbook is not so good because as an early adopter my KB is small, ditto the screen and even with a RAM upgrade the Celeron CPU is a bit lacking, not helped by a slow SSD. The Apple machines are not perfect yet for all their foibles they are ‘complete’ as packages in ways that Win machines generally don’t seem to be (the recent articles on Junkware anybody?). Also I think that OSX is better for people who want to get work done and want minimum interference from the OS. That’s most ordinary users then. W including 7 requires a bit of tech nouse.

The most surprising thing has been how W7 has improved the Compaq. It is more responsive (she bought a Core Solo! I know) and the interface is much improved.

If short of funds when the MacBook (a log time hence I hope) dies I would really consider a Win laptop, but having given up on Win desktops would have to replace the iMac like for like.

The biggest bugbear through all this is ensuring that whatever platform one uses, one’s data is stored using universal standards and is cross platform.
Tibbs Says:
November 17th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
I was disappointed with the exercise. I was hopping you would really see what W7 can do. Apart from touch screen, one of the main new improvements is the tools to control open windows, side by side view in just two clicks, shake down, toolbar preview launch etc., also the new keyboard short, (screen zoom, window flip, etc.). How does the interface compare with the Mac.

I use W7 side by side view 3 or 4 times per day. Web browsers now need improvements to catch up with W7.

When im on a Mac computer, its slow and cumbersome, Given a whole week, I would be fluent with all the keyboard shorts and would be able to fly OSX at sonic speeds.

Shame you did not even get airborne during your W7 exercise.

Mybe next time.
Paul B Says:
November 18th, 2009 at 12:30 am
@WindyWoo – No such smugness and anal nit-picking from Mac users so far in this comments thread. What I have found though, is negative comments about Mac users from you on nearly every Mac-related thread on PC-Pro it seems.

Is this some sort of pre-emptive strike, or did you once have a bad experience with a Mac? Not all Mac users pray at the altar of Jobs – at least give us a chance?

(To be clear, I consider myself platform agnostic – using OS X, Ubuntu and Windows in daily life, but this constant sniping at Mac users and vice versa – seems to reflect badly on whoever does it – whatever platform you passionately hate).
D2theM Says:
November 18th, 2009 at 4:39 am
The sad truth about all this Mac vs. PC debate is a dirty little secret. It’s a PC! Intel processor and Unix based operating system, also about half the Mac user posts admit to running windows on their systems. As much dirt that as had throw about using a “PC” I don’t understand why OS and Linux users run windows along with their acclaimed perfect Operating systems. The truth is in the numbers people. If it was the best it wouldn’t be on the bottom.
D2theM Says:
November 18th, 2009 at 4:53 am
The sad truth about all this Mac vs. PC debate is a dirty little secret. It’s a PC! Intel processor and Unix based operating system, also about half the Mac user posts admit to running windows on their systems. As much dirt that has been thrown about using a “PC” I don’t understand why OS X and Linux users run windows along with their acclaimed perfect operating systems. The truth is in the numbers people. If it was the best it wouldn’t be on the bottom. -srry
Tim_Wn Says:
November 18th, 2009 at 8:20 am
Purely my impression, but I hear a lot of Mac users also finding ways of running windows on their Mac’s finding a way of running non Apple hardware on their Mac’s and then proclaiming this to be the best situation. Do PC users regularly want to run Mac Software? You don’t hear it so much.

My impression is that Apple is a inovative hardware company holding on to a largely irrelevent OS in order to keep a grip on their hardware sales.
Gavin Moorhouse Says:
November 18th, 2009 at 9:40 am
I’ve really enjoyed this series. I think it really has been an honest assessment. Whilst Chris has been converted to Windows fully, I like his comments regarding XP being a chore and Windows 7 not being so. XP is the old war horse, it’s reliable, but when going back to XP from W7, it does feel dated.
John Hind Says:
November 18th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I’d love to see the same exercise in reverse for comparison – make a Windows toting Mac virgin live with OSX.

I disagree about pricing – the problem for Apple is the low end which is were the mass market is. The lowest cost Mac is at least twice the price of an entry level Windows 7 machine. The high end machines are broadly comparable, but the only mass market justification for these machines is gaming and OSX does not have the software for that. So the only real market is the high-end media niche traditionally “owned” by Apple.

If Apple wants to compete with OSX it either needs to loosen up on clones or sell a low-cost entry level machine. One nice move would be to sell OSX in a virtual machine to run on Windows hardware, perhaps on an annual subscription.
Steve Cassidy Says:
November 18th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
PC users regularily run software developed and delivered first on Macs, which later moved to PCs. One of these is fairly well known – it’s called Excel. I am actually pleased to see Windywoo commenting here – he is, a bit like Nick Griffin, brave enough to say what a lot of people think, but keep to themselves. Whether that great PC majority are correct is a completely different issue from the simple fact that this is how they really do feel. Windy old mate: keep it going. Though I feel obliged to point out that the “I’m a Mac” adverts were not aimed at *existing* Mac users, nor were they the product of a Mac user fanbase poll – which is what your comment implies.
Chris Says:
November 18th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Thanks for the final blog post on this. I have been down on you for some of your posts, but this is balanced and fair.

Glad you liked your time with Windows and I hope you get what you want in the next MacHeist deal
hello? Says:
November 18th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
I think John hind came up with a really interesting idea – what about a pc user being forced to use a mac for a while?

I know that would have me looking at the keyboard and going… “what now?” I’d love to read how they got on.
StantheITMan Says:
November 19th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Not sure where this “reliable” tag came from for Macs. PCs outnumber Macs on a 70/30 split here. But I see as many dead Macs as I do PCs. Also, why do Macbooks only run 5400rpm disks? Could it be due to the fact that the machines can’t deal with the heat output?
Anteaus Says:
November 19th, 2009 at 10:08 am
“..what about a pc user being forced to use a mac for a while”

Tried that, and I was surprised how difficult it was to navigate around. Things like the config for a program are often hidden-away in really odd places. As a person unfamiliar with the interface I certainly didn’t find it more intuitive than Windows, possibly less so.

IMHO test of a GUI is that if you end-up resorting to a DOS or unix shell because you find that easier, the GUI is not intuitive. I did.

As for reliabilty I think it’s true that MacOS gives far less problems, but if the Mac hardware breaks you are in for a shocker of a bill, in fact it might cost more than a reasonable PC to get it fixed.
IanB Says:
November 19th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Shut up and get on with your work, the lot of you!
Jordan Says:
November 19th, 2009 at 11:31 am
I very much doubt Apple will ever release a low-end Mac. It’s not in their business model. They know where they do best, and it looks to be working out just fine.

@Windywoo, you said “If Macs are so great then why do they not offer a wider range.” – are you serious? Wow. Maybe you are.

Hey, if Ferrari are so great then why do they not offer a wider range also? …”Ferrari competing with Honda Accord shocker!”
Steve Cassidy Says:
November 19th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Stan: Loads of PC laptops come with only 5.4k drives, too. I can’t see a particular gain or loss in the argument either way, on this measurement. When people talk about Macs being more reliable, they are mostly referring to OSX. Because it’s a bit more closed, it’s harder to break. Apple always have been known for more rigorous code on top of less adventurous hardware.
Nikolaos Says:
November 22nd, 2009 at 2:52 am
Why PC’s are always going to rule:

1: many different manufacturers; they wouldn’t like their products not to sell, so they support Microsoft. without Microsoft they die.

2: you can buy with 300$ max a pc with windows 7 for instance that can do miracles.can do most stuff fantastically well. (MSoffice, internet, the lot). You cant have this with ANY new macs.

3: buy 3 400$-windows-7 Pcs for the price of 1 Mac… keep 3 unopened for spares…

4: buy 1 Pc and spent the rest of your cash to buy: 1phone, 1 Ipod and a second Notebook Pc.

5: Laugh with all your heart when Mac lovers go the ”geniuses” to solve the problems of their overpriced Macs.

6: Mock your Mac-friends with your 300$ laptop. Ok they can play games on them but who cares?

7: Mac is 1 company with 1 OS. its future is unavoidable: Close-down… They have to compete with the greats: toshiba, sony, hp… desighn can go a long way but until when??

Good luck to all! Peace!
conspiracy Says:
November 28th, 2009 at 7:16 am
I think Apples putting out those ads to divert people from looking too closely at Steve Jobs health….
Andy P Says:
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:37 pm
For me Windows 7 is too slow and pokey. I have it on my work PC which has a faster processor and more ram than my MacBook Pro yet it takes the PC 76 seconds to boot / login to a fully loaded desktop. The mac – just 20 seconds from pushing the on button!

Im a Mac and Windows 7 was a bad idea
Ray W Says:
June 9th, 2011 at 3:41 pm
Been using MS based PC’s since mid-80’s all versions of Windoze. Switched to Apple in 2005 (business) and never looked back. Apple is FAR more reliable, faster, more intuitive. Don’t miss unreliable MS at all
Magnus Says:
August 3rd, 2011 at 10:54 pm
Okay, so i’m getting a mac tomorrow. My first mac, and i’m just scouting some forums because i’m pretty damn excited! I’ve been a PC user all my life, and i’ve been satisfied with that, and i think the main reason for me getting a mac, is being bored with MS. Nothing ever really changes. I mean, the design gets more slick, but let’s face it. Most of Microsofts software can’t keep up!

So even though Microsoft wins on numbers, i think mac users have come to a point where they can admit that, Apple does something that Microsoft don’t. They go out on a limb, with new software and hardware, and they make it so complete, so thought through that it simply is an experience in itself.

Apple is getting even further ahead in the Cloudrace, and Lion is the another step towards combining iOS with OS X. It seems, when it comes to innovation, MS is always a step behind.
danny Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 4:38 pm
i have used windows for the past 15 years but last year decided to change to a mac book air and i love it i would never buy a windows computer again they feel a lot slower and i haven’t had a single virus were as it was a constant threat on my windows computer
dave shaw Says:
August 29th, 2011 at 11:39 pm
great comments friends but do i buy my boys MACS or Micros one likes gaming one likes editing films
regards Dave