hen Apple made the jump
to Intel chips in 2006, Macs
offered the best of both worlds.
Apple started supporting dual-
boot Intel Macs with both MacOS
and Windows, via the BootCamp
application and full driver sets
for Windows on Macs. It was also
possible to run MacOS on generic
PC hardware during that era, albeit
with dubious legality. But with the
switch to Apple silicon, the two
platforms have once again diverged.
In simple terms, MacOS versus
Windows is a question of polish
versus power. Apple’s OS has
always been slicker and more
refined, at the same time offering
arguably less control and autonomy
to the user. Windows has offered
greater configurability while being a
little rougher around the edges.
An example of MacOS’s superior
polish involves UI rendering. Even
in the latest builds of Windows
11, it’s possible to drill down into
menus and expose ancient dialogue
boxes from the late 90s containing
grey graphics and aliased fonts.
Windows likewise still does a patchy
job of scaling variable DPI settings.
MacOS also offers better
integration with other devices,
provided those devices are madeOPERATING SYSTEMS
WINNER
DR AW
Some Macs are
good value, but
the PC is the
king of bang for
your buck.MacOS is still
more polished
and slick,
Windows that
little bit more
powerful and
configurable.Two-in-one
tablet devices,
such as the Dell
XPS 13, are
exclusive to the
PC as Apple’s
Macs don’t do
touchscreens.Generally, the PC’s flexibility
means you can maximize your
money, only spending on the
things you really want. Again, you
decide what goes into your PC
and, in many cases, can choose
to pay market rates for any given
component rather than get gouged
for upgrades by the system builder.
The competitiveness and relative
transparency of the PC market
means that factory upgrade prices
are often the same as individual
components bought separately.
by Apple. Because Apple controls
everything across its product stack
and only has to support a small
range of products, it can ensure
smooth interoperability across your
computer, tablet, and smartphone.
One example is Apple’s Airdrop
feature, which even PC aficionados
have to admit can be handy.
However, there are also parts of
the Windows interface we prefer.
While both OSes offer support for
multiple virtual desktops, desktop
and app management is far more
intuitive in Windows. ‘Snapping’
apps to fill half, a quarter or a third
of the screen is easier, something
Windows 11 takes a step further
with Snap Groups, which allows you
to jump between six different multi-
window arrangements.
Windows’ taskbar approach to
app management is also quicker
and more intuitive when it comes
to switching between multiple
instances of a single app and
between different apps when
multitasking. Beyond that, much
comes down to personal taste. We
prefer Windows File Explorer’s
approach to file listing and preview
to MacOS’s Finder, for instance. But
that’s a preference rather than an
objective advantage for Windows.W
other voice assistants. In fact,
while Cortana is part of Microsoft’s
latest client OS, Windows 11, it
has been demoted in terms of its
prominence. It’s no longer part of
the first-time boot ‘experience’ and
the Cortana icon has been removed
from the Windows 11 taskbar.
However, when comparing Mac
and PC rather than smartphones
or speakers, Cortana is stillpartner with Amazon to integrate
Cortana with Amazon’s Alexa
voice assistant. On the other
hand, if you buy into the wider
Apple ecosystem, such as
running not only a Mac but also
an iPhone, then you can benefit
from having a consistent Siri-
powered experience across
your main computing and mobile
devices.competitive with Siri. Both
platforms offer similar headline
capabilities, such as opening apps,
changing settings, sending emails,
and setting reminders. But, as it
happens, Cortana does actually
have a few unique capabilities that
Apple’s Siri lacks, including the
ability to shut a PC down.
The repositioning of Cortana
has also allowed Microsoft toAPR 2022 MAXIMU MPC 51
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