PC vs. Mac is a war that will never end. Just when you think that a WWDC event went quietly without Apple taking any shots at Microsoft or Apple stopped creating Get a Mac ads, Microsoft adds more fuel to the fire with a unbiased comparison of PC vs. Mac. The webpage, part of the Windows 7 website, falls under the compare area, where you can compare different Windows 7 editions, or Windows versions or even get help in deciding between a PC and a Mac.
In simple words, the keywords Microsoft has played around with in the comparison are choice, simplicity, ease of use, compatibility and did I mention choice? Perspectives may differ between users of different operating systems obviously, but Microsoft does have some good points in there. I use both a Mac and a PC, and while I’m a geek, I understand that all that Microsoft has mentioned, does apply on the average Joe user.
Microsoft has compiled all the reasons they have under 6 headings. I’ve compiled them all in one page to make it easier to read. I’ve put my personal opinion under each of them.
Having Fun
It’s showtime.
You can’t get a Mac that ships with a Blu-ray player, TV tuner, Memory Stick reader, or built-in 3G wireless. You can with PCs running Windows 7.
Game on!
Most of the world’s most popular computer games aren’t available for Macs. And Macs can’t connect to an Xbox 360. PCs are ready to play.
Direct TV connection.
Most Macs can’t hook up to your TV unless you buy a converter dongle. Many PCs running Windows 7 are designed to connect directly to TVs, so you can watch movies and see photos on the big screen.
I have fun with YouTube, iTunes, Steam on Mac and I don’t know what Microsoft is thinking, but there are third party TV Tuners for Macs. What connection is Microsoft talking about with Xbox 360 under Game on! I can’t tell because the last time I checked, I couldn’t share/cross play games between a PC or an Xbox 360. Oh and Microsoft here’s one new word to learn about Macs: Boot Csamp.
Simplicity
Working smoothly.
Things just don’t work the same way on Macs if you’re used to a PC. For example, the mouse works differently. And many of the shortcuts you’re familiar with don’t work the same way on a Mac.
Use Windows 7 to simplify your life.
Windows 7 was designed to make it simpler to do the tasks you do every day, with features that the Mac doesn’t have. For example, the new Snap feature makes it easy to view two documents side by side.
Touch and go.
Unlike Macs, many PCs running Windows 7 support Touch, so you can browse online newspapers, flick through photo albums, and shuffle files and folders—using nothing but your fingers. PCs with a fingerprint reader even let you log in with just a swipe of your finger.
And Mac users think PCs can take time to learn. Windows 7 Touch isn’t something I would boast about. Sorry Ballmer.
Working Hard
Sharing documents and spreadsheets.
If you use Apple’s productivity suite, sharing files with PC users can be tricky. Your documents might not look right and your spreadsheets might not calculate correctly.
Giving presentations.
You’ll have to buy a separate hardware dongle to plug your Mac into a standard VGA projector. Most PCs with Windows 7 hook up easily.
Protecting your drives.
On a Mac, out of the box, you can only encrypt your home folder. With Windows 7 Ultimate, you can encrypt your entire hard drive and even USB drives. So your stuff can be safer wherever you go.
Orly?
To boot, Chowdhry said 70 percent of college freshman are entering school with Macs, up about 10 percent to 15 percent from a year ago.
Sharing
Securely share your movies, music, and photos.
With a Mac, it’s harder to set up secure sharing for your photos, music & movies, documents, and even printers with other computers on your home network. With HomeGroup, it’s easy to connect all the computers in your house running Windows 7.
It’s easy with a PC.
On a Mac, you have to manually set up photo sharing, manually set up music and movie sharing, manually set up file sharing, and manually set up printer sharing. It’s easy to automatically and securely network with all the computers in your house when they’re running Windows
Dropbox is available for Macs, PCs and Linux. iTunes has Bonjour for home networking which works well too.
Compatibility
Hassle-free files at work.
Apple’s productivity suite file formats won’t open in Microsoft Office on PCs. This can be a real hassle for Mac users sharing work documents with PC users.
Programs you already know.
If there’s a Mac version of a program you need, you’ll have to buy it again and relearn how to use it on a Mac.
True that. PCs have a BSOD when shown on a network in OS X. But again, you can run Windows on a Mac too.
Choice
Loaded with features.
You can’t get a Mac with a Blu-ray player, TV tuner, Memory Stick reader, or built-in 3G wireless. PCs running Windows 7 often come with features that aren’t available on even the highest end Macs, including Blu-ray, eSATA, multi-format card readers, Touch, and mobile broadband.
Available in your favorite color.
Macs only come in white or silver. PCs are available in a full spectrum of colors across a range of price points.
More digital media.
With PCs running Windows 7, you can play the videos and music stored on your home PC while you’re on the go, for free. Apple charges $99/year for its online service.
Correction. Steve Jobs doesn’t let you choose.
Microsoft has a lot of good arguments against Macs, but they have to keep in mind that no matter what Apple or whoever says anything, most Mac users actually run Windows in Boot Camp which solves all the nonissues Microsoft mentioned. I would have never gotten a Mac if it couldn’t run Windows. Macs actually make for fast and beautiful Windows PCs.
What’s your pick?
Windows started the PC revolution. Anyone who states that Windows 7 is a arbitrary OS is ignorant. If it wasn't for Windows, the computer big bang would have never happened. When did it become cool for Daniel-san to disrespect Mr. Miyagi? Microsoft pioneered (One who opens up new areas of thought, research, or development) what we now call the “computer”. Macs do have some nice eye-candy and features, but to say that OS X is superior to Windows 7…lol. A Mac is a PC :) Embrace, Extend, Exterminate. Windows <3
Well~~ as an engineer I can write a huge list of advantages and disadvantages for both brands. But I am pretty sure that this matter is more about taste.
Either sides are great but the only thing that MS is doing degrading Mac, is getting worst their own brand image. If I am a simple “Joe” I am pretty sure that I will stay away from macs. However 3 of 7 “Joe”s they think to switch to macs once in a time. Specially, when you look somebody who is using a Mac at its full capacity. “Joe” can see that the guy using the Mac is actually doing the same stuff that he does with his Window 7, but it looks better and faster.
I don't wanna be to critic with this matter but personally I think that Windows 7 is a cheap copy of Mac Os X with a bottom bar (I don't remember actually what they call that bar with the “Star” button)
If you're using Bootcamp then you're not really comparing Windows with Macs. You're comparing Windows with Mac + Windows. I think it's pretty obvious that, that's a fairly useless comparison.
As an iTunes U administrator I use both OS X and Windows 7. I greatly prefer how Windows organizes files, Windows, programs and the OS as a whole. OS X is fine but saying that it is superior and not just user preference is ignorant. Obviously XP had to hang around far too long because of Vista. But Windows 7 is the real deal.
I have to disagree mac os is in fact superior in my oppinion.
saying that mac os isnt better is well… ignorant.
Microsoft’s campaign here is ineffectual. It’s preaching to the choir. Those who are interested in switching to the Mac will switch anyway—most people were brought up using Windows, and people are creatures of habit. Any major switch that might affect workflow, especially in mission-critical work, will take a lot of consideration. I used Windows for roughly sixteen years before switching to the Mac. (I also used Linux for a patch of time, but I always had Windows running concurrently.)
If Microsoft is trying to keep Windows users, this advertising won’t do the trick for them; most people stay with Windows because it’s familiar, or because there are certain applications that are only made for Windows that they need. Many people simply equate ‘computer’ with ‘Windows’ because of Microsoft’s pervasiveness on the desktop. Windows comes with their computer, so they use it. Presenting a commodity (Windows) as something desirable and to be chosen over a perceived alternative or ‘luxury’ item is a bad strategy, simply because Windows is seen as a commodity. Advertising Windows as a concept (rather than advertising Windows upgrades) is like advertising plain bread or water—in this comparison, the Mac would be like artisan bread, or Fiji water. It’s too much of a ‘given’ for this kind of advertising to work. It’s sad that Microsoft has that kind of monopoly in the first place, but seeing them ineffectually fumble and try to make themselves stand out because of it is kind of pathetic.
This isn’t to say that Windows shouldn’t exist—there’s a place for Windows, just as there is for Mac OS X, Linux and other OSes. I’d just like to see more user-friendly operating systems challenge it at the low and medium end of the market. The Mac gives Windows competition at the high end, but there’s nothing for the low and medium end to challenge it. Linux is still seen as a ‘geek’s OS’, and not mature enough for the general market.
I own a Macbook (and a PC running Linux Mint). I will never go back to Windows. Its just a preference because the Macbook suits my needs. I set up Windows 7 for my girlfriend on her laptop and it was a pain.
Personally I think both the Mac and Microsoft ads were terrible in terms of showcasing/selling their products but this recent Microsoft ad is God awful. I can’t tell if Microsoft is promoting the “PC” or Windows 7. Either way they haven’t mentioned anything that would convince me to buy Windows 7 itself; they wasted time focusing on what they claim the Mac cannot do.
“You can’t get a Mac that ships with a Blu-ray player, TV tuner, Memory Stick reader, or built-in 3G wireless. You can with PCs running Windows 7”
But who REALLY cares?
“Macs can take time to learn”
So can Windows 7 but that depends on the individual doesnt it?
“If you use Apple’s productivity suite, sharing files with PC users can be tricky. Your documents might not look right and your spreadsheets might not calculate correctly.”
Hmmm, Perhaps MS Office for Mac would fix that. Or even Open Office for Mac, its free!
“You’ll have to buy a separate hardware dongle to plug your Mac into a standard VGA projector. Most PCs with Windows 7 hook up easily.”
I have one, it cost me $20 extra. But if we are talking about giving presentations here, how much extra does it cost to buy MS PowerPoint? between $250 to $300?
“On a Mac, you have to manually set up photo sharing, manually set up music and movie sharing, manually set up file sharing, and manually set up printer sharing. It’s easy to automatically and securely network with all the computers in your house when they’re running Windows”
This is not true on the Windows 7 part but if it was I would be concerned if my files were automatically shared wouldn’t you? Manual sharing just means I have control. Its certainly not rocket science to setup file sharing between Mac and Windows (heck even Linux).
“Mac might not like your PC stuff.”
Funny they stated this when they have a Windows 7 compatibilty Center. There is a laundry list of hardware that does not work with Windows 7 and its listed on their site.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/windows-7/en-us/default.aspx
“Macs only come in white or silver. PCs are available in a full spectrum of colors across a range of price points.”
This is the most absurd point. I’m not going to buy a certain make of car because of the available colors. BTW Macs also come in black :)
“With PCs running Windows 7, you can play the videos and music stored on your home PC while you’re on the go, for free. Apple charges $99/year for its online service.”
Huh?? I’m not even sure what Microsoft is trying to say here. What company charges consumers to play music/movies stored locally on their computers?? Microsoft is almost implying that they provide movies and music for free.
I am not even trying to promote Apple here. I think people just need to do their research and make their own decisions. If I was a hardcore gamer I would probably buy a PC… just not with Windows 7 :)
LOSER
I like Mac OS but not Mac machines.
Well Windows will never be able to compete with MAC OS in terms of reliability ..Coz Mac OS is specifically made for a pre-defined set of hardware which Apple knows will go into a system..Where as windows has to make their software to support a larger peripheral device group. Having said that I feel MAC is too expensive for the features , and for the same kinda money one could buy a killer machine customized from , say Dell. But MAC vs PC argument will go on for ever, without a winner