What is the better operating system for desktop computers and laptops? Windows or macOS?
The short answer is: it depends on what you are looking for.
Windows is better if you prioritize gaming, rich software ecosystem, a somewhat flexible OS, and access to a wide variety of hardware at different price levels. On the other hand, macOS (and Apple in general) prioritize ease of use, reliability, good integration of hardware and software, plus integration in the wider Apple ecosystem such as iPhones, iPads etc.
But that’s just a summary. There are a lot of differences between Windows and macOS, and each one has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Choosing whether to use a macOS or Windows device strongly depends on what features are important and which ones don’t matter to you as a user.
Windows advantages against macOS
File explorer and better system navigation
This one might be subjective, but, in our opinion, it’s much easier to open and explore files on Windows than it is on Mac.
Windows structures its folders as a “hierarchy tree”, where you have a “root” file which contains all other “branch” files. This makes it easy to create a mental map of where all your files are located.
Not only that, but Windows file navigation is specifically designed so users always know on which “branch” of the file system they are currently on.
The process of finding a file can be tedious at times, but the Windows file system is built logically and intuitively.
By contrast, macOS has a “flat” approach, where important folders are spread around everywhere. It can take a while for new macOS users to discover how to find their important files and navigate to them.
Another issue is that macOS wants to appear as clean and minimal as possible. The problem with that however is that they hide important navigation features such as hiding the path bar, no equivalent to “cut-and-paste”, and no navigation sidebar.
However, macOS makes up for this by offering Spotlight, a search feature that is incredibly fast and can find practically any folder in an instant, so long as you know its name.
Better support for multiple monitors
Another Windows advantage is that it has somewhat better support for connecting multiple monitors to your device. It’s not a huge advantage, but it’s still worth mentioning.
The most important one is resolution. Windows displays content on secondary displays at the native resolution of the monitor.
This means that, on Windows, you can attach a 1080p and a 4K screen to your laptop and clearly see the pixels density differences between the two monitors.
This isn’t always true for macOS. This is because macOS doesn’t use the native resolutions of the external monitors.
Instead, macOS determines what resolution should fit the external monitor, and then scales the resolution of the content to fit the size of the monitor. The whole process is rather complicated, so you can read more about it here.
The result is that, for macOS, secondary displays can sometimes look blurry and present flickering, while this is not an issue on Windows.
There are also other small advantages for Windows such as having a taskbar on every monitor or being able to “attach” a certain program to a certain monitor.
Huge software ecosystem
Perhaps the biggest advantage of Windows over macOS is the gigantic amount of software available to install on Windows compared to macOS.
Mostly this is because there are vastly more Windows devices than macOS devices, so naturally most programmers and app developers will choose to invest more heavily in Windows compared to macOS.
This does have real benefits to Windows users. For example, Windows users often have 4-5 different software solutions to a certain problem, whereas macOS users might only get 1 or 2.
Not only that, but if you have an extremely niche and obscure problem, you’ll have a much higher chance of finding a niche software solution on Windows than you would on a macOS device.
That being said, this might not be as big of a problem today as it was in years past. Nowadays most software is accessed through the browser rather than installed natively on the device.
And even in the case of software installed on the device, macOS already has native versions of the vast majority of relevant software such as Photoshop, Microsoft Office programs, video editing tools, game engines such as Unreal Engine etc.
Windows is vastly better for gaming
One area where Windows absolutely demolishes macOS is gaming.
First of all, Windows users have access to large game libraries through Steam or Game Pass.
Then, Windows users can also enjoy those games at very high framerates and graphical fidelity because of the huge amount of hardware variety available for Windows devices.
By contrast, macOS has a catalogue of games that is very small and made up of old games (since the hardware of most macOS devices isn’t strong enough to run newer games).
In fact, Windows has become so dominant in the gaming space that video game developers that used to be “console only” have over time switched to be “PC (Windows) is a priority”.
More performant hardware and better variety
Another huge advantage of Windows compared to macOS is the vastly more powerful hardware available to Windows users.
Desktop Windows users can basically swap out any component they want, whenever they want.
Windows laptops are more limited since critical components such as the CPU, GPU and memory storage are soldered rather than connected with screws.
Despite that, Windows laptop manufacturers sell laptops in nearly every possible hardware combination you can think of.
The result of all this is that Windows users can always find (or build) a device with a very specific combination of hardware.
By comparison, macOS users are stuck with whatever hardware combination Apple desires. With macOS there is no freedom to build your device exactly how you want it, so you must be happy with whatever Apple gives and hope it works for your needs.
The biggest advantage however is that Windows users generally benefit from having access to high-performance CPUs and GPUs.
Powerful hardware is useful not only for everyday tasks, but it also let’s Windows users do things on their devices that macOS cannot, for the simple reason that the hardware isn’t strong enough for it.
Software compatibility & emulation
Windows devices with good hardware have an interesting advantage against macOS: they can directly install and run macOS on PC hardware through emulators such as Hackintosh.
This means a PC user can get access to applications that are exclusive to macOS, but without buying an Apple device. This includes Xcode, Logic Pro, GarageBand, Final Cut Pro etc.
Performance is also generally acceptable, although it does depend on the hardware of the Windows device.
Theoretically, an Apple device can also install Windows. The problem for macOS users is that the hardware on the macOS device isn’t strong enough to run Windows at an acceptable performance level.
However, this superpower of Windows devices isn’t limited to just macOS. A Windows computer with decent hardware can emulate different operating systems, games and even consoles.
Just to give an example, a Windows device can emulate consoles such as PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, NES, Wii, Wii U, etc.
This allows Windows users to access nearly any kind of software imaginable, something macOS devices simply cannot do.
Windows devices are cheaper to buy (and repair!)
As a rule, Windows devices are cheaper than macOS devices, while offering better computing power at every price level.
Not only that, but Windows desktop computers are much cheaper to repair since all you must do is replace the faulty component with a new one and that’s it.
Laptops are a bit more difficult since the individual components are more tightly integrated with one another. However, even on Windows laptops it might still be possible to replace individual components with different ones.
This is because most Windows laptops are built from the same standardized components. This means laptops built by different manufacturers such as Lenovo, Dell or ASUS might all use the exact same type of CPU or GPU model, which can be replaced.
Please note that this doesn’t apply to every Windows laptop. How easily a laptop model can be repaired strongly depends on how it was designed. Different laptop models are more repairable than others.
If you’re interested in seeing how easy it is to repair a certain device, then we recommend you check out iFixit’s repairability scores.
In terms of price, Apple devices, including macOS ones, are notorious for being quite expensive to purchase.
However, macOS devices are also expensive to repair, since spare parts are very expensive, and the hardware is very tightly joined together and difficult to open.
macOS advantages against Windows
Excellent battery life
A macOS laptop has much better battery life compared to a Windows laptop.
This is because Windows was originally designed for desktop computers that were permanently connected to an infinite power source. As such, Windows never really tries to be economical with how much power it uses.
Not only that, but Windows is also a “heavy” operating system. There’s always something running in the background that consumes power.
By comparison, macOS is specifically designed for laptops, where long battery life is very important.
Unlike Windows, Apple devices also have standardized hardware, meaning it’s much easier for programmers to optimize macOS so that it uses as little power as possible.
The end result is that the battery life of a MacBook on a single charge can be 1.5 to 2x longer than a Windows equivalent.
The benefits don’t stop there, however. Because Apple has such tight control over both the hardware and software of a MacBook device, it can also optimize the lifespan of the battery, and how many charging cycles it can sustain before degrading.
This is why you can often see 8 or 10 year old MacBook devices still having decent battery life, while the batteries on Windows laptops start falling apart after 3-4 years.
Reliable software and hardware
Perhaps the biggest advantage of a macOS device compared to a Windows device is how just how incredibly reliable a macOS computers are.
This is because Apple has full control over both the hardware and software of macOS device.
This means Apple can optimize the device for every possible situation, squeeze as much performance as possible from the hardware, and remove even the most persistent and annoying bugs.
This is why macOS (and Apple devices in general) have a reputation that “they simply work”.
A macOS device will rarely freeze or stop being responsive, they almost never force restart and even individual hardware components rarely never break.
By comparison, Windows devices can be very unstable.
BSOD (blue screens of death) errors are notorious and can happen for all kinds of reasons.
Windows devices also hang up and stop responding very frequently, while individual components are much more prone to failure, especially on laptops.
From this point of view, purchasing a macOS device is a much better choice if you prioritize a reliable device that requires little maintenance.
Unique software
In general, Windows has an advantage over macOS when it comes to available software.
However, macOS does have some exclusive software programs that are so unique and high quality that many people buy macOS devices specifically for the exclusive software.
This includes:
- Xcode. A programming tool that is essential for software developers that want to build software for Apple devices.
- Final Cut Pro. A video editing tool that is extremely intuitive, fast and comes with some incredible features such as magnetic timeline.
- Logic Pro. A recording tool that is almost indispensable for those who work with recordings such as musicians or sound engineers.
- GarageBand. A simple to use, but powerful music making tool.
Besides those, macOS devices also have other unique software features that makes it very difficult to switch from a macOS to a Windows device. This includes Preview and Spotlight.
Extremely long device lifespan
A macOS device generally has a much longer useful life than a Windows device, especially Windows laptops.
Windows laptops, in particular gaming laptops, break down faster and more easily than MacBooks.
This is mostly a hardware problem. Windows laptops overheat much more compared to MacBooks.
Over time, the heat dries out the thermal paste and stresses the most important parts of the device such as the GPU, CPU, cooling fans and the battery. Eventually this leads failures, that require either major repairs or replacing the laptop altogether.
A macOS device doesn’t suffer from the same issues because of carefully optimized hardware and software.
MacBook have optimized power usage, so the device does not overheat. Ports and other openings are smaller, so less dust gets in the device. Charging speed is carefully handled so the device doesn’t overheat. Etc.
All of these small optimizations significantly reduce hardware degradation over time. This is why there are so many stories of MacBook devices that are 6-7 years old that still run like new.
Higher resell value on second-hand market
Apple devices generally have excellent resell value, and this includes macOS computers.
Part of this resell value is explained by the “premium” identity of Apple devices. People simply accept that they need to pay more to own an Apple device, even if it’s a second hand one.
The other reason macOS and other Apple devices have a good resell value is the overall build quality we previously mentioned. Apple devices just last longer than Windows laptops.
On top of the hardware quality, Apple is also generally committed to offering long-term software updates for their products. For example, it’s unusual for a device MacBook device launched in 2015 to still receive extensive software updates even in 2025.
Superior security and data privacy
Another major benefit of macOS and its “closed” nature is that it’s quite difficult for hackers to build malware for it, at least when compared to Windows.
Of course, Windows fans might say that cybercriminals primarily target Windows because there are so few macOS users.
Whatever the reason, the main idea is that macOS users don’t have to worry about malware as much as their Windows counterparts.
Another benefit of a macOS device is in data privacy. Historically, Apple has always made data privacy a big selling point and have been relatively consistent in trying to protect user privacy.
By comparison, Windows doesn’t have the same reputation. In fact, newer versions such as Windows 11 are sending out a lot of user data to external servers, which has raised quite questions from data privacy advocates.
Superb integration with other iOS devices
Perhaps the greatest advantage of a macOS device is its excellent integration with other Apple devices.
This deep integration between Apple devices is one reason why so many people generally “fall into” the Apple ecosystem.
First, they start out with one Apple device, such as an iPhone, then get some AirPods or an iPad, and then they move up to replacing their Windows laptop with MacBook. All because these devices work so seamlessly with one another.
Here are just some examples of these small, little quality of life integrations between Apple devices:
- Universal Clipboard. Basically, you “copy” something on your iPhone, and but “paste” it on your MacBook.
- Handoff. This feature allows you to start a task on your iPhone but continue it on your MacBook. For example, you can start reading an article on the iPhone but then switch to MacBook and continue from the same exact same place.
- AirDrop. With AirDrop, files shared to your iCloud account are automatically synchronized between all devices.
- Sidecar. A quality of life feature that allows you to “attach” an iPhone to the side of your MacBook, perform a few clicks, and then your iPhone becomes a secondary display for your MacBook.
These are just a handful of examples of what deep integration exists between Apple devices, and why so many users choose to completely get into the Apple ecosystem.
Windows vs macOS for different users
Windows vs macOS for gaming
For gaming, Windows is unequivocally the better operating system.
Windows boasts a significantly larger library of games, from blockbuster AAA titles to indie darlings. The vast majority of developers prioritize Windows, leading to more releases and better support.
Furthermore, Windows offers superior hardware compatibility, especially for graphics cards from leading manufacturers like NVIDIA and AMD. This ensures access to the latest drivers and performance-enhancing features such as DirectX 12 Ultimate, which provides more advanced graphics and higher frame rates.
While macOS has made strides in gaming with Apple Silicon, it still suffers from a smaller game selection and less robust hardware support for high-end gaming. For a dedicated gaming experience, Windows remains the dominant and recommended platform.
Windows vs macOS for programming
For programming, the choice between Windows and macOS is nuanced, with the “better” option often depending on your specific needs.
macOS is frequently favored for web and mobile development due to its Unix-based foundation, which simplifies working with many open-source tools and command-line applications.
If you plan to develop software for Apple’s ecosystem (iOS, iPadOS, or macOS), a Mac is non-negotiable as Xcode, the required development environment, only runs on macOS.
However, Windows has significantly closed the gap with the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), which allows you to run a full Linux environment directly within Windows.
This has made it a powerful and versatile platform for a wide range of development tasks. Furthermore, Windows remains the primary choice for developing native Windows applications and is the undisputed leader for PC game development.
Ultimately, both operating systems are highly capable. For broad compatibility with open-source tools and Apple-specific development, choose macOS. For Windows-centric projects, game development, and a highly customizable environment with WSL, Windows is an excellent choice.
For programming, the choice between Windows and macOS largely depends on your specific needs, but macOS is often favored for its Unix-based core.
Ultimately, both are excellent choices. For general-purpose and web development, many prefer the seamless Unix experience of macOS. For game development or a more versatile, hardware-flexible option, Windows with WSL is a powerful alternative.
Windows vs macOS for design and video editing
For general design work and video editing, macOS has a small advantage over Windows.
This is due to several factors. Apple’s ecosystem offers exceptional hardware and software integration, leading to highly optimized performance in creative applications. For instance, Final Cut Pro, a professional video editing software, is exclusive to macOS and renowned for its speed and efficiency on Mac hardware.
Furthermore, Mac devices, particularly MacBook Pros and iMacs, are famous for their high-resolution, color-accurate Retina displays, which is crucial for designs that need to be pixel perfect designs and collor accuracy.
The overall stability and streamlined user interface of macOS are other important reasons creative professionals prefer this platform over Windows, since it allows for a more focused workflow.
While Windows is a perfectly capable platform that runs the full Adobe Creative Suite and other industry-standard software, macOS maintains a slight edge due to its historical focus, superior optimization for creative tasks, and hardware advantages in the display department.
For general design work and video editing, macOS remains the preferred operating system, though Windows is a highly capable alternative.
Windows vs macOS for general business work
For most businesses and office work, Windows is generally the better and more practical operating system.
Windows is the dominant platform in the corporate world and has full compatibility with a vast range of software and peripherals used in office environments.
Microsoft Office Suite, the most used productivity tool in the world, is native to Windows and deeply integrated into the operating system itself.
For IT departments, managing a fleet of Windows devices is often more straightforward due to a wider array of mature Mobile Device Management (MDM) tools and deeper administrative control. This makes tasks like device deployment, security policy enforcement, and software updates more efficient at scale.
While macOS offers a secure and user-friendly experience, its higher cost and the universal prevalence of Windows in business make Windows the more pragmatic and compatible choice for general office tasks, from spreadsheets and documents to comprehensive enterprise management.
