Windows vs. MacOS vs. Chrome OS vs. Ubuntu Linux: Which Operating System Reigns Supreme?![Mac Os V Windows Mac Os V Windows](https://i.insider.com/5b0856b81ae6621f008b471e?width=1100&format=jpeg&auto=webp)
Winner: Tie
Winner: Windows 10
Jun 17, 2016. The war between Mac and Windows devotees has been raging for decades, and last week we asked you to weigh in. Today we're taking a look at the best arguments on both sides to offer a clear picture. Feb 11, 2020. Sep 22, 2018.
Microsoft Windows 10We break down the top four desktop operating systems and compare them on features to help you pick the one that's right for you.
You don’t have many choices when it comes to operatingsystems, but the choice you make can have far-ranging effects on your computingexperience. The four OSes included here are the most viable options. Though that's not a huge number, they definitely are options, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Threeof them come from gargantuan commercial tech giants, while one, the Linux-based Ubuntu,is a free, open-source option. Windows and macOS are generally the mostpowerful in terms of hardware and software options as well as interfaceconveniences and utilities, while Chrome OS is more lightweight and runs oninexpensive hardware.
Of course, if you need to run software that only runs on aparticular operating system (usually Windows or macOS), then you're somewhatlimited, though there are ways around those obstacles with multi-boot setupsand virtualization software. For example, you can run Windows on a Mac insidea virtual machine (VM) or dual-boot using Boot Camp. You can also create a Linuxpartition on a Windows PC and boot to that when the need arises.
In this mini-roundup, we're just talking about consumer operatingsystems. We'll leave IBM i, Suse Linux, server OSes, and the rest for another day. Even further from the scope of this article are some bizarre and obscureoperating systems most have never heard of.
For a blow-by-blow comparison of the two leading choices,Windows and macOS, read macOSvs. Windows: Which OS Really Is the Best?
An operating system is the software that makes your computerwork at all. It talks to all system and external hardware, loads programs intomemory, connects to the internet, and manages storage on disks. Today's modernoperating system includes slick user interfaces and loads of utilities, tools,and included apps that let you do a lot without even installing third-party applicationsoftware. Those apps include things like photo editors, video viewers and video editors, webbrowsers, email clients, calendars, text editors, and music players.
An operating system also includes tools to keep yourcomputer running smoothly, safely, and malware-free. Most even include built-insecurity features and support for VPNs.Much of an operating system's security and stability is maintained by anautomated update process that makes sure the system receives timely fixes tohardware and software compatibility and vulnerability issues.
With smartphones such a prevalent part of modern life, agood desktop operating system needs to work in concert with those devices. The cloud(aka online storage and syncing) is another prevalent theme in today's technologydomain, and most operating systems integrate with their own cloud services,with varying degrees of functionality.
While Ubuntu is what's known as Free and open-sourcesoftware (FOSS). Chrome OS is based on the company's open-source Chromiumproject, meaning volunteer coders can contribute to the code and third partiescan put out their own versions, but Chrome OS is Google's proprietary versionof that codebase. In fact, you can't even install Chrome OS proper on computerhardware that's not sanctioned by Google, something you can do with Windowsand Linux.
In our linked reviews of the four operating systems discussedbelow, we take into account the following criteria, and they can help informyour choice of OS:
As mentioned above, if you need to run software that's only supportedby one of these operating systems, your choice is already made for you. Forexample, if you want use Final Cut Pro as your video editor and Adobe PremierePro just won't do, your only option is macOS. If you want to run AAA videogames, you'll want to stick with Windows 10. The same holds for peripherals. Youmay have a VR headset or 3D printer that only provides drivers for one type ofsystem.
Without further ado, read on for a summary of each oftoday's top four desktop operating system choices, in order of usage share. Forfar more detail, click the links in each to read our full reviews.
Microsoft Windows 10
Windows powers over a billionPCs, making it by far the most popular desktop operating system on earth. Thisalso means it works with the most hardware and software of any OS, too. App macbook pro. Windowshas had its ups (Windows XP, Windows 7) and downs (Windows Vista, Windows 8)over the years, but the consensus is that Windows 10 makes up for a multitudeof past transgressions. It's still not perfect: Glitches still rear theirugly heads now and then, but the current version beats the pants off any of itspredecessors.
In terms of interface clarity, wealth of included tools, andusability features, Windows 10 is hard to match. Full touch-screen support, voiceassistance with Cortana, flexible screenshot and clipboard tools, photo andvideo editors, stylus input, and even basic 3D modeling all come along with it. Those are in addition to the standard tools like (much improved) Mail, Calendar, Notepad, and Calculator apps. The Action Center is a convenience that consolidates notifications and gives quick access tofrequently needed settings.
Moving and arranging windows in Windows 10 is unmatched inconveniences and ease, as is using multiple virtual desktops, with its uniqueTimeline feature. Windows and macOS both include app stores with vettedprograms, automatic updates, and multiple PC capability. Sadly, developers andusers don’t give the attention to these stores that they do to mobile appstores. Unlike macOS, Windows can comfortably slip into a very usable tabletmode, with touch gesture support that negates the need for a keyboard.
If you're into gaming, and particularly VR gaming, Windowsis the only way to go. It also ties in snugly with Microsoft OneDrive cloudstorage and syncing service. OneDrive not only can serve as cloud storage, but letsyou access any files on a PC remotely, automatically save screenshots, and syncOffice documents with autosave. As far as mobile integration, macOS has it beatwith the ties between iOS and macOS, but Windows' story is improving with someimpressive Androidintegrations.
Windows, of course, is not without its flaws. The operatingsystem, though far more secure and stable than it was in the past, still doesn'tmatch macOS or Linux on those criteria. Its interface, though continuallyundergoing polishing with updates, still presents some inconsistency, especiallyin control panels. Speaking of updates, you still hear complaints about problemsresulting from updates. But with a billion copies installed on a myriad of differenthardware and software combinations, the number of affected systems issurprisingly small, though those get the headlines.
Read our full review:Microsoft Windows 10.
Apple macOS
You'd be hard-pressed to find more ardent supporters oftheir operating system than macOS users, who tend to be creative producers ofart, video, and photography. Indeed, Apple's desktop operating system isslick, capable, and reliable. It also ties in well with iPhones and all theother devices from the Cupertino-based tech giant. The choice of computerhardware vendors is limited to a single option, but it's a good one, andthere's a decent selection of form factors, from the Mac mini to the MacBook tothe iMac AIO and the new super-powered Mac Pro.
The interface of macOS is as slick as it gets, with moreconsistency than any of the other choices included here. The dark mode is more uniformly rendered throughout all OS tools, and the Finder (equivalent to Windows' File Explorer)offers tabs and handy preview capabilities lacking in Windows. I do prefer thewindow-manipulation options in Windows, which among other things lets youeasily snap an app to fill half the screen exactly.
Apple's desktop OS is document-based, rather than program-basedlike Windows. That means that every app has the same menu provided by the OS atthe top, rather than inside its own window. This may be the biggest stumblingblock for those moving between the two OSes. Another could be the differencesbetween Windows' Taskbar and macOS's Dock. The Taskbar is more informative andflexible: Sometimes I click on a Dock icon and no window of the programappears on-screen, because of that document-centric approach.
Macs are well endowed with included software and utilities: fromthe very useful Preview utility that offers a quick peek at just about any filetype, to the included office and media apps. You also get Apple Maps, Podcasts,Mail, Calendar, Notes, Reminders, and we can't forget the fine web browser, Safari,which offers good synergy with its mobile counterparts.
Even though the very large iPad Pros appear to be horning inon laptop territory, those tablets can now serve as second screens for Macs,thanks to the recent Sidecar feature in iPadOS. Sidecar also addsa bit of touch-screen functionality to macOS, which only offers touch on theTouch Bar on MacBooks, compared with Windows 10's full touch screen support.Macs do benefit from many clever gesture taps and swipes if you use a trackpad,however.
Gaming has long been something of a weak point for Macs.Though there is a version of Steam for them, you won't find the selection ofAAA titles available for PCgaming, nor is there support for VR gaming headsets(with the exception of using an HTC Vive with Final Cut Pro). The arrival ofthe Apple Arcade game subscription service may improve the prospects for gamingon all of Apple's platforms, but PCMag's gaming expert Jeffrey Wilson has somereservations, which you can read about in I'mNot Excited by Apple Arcade, But Maybe You Should Be. Fans of casual gamesmay beg to differ.
Apple includes good parental controls in macOS with Screen Time, and the systemthat already has a sterling reputation for security has been hardened evenfurther in the latest Catalina version, which keeps the OS and user data onseparate partitions.
Read our full review: Apple macOS Catalina
Ubuntu Linux
What Linux has over all the other operating systems includedhere is that it's completely free and open source—not the product of a hugetech company with profit motives. You can install Ubuntu Linuxon any hardware of your choice: It runs on any hardware that Windows does. Youcan even run the operating system from a live USB stick, averting the need forinstalling it on your computer's storage. You can buy a few computerswith Linux preinstalled, such as the privacy-focused PurismLibrem Mini, and Dell offers versions of its powerful XPS 13 laptops thatrun Ubuntu, mostly aimed at developers.
Despite being free, Ubuntu offersa pleasing interface and a workable selection of included apps. It comes withan office suite, browsers, email and media apps, but there are also apprepositories where you can get more. Its interface resembles that of macOS morethan Windows, but unlike macOS, it supports touch screen functionality (though not as full as Windows' touch screen support).
Linux in general is also customizable with completelydifferent interface shells, and you can find different flavors, also known as distros—Kubuntu,Lubuntu, Ubuntu Budgie, Ubuntu Mate, and Xubuntu. These have different preconfiguredsettings, apps, and designs for different purposes and tastes.
Some drawbacks are that Linux requires more tech savvy thanthe other choices here: If you're squeamish about seeing a command line ever,choose another OS. Another is that the support for hardware peripherals andpopular application software is well behind that of Windows, macOS, and evenChrome OS.
Another shortcoming of Ubuntu is the lack of major applications,such as Photoshop and Microsoft Office. Sure, you can find substitutes that do thebasic functions of those, but you miss out on the slickness and rich tool setsof the genuine software.
Ubuntu is notable for being about as secure and stable anoperating system as you'll find—no doubt this is why Linux powers so manyservers that demand a high level of uptime. Ubuntu also includes built-inantivirus, and its publisher, Canonical, provides regular security patches andupdates.
Read our full review:Ubuntu Linux18 Bionic Beaver
Google Chrome OS
Google's desktop operating system started life as a simple wayto deliver a web browser and web applications to a computer without muchcomplexity. The idea was for it to be an entirely cloud-powered app, usingGoogle Drive to store all your data. Chrome OS has movedway beyond that, now letting you run Android apps from Google Play. It alsooffers true desktop features like file folders for local files, the GoogleAssistant voice AI, a night mode, screenshots, and tight integration withAndroid phones.
You can find a wide variety of inexpensive Chromebook laptopsand Chromeboxes (the desktop version), as well as more-expensive devices fromGoogle itself, including the Pixelbook ($999 and up) and the Pixelbook Go ($649and up). The OS also supports touch screen and stylus input (in the form of thePixel Pen) and many printer models (though not as many as macOS and Windows).
The operating system's interface is clear and simple, somuch to the point that there's no real desktop like that on macOS and Windows—youcan't pin apps or documents to the desktop—it just sits there looking pretty. TheDock is fine, though not as functional as Windows' Taskbar, but the program launcherand settings are well implemented.
There are two key drawbacks of Chrome OS: One is that it hastwo very different app stores—the Chrome Web Store (which was the only one atfirst) and Google Play, and it's not clear when you should use one and when theother, since there's much overlap in the apps they offer. The even biggerproblem is that Android apps behave inconsistently on Chrome. This is becausemost of the apps were programmed for the small, portrait-mode phone screenrather than the wide computer screen.
In addition to the app store situation, you won't find high-endprofessional applications on Chrome OS, such as the full Adobe Photoshop, MicrosoftWord, or truly powerful video editing software. On the other hand, Google has createda full suite of apps and services for the education market, and there are third-partyofferings for that market as well. One cynical take is that this is a play to hooknew users on the platform young, but the program has indeed made technology ineducation affordable and efficient.
The bottom line is that if you're a student or someone on alimited budget who can do everything you need in a web browser, Chrome OS maybe for you. If you want to play the latest AAA video games, do hardcore video orphoto editing or run advanced hardware like VR headsets or 3D printers, you'rebetter off with another OS.
Read our full review: Google Chrome OS
macOS vs. Windows: Which OS Really Is the Best?Setup ExperienceWhen it comes to performance, usability, security, and specific tasks, which of the two leading desktop operating systems reigns supreme? We break it down feature by feature.
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I dread the disgruntled comments, emails, and tweets headed my way because of this comparison, but hear me out. People on both sides of the OS war probably just aren’t aware of what the other side has to offer, and some of them may be curious about it.
In the spirit of full disclosure, like more than 80 percent of the desktop and laptop world, I am primarily a Windows user. I am, however, an iPhone devotee, and as a software reviewer, I have lots of experience on Macs. I’m not a Mac or Apple hater by a long shot.
Rather than just framing this as an argument for one side or another, I’ll simply work my way through the standard operating system features, comparing Microsoft and Apple’s offerings along the way. Yes, each category will have a winner, and we’ll tally the points up in the end, but your choice of OS involves much more than just features, hardware and software support, and capabilities. It involves what the people around you use, your ecosystem (including your smartphone and tablet), your business needs, and your personality.
Feel free to add your thoughts in the comment section at the end of this article, whether you're a Windows or a macOS fan. Let us know why you're in your particular camp.
Setup Experience
Both OSes offer clear and polished setup processes. You can use both without signing in to an account with Apple or Microsoft, but both offer a richer experience if you do. You’ll miss out on syncing machines, voice assistants, app roaming, messages, and a whole lot of other goodies by not signing in.
Microsoft lets you install the OS with your voice using Cortana. Apple installs updates through the System Preferences instead of in the Mac App Store. Both automatically recognize and install drivers for standard hardware peripherals such as mice, keyboards, and storage.
Winner: Tie
Logging In and Getting Started
Both systems offer login options that go beyond the traditional act of simply signing in on your desktop. If you have a MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, you can easily sign into your Mac using your finger. Or you can log in with your iPhone or Apple Watch if they are close enough to the computer.
But Windows 10 offers Hello with several biometric login options. Face login is probably the coolest, and is available on most higher-end PCs, including all Surface devices. Windows Hello also supports fingerprint readers, available on laptops such as the HP Spectre 13. If you don’t have hardware that's compatible with either of those features, Windows will also accept a PIN.
Once you’ve booted the OS, Windows has the Start button and menu to access your most-used apps, settings, and documents. There's nothing similar in macOS, but you can pin frequently used apps to your Dock, head to the Applications folder, or set up your desktop with icons for your most-used programs and files. You can also use Launchpad icon to page through and start apps.
Winner:Windows 10
Hardware Choices
Apple offers some great computer hardware options, with gorgeous industrial design on Macbooks, optional 5K screens on iMacs, and the new, massively powerful Mac Pro (starting at $5,999). The issue is that selection is not only pricey, but it's also dwarfed by the availability of an enormously diverse array of Windows PCs. To those, you can add nontraditional options like the HoloLens, VR headsets, and the Raspberry Pi, which can all also run Windows 10. There's also a wider array of Windows-friendly peripherals to choose from.
As for internal components—things like the CPU, graphics card, and storage—there’s no contest. Windows gives you a lot more leeway in configuring a system with the components you want, and more flexibility to upgrade later.
Winner: Windows 10
Included Apps
Both operating systems offer a wealth of built-in utilities and apps. You get decent mail clients, calendars, calculators, photo and video viewers and editors, screenshot tools, voice recorders, and web browsers, and apps for maps, cameras, news, weather, and contacts.
Microsoft throws in nifty Sticky Notes, Skype, Translator, and Xbox gaming apps. But macOS includes a superior video editor, a preview utility, and a streaming music service. It also throws in the awesome GarageBand music composition app and a full productivity suite.
Microsoft throws in nifty Sticky Notes, Skype, Translator, and Xbox gaming apps. But macOS includes a superior video editor, a preview utility, and a streaming music service. It also throws in the awesome GarageBand music composition app and a full productivity suite.
Winner: macOS
Third-Party Software Compatibility
Both platforms have had time to develop rich ecosystems of software and services. Custom business applications are more likely to be supported on Windows, and macOS is prevalent in creative fields. That said, you can find plenty of good general business software for Macs, and Windows actually boasts more options in some creative areas, such as video editing and photo software.
Both operating systems offer app stores that manage installation and updating, but sadly the app developers haven’t given the attention to these desktop stores the way they have to their mobile counterparts. On a related note, I still find it odd that some macOS apps makes you drag a disk image to the Applications folder, and that's just one of at least three different ways to install apps on a Mac. Windows app installation is more straightforward.
Both operating systems offer app stores that manage installation and updating, but sadly the app developers haven’t given the attention to these desktop stores the way they have to their mobile counterparts. On a related note, I still find it odd that some macOS apps makes you drag a disk image to the Applications folder, and that's just one of at least three different ways to install apps on a Mac. Windows app installation is more straightforward.
Winner: Tie
Interface Customization
Both operating systems offer decent leeway for customization, but we are past the days of drastic interface overhauls. That said, both OSes offer choices in desktop backgrounds, screen item sizes, and screen savers. Dark modes are the new rage, and both Mac and Windows offer them. Mac’s version is a bit more systemwide, with some older Windows dialogs still not darkened. The Windows 10 May 2019 Update adds a Custom option, which lets you decide whether you want dark or light mode for system elements, apps, or both.
Both OSes come with excellent, plug-and-play multiple monitor support, though Windows offers a bit more control. With Windows, you can span program windows across the multiple screens, whereas in macOS, each program window can only live on a single display. If you’re truly gung-ho on interface customization, I recommend Linux, which offers a selection of completely different user interface shells.Winner: Tie
Search
The search box in Windows 10 displays at all times, and typing in it pops up a panel with file, app, and web results. My Mac-loving colleagues swear by Apple’s Spotlight feature, but I’ve never found it satisfactory. Both search features will do math; show you the weather, stock prices, and sports results; or find nearby Thai restaurants without breaking a sweat.
Both OSes also now let you search with your voice, with Cortana on Windows and Siri on macOS (see the AI Helper section below). With the May 2019 Update, Windows follows Apple's strategy of separating the voice search from typed searches, separating out the Cortana icon from the search bar.
Both OSes also now let you search with your voice, with Cortana on Windows and Siri on macOS (see the AI Helper section below). With the May 2019 Update, Windows follows Apple's strategy of separating the voice search from typed searches, separating out the Cortana icon from the search bar.
Winner: Tie
Alternate Input: Touch, Pen, and Dictation
Apple finally introduced some touch capability in macOS, but it’s only available on certain Macbook Pros through the Touch Bar. Windows 10 has always had full touch screen support, and it offers a Tablet mode that lets you switch between using the screen and keyboard for inputs (provided, of course, that your laptop is equipped with a touch panel). There’s a good selection of convertible laptop/tablets on the market to take advantage of this. I use my Surface Go exclusively as a tablet.
Pen input is another win for Windows. The support for styli on touch screens is robust, with incredibly good handwriting-to-text conversion. You can use a pen anywhere you enter text.
You can use your voice for text input in any app in both OSes. To do this in macOS, you have to specifically enable it. Once voice dictation is turned on, you can access it by double-tapping the Fn key. In Windows 10, just hit Windows Key-H (for hear) and you're off and dictating. Both work in any text field.
Winner:Windows 10
Voice AI Helpers: Cortana vs. Siri
Cortana arrived on Windows 10 a good year before Siri made it to the Mac, and is still more capable in a few important ways. Both can open apps and web pages, tell you the weather, change system settings, do math, control smart home devices, set reminders, send emails, and search the web. Both can be invoked by voice. But Siri can’t log out of or shut down the computer, something I find very useful at the end of the day when I’m walking away from my PC. Cortana can now even send requests to Amazon's Alexa.
Winner: Windows 10
Mobile Device Integration
Windows has been making great strides in integrating the OS with mobile devices. Apps for iOS and Android let you pick up on one device where you left off on another, even letting you send a web page from your phone to your PC’s browser. Android devices in particular are well served by Windows with the Launcher and Your Phone apps, which let you share documents and web pages and conduct SMS messaging across devices.
Despite these promising initiatives, Apple’s integration between macOS computers and iOS-running mobile devices soundly beats what Windows offers. The macOS Notifications panel lets you send text messages by syncing up to a nearby iPhone, all your photos can be shared across devices in Apple Photos, you can transfer almost anything with AirDrop, and you can even engage in video calling with FaceTime between devices. Apple Watch is yet another piece of the integrated ecosystem that Windows can’t match. For example, you can unlock your Mac when your watch is in proximity, and the same notifications flow to both.
Even more unification between macOS and iOS is coming, with universal apps that you'll be able to buy on either platform and have it work on both, as well as on iPadOS, tvOS, and watchOS.
Winner:macOS
Taskbar vs. Dock
One of the most frustrating things for me about macOS occurs when I click on a running app’s Dock icon, and its window doesn’t appear on the screen. That's because macOS is more document-based, while Windows is program-based. So when you click on an app's icon in the Dock, you may just see its menu at the top, but no program window. In Windows, tapping a taskbar icon always brings up the associated program.
The macOS Dock has made strides over the past few years, with its nifty mouse-over magnification and Mojave's new feature that displays the icons of recently used apps. But the Windows taskbar is more functional. Hover the mouse over a taskbar button and you’ll see a thumbnail miniature of its program window. Taskbar Jump Lists let you see recent files opened in the app or jump to frequently needed actions in that program.
The macOS Dock has made strides over the past few years, with its nifty mouse-over magnification and Mojave's new feature that displays the icons of recently used apps. But the Windows taskbar is more functional. Hover the mouse over a taskbar button and you’ll see a thumbnail miniature of its program window. Taskbar Jump Lists let you see recent files opened in the app or jump to frequently needed actions in that program.
Winner:Windows 10
Desktop and Window Management
This take could just be due to my greater experience with Windows, but whenever I work on a Mac, I’m frustrated by how program windows are managed and arranged. As mentioned in the Taskbar vs. Dock section, clicking on a Dock icon doesn’t always open the program’s windows.
Microsoft's OS makes it easier to arrange windows on the screen. Want an app to take up exactly half the screen? Snap it to the left or right edge. How about have it display on a quarter of the screen? Snap it to any of the screen corners. If you run apps side-by-side, the border between them can be resized. If you want to show or switch to the desktop behind any running apps, click to the very far right of the taskbar. The conveniences go on.
Both operating systems let you create multiple virtual desktops. Windows now combines the desktop switcher with the Timeline feature (as shown in the screenshot above). This does clutter the Task View screen, but it can be damned useful if you're trying to get back to a webpage or document for which you've forgotten the location.
And finally, my favorite Windows window-management trick: Hold and shake the mouse key on a window title bar to minimize everything else.
Winner: Windows 10
Windows V Mac Os
File Explorer vs. Finder
In recent Windows updates, the File Explorer has improved, with Quick Access being a favorite new feature. This makes it easy to find the last file you saved, no matter what it was or where you saved it. The Finder’s Recents folder does the same thing. Window’s File Explorer contains standard libraries for common file types such as Documents, Pictures, and Music. These are sort of metafolders to which you can add any other relevant folder. macOS doesn’t offer a similar capability.
One macOS feature that Windows lacks is the ability to have multiple tabs in a Finder window. Finder also lets you quickly preview files in the Preview utility. Both display previews of documents on the right side of the Explorer/Finder windows, let you choose which app to open a file with, and let you easily share files with a right click.
Winner:Tie
3D and VR Support
Windows includes at least two apps that let you enter the world of 3D and VR. The 3D Viewer app lets you, well, view 3D models in a pair of goggles or on screen, and Windows’ Mixed Reality Viewer app works with VR headsets exclusively, giving you a virtual portal to VR apps. Two of the most popular VR headsets—HTC Vive and Oculus Rift—only work with Windows. And we can't forget the device that runs Windows 10 called the HoloLens, which is all about augmented reality.
Apple has made some progress toward VR support. You can edit 360-degree video content in Final Cut Pro X with external enclosures for graphics cards that are VR-capable. Apple’s ARKit augmented reality only works in iOS for now.
Apple has made some progress toward VR support. You can edit 360-degree video content in Final Cut Pro X with external enclosures for graphics cards that are VR-capable. Apple’s ARKit augmented reality only works in iOS for now.
Winner: Windows 10
Gaming
Hardcore gamers don’t even need to look at this section. While there are plenty of excellent games available for macOS, and there’s even a version of Steam for the platform, Macs typically don't allow the level of internal component customization that's possible with PC Gaming.
Mac Os V Windows 10
When it comes to game selection, there are many more top-level titles on Steam that are compatible with Windows than macOS. Even PlayStation games are available on Windows through Sony’s PlayStation Now service, and you can stream games to your PC through the Xbox app. With Play Anywhere, games you buy on the Microsoft Store can be loaded on either your PC or your Xbox console, including exclusives like Cuphead, both Forza series, the Halo series, Gears of War, and Sea of Thieves.
The Windows 10 Game Bar, summoned with Windows Key-G, lets you record or stream your gaming activities to Microsoft’s Mixer community. Even Ubuntu is getting stronger support for Steam games than Macs, with Steam Proton offering support for more than 2,600 Windows games.
Mac Os X Windows
Winner: Windows 10
Security and Stability
This one is another no-brainer. Windows PCs have fallen prey to far more malware than Macs in the recent past, including ransomware, spyware, botnets, and good old-fashioned viruses. But Microsoft is constantly beefing up its security, pushing Windows Defender updates, and even introducing anti-ransomware measures.
Macs have a much cleaner record, but they’re by no means immune to vulnerabilities. Just look at the recent Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities, which affect both operating systems. Our security guru, Neil Rubenking, strongly recommends using antivirus software on Macs.
Both operating systems offer built-in VPN support, and all of PCMag's top VPN service choices are available on both platforms, so that category is a wash.
Macs have a much cleaner record, but they’re by no means immune to vulnerabilities. Just look at the recent Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities, which affect both operating systems. Our security guru, Neil Rubenking, strongly recommends using antivirus software on Macs.
Both operating systems offer built-in VPN support, and all of PCMag's top VPN service choices are available on both platforms, so that category is a wash.
And then there’s the issue of stability. Macs win on this count, too, mostly because Apple controls the hardware ecosystem (third-party drivers are a major cause of instability on Windows PCs). We’ve even seen blue screens on Microsoft’s own Surface computers. Those looking for the ultimate in stability, though, should check out Linux.
Winner: macOS
Accessibility
Both operating systems include a good deal of support for users with disabilities, but Microsoft has consistently made more of a priority of this. Both have screen magnification, text narration, Braille support, sticky and slow key entry, and voice input, but with Windows, a blind person can set up the system by voice. Microsoft has even added the ability to control the computer with your eyes, as shown in the photo above.
Microsoft has American Sign Language support by videophone and a free BeMyEyes app that 'connects blind and low vision people with volunteers for visual assistance through a live video call.' At a Microsoft Build conference, one of the company's developers, who is blind, demonstrated an AR app running on the HoloLens that described people's emotions to him in real time based on their expressions, using the company's Seeing AI technology. The company has even published a Seeing AI app for Apple's iOS.
The May 2019 Update of Windows 10 goes even further, adding accessibility improvements like a new dashboard and more languages for Narrator, and drawing using only the keyboard in Paint.
Microsoft has American Sign Language support by videophone and a free BeMyEyes app that 'connects blind and low vision people with volunteers for visual assistance through a live video call.' At a Microsoft Build conference, one of the company's developers, who is blind, demonstrated an AR app running on the HoloLens that described people's emotions to him in real time based on their expressions, using the company's Seeing AI technology. The company has even published a Seeing AI app for Apple's iOS.
The May 2019 Update of Windows 10 goes even further, adding accessibility improvements like a new dashboard and more languages for Narrator, and drawing using only the keyboard in Paint.
Winner: Windows 10
Apple macOS or Windows 10?
Mac Os On Windows Hyper V
We’ve tried to be fair and objective, and as you can see from the sections above, in many cases the two operating systems are at parity. And you'll have your own priority weights based on your OS needs. If gaming is everything to you, for example, then Windows is a no-brainer. If you're a creative type, then you’re likely better off with a Mac. So, without further fanfare, here's the final score tally:
Apple macOS | 3 |
Microsoft Windows 10 | 9 |
Tie | 5 |
Do you agree? Are there other categories that should have been included in our evaluation? Let us know in the comments.