It is impossible to establish an effective educational process without information and communications technologies, such as computers. Providers of educational services and student decide on the best laptop in terms of performance, portability, and battery life. Students often have to choose between Apple’s Mac and Microsoft’s Windows. Mac leaves Windows laptop way behind thanks to its outstanding features. Macs are better than PCs because they create a greater value for students by providing flawless user experience offering longer battery life, lasting longer, and delivering better compatibility between the software and hardware.
Background
Apple is a single manufacturer and distributor of MacBooks. All MacBooks use Macintosh Operating System, commonly referred to as Mac OS. By contrast, Microsoft is a company that produces Windows. However, Microsoft only produces the software. Different companies, such as Lenovo, HP, Acer, and ASUS, produce the hardware for Windows (Wilson, 2015). To solve the debate between Mac and Windows, it is necessary to compare the value these computers generate for students. University students require a laptop that best meets the following needs: multitasking, opening dozens of tabs in browser, writing and editing papers, creating spreadsheets and presentations, playing video and audio files, synchronizing data with other devices, making video and audio calls.
Reasons Supporting Claim
User Experience
Mac offers better user experience because, unlike most PCs, it rarely lags and always runs smoothly and seamlessly. Both Mac and PC meet minimum requirements in terms of technical characteristics. They both are able to perform basic tasks needed in studying, such as web browsing, creating presentations, writing papers, and playing digital media (Wilson, 2015). If Mac and PC can perform needed tasks, speed becomes the main tool for assessing user experience. Mac tends to be quicker than PC in running multiple applications, opening dozens of tabs, loading web pages, and transferring files (Poulter, 2018). The speed and processor of Mac are efficient enough, and this makes it worth using. Hence, Macs offer a faster user experience, which is advantageous to students.
Battery Life
Thanks to a better optimization, Mac consumes less energy allowing for a longer battery life. In addition to performance, battery life is a vital factor when choosing a computer. Battery life plays a significant role in buying decision in case of every gadget. The world is advancing at a high pace, and nobody wants to keep looking for a socket to plug in a charger now and then. In case of university students, long battery life serves as a life savior at different points. Keeping this point in mind, Mac must be preferred as it consumes less battery owing to its outstanding optimization (Laptopstudy, 2017). Regardless of all the models, every Mac laptop outperforms all Windows laptops in terms of battery life (Laptopstudy, 2017). By contrast, PCs are less efficient and optimized. As a result, they consume more electricity, which makes the battery life a major drawback for PCs.
Durability
Macs are much more durable than PCs. Other than performance and battery life, it is significant for a laptop to be durable. Although laptops last longer than small consumer electronics, such as phones, they also break down. It is essential to check the durability of the laptop, because users expect the gadget to work for several years. According to Weinberger (2016), the common observation is that most of Windows laptops are in lousy condition, if compared with the MacBook. MacBook users typically claim that they have been using them for several years, while PC users admit that they have to buy new PCs or upgrade existing ones, because their PCs cannot last for several years.
Portability
Another primary reason why university students must have MacBook is its portable feature. Macs are lighter in weight and designed in such a way that students can carry them around easily without any hassle. Weigh plays a vital role in a buying decision because it determines the mobility of students (Laptopstudy, 2017). As Windows laptops are focusing more on designs and colors, they usually ignore the most important factors like portability. Some Windows laptops that are as portable as Macs. However, not all Windows laptops are ultra-thin. As a result, students are not as mobile with PCs, if compared to Macs. Hence, MacBook is much lighter as compared to many windows laptops, which generates significant value for students.
Software
Regarding compatibility with software, Mac is the winner. Mac supports the majority of apps and programs needed for studying. Even if Mac OS does not support some specific applications, students can easily bypass this limitation by using BootCamp. It is necessary to mention that a student’s major plays an important role in determining the most suitable device. Mac is a perfect option for a student majoring in arts, graphic design, computer science, or music. That is because Windows does not have many essential programs needed for the aforementioned subjects (Simon & Loyola, 2017). Windows may support more apps and programs than Mac, but students do not typically require them. The software of both devices can support most students’ need. However, Mac software is the best when it comes to specific subjects, such as arts and graphics.
Safety
The best thing about Mac is that it does not entertain viruses, which means an individual can get access to any website with virtually no risks of getting viruses. One can download several files, e-books, textbooks, and articles without any virus risks. Peterson (2015) argues that both Windows and Mac users report that their laptops catch viruses while downloading different files. It slows down the downloading process and affects the already existing data. Paterson (2015) argues that Macs are also subject to malware. Yet, according to Poutler (2018), viruses do not usually target or attack Macs, unlike Windows laptops. As a result, Mac creates value for university students who waste their time removing viruses and malware. If Mac is not a preferred choice for an individual based on the price, Mac users are substantially less subject to computer viruses. Hence, using Mac is safer as viruses do not easily infect it.
Price
Although PCs cost significantly less than Macs, Macs are more cost-effective in the long run. Regarding the affordability of the discussed laptops, Macs are less affordable (Poulter, 2018). Usually, it is much easier for a student to buy a PC because PCs tend to be cheaper. However, Mac is a better option in a sense that it offers long-term benefits. As it does not create any significant issue and is usable for a long time, a student does not have to pay for maintenance. In addition, Macs come with a number of features that are unavailable in Windows laptops, such as trackpads. As a result, although PCs are less expensive, Mac compensates the high price by offering cost benefits in the long run.
Rebuttal
It is necessary to admit that MacBook offers limited choice to its users regarding applications. On the other hand, Windows laptops offer many applications to its users, which is beneficial in general. However, university students do not utilize most of the apps provided by Windows laptops. By contrast, Mac makes the multi-tasking easier and simpler owing to the built-in system (Simon & Loyola, 2017). Some PCs may offer an incredibly high performance thanks to gigabytes of memory and strong processors. Windows laptops may be more suitable for students who study the development of video games, artificial intelligence, and system modeling and simulation. However, a tiny portion of students is required to perform such complex tasks. When it comes to university usage by the majority of students, Macs are better than PCs. Furthermore, PCs tend to have more USB ports and an HDMI socket. This is very useful for students because they can connect their PCs with projectors, TVs, or audio systems. Although Macs do not offer an adequate number of USB ports, students can use adapters.
The table below summarizes the main characteristics of both devices.
Table 1: Comparison between Mac and Windows
| Feature | Mac | Windows |
| Battery Life | + | |
| Durability | + | |
| Performance | + | + |
| Portability | + | |
| Price | + | |
| Security | + | |
| Software | + | + |
| USB ports and HDMI | + | |
| User Experience | + |
Conclusion
Mac is a better option than Windows because it generates more value for students. Apple is the leader in the technological world, and it has played a significant role in the advancement of technology. Rather than relying on many manufacturers and vendors, getting associated with one organization and relying on one company is a better option. By comparing the features of Mac and PC, it is quite evident that Mac is a better choice for a university student. Although PCs that operate on Windows are cheaper, Macs tend to last longer, which justifies their expensiveness. Mac offers a longer battery life and flawless user experience. Moreover, Macs are more secure because computer viruses do not inflict them.
References
Laptopstudy. (2017). Mac vs. PC for College – Laptop Study. Laptop Study. Retrieved 16 March 2018, from http://laptopstudy.com/mac-vs-pc-for-college/
Peterson, A. (2015). No, your Mac isn’t immune to malware. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/08/03/no-your-mac-isnt-immune-to-malware/?utm_term=.db5b227e1fd4
Poulter, K. (2018). A Look At The MacBook 2010-PC users beware—This innovative new laptop computer from Apple is a winner. Try it, and you could become hooked. Silicon Chip, 23(3), 12.
Simon, M., & Loyola, R. (2017). MacOS High Sierra: Everything you need to know about Apple’s latest Mac operating system. Macworld. Retrieved 16 March 2018, from https://www.macworld.com/article/3199825/macs/macos-high-sierra-features-specs-pricing-faq.html
Weinberger, M. (2016). The 11 most important differences between Macs and PCs. Business Insider. Retrieved 16 March 2018, from http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-macs-versus-windows-pc-2016-11
Wilson, J. (2015). News Briefing: Consumer Technology – Apple MacBook sets new gold standard for notebooks. Engineering & Technology, 10(3), 21-21.
