If gaming is your priority, however, Windows wins by a landslide here. Photo and video editors might be drawn to MacBooks as well, thanks to popular Apple-only apps like Final Cut Pro and Pixelmator. Macs are popular among music producers, thanks to Apple’s high-end Logic Pro software as well as the intuitive GarageBand app you get out of the box for free. But for those who need something more niche, the differences matter. Both Windows and macOS have access to most major web browsers, productivity suites and creative applications, so either will likely get the job done for everyday web surfing, email and basic office work. Perhaps even more important than the user experience is what apps you actually plan on using.

Your Phone also works with iOS devices, but its functionality is largely limited to sending web pages from your phone to PC. And while the Mac has Handoff for iPhone users, Windows 10 has a handy Your Phone app that lets you access your Android apps and messages right from your laptop. Windows 10 is arguably the more flexible of the two operating systems and comes optimized for touch on supported touch-screen laptops and convertible 2-in-1 devices (Apple currently doesn’t offer a touch-enabled MacBook, if that’s something important to you). If you’ve used any version of Windows over the years, you’ll find plenty of familiar features, including a Start menu for quickly accessing apps and a bevy of built-in Microsoft programs such as Outlook and the snappy new Edge browser. Meanwhile, Windows 10 is the most popular operating system out there and can be found on everything from budget entry-level notebooks to high-end gaming rigs from a variety of manufacturers. If you’re an iOS fan who likes the streamlined software experience that Apple delivers, the Mac has that same “it just works” simplicity to it. You’ll see familiar app icons and widgets for things such as Messages and Mail, and can quickly adjust things like brightness and music playback via a handy Control Center that mimics what you get on an iPhone. Its latest major software update, macOS Big Sur, makes the Mac experience more iOS-like than ever. Thanks to macOS’ Handoff feature, you can start a task on your iPhone, iPad and even Apple Watch and finish it on your Mac. MacBooks can sync up easily to your iPhone and iPad, allowing you to access things such as calendars, contacts, notes and even text messages across devices. If you’re a big Apple fan, macOS may be more your style. And while Windows 10 and macOS both have their pros and cons, your choice between the two may largely come down to personal preference as well as how each platform syncs up to your other devices. The biggest difference between Windows and Apple laptops comes down to the software and user experience.

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