Buying a laptop : Mac or ‘regular’ laptop?

[MyrtlethePurpleTurtle]

For personal use, I have an iPad and an iPhone (plus a 2nd iPhone provided by my employer).

These are great for browsing, ‘light’ emails, online shopping, streaming etc (as well as phone calls and messaging of course). I like the design and the way the devices are connected.

However, for heavier use - eg documents - I use my work laptop and then email them to myself (use of private email at work is blocked).

I will no longer be able to use my laptop for personal use in the next month or so (😔) so will probably need to get my own.

So the question is whether to get a beautiful sleek Mac or a ‘regular’ laptop?

Friends who have Macs either seem to love them (particularly my arty friends) or find them a waste of money where they have a need to work extensively with Word, Excel and other Microsoft applications.

My current work laptop is a clunky LeNovo laptop and I would like my new purchase still to be sleek and lightweight and easily portable.

It is possible to put the Mac OS on a windows PC / laptop.

So I'd go for sleek and beautiful, and fast. If you are using mainly MS products like Word then I'd just get one running windows you will get more bang for your buck.

Personally I'm not an apple fan, one of my fried' refers to them as, "evil and smelling of poo".

www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/install-macos-pc-3632329/

Without wishing to state the obvious (and failing!) I think it depends on what you're used to (ie, Windows or Mac IOS) and also what your budget is! Some of the better spec Macs are pretty expensive, compared to similar spec Windows laptops. Although depends what your storage needs are, and how portable you actually want/need the device to be.

Have you looked at the Microsoft Surface and similar range(s)? I liked the look of the new iPad pro that had a very slick looking keyboard on the TV ads - but closer inspection shows the keyboard is not included, and is a separate cost!

what about getting a keyboard for your iPad?

We still have our Mac laptop from 12 years ago,it's been fab. Needs to be plugged in as battery is old but still perfect otherwise!

@ilovemydogandmrobama2

what about getting a keyboard for your iPad?

Ha - before posting, I ordered this £19.99iPad keyboard with case to tide me though until I get a laptop

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B082PFMNDY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8

I much prefer Macs personally but I was brought up on them (digitally speaking) and tend not to use Microsoft products. So it probably depends on your usage and whether/how you want your laptop to connect to any other tech.

@chatw0o0

Without wishing to state the obvious (and failing!) I think it depends on what you're used to (ie, Windows or Mac IOS) and also what your budget is! Some of the better spec Macs are pretty expensive, compared to similar spec Windows laptops. Although depends what your storage needs are, and how portable you actually want/need the device to be.

Have you looked at the Microsoft Surface and similar range(s)? I liked the look of the new iPad pro that had a very slick looking keyboard on the TV ads - but closer inspection shows the keyboard is not included, and is a separate cost!

I am only used to Windows, never used a Mac before (only iPads and iPhones).

I am OK to spend quite a bit to get something good and with a nice aesthetic. Portability is important.

Will also need to get a printer

I’d go for a MacBook if you already have apple products. They are more expensive but our iMac finally died recently after 10 years which I thought was pretty good going.

I absolutely love my MacBook Air. 10 hour battery life and so intuitive. My last one I had for 5 years before handing down to DS and it's still going strong. I think if you're an Apple person, it's a no brainer.

I've had a MacBook Air (M1) since January 2021 and really like it. It’s my first MacBook, although I have been using iPhones for years. My previous laptops have been Asus and Dell - most recently an ancient Asus ZenBook which was compared to earlier MacBook Air versions.

It is thin and light - the first month, I kept panicking because my laptop bag was so light I thought something was missing - but it's actually a very little bit thicker and heavier than the current Asus ZenBook 13 or Dell XPS 13. So there are windows laptops out there that could probably also meet your requirements for sleekness! Same for the latest versions of the MacBook Pro, if you have your eye on that. I'd pick the specific MacBook model that best fits your needs and price range, and then do a comparison feature by feature with the closest windows/PC options.

For the AirBook M1 Air specifically - there's a lot to love and I'm glad I chose it, BUT the interface with intel-based apps via Rosetta2 is a little tricky. For example, Kindle stopped working completely for me and nothing fixes it (and this is apparently a common problem). I also had a few problems with Firefox, but those have cleared up. So I would be cautious if you are going to need MS Office on a daily basis and will rely on passing documents back and forth. Not saying don't choose a Mac, but do look into it and, if you can, test the interface.

Other thoughts: I’ve previously resisted MacBooks because the the port selection is never great. The AirBook M1 is no exception: headphone jack and 2 USB-C/thunderbolt ports. If you want anything else you need a USB-C to whatever (USBA, NVDI, HDMI, ethernet, etc) converter. You can get Apple branded ones with multiple ports - I have one and it works fine. On the other hand, I love that the MacBook charges (astonishingly quickly, for me, and the battery lasts 14+ hours) via USB: I had trouble a few times with a lost or damaged laptop power supply when using my ZenBook and having to overnight-order a new one, often after the specific one I needed had been altered/discontinued. Apple do charge high prices for their accessories, but at least they’re (fairly) consistent across models and time and you can buy them anywhere.

I work between a MacBook and PC all the time, using Word mainly, and have no issues. You don't really get compatibility problems these days (you can if you use Pages and the other Mac-specific software, but if you are using the Office suite, then there shouldn't be any problems going between). I've been doing it for around six years. I prefer Mac but I need PC for some specific work-related software so I need to use both.

I really hate Macs. Ive been given one (husbands old one) and I wouldnt get another tbh. I dont find it intuitive at all and because of that I find them really hard to navigate around. That said, I wasnt 'bought up' on them and dont own Apple products (I have a samsung phone), so potentially im not the best person to answer the thread. I think it comes down to what you're used to working with and what you want to do.

I like the physical look of the Apple laptops but boy are they expensive.

It might help if you decide what’s the most important feature , something you can’t really compromise on.

Might be screen size, weight , speed, price.
You’ll have to pay for an edition of Microsoft office whether you end up on Mac or Windows.

If budget is at all an issue and you don't need one, eg for design work, then I'd not get a Mac. I'd get a sleek Windows laptop, or even a Chromebook.

I have a MacBook Air for personal use, had it a couple years now. My company laptop is a Dell.

I much prefer the MacBook. Great battery life, better screen IMO, quick to recharge, lighter.

I've installed the full Office package on there as I find it more comfortable to work on. If your company use Office there is a deal existing employees can get for personal use.

Think it's called Microsoft Home Use Programme

I have a MacBook Air and it's still going strong 8 years on.
The absolute main thing for me, above anything else, was that I could open my laptop and start work in seconds instead of having the laptop update constantly, sometimes taking hours! I have never once felt like throwing my Mac out of the window. I've never had a bug or virus on it either.
It does take some getting used to but doesn't every new piece of technology? I do have an iPhone now and I love how everything synchs.
My ex FIL has been through 3 laptops in the time I've had my MacBook. Definitely worth the money!

I have an iphone and an ipad, but just cannot get on with a Mac. My partner loves his, but you'd have to pry my Dell from my cold, dead hands.

I think you either love them or hate them.

I was always a windows person, until I finally caved and got a Macbook about 2 years ago. I love it. The first few days were weird, getting used to not left clicking on stuff etc. and then I had to get the Office suite for Mac because I hated Pages with a passion.

Now I wouldn't go back to windows tbh. My Macbook is light and easy to carry round/ travel with, it always works, never seems slow, it looks beautiful and does what I need it to do.

I used to buy cheaper laptops, but they never lasted long, my last one was an Acer, which started to go wrong after about 2 years, the screen cracked and then some of the keys stopped working , it was a nightmare.

I love my MAC.
It's light, great battery life, looks really good and showing no signs of slowing or wear after 6 years.
You will need to get office though. I've had trouble applying for jobs, sorting financial stuff etc because companies can't open documents produced on pages/numbers and insist on word and excel.

This is a religious divide. I'm a Mac user, have been since forever. You would have to drag my MBP from my cold dead hands.

However I also use Windows machines with clients and tbh you should focus on your personal requirements and budget because either might suit you.

If you really want mainly browsing, a bit of media replay and documents then one of the lower cost Macs will deliver this complete with all the cross device synchronisation.

If its mainly browsing and budget is tight then you can get most of what you need from a Windows based laptop minus the cross device synchronisation.

From my experience the Mac hardware lasts longer and is more reliable than any Windows laptop I've used but a premium build quality Windows laptop should also last and will come in at similar price.

Thank you all for your input.

Windows is in my DNA and have used it all my life for work. So would certainly need Windows for documents etc (I think). It seems this can be done on a Mac but not entirely straightforward - www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/install-windows-mac-3497251/

Which makes me wonder if I should just get a nice Windows compatible laptop?

However, I do love the idea of my devices and photos syncing …

I don’t suppose Apple and non Apple devices can be made to ‘speak’ to each other?!

I've used a Mac for years and you just purchase office for Mac which works in a very similar way to the Microsoft version (I sometimes have trouble remembering the keyboard shortcuts on excel on my Mac).

The way that all the apple products integrate is the major selling point for me as well as Mac's not losing processing power in the same way that Window's products do. I've had my iMac for 5 years now and it's just as fast as the day I bought it.

I love Macs but they aren’t built like they used to. Do not even consider unless you plan to get it insured to take AppleCare out on it. The cost of getting something like a broken screen fixed is almost 50% of the device in the first place.

@MrsPnut

I've used a Mac for years and you just purchase office for Mac which works in a very similar way to the Microsoft version (I sometimes have trouble remembering the keyboard shortcuts on excel on my Mac).

The way that all the apple products integrate is the major selling point for me as well as Mac's not losing processing power in the same way that Window's products do. I've had my iMac for 5 years now and it's just as fast as the day I bought it.

So do the shortcuts on office - eg Ctrl + U for underline- not work when using Windows on a Mac?

On a Mac it’s cmd + U for underline. It’s more like the keyboard shortcut for select all visible cells which I can never remember on a Mac, I always have to use the menu instead.