Stockholm syndrome. That’s the only explanation I can come up with for why I was so enraptured by PCs for decades despite the abuse I’ve endured.?
I’ve dealt with gnarly Windows 10 updates that have wrecked my laptops, causing audio driver issues, WiFi troubles, and remote printing glitches. I’ve suffered through poor power-efficient laptops, too, where I practically needed to be chained to an outlet for fear that I’ll see the “It’s time to plug in your laptop” message.
And yet, because I grew up with Windows and was so accustomed to the operating system, I refused to give MacBooks a chance. After all, as someone who loves to game casually, I always opted for PCs like the Lenovo Legion 5 that allowed me to play some of my favorite titles on Steam.
MacBooks are not ideal for gaming (though Apple does seem to be taking steps to change that with its new “game mode” feature). Compared to PCs, the number of games that support Apple’s custom processors inside recent MacBooks are abysmal. Still, for my productivity workflow, there’s no way in hell I’m going back to Windows. I’m sticking with my 14-inch MacBook Pro fo’ life! Here are three reasons why.
1. The battery life is nearly twice as long, according to testing
I’m a laptop reviewer and I’ve had dedicated lab testers run rigorous battery tests on both Windows laptops and MacBooks. This battery test involved surfing WiFi continuously until the laptops ran out of juice. Without fail, MacBook runtimes outlasted PCs by hours.
In my personal experience, PCs typically last an average of 10 hours on the aforementioned test while MacBooks exceed that figure by about four to five hours. The 16-inch MacBook Pro – the one with the M2 Max processor – is the most power-efficient consumer laptop I’ve seen to date. It lasts a whopping 19 hours on a charge. I’ve never seen anything close to that with PCs.
You may be wondering, “Why do MacBooks have better battery life than PCs?” The answer comes down to Apple making the smart decision to officially ditch Intel processors in 2020 – the chipmaker was holding the Cupertino-based tech giant back from achieving greatness.
Apple began making its own custom chips, beginning with the M1 chip that debuted with the 13-inch MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air. I distinctly remember being blown away by their power efficiency, and as Apple released upgraded chips over the years (e.g., M2, M2 Pro and M2 Max), their laptops have only gotten better.
2. Less slowdowns
Compared to Windows laptops I own, my MacBook Pro is significantly zippier. For example, something as simple as closing the many tabs I have on Google Chrome is lightning fast. On my LG Gram 17, on the other hand, which has an Intel Core i7-1360P chip, it takes a second or two before the tab disappears.
This is because, according to Geekbench results (which tests for overall processor performance), the M2 Pro has a jaw-dropping multi-core score of 14,209. In my experience reviewing the LG Gram 17 for another outlet, its Geekbench multi-core score is just under 10,000. Before you can get a Windows laptops that can exceed the M2 Pro’s performance, you’ll likely have to upgrade to a pricier Intel Core i9 chip. The problem with this, however, is that you’ll end up with horrendous battery life.?
Apple has found a way to deliver powerful performance to its laptops without sacrificing energy efficiency – Windows laptops struggle to do the same.
3. macOS Sonoma features are slick
I cannot stop staring at the new animated screensavers macOS Sonoma offers for my lock screen.?
Plus, the new update lets you share your password with a group of trusted people. For example, if you have a Netflix password you’d like to share with your partner, you needn’t write such sensitive credentials on a Post-It note. You can simply add them to your list of trusted contacts – and they will gain access to the password, too, for a seamless login. You can’t do that on Windows.
SharePlay isn’t a new Sonoma entrant, but it’s one of my favorite macOS perks. You can watch an episode of your favorite Apple TV show with another iDevice-owning family member or friend via the FaceTime app. Speaking of the FaceTime app, macOS Sonoma rolled out a new feature that allows users to use gestures – such as “thumbs up” and “rock on” – to launch cool effects like fireworks and balloons.
Final thoughts
And can we talk about how the speakers on my 14-inch MacBook Pro sound absolutely divine? Did Apple harness the sonic essence of angels and stuff them into the six-speaker sound system or somethin’?
Still, there are some aspects of Windows I miss – like Paint, for example. I’m also a little wistful over Windows 11’s Snap Layouts feature, which makes juggling several windows much more manageable.?
I’m also still trying to remember that there is no CTRL on my keyboard and I must reach for the COMMAND key instead if I want to copy and paste. Plus, using the “Control” key for right clicking feels foreign. However, I just can’t imagine going back to a Windows laptop. My 14-inch MacBook Pro’s impressive battery life has won me over.
