I have been using Windows based computers over 28 years. Yes I have an iPad and iPhone and I am familiar with Apple ecosystem. But to organize my photos better, I want to buy a MacBook Air.
Will the switch from Windows ecosystem to MacBook be difficult? If you made the switch what did you like and what didn’t you like? Thanks in advance for answers.
I use both, Windows at work and Mac at home. I find Mac much better for photos and video.
I switched to a MacBook Pro about 7+ years ago and it’s been amazing. First off, I still use that same MacBook daily. I am pretty sure if I was still a Windows laptop user I’d be on my 2nd if not 3rd laptop by now. Reliability and consistent performance were the main motivations for me to switch.
It wasn’t all that difficult to get used to, but it does take some learning and adjustment. It’s well worth it though, especially if you have an iPhone and iPad. The handoff feature between devices is very helpful, as is the ability to view your photos and files across all your devices.
I’m a very happy user, and a couple of years ago I switched my work computer to a MacBook Pro as well.
Pull the trigger! You won’t regret it.
Both my kids 24/25 left the apple system and never looked back. They both have android phones and window based computers but both are Google centric actually. I am not an apple fan at all.
I have used both Apple and PC based computers. Once you get used to the machine…it’s fine…either way.
I must be the odd ball then. I’ve used Windows forever. I recently inherited my Ds MacBook Pro when she upgraded to a newer model. I can’t navigate it easily at all.
I have a kid who moved from windows to Mac and he is happy. And a kid that had decided to not move for arcane reasons, and is also happy. I think moving is not hard if you choose to go that route — there will be some learning curve. I use both a windows machine and a Linux machine interchangeably, and they are different. I think the Mac Pro has a good UI but can be made to work like a Linux machine if you want to get under the hood.
So the answer is no, the ecosystem will make sense to you and life will become infinitely easier when you hook your new MacBook to the iCloud. Not only will pictures be easier, but you can do things like use messages for texting while using the computer. All of your photos (from the iPhone) will have tags and will automatically organize.
I use both a Mac and a Windows machine for work, and I find more and more the only time I use the Windows machine is when there isn’t a Mac version of the software. I have run a virtual machine on the Mac to run windows, but it takes up a lot of memory.
My advice to you…buy as much memory and storage as you can afford. As someone else said…you’re likely to have that machine for a while. I’m typing this on a 2016 MPB. When I purchased it for my daughter, I added all the RAM (16GB) and speed I could. She gave it to me when she graduated college…didn’t need it and traded it to me for a new iPad.
It still runs great. I also have a 2010 MBPro that runs great. I’d get the M2 with 16GB or RAM and 512 SSD (or more). If you have a lot of pictures…go bigger.
Thanks friend. I am also planning to buy M2 with 16GB RAM and 512 SSD or better. I dedicated $2000 for it. We shall see.
The only other thing I’d suggest…if you aren’t in a hurry, there are some new rumored upgrades (including a 15" MacBook Air) that you might wanna hold off a bit. You may not want/need the new version…but the current ones will go on sale at places like Costco.
It gets easier once you spend time with it. Same switching to Windows from Mac.
Apple used to use what they called the Hierarchical Filing System (HFS). That was super intuitive. Don’t know why the abandoned it.
I can send messages from my PC, no problem.
You can…but my experience has been crossing platforms is never as easy as using one.
I have a lifetime subscription to Pulse so that I can text between the various platforms (I had a Pixel phone for a while that I wanted to text from multiple laptops)…but it just isn’t as easy as using Messages on the Mac/iPhone/iPad.
If you know Linux/Unix then MacOs command line is very similar. The GUI takes a little bit of getting used to. I don’t like the massive dock at the bottom of the screen, and so moved it to the side.
The two different menu commands also can take some getting used to. There are a set of menus for each program that is open. For Office apps, there are a set of menus nested inside the app, and then also one at the top left.
Windows handles dual screen much better, but Mac makes it easy to use multiple desk tops using the trackpad swipe. MacOs often gets confused if you use two monitors, and will sometimes swap them around. The trackpad is also much better on the MacOs, so start
learning how to use the gestures.
The other painful learning point will be using CMD+ for everything instead of CTRL+. Depending on your keyboard layout, this may take some muscle memory to learn. But apart from that, the MacOs is very reliable
In this case, it’s very easy. Maybe it’s because I have Verizon messaging.
Mac’s are intuitive for anyone familiar with the Apple eco-system. I’ve had several MacBook Airs at this point and they’ve all been good. To me, the biggest advantage of Mac is its reliability - the computers last for years. Kiddos have had various Windows laptops and they all seem to have issues - most didn’t last all that long. When S24’s most recent Windows PC went kaput I gave him my Mac and upgraded myself.
The Mac air I have is from 2016 and it is still working well. My whole family switched from windows to Mac around 2005 and never looked back.
I switched to MacBook Air in 2020 - love it, also never looked back. Thought I would miss the touch screen, but - nope.
My MacBook from 2015 is still going strong. I always use Macs at home, and always had PCs at work. No issue going back and forth but I like the Mac interfaces way better.
I text on my Windows computer, and all the photos on my Android phone are available on my laptop.
I am an old dog and IOS is just a new trick I would like to avoid if possible.