After 20 years of Windows, I’m seriously considering switching to Apple

It must have been sometime during my time in kindergarten when my father put a computer with Windows 95, which was quite old at the time, in my children’s room.

It took about 30 minutes to boot up, and I did little with it other than play a game that I now only vaguely remember from the black and orange color palette.

Since then I’ve been using Windows PCs and have (almost) never regretted it. However, there were a few announcements at Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference 2023 (WWDC) that at least partially got me on their side.

Microsoft vs. Apple

I’m aware that the old discussion of “Apple or Microsoft?” and “MacOS or Windows?” has grown incredibly long by now, so I’ll give you a quick rundown of why Windows has always been the better choice for me :

1. Gaming: I am a passionate gamer and have been gambling almost every day for years. Unfortunately, Apple and video games just don’t mix well. Very few games run natively on Apple devices and for the rest you have to use third-party apps like Parallels Desktop. But even that is no guarantee of success.
2. Hardware: Just a few years ago you could buy a high-end Windows PC for the price of a Mac, which simply offered more for the money. I also like the high degree of customization of the hardware and software in Windows systems.
3. Accesories: For as long as I can remember, in order to use Apple devices in everyday life, you have needed additional cables or adapters that are either included or built in by other manufacturers. That always felt like a rip off to me.
4. Experience: It is well known that humans belong to the genus of creatures of habit. At the latest when I started my IT training to become a Windows 7 administrator, the Apple train had left for me.

Apple is catching up and the PC market is slowing down

After more than 20 years of Windows, it’s hard to admit that Apple is a viable alternative. Nevertheless, WWDC 2023 shows that it is possible.

I pricked up my ears when Jeremy Sandmel started talking about a »game mode«. This should optimize the gaming experience by giving games higher priority from the hardware. In addition, the audio and input latency should be significantly lower than before.

That sounds like a step towards Apple gaming. However, I am not completely satisfied with it. After all, Windows offers significantly more gaming comfort.

Nonetheless: Gaming hardware is more expensive than ever, and for the price of an iMac, you can barely afford a graphics card today – at least if you want it to last a while. A point for Apple.

WWDC 2023: Standby is a new summary screen that displays additional info when you charge your iPhone. (Image: Apple)

The focus on certain things also changes over time. I still gamble a lot, but that’s not the only thing I want my hardware to do for me. The key word is “mental health”.

Apple shows with her Journal App for example, that you attempt to always be up to date. For me, this also includes an awareness of one’s own well-being. The so-called journaling, i.e. writing a diary, is supposed to work wonders.

Again, Apple is certainly not reinventing the wheel. After all, there have been apps for a long time, such as Day One, that can help you write a diary. Nevertheless, it makes it clear how Apple ticks and that we could get even more features in this direction in the future. That makes me personally interested in Apple products.

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Apple stands for innovation

Image: Apple

As a Windows fan, I’m also very impressed by Apple’s urge to innovate.

In addition to rather smaller announcements for new operating systems, the mixed reality glasses “Vision Pro” were also announced. It will cost around $3,500.

What at first sounds like a slap in the face for…well, pretty much everyone is actually a good thing. These glasses will probably set new standards in AR and VR and make various other manufacturers reconsider their product. After all, the first reports, such as from The Verge, are very enthusiastic.

Just think of the first iPhone and its impact on the mobile phone industry. I hope that Apple succeeds in revolutionizing the VR/AR area as well. The very attempt to revive this rather dormant branch is, in my opinion, remarkable and deserves praise.

Switching to Apple?

Innovation or not. At the end of the day, the $3,500 glasses don’t do me much good. So will I be switching to Apple products any time soon?

I definitely see potential!

What I really like about Apple products is that they are geared towards the lifestyle of the users. Microsoft is far behind in this regard.

So, for the first time in my life, WWDC really made me want to try an Apple product.

I’m particularly interested in the range of iPads, since I don’t currently own a tablet. I imagine this to be the best way to get started in the world of Apple products.

Also, I’ve been hearing from fellow musicians for years that Macs are simply better for music production. Maybe it’s time to find out for myself.

how do you see it? Is an iPad the right place to start? Did you enjoy the WWDC? Could you also be picked up, or were you rather disappointed? Do you use Apple devices or are you, like me, familiar with Windows and Android? What do you like better about the respective systems? Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments below!