When we talk about PCs, we mean “personal computer”, which is quite a broad term.
After all, your smartphone or laptop or even your calculator are all kinds of personal
computers.
But the term we use now originally meant “IBM PC-compatible”, and this related to IBM’s
computers that could run certain operating systems.
Nowadays we tend to think of PCs as computers that run operating systems such as Windows
or Linux, and those computers have been separated from Macintosh computers.
But in terms of hardware these days, we are not talking chalk and cheese.
The differences are more like Camembert and Cheddar...for the record, we think Macs are
the former in this analogy).
And of course some people prefer one over the other- but why?
Today we will look at some of the reasons, as delve into some statistics, in this episode
of the Infographics Show, Mac vs PC.
So, the first statistic we will look at tells us that Windows OS is way out in front in
terms of market share.
It currently has a massive 88.53 percent share of the global market.
Mac OS has 8.75 percent.
Linux meanwhile is third at 2.27 percent.
Though Microsoft has been feverishly pushing people to use its latest operating system,
Windows 10, more users around the world are still on Windows 7, but Windows 10 is catching
up and should be in front by 2020.
As for how many people in the world are currently using Mac compared to PC, it’s said that
over one billion people in 2017 were actively using Windows, with about 400 million of those
people using Windows 10.
Apple on the other hand said that total Mac users was about 100 million.
If so many people are fond of Apple’s OS, why are so few people using it?
Well, the cost for one thing.
A couple of years ago, the average Mac cost around $1,300.
That was compared to the $600 the average person spent on a PC.
If we look at Apple’s new top of the line 15-inch MacBook Pro, the price is $2,799.00.
Meanwhile Microsoft’s Surface Book costs around the same and there are plenty of other
high-end laptops out there, but Apple doesn’t exactly have a bargain basement the way PC
does.
If we are talking about desktops, the iMac Pro is currently on sale for $4,999.
Again, there are PC desktops out there that cost around the same amount of money, such
as Microsoft’s Surface Studio, but there are many, many budget desktops that the average
person can afford, while the smallest, cheapest iMac is still around $1,300.
But maybe you’re a gamer.
We looked at lists of best gaming desktop computers in 2018 and none of Apple’s machines
were listed.
Many of the best gaming machines were anywhere from $900 - $5,000, with some reviewers saying
the best of the budget gaming PCs was the Dell XPS Tower SE at around $550.
The website TechAdvisor sums it up like this for gaming regarding Mac vs PC, “This category
isn’t even close.
If you like gaming, then a Windows PC is hands-down the better choice over a Mac.”, and the
title of a 2017 article by Digital Trends should be answer enough, “Why gaming on
MacOS is dead forever and never coming back.”
If you look at the popular gaming service Steam’s gaming statistics for March 2018,
the numbers show that around 99 percent of gamers were using Windows, indicating that
the vast majority of gamers seem to prefer PC.
What this all tells us is what you already probably know.
Apple’s machines are sleek and look beautiful, but if you are a budget-minded person, there
will likely always be a cheaper PC out there that is just as good in terms of what it can
do.
If you are a gamer, a designer, or just someone who streams TV and writes emails, you can
find a Windows PC as good as any Mac that will cost you less money.
What it often boils down to is what operating system you prefer or what you have just gotten
used to.
Users become fluent in things like keyboard shortcuts or they just prefer certain programs
on one OS.
But it’s not all about functionality, though.
Apple’s design looks good.
It always has, and some people say that’s why Macs are so popular with the creative
community.
If you want to look good, you get a Mac, after all, not everyone who drives a Ferrari is
interested in driving at 180mph or even cares what is under the hood.
They bought the car as a status symbol, just as Macs still give people a high-status badge.
Some people will likely deny this, but there is ample evidence out there that all around
the world Apple products are indeed a status symbol.
Most critics tell us this is slowly changing, though, as manufacturers of PCs have concentrated
more over the last few years on making machines that look cool.
Now you may be thinking, oh no, not me, you see I’m all about security and I’m not
interested in showing off.
U.S. security firm Kaspersky wrote that while indeed Macs were prone to fewer online threats
as PCs were in the past, that is changing.
“The rising popularity of Mac operating systems in recent years has made them a prime
target for cybercriminals and Macs have subsequently fallen prey to a number of viruses, malware
and other web threats,” wrote the company.
It is still true, though, wrote Kaspersky, that Windows machines are presently more vulnerable
to viruses than Macs.
So that is one very good reason to buy a Mac, even though we shouldn't have a false sense
of security in light of the growing number of Mac attacks, but for now, with the majority
of the world using PCs, that’s where the majority of cyber attacks are focused.
Another thing is the fact it’s so easy to build onto your PC compared to a Mac.
Apple wants to keep you in its own ecosystem, and this isn’t always a good thing.
It gives users fewer options and can add to costs.
But Microsoft has its flaws too: When Windows 10 came out, it was severely criticized for
being too pushy regarding advertising, and for employing data tracking features in the
OS that weren’t always obvious.
“Windows 10 is spying on you”, became a headline for a while after the OS was released.
But what are the best selling computers of all time?
Well, number one goes to the Commodore 64, released in 1982 with over 17 million units.
Next was the Commodore Amiga 500 (released in 1987, with 6 million units); MSX (released
in 1983, with 5 million units); and Sinclair ZX Spectrum (released in 1982, with 5 million
units).
1977’s Apple II sold one million units and 1998’s iMac sold around 800,000 units.
Historically, PCs reign supreme over Mac.
For 2017, when we look at total PC sales against Mac sales, Apple is still a ways behind other
manufacturers.
Apple PC sales that year were 19.6 million, while Dell sold 41,821,000 PCs.
Lenovo sold 54,857,000 PCs and HP was on top, selling 58,800,000 PCs.
If we look at quarter one 2018, the top four are still in the same position.
Apple has so far shipped 4.26 million units, Dell 9.88 million, Lenovo 12.35 million, and
HP 12.86 million.
Many critics out there believe that Apple must once again stun people as it’s been
resting on its laurels for too long.
In terms of what’s under the hood, Apple’s machines aren’t much different from what
many other manufacturers release.
In terms of sleekness and originality, many of Apple’s foes now have machines that are
almost as pleasant to the eye as the Apple machine.
If Apple wants to improve its market share, it’s high time they come up with a bold
new design and offer improved hardware or more useful software.
Finally, we might add that Windows has a far larger application library.
In 2017 there were around 670,000 apps in the Windows Store and four million applications
outside the Store.
The Mac App Store by comparison had around 30,000 apps, with some people a few years
back asking if the company had given up on the store altogether.
In conclusion, PCs have budget machines for all your needs- so if you are short a penny
or two then PCs win all the way.
Macs are great machines, though, and if you like the style and the functionality, then
you should buy one, but if you are looking for power and are budget-minded, you should
stick with
a PC.
So, which
do you prefer?
Is Apple’s outward style better than having better hardware inside?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Also, be sure to check out our other video called Millenials vs Generation Z - How Do
They Compare?!
Thanks for watching, and, as always, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe.
See you next time!