- This
is my first Mac in a long time.
I've been using Windows computers
exclusively for seven years
because back in 2013,
I was unhappy with the direction
that Apple was taking its hardware and software.
Now that I have a new ish
16 inch MacBook Pro that runs Mac OS,
I wanted to see what did I miss?
What's new?
And what's not so great about having a Mac.
So let's find out.
Hey, my name is Jerry.
And since I left the Mac
at the end of 2013,
Macs and Windows PC have been evolving.
Desktop software for both Windows and Mac OS
are leaning more into a mobile OS Direction
which kind of irked me
and that's kind of the reason
I left the Mac in the first place.
Well, for the last two years
the iPad has become a big part of my daily life
and I really love the iPad iPhone ecosystem.
So I figured
maybe it was time to get the Mac another shot
and replace my Windows desktop.
Right away from the unboxing,
you can tell that this is an Apple product.
From the feel of the aluminum,
to the sharp edges,
to the weight and the balance,
and the way the hinge opens up on the display,
there's just no mistaking this for another brand.
When I first got logged into Mac OS,
I was hit by sudden Nostalgia.
This was an OS I had used for 18 years
before going all windows.
For me, it all started with a Mac color classic.
Followed by a power Mac G 3.
An iMac SE.
An iMac G4.
12-inch PowerBook.
Core 2 Duo iMac.
Core 2 Duo aluminum iMac.
15-inch MacBook Pro.
11 inch Air.
And an i7 Hackintosh.
So seeing the dock and finder guide
was kinda comforting.
Like going home.
I missed how the menu bar at the top
is a static menu
that is consistent across all apps
from finder and preview to Adobe CC.
The dock is a great place
to store frequently used apps
and does not get overcrowded
because of the dynamic sizing.
Oh and of course,
I had to turn on magnification.
Back in the old days of my Mac use,
Spotlight was my go-to
for launching apps and documents.
Being able to hit a keyboard shortcut,
then type a couple of letters to open an app
made it super easy to multitask
while keeping my hands on the keyboard.
Spotlight's ability and accuracy for finding things
is far beyond what I had in Windows.
I remember when quick look was announced back in 2007.
This was a very simple way of previewing files
without opening the underlying application
by selecting and hitting the space bar.
This makes finding what you need very fast
like trying to find the right photo or video in a folder.
This has been something I missed on Windows
since the first day I sold my last Mac.
Another nicety about the Mac is that it has
zero bloatware or ads in the OS.
Unlike other operating systems,
I didn't need to spend a couple hours
removing built-in crap, like antivirus software
or freemium games.
Buying an Apple product means getting
a premium ad free non sponsored OS.
And of course as a long time Mac User
I had to re-enable the "bong" sound.
Seriously.
Why did Apple remove that?
The sound just resonates
and makes me feel something.
Those are just a few things I missed on the Mac
these last many years
but there are also a number of new things
that I have not been able to experience
on a Mac before like retina displays.
Apple has always been ranked very high
in display quality and features.
Some people give Apple crap about having X resolution
or Y frame rate in their devices,
but if you want a consistent, accurate, bright display
with minimal variance between products,
Apple is the way to go.
And now with Retina resolution and true tone
which changes the white balance
depending on the ambient light,
it is a big step up from most Windows laptops I've used.
The trackpad and touch bar
are also updates that I haven't seen before.
Apple has always had great track pads
and now they're the size of your head,
so multitasking gestures are as easy
as skating on an open ice rink.
The touch bar is a novel idea.
And of course I've read reviews on it over the years.
I think I'm on the ambivalent side of touch bar.
I would probably prefer physical media and brightness keys,
but maybe when I find an app
that uses the space well for my needs,
that will change my opinion.
For now, I have the touch bar set with static controls
and it seems to work well enough.
Apple integrations have also been improved
since I last used a Mac.
You now have Airdrop
which allows for wireless file transfer between devices.
Shared clipboard.
Handoff, for starting a process on one device
and continuing on another.
SMS messages.
Phone calls.
Login with Apple watch.
Oh, and Sidecar.
Sidecar lets you use your iPad
as a second monitor wirelessly.
Just drag a window over.
You can also use the apple pencil
to manipulate items using the touch screen on the iPad.
How cool is that?
I can see this being something I use
when I use this laptop in a desktop environment.
Then there's the App store.
Which did exist in Mavericks.
However, as I recall the variety of apps was limited
and big app devs were trying to figure out
how to work around sandboxing.
Now, there are things like Microsoft Office
and Adobe apps in the Mac App Store.
This makes installing and updating big apps
so much faster and easier.
Now along with what I missed and what is new to me,
there are a couple of things
that are not so great on the Mac.
First, the terrible, excruciating, incomprehensible,
no excuse, potato webcam.
How in the world is this camera
in a 2020 MacBook Pro that retails at $2,400?
Enough said.
Also unfortunately,
Apple laptops are now appliances more than ever.
Even back in 2013,
you can still upgrade the hard drives and memory
in most Mac laptops.
Now, what you buy is what you get.
So you really need to plan in advance,
how long do you think you will have your laptop
and what software you may be using with it over that time.
You can always add external storage as needed,
but there is no way for you
to solder more memory into this thing.
So coming back to Mac is complicated.
There are things that I missed.
New things I wanted to try.
And things that may not be so great.
I think being on Mac OS is where I want to be
but I'm not sure that this is the right form factor for me.
So hit subscribe to see what I do next.
If you are looking to make the switch back
or if you are looking to get your first Mac ever,
let me know in the comments below.
Also to save a bunch of money while making the switch,
you should look at getting a refurb Mac from Apple.
Which is a certified, clean, fully warranted,
computer at a good price.
And if you want to see more about that,
check out this video right there.
And I'll see you next time.