Which is better: Mac or Windows? Mac OS X is better than Windows - reasons
The fact is that Apple computers, unlike most computers of other brands, do not use traditional Windows from Microsoft, but their own Mac OS (now Apple OS). It turns out to be an unfair situation: one Apple against all. It would seem that competition is impossible, but in the mobile market, mono-brand iOS is an excellent opponent to the same multi-brand Android or Windows Phone. So this is far from the most important indicator of success or failure.
Another thing is that historically there are a lot of myths and stereotypes around Mac OS. I decided to test everything from personal experience and voluntarily gave up Windows for almost three months, taking a MacBook Air 11 for temporary personal use. It should be noted that I have never been interested in Apple operating systems before, and among the devices of this brand I only have an iPad, i.e. I'm not a fan. I’ll tell you now what happened as a result.
Myths and stereotypes
Myths and stereotypes around Mac OS did not appear out of the blue. After all, Apple’s successes began quite recently; before that there was a long, hard journey of trial and error. Just remember the very difficult confrontation with IBM and Microsoft in the 80s, and then in the 90s. Let's be honest, not everything the Apple company got right. It's hard to believe, but even in 1999, the interface of the seemingly beautiful and modern Mac OS was inferior to Windows. This is what the then most current version 9 looked like. Let me remind you that back then there was already Windows 98 and ME was being prepared - the difference with them is simply huge.
It is not surprising that the Microsoft operating system still won, and Apple remained in the role of catching up. But then Steve Jobs returned, and things quickly began to change. Less than 12 years ago, a completely new Mac OS X was released. And less than 11 years ago, with the release of the iPod player, the manufacturer declared itself with renewed vigor. And today’s iconic iPhone and iPad are even younger – a little over 4 and a little less than 2 years old, respectively. Now, in the wake of such popularity of Apple’s mobile products, interest in Mac OS has begun to grow, which is gradually being improved and made more and more similar to the iOS familiar to many. Now, while PC sales have all but stopped growing (Gartner predicts only 4.4% growth for 2012) and tablets are gaining popularity, the Mac has been growing at double digits for more than 5 years in a row. I wonder what will happen in another 5 years without Steve Jobs.
Over the years of growth, a lot of false facts have accumulated around Mac OS. Now I will try to remember the most popular ones:
- So, the first lie is that Apple has some special files. There is nothing like this in Mac OS. Here are the familiar AVI, JPG, MP3, DOC, etc. The file system is open (unlike iOS), which means you can see and work with them just like in Windows.
- The second lie is the high cost. It is generally accepted that computers running Mac OS are significantly more expensive than their Windows counterparts. If we study the issue now, it becomes clear that this is not so. MacBook Air starts at $999. Rare ultrabooks cost the same, often more expensive.
- There are very few programs for Mac OS. This is again not true. Although there is some truth here - there is indeed more software on Windows, but the gap has already been dramatically reduced compared to what it was before. Unless you have very specific requirements and objectives, there will be no problems.
But here are the myths that I found confirmation and which are not myths at all, but quite a reality:
- The appearance of the OS is very different from Windows. Yes it's true. It takes some getting used to, and not everyone will like it. The further the Mac OS interface goes, the more elements it receives from iOS. Considering the popularity of the latter, this should play into Apple's hands.
- Device compatibility issues. The situation is almost the same as with software: everything seems to be there, but specific devices do not have drivers for Mac OS. And Android, from version 4, switched from Mass Storage to MTP, and compatibility will be up to the manufacturer.
- The OS cannot be configured. Mac OS is positioned as a mass-market system, which means you won’t be allowed to make fine adjustments. If you love the Control Panel and know what the registry is, Windows is for you.
These are just the main points; there are many similar nuances. The most important thing is that Mac OS is not a variation on the Windows theme, it is a different OS with its own pros and cons. It’s at least interesting to try, and at most it’s more modern. For example, the app store for Windows appeared only this year, for Mac OS (as well as iOS) it has existed for several years, and recently passed the 100 million download mark. No matter what skeptics say, the Apple logo is now not only an irritant for Android fans, but also a sign of a certain quality - not only hardware, but also software. If you buy an Apple, more often than not you'll get a device that works well—fast and stable. There are exceptions, but Windows and Android have many, many more.
This year, Apple decided to abandon the Mac OS name. By doing this, the company emphasizes the importance of changes and at the same time tries to forget about its sinless past. At the same time, the line of products running on this OS is being improved, primarily laptops. I've been using the MacBook Air 11" for almost three months and I can say with confidence that it is one of the best ultrabooks. Although this device is not officially called an ultrabook, that is exactly what it actually is. Yes, it does not have built-in Ethernet and a slot for SD cards. Yes, the battery life is not the longest. Yes, I would like more USB ports. But these are details that you can live with, but overall it turned out to be an excellent machine.
Another myth is that in China everything is made cheaply and of poor quality, but American brands like Apple are made from a completely different cloth. This is wrong. Apple is also Chinese, as are most American, European and other types of products. Low taxes, cheap labor and widespread production facilities have made China a true assembly shop serving the entire world. Apple's merit is that it initiates and controls the production process, and other companies have been catching up with their MacBook Air ultrabooks as a reference for a year now. The most important thing in a model is the design. I’m not a fan of the brand, so the presence or absence of the coveted apple logo on the lid makes me neither cold nor hot. But the metal unibody case makes the laptop very stylish and practical. I don’t know what the Americans did with the Chinese, how they stimulated them, but everything was perfectly done, thought out, assembled and even packaged.
Advantages and disadvantages
Human habit is a terrible force, so everyone is fighting not only for sales here and now, but also for loyalty for the future. We have been using Windows since an early age. Microsoft's openness has made its OS widely available and very popular. It is pre-installed in schools and universities. Everything else is perceived differently and causes an understandable feeling of discomfort. It takes time to get used to, no matter how simple the new system is. But gradually the situation is changing. The more resources Apple has, the more it invests in popularizing its product. The best example here is the strong emphasis on education in the new iBooks. As planned, children will learn and immediately get used to the iPad. Over time, there will be more such examples. Even in Russian schools, computers running OS X for Mac are gradually beginning to appear. Personally, I like this trend because I am for competition.
At first, the keyboard seemed the most unusual to me. The layout is the same, but many elements are missing. In particular, PgUp and PgDn are absent. You cannot press a comma and a period with one button. There are no F5 for updating and all that either. And the familiar Windows logo has been replaced with an incomprehensible cmd function key. Even switching languages is done differently - the same function key, plus a spacebar. You can, of course, install the Windows layout, but this will not give you the full feeling of the familiar Microsoft environment. It took me about a week to get used to it, now on Windows computers I can’t help but switch the language like Mac. Habit is a terrible thing and difficult to break.
By the way, the elongated keyboard for iMac and Mac Pro has PgUp and PgDn keys, and laptops for ergonomics use a standard layout with the Cmd+ “Up Arrow” or “Down Arrow” command, which performs this function. In PC laptops, according to Apple, such extra keys, which are used quite rarely, are often placed to the detriment of the full size of the keyboard. In principle, this is also partly true.
The biggest advantage of OS X for Mac computers in terms of control is gestures. Once you try it, you won’t want to get out of the habit. Use two fingers to scroll through a page, use four to switch applications, etc. Multi-touch also works to zoom in and out of pages. All this works clearly and smoothly. It is enough to master at least half of these useful manipulations, and life will seem much simpler. It took me less than a week to get used to it, and now I really miss gestures on Windows. I hope Microsoft borrows something like this someday, it's definitely a huge ergonomic boon.
The OS itself is quite vaguely similar to Windows, it takes some getting used to. The control panel is located at the top, and application icons are at the bottom. Instead of Explorer - your own iFinder with built-in search. There can be several working screens; there is a separate key to switch between them. Another key to access the main menu (by the way, it is very similar to iOS). But that's not all, there is also a waiting screen with widgets. In general, the structure is completely unusual for a Windows user. And while I have completely figured out the keyboard and don’t feel any discomfort, the structure of OS X for Mac still raises questions. The main thing is that the functionality and convenience of Finder leaves much to be desired compared to Windows Explorer. I recommend immediately installing a third-party program, of which there are quite a few. But what I liked is that most applications run in full screen mode, and you are not distracted by unnecessary panels.
The file system is implemented strangely. For example, you send a file by mail via the web interface or simply select a picture to upload somewhere. While in Windows you can right-click and see what you select, this is not possible here. If you want to send a file via Bluetooth, you must first find it in the Finder and only then go to a separate Bluetooth manager to send it. There are many similar features, and I can’t say that I like them. As with PgUp and PgDn on the keyboard, these are not features of human habit, but an Apple flaw. Hopefully this will be improved in future versions.
But everything works really quickly. This is a nuance no less important than gestures. If in Windows you can wait an excruciatingly long time for some panel or notification to load when the system is performing “heavy” actions, then in Mac OS everything is better optimized. There are almost never any slowdowns, everything works like a clock. Even if the browser (by the way, I recommend immediately replacing Safari with Chrome) has many tabs open, including Flash players (yes, unlike iOS, there is support for this Adobe technology), and the entire panel is in running applications, nothing still freezes. Restoring work from sleep mode occurs with minimal delay. Close the lid, everything turns off - open it, you can immediately work. At the same time, stability is pleasing: you don’t have to reboot the system for days. Switching between running applications is instantaneous, including using the aforementioned gestures. As a result, this creates the impression of a polished, stable system. The downside is that those who like to tinker with the settings and registry will be disappointed. Apple positions its OS for the mass user, and therefore fine tuning is not available. It should be noted that in most cases this is not required.
Mac OS is not only fast, but also secure. There are almost no viruses for it and no epidemics (like on Windows or Android) are expected. That's why antivirus software manufacturers don't like Apple; it clearly interferes with their work and takes away their bread. But users, on the contrary, are in the black. There is also less software for computers on OS X for Mac. Not all games are available, nor will you find any specific software. If you need certain highly specialized tasks, then for now this is for Windows. Another point - even the software that exists does not always have functionality similar to the Windows versions. For example, if you compare XnView for different OSes, you will get very interesting results not in favor of Apple.
But initially, computers running OS X for Mac come with a good set of pre-installed software. Not everything works in Russia (the email client deletes letters from the server by default, you won’t be able to order a printout, some content is unavailable, etc.), but there is a lot of useful stuff. I especially liked the iPhoto photo manager, which has already appeared on iOS and immediately became the #1 application there. The function of correcting a littered horizon alone is worth it. There is already a full-fledged Microsoft Office office suite for Mac, as well as many other familiar applications. What is important is that if with a Mac you get a good set of software initially and can work right away, then on Windows you will have to install some additional programs.
If something from the set of installed software is not enough, there is the App Store. By the way, regarding the question of stereotypes - you can install applications on Mac OS not only from this directory, but also by downloading distribution kits separately - like Windows. As you can see, the system is more open than in iOS, where this is impossible using standard tools. But Windows applications are, of course, not suitable for Mac computers. But on any Mac you can install Microsoft OS if you really want to.
Software set
I would like to dwell in more detail on what a user of a computer running OS X for Mac gets. The set, as I wrote above, is impressive. And if everyone is familiar with a similar delivery from Microsoft in Windows, then the Apple option will be new for many. These are just the main applications from the basic software set.
This is a cloud service that is fully developed if you have several Apple devices, but will also be useful for single users. Essentially, the idea is to automatically sync information. iCloud stores photos, documents, and more, then delivers them to other devices using wireless push technology. So it's not just a virtual hard disk. It's a fast and easy way to access any data on all your devices that you use every day. iCloud provides automatic and secure storage for content and is available on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac and PC. All applications, fresh photos and much more are updated on all devices, and you can use them in the one that is at your fingertips. iCloud even keeps your email, contacts and calendars up to date. No synchronization is needed, no management is needed, and by and large, you don’t need to do anything, since iCloud will do everything for you. In addition, iCloud has the ability to search for missing devices. But what I found most useful was the backup function. iCloud backs up your information daily to the cloud via Wi-Fi.
iTunes is a free application for Mac and PC that allows you to organize your media library on your computer, listen to music and watch videos. It synchronizes all content automatically, adding new files to mobile devices. Of course, there is the possibility of purchasing content. Home Sharing lets you move audio files, movies, and TV shows between up to five selected computers. You can watch or listen to your files on your iPhone, iPad or iPod using Wi-Fi. Or stream music to third-party AirPlay-connected speakers, AV receivers, and stereo systems.
App Store for Mac
Something that Microsoft has only recently introduced is an application store. The App Store for Mac is the same as the App Store for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Applications can be selected from categories such as games, office applications, music applications and many others. Or you can use the quick search if you're looking for something specific. Descriptions from developers and user reviews, as well as screenshots, are available. Immediately after purchasing with one click, the new application will be in the Dock, ready to use. Importantly, the Mac App Store will automatically monitor your installed apps and tell you when new versions are available. You can update applications one at a time or all together.
iPhoto automatically groups your photos into events, which you can name accordingly. Now you won't confuse photos from your best friend's birthday and New Year's celebrations. When you connect your camera to your computer or insert an SD card, iPhoto detects the day you took it and sorts the files. The only pity is that the program automatically detects faces and makes thumbnails - as a result, many duplicates appear in the folder, but this is the cost of automation. But what’s convenient is that several events can be combined into one large one by dragging one event onto another, and thanks to iCloud, iPhoto imports pictures from Photo Stream and also organizes them into Events. iPhoto has various tools. You can remove red eye with one click. You can adjust exposure, brightness and contrast. You can crop photos to the desired size. There's an Enhance tool to automatically enhance your image, and much more. And if you click on the thumbnail of the original photo, the photo will return to its original state - i.e. You don't have to worry about losing the original after changes.
When I was asked to write about the Mac Pro, I initially declined. Not because Apple's new miracle computer is not interesting, not at all. It’s simply not very correct to evaluate professional tools if you yourself are not a professional of this kind. Roughly speaking, if a fifth-grade student at a music school is given a Stradivarius violin to practice, he is unlikely to be able to appreciate it and demonstrate all its advantages.
In response to the refusal, I heard that many thousands of people around the world were waiting for my assessment of the Mac Pro. Crude flattery is an effective tool of persuasion, and after a couple of days this perhaps the most unusual desktop computer in the world arrived at the PC World editorial office.
I already wrote a little about it in a report from the October Apple press conference, where the Mac Pro was first shown live, without a glass cover. Nowadays, when desktop computers are of little interest to anyone, Apple managed to attract serious attention to its brainchild, even against the backdrop of the new iPad and MacBook Pro. Of course, never before has such a powerful, I would even say, uncompromising computer been so compact and quiet. Moreover, the exterior is a match, having nothing in common with traditional system units.
But, as they say, there is a nuance. When we see Pro next to a MacBook, we understand that this is made up. In fact, such a full-length laptop can be used not only by a seasoned designer or video editor, but also by someone who likes to post photos of food and cats on social networks. The screen, speed, powerful battery, comfortable keyboard - all this is good for solving absolutely any problem. But the Mac Pro is truly designed for specialists working with complex 2D and 3D graphics, processing video with the highest resolution, recording multi-channel audio, etc. and so on. A cat lover may not notice any difference at all, for example, with a Mac mini. Which, with at least a five-fold difference in price, can cause conflicting emotions.
Official portrait
I'm just a Mac mini user. The older version of this wonderful little computer has been on my desk for about a year now and, despite the previous generation processor, it satisfies my home needs completely. Typing texts, processing RAW files from a Sony DSC-RX100 camera, and occasionally editing video in Full HD. And, of course, fierce, indomitable Internet surfing. There was an idea to replace the classic hard drive with an SSD, but after increasing the amount of RAM from 4 to 6 GB, the slight slowdowns disappeared completely, and I decided to just wait for the new version on Haswell.
And here is the Mac Pro. It is sold in a very compact box, which you can put in a branded bag and take home in your hands. Weight is about five kilograms, you won’t get too tired. Inside we are unexpectedly greeted by... pieces of foam plastic. They, of course, are quite elegant compared to their counterparts from boxes with TVs and monitors, but personally, I have never come across foam plastic in Apple packaging before at all. Perhaps it would have been worth using a cork to come into contact with such an exquisite device, since the task of severe economy was clearly not an issue in this case. But - as it is. The box contains only the computer itself and the power cable. Everything else is offered to be purchased independently, based on your own needs and capabilities.
Six Thunderbolt connectors are, of course, very cool. But I personally would like more USB.
And you can buy a lot of things. Keyboard, mouse, trackpad - that's understandable. And it wouldn’t hurt to have a decent speaker system (with or without wires), a monitor (up to three standard ones with a resolution of up to 4K, or as many as six using the Thunderbolt interface), external drives (USB or Thunderbolt, as you see fit) and so on and so forth . By the way, if you, like me, have a new-fangled monitor with a resolution higher than Full HD, you won’t need special expensive adapters to connect your Mac Pro to it; a regular HDMI cable will suffice. Thanks to Apple for introducing HDMI 1.4 support.
I ordered the low-end Mac Pro to review, but even its specs are impressive. 4-core Intel Xeon E5 with a base frequency of 3.7 GHz (under load up to 3.9 GHz), 16 GB of RAM, two AMD FirePro D300 graphics cores with two gigabytes of GDDR5 VRAM on each (for those who don’t like big names, let me clarify – this is analogues of Radeon HD 7850). Only the SSD capacity (256 GB) hinted that this was a basic model. But, given the six Thunderbolt connectors, there is no problem connecting an external drive and using it at the same speed as a regular internal HDD or SSD. Let me emphasize - just ordinary, because the SSD in the Mac Pro is simply prohibitively fast, and it’s impossible for anything external to catch up with it. 900 megabytes of read and write is no joke.
With the cover removed, the Mac Pro looks almost more impressive than with it on. This is just some kind of orgasm of engineering. Everything is not only thought out to the smallest detail, but also simply beautiful.
Even the textolite of the memory modules is matching!
Or they could install regular Hynix, like everyone else.
If the capabilities of the listed hardware are not enough for you, but you still have plenty of money, Apple offers many interesting opportunities to spend it. First, pay attention to the second standard Mac Pro configuration with a 6-core Xeon E5 and two AMD FirePro D500 (3 GB of video memory per chip). Finally, for the most demanding and wealthy people, there is the opportunity to create their own configuration with a 12-core Xeon E5, 64 GB of RAM, a terabyte SSD and two AMD FirePro D700 with 6 GB of GDDR5 video memory on each. The dimensions of the computer will not change.
Impressive? Personally, it makes me shiver. Especially considering that the Mac Pro is practically silent in operation. It gets really hot under load, so I wouldn’t recommend putting chocolates on it. But it doesn't make noise. For those who work a lot (work, not just sit) at the computer, this is a very important argument in favor of the new Apple product. Because making a powerful system is not difficult, but making it behave unnoticed is a different task. And before there was an opinion that it was simply unsolvable in such compact dimensions. It also uses one large turbine-type propeller, which is installed on top and draws air through the entire body. This probably imposes certain obligations on cleaning the table and the room as a whole. Because extracting dust from a vacuum cleaner bag is much easier and cheaper than extracting it from the bowels of a Mac Pro. By the way, the system turns on with a sound reminiscent of the starting rattling of hard disk heads. It's a funny feeling.
Setting up a new Apple computer is traditionally simple - just connect to your home network and feed it a saved Time Machine image. After about an hour, the Mac Pro already had all the settings and applications from the Mac mini. I sat down at it and began to do my usual things, listening to the sensations. The sensations were silent. There was no difference at all with the Mac mini. More precisely, the presence of an SSD significantly reduced the loading time, and applications opened more quickly, but in general - exactly the same picture.
I launched Photoshop CC and began applying my favorite effects to the photos. And again I felt nothing. Everything was as fast as it was - and it remains so. The knowledgeable guys advised me to open something 40 megapixel and create twenty layers. Then, they say, you’ll get into it. But my design career ended 14 years ago and most likely will not resume. Therefore, I did not experiment with layers. But I have no doubt about the performance of the Mac Pro.
When processing video in Final Cut Pro X, not only the processor, but also the graphics cores are used. Therefore, it is impossible not to notice the acceleration here. It takes about four times less time to create a finished video than on a Mac mini with its mobile Core i7 and integrated Ivy Bridge graphics. But if in the case of Full HD we just have a pleasant acceleration of work, then when we switch to 4K resolution, the Mac Pro becomes the only truly effective working tool in the current Apple rack. In the end, the difference between 10 minutes and half an hour is good, but not critical. But when you have a choice between half an hour and two hours...
As for the advantages for editing high-quality sound, I confess that I don’t understand anything about this at all, and if so, I won’t even try to pretend to be an expert. But knowledgeable guys say it’s a smart thing.
What is my conclusion from my experience with the Mac Pro?
If you are a very wealthy person and the tasks you solve on your computer do not include continuous video editing in 4K, mixing albums of domestic first-tier pop stars and lifting their bust after photo shoots for glossy magazines, you should not buy a Mac Pro. If money is burning your pocket, buy an iPad, an iPhone, a couple of MacBook Pros, a Mac mini for each room in your country house, and a 27-inch iMac for your office. Seriously, it will make a lot more sense. Because the benefits of the Mac Pro cannot be felt in typical home-office applications. Even in games, it competes on equal terms with the new generation 27-inch iMac, especially if you don’t get greedy on the latter’s GPU (by the way, my Mac mini under study outperformed the new Tomb Raider seven times). To put it simply, installing a Mac Pro at home is as logical and convenient as cutting bread with a medical scalpel. Some will be impressed by your daring, but most will twirl their finger at their temple.
Mac Pro is a product for professionals. For those who shovel serious amounts of data every day, no matter what kind - graphic, multimedia or scientific. For them (more precisely, for those of them who feel comfortable in the OS X environment), this computer will be an extremely useful acquisition and, as a bonus, a solid decoration for their desktop. Considering that there are simply no analogues on the market (I'm talking about the combination of performance and form factor), the price does not look too high.
attract buyers with their stylish design, thin and light metal body, good battery life and reliability. But the price of Apple laptops makes purchasing them an expensive pleasure. When comparing hardware, you will notice that competitors' products with similar hardware are up to 1.5-3 times less expensive. Against this background, the question of why the MacBook is so expensive becomes logical. Before purchasing a laptop from Apple, users are interested in what is so special that they will have to pay several salaries for. This article will help you find out why the MacBook has a high price.
Complex layout
Thin and light on the outside, the MacBook is a very complex design on the inside. Wanting to reduce weight and size, developers from Cupertino are looking for ways to arrange all internal components so that they take up less space, but at the same time maintain a high level of quality.
MacBook with bottom cover removed
Components responsible for computing, graphics processing, network access, multimedia playback, wireless communications and other functions are closely located on the device's circuit board. All of them are connected by numerous conductor paths and miniature radio-electronic elements. The production of MacBook motherboards requires very expensive equipment from factories around the world, the costs of which are included in the cost of the laptop.
This is the first reason why the MacBook is so expensive.
High quality display
The screen of Apple laptops has a high resolution. It differs from modern budget laptops by more than 4 times. The difference in price of these components is the same, if not more.
For example, the 15-inch MacBook Pro has a matrix based on IPS technology with a resolution of 2880x1800 pixels. For comparison, the average budget laptop PC of a similar size has a 1366x768 pixel TN display.
Macro photo of inexpensive laptop and MacBook displays
The cost of the screen controller also matters. The higher the resolution of the matrix, the more complex the structure of the control electronics responsible for converting and supplying signals from the graphics processor to the display.
A good screen is the second reason why the MacBook has a high price.
Top iron
When electronics are miniaturized, performance inevitably suffers. A mobile processor is obviously weaker than a desktop “brother” with the same index, so Apple, not wanting users to complain about the lack of performance, uses only Intel Core i5 or i7 CPUs (with the exception of compact models of the Air line, where the hardware is quite budget-friendly), related to the upper price category. The creators of such processors face a difficult task: maintaining high performance, but significantly reducing power consumption. The use of a thin process technology, close arrangement of transistors on a chip, and a miniature package - all these factors significantly increase the cost of fast mobile CPUs.
High-performance components are soldered onto a compact board
The same goes for the GPU. For simple tasks, graphics processing in a MacBook is handled by the video core built into the CPU. When under heavy load, it is replaced by a discrete gaming-grade video card from Nvidia or AMD. Maintaining high performance while reducing consumption and size is difficult. When implementing such developments, price increases are inevitable.
Thus, the computing components used also explain why the MacBook has such a high price.
Solid State Memory
To store data, the MacBook uses SSD drives operating over the PCI-E interface. Depending on the model, drives of 256, 512 or 1024 GB can be used. In MacBooks of previous generations, the memory capacity is lower, but a general pattern can be identified: Apple does not want to install a minimum size disk in it to reduce the cost of the laptop, and gives preference to capacious drives. And the price of SSD is still significantly higher than HDD.
SSD in Apple MacBook
The miniature format of solid-state hard drives in MacBooks makes this type of already expensive memory even more expensive. Thus, the high cost of the MacBook is also determined by the SSD drives.
Excellent autonomy
About half of the interior space on the bottom of MacBooks is taken up by the battery. Depending on the model and generation, its capacity can reach 75 Wh. It is this that ensures the ability to work for 10 hours without worrying about the draining percentage of charge. Due to the fact that lithium battery technology has been hitting a practical energy efficiency ceiling for a long time, each additional watt-hour is given to engineers with great difficulty. Increasing the complexity of production is impossible without increasing the cost of equipment for the company, and a high-quality battery also explains why the MacBook is so expensive.
Apple pricing policy
It's not just the complexity and performance of the hardware that makes MacBooks so expensive. Apple, which was initially focused on the American market, never sought to increase sales by lowering prices. Cupertino has always put a significant markup on its products. 
A comparison of the financial statements of Apple and Samsung for 2014 is proof of this. Apple's turnover amounted to 182 billion dollars, Samsung's - 529 billion. At the same time, Apple received almost 40 billion in net profit in 2014, and the Korean competitor - only 22. This indicates that, per unit of product sold, the apple company profit up to 5 times higher.
The high level of income in the United States does not make purchasing MacBooks expensive for American citizens. With an average monthly salary of $3,500, you can save up for a top-end Apple laptop without limiting yourself in a few months. It is natural that Americans are of little concern about the question of why the MacBook has such a high price, and the company has no reason to revise its pricing policy.
Afterword, or the other side of the coin
It would seem that the question of why the MacBook is so expensive has been resolved in favor of Apple. For every dollar spent, you can find an argument that would justify the high price. Buying Apple technology does not look like investing in an expensive toy, but a rational step due to the many advantages of the MacBook. But not everything is perfect: there are pitfalls when buying any electronic gadget, the only difference is whether they matter to a particular consumer or are insignificant.
The close arrangement of elements on the board, ensuring compactness, greatly complicates the repairability of the MacBook. Of course, while the warranty is valid, the breakdown will be fixed free of charge, or the laptop will be replaced with a new one. But if the device is purchased for a long time (and not everyone can afford to spend 50-250 thousand rubles on a temporary hobby), then after the service period has expired, the failed component will greatly “please” the owner.
Removable modules in the MacBook include display, cooling and SSD storage. Well, little things (wireless adapter, antennas, speakers). Everything else (including RAM) is soldered onto the board and requires expensive equipment and highly qualified technicians to replace. Therefore, repairing a MacBook is as expensive as it is.
High screen resolution results in an increase in the load on the computing part, and in serious tasks it reduces battery life and leads to increased heating. High-performance hardware exhibits a combination of performance and efficiency only in those tasks that Apple focuses on. If something non-standard is required from a laptop (for example, installation and subsequent work in Windows), then the experience of working on a Mac is practically no different from the impression of the performance of a 2 times cheaper ultrabook. 
No matter how heated the “Mac vs Windows” debate may be, it cannot be denied: both systems are not ideal, and one or the other is better suited for solving some problems. Even Apple doesn’t argue with this and provides the ability to install Microsoft’s OS on a MacBook.
Battery life under heavy loads is also not very different from Windows ultrabooks, and the advantages of Apple technology are not so obvious.
conclusions
The main reasons why the MacBook is so expensive are the use of high-performance components, complex design, and the fundamentals of Apple's pricing policy. The high cost of the gadget is justified by the use of advanced technologies, balanced system and convenience. But it cannot be said that all these advantages make the MacBook unique and inimitable. It has many advantages, but products from competing companies may also have similar qualities.
Of course, the MacBook is an example of a high-quality and attractive laptop computer, but one cannot claim that it is unique and irreplaceable. Using the example of their brainchildren, Apple shows what a good laptop should be, but they do not demonstrate anything supernatural and inaccessible to competing companies.
The list consists of 15 items. In my opinion, this evidence is simply undeniable, so there is no reason for holivars. Mac users rejoice, and the rest are shaking their heads.
I will not translate the entire article. I will only note the key points.
1. Reliable sleep mode
You can't argue with that. You can only put a Windows machine into sleep mode by crossing your fingers. In addition, the recovery time to working condition is much longer than that of Macs.
On the latest MacBook Pro, Mac OS X boots completely from scratch in just 25 seconds.
3. High quality iron
It’s also hard to argue with this. You can buy Apple equipment with your eyes closed, confident that you are buying a quality product. Finding a decent PC build can take hours.
4. Fewer flickering lights
Here you can do without unnecessary words.
5. OS X + Windows is better than Windows alone
Even if you're not an Apple fan, it's hard to deny the fact that two is always better than one.
6. It's easier to figure out what the problem is on a Mac.
Both Macs and Windows have built-in applications for system monitoring, but it is often simply impossible to understand what Windows shows to the average user.
7. Culture of creating quality free software
It’s common knowledge that almost all programs for Mac OS are easy to use and usually of very high quality. Perhaps due to the fact that Apple has given a good example to third-party developers. There are significantly more applications for Windows, but it is very difficult to find anything worthwhile among them.
8. More useful pre-installed applications
Applications with similar functions are available for Windows, but they need to be downloaded and installed. However, there are no guarantees that the system will not collapse. Again, this is not a task for ordinary users.
9. Organized and convenient system settings
In Mac OS, all system settings are made in one place. In Windows they are scattered wherever possible.
10. Apple doesn't stuff its system with crap.
Of course, Apple also offers paid services that are integrated into the OS, but they do it much less intrusively.
11. Hundreds of minor reasons in favor of Mac OS X
There are really hundreds of small advantages. We list only the most striking
Ability to take screenshots of the entire desktop, individual windows and areas
The built-in picture viewer can open PDF files. Moreover, it allows you to perform basic operations on photographs: resizing, cropping, rotating, tightening colors.
Expose allows you to quickly switch between desktops and windows
The Dock can be used much more effectively than the Windows start menu and the notorious taskbar.
12. No need to install security software
Everything is clear here too
13. Fewer stupid ideas
Apple doesn't waste time inventing desktop slideshows, releasing dozens of identical OSes under different names, or inventing a format (XPS) that directly competes with PDF.
14. The power of the Linux command line coupled with Photoshop CS4
15. Sharing files is much easier
It's difficult to say anything here. Just try transferring data from one PC to another, and then do the same on two Macs.
As a conclusion
As a rule, articles comparing Macs and PCs (Mac OS and Windows) are hotly condemned and discussed by opponents of change. Before you rush to defend your beloved PC, read this final word.
I'm not saying the Mac is good for gaming. If you are an advanced gamer, then most likely the Mac is not for you.
I'm not saying Macs don't have problems. Of course there are problems too
I'm not saying there are no hardware compatibility issues. There are a lot of devices that are not supported by Macs (no drivers)
I'm not saying that the Mac is for people who like to tinker with hardware and build the most powerful machines at the lowest price.
I'm not saying that Apple is a pleasure to work with. If only that were the case...
In general, Macs allow you to get things done, while Windows often gets in the way.
Some programs download automatically when macOS starts. They always work in the background, therefore they use RAM and load the processor. Because of this, your Mac may not have enough power for other tasks.
Check the startup list. If there are programs in it that you do not need to run constantly, remove them from this list. Expand the Apple menu and go to System Preferences → Users and Groups. Then go to the Login Items tab. To remove a program, select it and click on the minus button.
The speed of your Mac depends on the amount of free space available on your disk. If the drive is more than 90% full, the computer may slow down.
Check how much space is left on your disk. Expand the Apple menu, click About This Mac and go to the Storage tab. If less than 10% of the storage capacity is free, clear the disk of unnecessary files. To do this, click “Manage” and follow the system’s recommendations for optimizing storage.
Perhaps among the programs you have installed, there are some that you do not use. They take up disk space and can use up other system resources, slowing down your Mac.
Find and remove all unnecessary programs. Open Finder → Programs and look for them in the list that opens. If you find them, drag the shortcuts of such applications to the trash icon one by one.
As you use macOS, software junk accumulates in a special section of memory called the cache. And because of this, your Mac may slow down. Clear cache using or .
5. Remove unnecessary objects from your desktop
Perhaps you store files and folders directly on your desktop. This is not the best practice because such objects take up RAM. If there are too many of these files and folders or they are large, your computer's performance may suffer. Therefore, it is better to remove them from the desktop and distribute them in other disk partitions.
Spotlight indexes file system partitions to help you find the files and folders you need. Indexing takes a significant amount of resources and in some cases causes your Mac to run slowly.
To check the relationship between Spotlight and system speed, go to the Apple menu in System Preferences → Programs → Utilities → System Monitor. In the table that appears, click on the “% CPU” column so that the most power-hungry processes appear on top.
If you notice that when your computer slows down, processes called mdworker are at the top of the list, but at the bottom of the window the graph shows increased load, try optimizing your Spotlight search.
There are probably folders on your computer with many nested files that you don't need to search through. Exclude these sections from the indexing list. To do this, expand the Apple menu and click “System Preferences” → Spotlight. Go to the Privacy tab and drag the folders you don't want the service to index here.
It is possible that there are other processes in the System Monitoring menu that create increased CPU load. If they belong to programs you know, try closing the latter. If there are unknown processes among them, search the Internet for additional information about why they are consuming a lot of resources and whether they can be stopped.
Your Mac may slow down due to storage problems. You can check for their presence using Disk Utility. If problems are found, it will try to solve them.
Open Finder → Programs → Utilities and launch Disk Utility. In the left panel, select the disk to be scanned and click “First Aid” and then “Run”.
If the system refuses to check the disk, it may be damaged. Copy important data to a third-party storage device and, if other tips do not help, contact a service center. Sounds such as crunching and clicking noises may also indicate a disk failure.
A drop in performance may be caused by bugs in the macOS system itself or its poor optimization. Developers try to quickly correct such errors with the help of updates.
Update macOS to the latest version available. To check its availability, open the App Store program and click on the “Updates” button on the top toolbar.
10. Check your RAM consumption
Often serious performance problems are associated with a lack of RAM.
To check its status, open the section “System Settings” → “Programs” → “Utilities” → “System Monitoring”. Select the Memory tab and look at the Memory Load indicator at the bottom. If you see a red color on it, it means the system does not have enough RAM.
11. Make sure your computer doesn't get hot
Your Mac may slow down when it gets too hot. Therefore, it depends on the temperature of the processor and other components. If it exceeds the permissible values, accept it after cooling the device.
12. Restore the system to a previous state
Perhaps the slow speed of your computer is the result of errors in macOS that have accumulated over a long time of using it. If all else fails, try restoring the system to a previous state.
