MacBook or Windows Laptop?

TheWanderer

TheWanderer

Striker
Need my own personal device for work, just using Office package, web browsing, online meetings and possibly Project.

First time I’ve had to buy my own device and it’s a minefield on what’s best??? I’ve already got iPhone and iPods which is why I’m tempted currently with a refurbed MacBook Air M1, so got around £800. Any advice appreciated for those using their devices for general office work.

Reading comparisons online they’re too technical, I just need some real world advice.
 
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I have a MacBook Pro. My 2013 Air would still be going but died due to water damage.

They do last a long time, but they’re a lot more expensive than a Windows machine and you’re not going to be doing much with it. I am not a fan of Office for Mac but others with more experience using it are better placed to comment.

You can dual boot it with Bootcamp of course and have the best of both worlds.
 
If it’s just for office and web browsing paying 800 quid seems a bit overkill?

But if you’re willing to pay I’d get a Mac, had mine three year and runs just as well as the day I got it.
 
Probably better to ask the question which is the best laptop for office work and see what people suggest rather than turning it into an Apple vs Windows argument. Windows -> MacOS imo especially if it's office work as it's possible your workplace might use some software that doesn't support Mac at all - everyone supports Windows though.
 
I’m using a MacBook Pro whereas the standard at work is Windows.

Office package possibly not quite as good on Mac but I got used to it quickly and it’s not an issue. Teams and other meeting stuff runs just as well.

People with Windows machines seem to be having to do loads of updates, whereas Mac updates are rare.

As someone else has said, if there is any specialist software you might be better of with Windows, but otherwise the Mac is the better piece of kit. My personal MacBook must be over six years old and still working fine. I never used to get that when I was a Windows person.
 
Will project run on a Mac? I stuck with a windows machine when working for myself as there was no Power Bi desktop version for Mac.

Having said that. Parallels is pretty decent for running windows on your Mac when you need it - I did run Power BI that way on a Mac Mini.

The windows surface laptops (not tablet with keyboard) are pretty well made.
 
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TheWanderer said:
Need my own personal device for work, just using Office package, web browsing, online meetings and possibly Project.

First time I’ve had to buy my own device and it’s a minefield on what’s best??? I’ve already got iPhone and iPods which is why I’m tempted currently with a refurbed MacBook Air M1, so got around £800. Any advice appreciated for those using their devices for general office work.

Reading comparisons online they’re too technical, I just need some real world advice.
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A lot depends on where you are going to use it. If it's going to live on a desk at home connected to an external display then you don't need to worry about weight, battery life or screen size. If you are going to be on the move all day and pose in coffee shops then you do. Cheaper laptops tend to be heavier as they use bulkier components.

Personally, I have the Dell XPS13 as my main personal laptop which the probably the closest Windows machine to a Macbook design. I got the 4K touchscreen model which was possibly a mistake as it kills the battery life compared the the standard HD non-touch one. I stick with Windows as I've been using it all of my life and get lost with MacOS. When I have to use a Mac I struggle to do simple things but that's my fault as an old fart. MacOS is possibly easier to pick up if you aren't already locked into a way of working.
 
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BackhouseParkRangers said:
Will project run on a Mac? I stuck with a windows machine when working for myself as there was no Power Bi desktop version for Mac.

Having said that. Parallels is pretty decent for running windows on your Mac when you need it - I did run Power BI that way on a Mac Mini.

The windows surface laptops (not tablet with keyboard) are pretty well made.
Click to expand...

As far as I'm aware, it doesn't. Unless you install bootleg to run windows (which kind of defeats the issue of having a mac)
 
avacado said:
Loads difference between mine as air a 2017 model. Intel chip. But aye just a few bells and whistles.
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Interesting , Ibought an M1mac mini 2020 , my old 2009iMac had finally given up. Then a couple of month ago I got 2012 Mac mini for £80 on eBay , swapped the hard drive for an add and upped the ram to16gb. Stuck Ventura on it. I honestly can see barely no difference in performance in both Mac minis , so sold the M1 for £400 last month.
 
TheWanderer said:
Need my own personal device for work, just using Office package, web browsing, online meetings and possibly Project.

First time I’ve had to buy my own device and it’s a minefield on what’s best??? I’ve already got iPhone and iPods which is why I’m tempted currently with a refurbed MacBook Air M1, so got around £800. Any advice appreciated for those using their devices for general office work.

Reading comparisons online they’re too technical, I just need some real world advice.
Click to expand...

Issue you will have right off the bat is project, doesn't exist for the Mac....still!

So you can either:

1) Use something like Project Plan 365 - it's ok, but not the best!
or
2) Use Parallels desktop and install windows on that and use it for work.

Option 2 is the best IMO as you have the best of both then. All work stuff in a VM, and your own stuff in the main OS. Run it in full screen, quick 3 finger swipe (oo err!) and you swap between both environments. I use exactly this setup and its mint, saves lugging a shitty work windows laptop about as well as my own.

In the case of Option 2 tho, you need a more powerful Mac as you are running another OS..so that will bump the price up.

It will work with an £800 machine, just try and grab something (not the intel Macs..stick with apple silicone) with 16GB of RAM and you are ok.
Frijj said:
I have a MacBook Pro. My 2013 Air would still be going but died due to water damage.

They do last a long time, but they’re a lot more expensive than a Windows machine and you’re not going to be doing much with it. I am not a fan of Office for Mac but others with more experience using it are better placed to comment.

You can dual boot it with Bootcamp of course and have the best of both worlds.
Click to expand...

Remember bootcamp does NOT exist tho for the new generation Macs, only the older Intel ones. Anything on Apple silicone and there's no bootcamp.

Parallels is the main option now, so you need to factor that in.
 
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Sleepy said:
Issue you will have right off the bat is project, doesn't exist for the Mac....still!

So you can either:

1) Use something like Project Plan 365 - it's ok, but not the best!
or
2) Use Parallels desktop and install windows on that and use it for work.

Option 2 is the best IMO as you have the best of both then. All work stuff in a VM, and your own stuff in the main OS. Run it in full screen, quick 3 finger swipe (oo err!) and you swap between both environments. I use exactly this setup and its mint, saves lugging a shitty work windows laptop about as well as my own.

In the case of Option 2 tho, you need a more powerful Mac as you are running another OS..so that will bump the price up.

It will work with an £800 machine, just try and grab something (not the intel Macs..stick with apple silicone) with 16GB of RAM and you are ok.


Remember bootcamp does NOT exist tho for the new generation Macs, only the older Intel ones. Anything on Apple silicone and there's no bootcamp.

Parallels is the main option now, so you need to factor that in.
Click to expand...

Surely it would be easier to just get a windows machine than messing around like that.
 
Zimba said:
Probably better to ask the question which is the best laptop for office work and see what people suggest rather than turning it into an Apple vs Windows argument. Windows -> MacOS imo especially if it's office work as it's possible your workplace might use some software that doesn't support Mac at all - everyone supports Windows though.
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I don’t have a workplace, or won’t in a couple of months…this is to be used personal or maybes contracting as a project manager.
BackhouseParkRangers said:
Will project run on a Mac? I stuck with a windows machine when working for myself as there was no Power Bi desktop version for Mac.

Having said that. Parallels is pretty decent for running windows on your Mac when you need it - I did run Power BI that way on a Mac Mini.

The windows surface laptops (not tablet with keyboard) are pretty well made.
Click to expand...
There’s project plan 365 which I understand you can open and edit mpp files, but in all honesty a lot of my Gantt charts were done in excel as the tight gets wouldn’t purchase project licences for everyone.
Big Sharp Teeth said:
People with Windows machines seem to be having to do loads of updates, whereas Mac updates are rare.
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In my current workplace that’s all that seemed to be delivered, constant updates and restarting of the device.

Also anti-virus software would need to be purchased separately, or is Windows Defender deemed good enough to run without any 3rd party software needed?
 
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I use a Mac at home for emails, writing my book, preparing presentations for meetings, creating quizzes and my Picture Bingo (Pingo) cards, and internet browsing / watching films. I prefer the operating system, especially as there are commands (e.g. grep) that I can use to interrogate very large text and XML files that are too big to load into a text editor. Although Windows 11 is better at providing these tools.

For work I use a Windows laptop as I need to run Oracle Database and the specialist software that I use for work. It is possible to get it to run on Mac OS but it is a right fanny on and just easier to run it on Windows.

For the OP requirements I'd go with a reasonably priced laptop and keep the change for a night out.
 

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