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Switching from Windows to Mac After 7 Years | What's it Like Switching to a Mac?

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This is my first Mac in a long time. I used Windows computers exclusively for seven years because in 2013 I was unhappy with the direction Apple was taking its hardware and software. Now that I have a “new-ish” 16-inch MacBook Pro running macOS, what did I miss, what’s new, and what’s not so great?

Since I left the Mac at the end of 2013, both platforms have evolved, with desktop software on both leaning toward a mobile OS direction, which irked me and was part of why I left. For the last two years the iPad has become a big part of my daily life, and I love the iPad and iPhone ecosystem, so I figured it was time to give the Mac another shot and replace my Windows desktop.

First impressions

From the unboxing, it’s obviously an Apple product: the feel of the aluminum, the sharp edges, the weight and balance, and the way the hinge opens. Logging into macOS hit me with nostalgia: I used the Mac for 18 years before going all-Windows, starting with a Mac Color Classic, then a Power Mac G3, an iMac SE, an iMac G4, a 12-inch PowerBook, a Core 2 Duo iMac, a Core 2 Duo aluminum iMac, a 15-inch MacBook Pro, an 11-inch Air and an i7 Hackintosh. Seeing the Dock and Finder was comforting, “like going home.”

What I missed

  • The static menu bar at the top, consistent across all apps from Finder and Preview to Adobe CC.
  • The Dock, a great place for frequently used apps that doesn’t get overcrowded thanks to dynamic sizing (and, of course, I turned on magnification).
  • Spotlight: my go-to for launching apps and documents with a keyboard shortcut and a few letters, keeping my hands on the keyboard. Its ability and accuracy for finding things is far beyond what I had in Windows.
  • Quick Look (announced in 2007): preview files by hitting the space bar without opening the app, which makes finding the right photo or video in a folder fast. I’ve missed it on Windows since the day I sold my last Mac.
  • Zero bloatware or ads in the OS: no couple of hours removing built-in antivirus or freemium games. “A premium, ad-free, non-sponsored OS.”
  • And of course, I had to re-enable the startup “bong.” “Why did Apple remove that?”

What’s new to me

  • Retina displays and True Tone. If you want a consistent, accurate, bright display with minimal variance between products, Apple is the way to go: a big step up from most Windows laptops I’ve used.
  • The trackpad and Touch Bar. Trackpads are now “the size of your head,” so multitasking gestures are “as easy as skating on an open ice rink.” On the Touch Bar, I’m ambivalent: I’d prefer physical media and brightness keys, though maybe an app will change my mind; for now it’s set to static controls.
  • Integration: AirDrop, shared clipboard, Handoff, SMS messages, phone calls, login with Apple Watch and Sidecar, which uses your iPad as a wireless second monitor (and lets you use the Apple Pencil on the Mac). I can see it being useful when I use the laptop in a desktop environment.
  • The App Store: it existed in Mavericks, but the variety was limited and big developers were working around sandboxing. Now Microsoft Office and Adobe apps are in the Mac App Store, so installing and updating big apps is far faster and easier.

What’s not so great

  • The webcam: “the terrible, excruciating, incomprehensible, no excuse, potato webcam.” How is that camera in a 2020 MacBook Pro that retails at $2,400?
  • Laptops as appliances: even in 2013 you could upgrade the drives and memory in most Mac laptops. Now what you buy is what you get, so plan in advance how long you’ll keep it and what software you’ll run. You can add external storage, but you can’t add memory.

Where I land

Coming back to the Mac is complicated. I think macOS is where I want to be, but I’m not sure this is the right form factor for me. Subscribe to see what I do next. If you’re looking to switch back or get your first Mac, tell me. To save money while switching, look at a refurb Mac from Apple, a certified, clean, fully warranted computer at a good price (see my video on that).

Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I may receive a small commission. See my ethics statement.

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