I recently made the switch from using a 2013 Mac Pro to a Windows desktop. Until that point, I had utilized both systems since grade school. Many have asked me why I made the change. I just finished watching the film Jobs (2013) and I have read Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs Biography several times, which helped inspire this post!

Customization

I used ‘customized’ apple computers for years. The 2013-14 retired tower version of the Mac Pro was an amazing and versatile computer, with plenty of room for additional internal drives and graphics cards. The new black Mac Pro only offers spots for smaller, uncommon GPU’s, costing substantially more. One can use a standard GPU with a separate chassis. However, if one is already using an external chassis, it seems more practical to use a MacBook Pro with a lightning bolt connector.

Linux As an Alternative

Another option I have seen many “hacker” types using is Linux operating system. Ubuntu is an open-source Linux operating system, with many available open-source applications. I used these applications for multiple creative endeavors, and they work great. Linux is an attractive option for past Mac users. Many of which, already have used Linux in conjunction with OSX. Ubuntu, while a bit harder to set up than the standard, is free!

Bootcamp Limitations

Speaking of different operating systems, Bootcamp is severely limited in its current iteration. Before I finally made the switch to Windows / Linux, I tried to set up Windows with Bootcamp on my High Sierra Mac, and it was not possible with my five-year-old computer. Macs used to hinge on their longevity, but this is no longer the case.

Apple is Soldering

Most of the parts in new Mac PCs are soldered to the board. Up until roughly 2013, RAM, hard drive, CPU, and more could be switched out for higher quality parts. If one opens up the black post-2014 Mac Pro, one will quickly notice that everything is soldered together. The ram and hard drive are welded to the main board. This is also the case for the laptops. From the early 1980s to 2013, Apple was a company that served both professional and casual users alike. While Apple has been able to hold on to their hacker roots for quite some time, I feel they have lost touch with advanced users like myself.

Apple Lacks Recent Innovation

Performance for Mac computers is not currently improving. The two areas they are focused on are batteries and displays. We have also seen Apple adopt a few new connection ports. To summarize, the company has merely placed newer parts in an existing computer. These parts are developed and manufactured by other companies. The processor in most Macs (i5, i7) was released nearly 10 years ago. Apple released it’s first 5k display in 2014, and has not released anything progressively impressive since. Comparatively, in the Windows 10 world, processors are advancing by leaps and bounds. Many of my friends have 10k resolution displays. GPU costs are slowly declining again after the bitcoin crypto-currency boom of 2017.

Apple is No Longer the Best Solution for Creatives

Adobe Suite is just as good on Windows. Within the last decade, we have seen a dramatic change to Final Cut Pro and the retirement of Aperture. The Adobe Suite has now taken the role of monopolizing most creative software. Adobe even offers fonts and stock photography. With less reliance on Apple-only applications, inevitably more power users will make the move over to Windows and Linux.

That’s It

Let me know which side of the fence you fall on in the comments’ section! Looking to discussing further with you.