Why Some People Prefer Mac

I used Windows for about fifteen years. Recently, I joined a new company, and they mandated I use a top-spec M4 Mac. Initially, I was very unaccustomed to it, but it's been over three months now. Here, I'd like to share with everyone the differences between Mac and Windows in daily work, why many programmers and office workers prefer Macs, and some of Mac's advantages over Windows.

Mac's Advantages

Key Mapping: Instant Familiarity After Remapping

When I first switched, I was very unaccustomed to it. First, the key layout felt strange; I couldn't get used to common Windows shortcuts like Ctrl. Later, I used a key remapping software to change some of my frequently used keys to mimic Windows' operational logic. This was the first thing that made me comfortable, and after that, I no longer resisted using Mac.

Trackpad: Pressure-Sensitive Operation is Truly Comfortable

Many people say Mac's trackpad is good, but initially, I thought it was similar to Windows. Windows trackpads have higher sensitivity, and their default controllability is better than Mac's; for example, Mac doesn't have default functions like three-finger/four-finger clicks or swiping up, down, left, and right. There's a software called BetterTouchTool that can customize trackpad gestures, but it's paid software (over 100 RMB) and can restore Windows-like touch operations. I plan to buy it during a sale.

So, at least in terms of trackpad functionality, I think it's inferior to Windows. But it has one advantage—the pressure-sensitive operation is very comfortable: when I drag something, once I've moved it to the desired position, I just press down a little harder, and my finger doesn't need to leave the trackpad. Unlike Windows, where you have to click first to select, and then slide.

Software Ecosystem: Better IDE and Development Tool Experience

The Codex client used for development now, including various AI tools, these IDEs have better support on Mac, with superior performance and adaptation.

Codex is easily installed on Mac, but on Windows, installation from the Microsoft Store has recently been problematic, often experiencing extreme lag for some reason.
My Windows laptop configuration is 32GB RAM + 1TB storage, with a 7840H CPU (a generation of AMD's "god-tier" CPUs), so its performance is not bad. Yet, just opening this one software makes it incredibly laggy—this lag isn't due to high CPU/GPU or disk resource usage; it's purely a software issue, and resource consumption isn't high.
Especially when committing tens of thousands of lines of code, it becomes practically unusable due to lag. After many long sessions, it also lags to the point of making you question everything.

Time Machine: The Most Reassuring Backup Solution

A particularly useful feature on Mac is Time Machine. It can back up all software and configurations to an external drive. I haven't seen such a useful feature in Windows.

Connect an external hard drive, and it will automatically back up daily or hourly, which is very reassuring.
You can tinker with your laptop freely; if problems arise, just restore it using Time Machine.
This type of backup can also be used for cross-system upgrades and downgrades, which is indeed a very powerful feature.

Animations and Aesthetics: Can't Stop Looking

One major advantage of Mac is its aesthetics; the animations are incredibly elegant. Especially the three-finger swipe up gesture, I'm the type who wants to swipe it just for fun even when there's no need. Apple is indeed excellent in the realm of animations and interaction.

I remember back when the 5S and 4S first came out, its animations were already crushing the competition. At that time, many of my friends or colleagues would open their phones not to use them, but just to watch Apple's unlock and lock screen animations. This behavior became subconscious—many people might not have realized it themselves, but they would fiddle with it like this for no reason. Even now, I often use the three-finger swipe-up gesture to play around with it.

Actually, I don't find this particularly practical. Methods like Windows' Win + 1/2/3/4/5 to switch between open applications on the taskbar are, in my opinion, more efficient. However, Mac's animations are more aesthetically pleasing, which makes people constantly want to play with them. This includes its overall page design, icons, and various other design elements, all of which are very unified and beautiful.

Top-Tier Hardware: Keyboard, Screen, Speakers All Maxed Out

Mac's hardware across the board is also top-tier:

Keyboard Layout: Even on a 16-inch model, there's no numeric keypad. This is especially friendly for programmers—we don't need a numeric keypad; it's ugly, and many 16-inch laptops come with it by default, making the entire C-side layout asymmetrical and unsightly, with the trackpad shifted to the left, which is really uncomfortable. Finding a 16-inch Windows laptop without a numeric keypad seems to be limited to Redmi and a few scattered small manufacturers.
Other Hardware: Microphone pickup, speaker sound quality, screen brightness, color accuracy—all of these are top-notch.

If you want to buy one of the best laptops in the world, it's essentially the MacBook Pro 16-inch.

ARM Chip: Directly Run Mobile Apps

If you're using an M-chip Mac (ARM chip), there's another advantage—you can directly install mobile apps.

For example, on Windows, if I want to use Mi Home to control a robot vacuum or check if my food delivery is hanging on the doorknob, I can't; I can only use my phone. But on Mac, I can just install Mi Home directly from the App Store. This is the benefit of the ARM chip, combined with the integration of the entire ecosystem, providing an excellent experience.

Third-Party Software Adaptation: Experience Far Exceeds Windows

Third-party software adaptation for Mac is also top-tier.

For instance, with the Xiaomi Interconnect software, you can directly unlock your phone using Mac's unlock method (fingerprint). What annoys me most when connecting my phone via this on Windows is that even after connecting, I still have to enter a password on the phone to unlock it before I can operate the phone from the computer. Isn't that redundant and unnecessary? If I've already unlocked it on my phone, I might as well just operate it directly on my phone. I want to operate my phone from the computer precisely when it's inconvenient to operate the phone directly, but then you still make me unlock it on the phone first—I really don't understand the logic.

On Mac, you can directly use the Mac's fingerprint to unlock your phone and continue operating, which provides a much better experience.

Mac's Disadvantages

Price: Truly Expensive

This should probably be called my disadvantage, not the laptop's disadvantage—it's too expensive.

The 16-inch model I desire, starting with 32GB RAM and 512GB or 1TB storage, typically costs over ten thousand RMB.
Just adding a bit of RAM and storage makes the price shoot up.
Compared to Windows, it is indeed too expensive.

Habit Cost: Requires Adaptation When Switching from Windows

If you're switching from Windows, many things will still feel unfamiliar:

Completely Different Shortcut System: Mac has an entirely new set. However, some of Mac's built-in shortcuts are actually very useful, such as quitting applications, minimizing, and hiding—Windows doesn't have global functions like these, but Mac does. Still, the shortcut methods are different from Windows and require some time to get used to.
Different Software Installation Method: Mac installs software by directly dragging it to the Applications folder, which differs from Windows' double-click and "Next" button approach. Although some software also offers click-based installation, most use the drag-and-drop method. It might take some getting used to at first, but it becomes fine once you're accustomed to it.