Windows VS Mac For Business

This month we’ve decided to tackle the age-old debate of Mac Vs Windows. Whatever camp you sit in you can be assured that there's a great product offering from both sides, it all depends on your individual and business needs.  

Personally, I’m a Windows gal. I've always used this OS for work forever, and frankly find it more straightforward than Mac for getting things done.

Windows has the jump on Mac when it comes to variety on price point, there are a huge amount of manufacturers out there making PCs for Windows OS and you can pick up something of decent quality for half the price of a standard Mac.

Microsoft Office products are the most widely used within business globally, and although these softwares can be run on Macs, Windows PCs offer the more traditional user experience while running these softwares.  

Aside from Microsoft products, Windows is often preferred for working with CRM software as many popular CRM applications are specifically designed for Windows-based computers. In addition to this the Windows OS is used by a larger number of developers meaning there are more Applications available for Windows PCs. Mac will of course run the majority of the most popular applications but if you like variety - Windows wins out.

Now it wouldn’t be IT Workhouse if we didn’t talk about security. Here, Mac has the advantage with their design focus being on hardware and software. This robust strategy means that Macs are less vulnerable to security threats and should be your choice if you are (rightly!) concerned about security for your organisation.

Mas also has a greater user experience; devices are famously intuitive compared to Windows PCs. This can have an overall positive impact on your business if your team isn't struggling with the complexity of some Widows features to perform simple tasks.

Indeed, Windows PCs are certainly cheaper to purchase initially, but lifetime must be a consideration for any business. Macs have better longevity generally due to Apple’s emphasis on quality hardware and frequent system upgrades. There may be a greater initial outlay but in the long run, you are more likely to need to replace a Windows PC than you are a Mac.

Macs also link to other Apple products far more effectively than Windows PCs to Android (or anything else!). By logging into your I-cloud you can sync photos, folders and anything else across your iPhone, Mac, iPad etc. One critical thing to mention here is if you don’t want to mix organisational data with personal employee information you must ensure that your staff have separate Apple IDs for both work and home.

To conclude. I'm sticking with Widows, and so is 50% of the IT Workhouse team. The other half are on the Mac side – proving a business can be run with staff using both OS systems. Upon considering the pros and cons I would say if you plan on running your business for a long time, prioritise security and usability for remote staff – it might have to be the Mac.