Some Apple fans have considered looking for alternatives to their beloved Apple gadgets since the latest MacBook Pro is currently at a price range from $1,299 to $2,799, depending on the specifications and most of them switched to Microsoft's most recent Surface Book with prices ranging from $1,499 to $2,399.
Consider Differences First Before Making The Switch
Another loyal Apple fan attempted to do the same but with mixed results that ended with him advising fellow fans to consider the differences before going through with the switch.
On Jan. 8, Alex Hern published his struggles after attempting a switch from the MacBook Pro to the Microsoft Surface Book and, while he decided to keep being loyal to Apple, he also clarified that, more than the machines he is evaluating, his difficulties resulted from the switch itself because of the very different way the two operating systems — macOS and Windows — worked.
Is Switching Even A Good Idea?
Prior to being a loyal Apple fan, Hern owned a computer with a Microsoft XP OS so he is not a stranger to the pros and cons of being a Windows user. That is why, when he finally considered switching back to a Microsoft based computer, he was still a little unsure whether the switch is a good idea.
"My expectations going in were uncertain. I know Windows has evolved radically since I last used it [...] Memories of blue screens of death, of driver conflicts, of cleaning out my registry and restoring the system after a malware infection, are hard to shake, as is the general hangover from my youth of Microsoft as the Great Satan of the tech world," Hern writes.
MacBook Pro vs Surface Book?
Hern noted, however, that the way Windows has evolved gave him hope for the Surface Book.
"It's easy to switch from Mac to Surface. Your new Surface will work well with iTunes, iCloud, and iPhone. And many of the gestures, shortcuts and features are similar to what you already know," Microsoft assures in its website.
Still, Mac users should remember that this is probably a case-to-case basis, just like how easy or difficult it is to teach grandparents how to use current technologies.
"The worst thing about switching, it turns out, is switching [...] the bulk of the unpleasantness I've experienced actually making this change hasn't been inherent to Windows [...]," he recounts.
(Re)Educate Yourself
Hern explains that much of the difficulties he experienced in using the Surface Book was due to the different operating systems and, by extension, the different commands and shortcuts attached to them. He also noted that deciding which is the better machine and OS is a matter of perspective. That is, one would believe that the other is more difficult until they are acquainted better with it.
"It's a push to say which is better [...] but whichever you're used to, the other will be worse until you re-educate yourself," he writes.
Herns has complaints about the Surface Book, of course, and most of them have to do with peripherals (ex. mouse controls and keyboard shortcuts), smart performance or lack thereof, too many product advertisements and too little solid third-party applications, and other "small irritations" (Hern's own words).
"I don't pretend that those irritations are unique to Windows, or even that they aren't things I couldn't have fixed with time, effort or re-education [...] That's true whichever way you're thinking of switching. If you're a Windows user nodding along with my problems, I can guarantee you that within a month of switching to Mac, you'll have a list just as long," he concludes.
The Final Decision
The one factor he believes can really sway anyone's decision is price. "[These] problems are minor, and a price difference of up to £1,000 ($1,218.31) isn't," he notes.
In the end, Herns decided to just save up a little more for the MacBook Pro even if Microsoft promised that switching to the Surface Book would be easy for MacBook users. Why? Simply because he has saved enough for a new one and prefers to stick with what he knows than go through the trouble of unlearning and relearning for the less expensive alternative, but he is aware that such a decision would not work for everyone.
So for those thinking of making the switch from the MacBook to the Surface Book, just remember that it probably won't be a walk in the park until you get used to it.
