Advice needed on running windows: M1 Mac vs dedicated PC?

[SHNXX]

I have some need to run windows for work use, but most of the time (even for work) I prefer to work in OSX.
I would like to either purchase a fully dedicated windows computer (likely a thinkpad) or buy an iMac or Mac Mini and install windows on it to run part time.

Which is best?
Should I opt for Intel over M1 given the boot camp abilities vs virtual PC route which may always feel non-native?

 

[Realityck]

What about using Windows 365 Cloud PC? Coming August for business’s initially. But it’s another option.

Microsoft's New Cloud PC Service Can Stream Windows to Mac and iPad

Microsoft has announced Windows 365, a new Cloud PC service that allows users to stream a Windows desktop via web browser to any device, including...

www.macrumors.com

 

[mj_]

If you need to run Windows then M1 Macs are the worst possible choice as you cannot run x86 Windows on an M1 Mac, neither natively (aka Bootcamp) nor inside a virtual machine.

The only thing you will be able to run is Windows for ARM, and that's not the same as x86 Windows.

 

[poorcody]

Wrestling with this myself... for now I am sticking with my Intel MacBook Pro. Not sure what I'm going to do next... having two laptops is really going to be a PITA all-around.

I'm thinking instead of getting a powerful desktop and remoting into it. At least there would be some advantages to that (faster machine, NVIDIA GPU). I think that will be fine locally, but not sure about doing it across the Internet... Interested to hear if anyone remotes into their home desktop via a residential internet... ?

As much as I think M1 was a good move for Apple, for the developer, losing the cross-world compatibility is a major downer IMO.

 

[velocityg4]

If work requires Windows. Get a Windows PC. I think it's best to keep your work and personal PC separate anyways. It helps create a mental barrier of what you are supposed to do on the computer. To keep you focused. Just like you should have a work space when working from home that's for work only.

Get a Mac for personal use.

What about using Windows 365 Cloud PC? Coming August for business’s initially. But it’s another option.

Microsoft's New Cloud PC Service Can Stream Windows to Mac and iPad

Microsoft has announced Windows 365, a new Cloud PC service that allows users to stream a Windows desktop via web browser to any device, including...

www.macrumors.com

You know that starts at $31 a month. For the equivalent of a Core 2 Duo with 4GB RAM and 128GB Storage. While I can see certain business cases for this. You can just get a used computer that'll blow the doors off this in the $100 to $150 range. Then remote into it for the same effect.

 

[SHNXX]

If work requires Windows. Get a Windows PC. I think it's best to keep your work and personal PC separate anyways. It helps create a mental barrier of what you are supposed to do on the computer. To keep you focused. Just like you should have a work space when working from home that's for work only.

Get a Mac for personal use.


You know that starts at $31 a month. For the equivalent of a Core 2 Duo with 4GB RAM and 128GB Storage. While I can see certain business cases for this. You can just get a used computer that'll blow the doors off this in the $100 to $150 range. Then remote into it for the same effect.

I work from my personal computer and need the two systems to be sync'd better, not worse, so it's not critical for me to have a separation.
But with that said, I see the benefits of having a separate PC.

 

[SHNXX]

If you need to run Windows then M1 Macs are the worst possible choice as you cannot run x86 Windows on an M1 Mac, neither natively (aka Bootcamp) nor inside a virtual machine.

The only thing you will be able to run is Windows for ARM, and that's not the same as x86 Windows.

Thank you. That's very helpful. I was not aware of that limitation. That definitely tells me I can't get an M1 mac mini or an M1 iMac to do the work stuff.

 

[Ledgem]

The above answer was right: at present, there's not a great way to run Windows of the M1 Macs. I believe there is a beta of Parallels that supports ARM-based Windows, and ARM Windows does have preliminary support for x86 emulation... but those are two sets of software still under development to get work done. Not something I'd want to rely on when your job is involved.

You could still consider an Intel-based Mac. Nobody quite knows when the Intel Macs will no longer be supported, but Apple is still selling Intel-based Macs and given their history, you can expect 3-6 years of software support from the time they've fully transitioned their lineup over.

Unless your job needs something graphically intensive, I'd consider virtualizing over running Boot Camp. It's a lot faster to switch back and forth, and I find it's better for productivity, compared with needing to reboot purely into one operating system. Virtualized performance on modern systems is incredibly fast.

 

[velocityg4]

I work from my personal computer and need the two systems to be sync'd better, not worse, so it's not critical for me to have a separation.
But with that said, I see the benefits of having a separate PC.

I'd say then that it really depends on how much you want a Mac. There's ways to get most Windows software to run. Even on an M1 there's Wine and Parallels. But they aren't great.

For myself. It doesn't really matter if I'm running Windows or macOS. I prefer macOS but my desktops and server run Windows. I use a Macbook Pro for a laptop.

But if you aren't hung up on macOS. Windows runs great. It's all about how you take care of it. Most of the problems people have with Windows is because they bought some $500 POS and expect it to run like a $2,000 Mac or the operator just isn't taking care of it.

If you need Windows for work. Don't want to deal with two computers. Would rather not deal with the limitations of Wine or Parallels on M1. Have no interest in a remote Windows solution. Then get a Windows laptop. Preferably a Thinkpad T14 Gen 2 or X1 Carbon Gen 9. The Intel Macs are a dead end although you'll probably get four or five years out of one at least.

 

[SHNXX]

I'd say then that it really depends on how much you want a Mac. There's ways to get most Windows software to run. Even on an M1 there's Wine and Parallels. But they aren't great.

For myself. It doesn't really matter if I'm running Windows or macOS. I prefer macOS but my desktops and server run Windows. I use a Macbook Pro for a laptop.

But if you aren't hung up on macOS. Windows runs great. It's all about how you take care of it. Most of the problems people have with Windows is because they bought some $500 POS and expect it to run like a $2,000 Mac or the operator just isn't taking care of it.

If you need Windows for work. Don't want to deal with two computers. Would rather not deal with the limitations of Wine or Parallels on M1. Have no interest in a remote Windows solution. Then get a Windows laptop. Preferably a Thinkpad T14 Gen 2 or X1 Carbon Gen 9. The Intel Macs are a dead end although you'll probably get four or five years out of one at least.

Yeah I think I'll just get a thinkpad as you suggested, and just use my own money to upgrade to a personal iMAc 27" on the new M platform, whenever that comes out. Keep my intel mac for virtual stuff.

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

The Intel Macs are a dead end although you'll probably get four or five years out of one at least.

I think the hardware on 2020 Intel iMacs can still runs Windows for 8 to 10 years, considering that Windows 11 is still running on obsolete Core 2 Duo PCs.
I would just get a 2020 Intel iMac and a 2nd monitor for Windows VM.
If I ever want to experience the M1 variant, one Mac mini extra will be a better choice for a neat desktop.

 

[ADGrant]

If you need Windows for work. Don't want to deal with two computers. Would rather not deal with the limitations of Wine or Parallels on M1. Have no interest in a remote Windows solution. Then get a Windows laptop. Preferably a Thinkpad T14 Gen 2 or X1 Carbon Gen 9. The Intel Macs are a dead end although you'll probably get four or five years out of one at least.

So abandon MacOS completely? If you don't want two computers and want to run MacOS and Windows, an Intel iMac is clearly the best choice right now. It should last much longer than 4-5 years. We typically get at least 7 years out of our Macs.