Flip Flopping between macOS and Windows

[sracer]

It's what gets us all I suspect. There is no beating the level of interconnectivity Apple provides between all devices. My wife asked for a few pics I took on our walk this morning. Sure, a few clicks and airdrop, done. Can't beat it.

I agree. I'm happy for those who HAVE experienced that level of interconnectivity across Apple devices. Sadly, that has not ever been the case for us in our household.

AirDrop is a good example.... It's a great concept, but whenever we want to share photos across of our two iMacs, Macbook Air, or 3 iPads, 8 times out of 10 we have to disable WiFi/Bluetooth and re-enable it for the devices to appear on the AirDrop radar.

We ended up using a shared DropBox folder. It works every time and allows the file to be accessible by all of our devices.

 

[LeeW]

8 times out of 10 we have to disable WiFi/Bluetooth and re-enable it for the devices to appear on the AirDrop radar.

Odd, never had that issue and never heard of it being an issue.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Odd, never had that issue and never heard of it being an issue.

It's interesting - while I've never had a problem with airdrop with my family (and our countless Apple devices - wife and I are 100% Apple) - I've seen it with others on their computers lol. <shrug>

 

[LeeW]

It's interesting - while I've never had a problem with airdrop with my family (and our countless Apple devices - wife and I are 100% Apple) - I've seen it with others on their computers lol. <shrug>

I mean, don't get me started on Mac Minis and Bluetooth issues or my MBA telling me it can't unlock via my watch due to 'weak Bluetooth' or something but that aside Airdrop has always been spot on.

 

[sracer]

I mean, don't get me started on Mac Minis and Bluetooth issues or my MBA telling me it can't unlock via my watch due to 'weak Bluetooth' or something but that aside Airdrop has always been spot on.

Let's not fall down the rabbit hole... the discussion point isn't about AirDrop.

You brought up AirDrop as an example of Apple's interconnectivity between devices (as one reason why people are drawn to Apple's ecosystem). I've experienced problems with AirDrop. I didn't say that the problems were universal to all people... just my experience (and by implication, why I'm not strongly drawn to Apple's ecosystem).
You are experiencing bluetooth issues between your MBA and Apple Watch. My daughter has experienced similar issues.

The attractiveness of Apple's ecosystem is directly connected to one's first-hand experience and level of tolerance for when that experience falls short.

 

[LiE_]

I've had enough of the stress and annoyances trying to get a functioning PC so I've just ordered a 16" MacBook Pro. My brother has bought my desktop (he's a gamer and needed an upgrade).

After 3 monitor RMAs and now my Lenovo laptop bricking itself I've decided this is a fruitless exercise and going back to Apple so I can have hardware that isn't junk.

I also found that after using 144hz I'm very sensitivity to slower refresh rates which is why I'm picking up the 16", for the ProMotion.

My iPhone 14 Pro 256gb deep purple arrives on Friday.

 

[Expos of 1969]

I've had enough of the stress and annoyances trying to get a functioning PC so I've just ordered a 16" MacBook Pro. My brother has bought my desktop (he's a gamer and needed an upgrade).

After 3 monitor RMAs and now my Lenovo laptop bricking itself I've decided this is a fruitless exercise and going back to Apple so I can have hardware that isn't junk.

I also found that after using 144hz I'm very sensitivity to slower refresh rates which is why I'm picking up the 16", for the ProMotion.

My iPhone 14 Pro 256gb deep purple arrives on Friday.

@LeeW should be along shortly to comment Enjoy the new products.

 

[Madhatter32]

I've had enough of the stress and annoyances trying to get a functioning PC so I've just ordered a 16" MacBook Pro. My brother has bought my desktop (he's a gamer and needed an upgrade).

After 3 monitor RMAs and now my Lenovo laptop bricking itself I've decided this is a fruitless exercise and going back to Apple so I can have hardware that isn't junk.

I also found that after using 144hz I'm very sensitivity to slower refresh rates which is why I'm picking up the 16", for the ProMotion.

My iPhone 14 Pro 256gb deep purple arrives on Friday.

I came to the exact same conclusion about twenty years ago.

 

[LeeW]

@LeeW should be along shortly to comment Enjoy the new products.

Not playing anymore, @LiE_ just isn't playing fair with the speed of his switching these days.

 

[maflynn]

Going to bid 8 weeks this time.

So close. Off by 4 weeks.

I've had enough of the stress and annoyances trying to get a functioning PC so I've just ordered a 16" MacBook Pro

My only suggestion is not expect perfection and enjoy what you have.

My Intel build that I did last year is still my main machine, its not perfect, windows can be a pain at times, but fullfills my need.

I have my razer and MBP for mobility needs. Neither laptop is perfect, both laptops fail me in a number of areas but more or less I pick which one fits my needs the best for the trip I'm planning.

I think a focus on contentment and enjoying what you have can give you a peace of mind that might be missing, and I don't mean just PC vs. Mac, but life itself.

I'll get off my soap box and wish you the best of luck with the 16" MBP. Truth be told, the M1 Macs are excellent machines.

 

[AreVeeDEE]

First thing I thought when the iPhone 14 was announced: @LiE_ will do another flip.

I am still on Windows/Android since early 2021 and doing OK. It's not perfect, but that's fine. I was always searching for perfection. In hardware, software and ecosystem. Apple does a goed job, but still it isn't perfect. But that search for perfection can be exhausting...

So nowadays I am very happy to use my tech and I stopped searching. Will just replace my tech when it's needed, not in search of...

Saves a lot of money and more important: a lot of headspace.

 

[Madhatter32]

I think a focus on contentment and enjoying what you have can give you a peace of mind that might be missing, and I don't mean just PC vs. Mac, but life itself.

Very wise. This insight is, indeed, one of the secrets for happiness.

 

[LiE_]

Yep some wise words. I do want to be content, and I hope I am one day. Spending 9 hours a day using a device that annoys me is hard.

 

[LeeW]

Just upgraded from our basic 11's to the iPhone 14 Pro for me and Mrs W. Normally not bothered but we have been spending a lot more time outdoors of late and some aspects of the camera were not great so we decided to go Pro. Pickup on Friday.

Other than that I am still really happy with the M2 MBA and my PC when needed and my wife is still happy with her M1 MBA.

 

[leemkule]

I've had enough of the stress and annoyances trying to get a functioning PC so I've just ordered a 16" MacBook Pro. My brother has bought my desktop (he's a gamer and needed an upgrade).

After 3 monitor RMAs and now my Lenovo laptop bricking itself I've decided this is a fruitless exercise and going back to Apple so I can have hardware that isn't junk.

I also found that after using 144hz I'm very sensitivity to slower refresh rates which is why I'm picking up the 16", for the ProMotion.

My iPhone 14 Pro 256gb deep purple arrives on Friday.

I have been following your switch from a distance, I did a similar thing fairly recently - been using macs since 2008 but built a 3080 setup and used it for a year before selling it and going back to mac. OSX is far from perfect but it's certainly less imperfect than windows machines. My partner had an android phone a few years ago and whenever I had a play with it I just couldn't get used to it.

Good choice with the 16 inch Macbook pro, which spec did you go without out of interest? How come you didn't wait and see what the announcements were in August?

 

[LiE_]

I have been following your switch from a distance, I did a similar thing fairly recently - been using macs since 2008 but built a 3080 setup and used it for a year before selling it and going back to mac. OSX is far from perfect but it's certainly less imperfect than windows machines. My partner had an android phone a few years ago and whenever I had a play with it I just couldn't get used to it.

Good choice with the 16 inch Macbook pro, which spec did you go without out of interest? How come you didn't wait and see what the announcements were in August?

I went for the base spec 16”, cost me £2000 (saving £400) after discounts which I thought was enough of a saving to bite even if they get refreshed soon.

 

[Technerd108]

I don't know why it has to be a this or that kind of thing? I like using multiple Operating systems for several reasons.

I think generally speaking Apple software is a bit easier to use and set up. Updates on a Mac are usually a better experience. There is no bloatware to speak of on a Mac and I really appreciate that. M series chips seem to be a lot better in some ways to Windows alternatives.

However I like Windows for some things better than a Mac. It might be that I am old and sort of grew up using mainly Windows machines and so I have a lot of experience in Windows and while things change a lot of things remain the same and that makes using a Windows system easier for me as it is like muscle memory at this point.

I can always find a deal on a Windows laptop while not so much on a Mac although those 14" MBP are certainly a good deal right now.

I like MacOS and I find that generally it is just more polished and there are less things I have to configure. I don't have to deal with two sets of updates-one from the OEM for drivers and another from Microsoft for windows. What really annoys me with Windows devices is OEM driver support. After a year or so they simply forget your device. Rarely have I got consistent updates for specific drivers from OEMs after a year or two. If I keep a windows device for say four years and there has been a major update like from Windows 10 to Windows 11 and my device is over two years old there are no new driver updates. Everything still works but it is no longer optimized for the newer version of Windows. With Macs you will never have this issue.

Windows and Android to me are like sort of just generic software thrown onto a device. Now there are some advantages to that because you have so much more hardware freedom and customization that you will never get with Apple.

So it is all a mixed bag. That is why I have a windows laptop, a Mac laptop, an iPhone and an Android phone and on. For some use cases different platforms just work better and work arounds are just that-bandaids that rarely give a good experience.

I try not to get locked into using only one platform but continuously use multiple platforms to keep my mind flexible and constantly see how things work on different systems.

I enjoy the variety of different platforms and all of them work well for the most part. Windows and Android have come a long way and so has MacOS and iOS.

 

[Technerd108]

Just upgraded from our basic 11's to the iPhone 14 Pro for me and Mrs W. Normally not bothered but we have been spending a lot more time outdoors of late and some aspects of the camera were not great so we decided to go Pro. Pickup on Friday.

Other than that I am still really happy with the M2 MBA and my PC when needed and my wife is still happy with her M1 MBA.

I am interested in your impressions coming from an 11. Also interested on your take of the new camera. I have a 13 and probably won't upgrade unless I can get a really good deal but the camera is something I am interested in and the difference between the notch and cutout. Like do you notice a difference between the two.

What color 14 did you get??

Enjoy your new phone when you get it!!

 

[LeeW]

I am interested in your impressions coming from an 11. Also interested on your take of the new camera. I have a 13 and probably won't upgrade unless I can get a really good deal but the camera is something I am interested in and the difference between the notch and cutout. Like do you notice a difference between the two.

I am no pro when it comes to cameras but I certainly hope there will be an improvement. Part of upgrading to the Pro is to get the telephoto lens which would have been very beneficial when out on our recent travels. I will update in due course.

What color 14 did you get??

Black for me, Purple for Mrs.

 

[Technerd108]

I am no pro when it comes to cameras but I certainly hope there will be an improvement. Part of upgrading to the Pro is to get the telephoto lens which would have been very beneficial when out on our recent travels. I will update in due course.



Black for me, Purple for Mrs.

I so want the purple!! Lol.

Yes the telephoto lens seems like a really big benefit! I am not a "Pro" either but I like average people's experience better as it is more relevant to my use case.

 

[bobcomer]

I don't know why it has to be a this or that kind of thing? I like using multiple Operating systems for several reasons.

I think generally speaking Apple software is a bit easier to use and set up. Updates on a Mac are usually a better experience. There is no bloatware to speak of on a Mac and I really appreciate that. M series chips seem to be a lot better in some ways to Windows alternatives.

However I like Windows for some things better than a Mac. It might be that I am old and sort of grew up using mainly Windows machines and so I have a lot of experience in Windows and while things change a lot of things remain the same and that makes using a Windows system easier for me as it is like muscle memory at this point.

I can always find a deal on a Windows laptop while not so much on a Mac although those 14" MBP are certainly a good deal right now.

I like MacOS and I find that generally it is just more polished and there are less things I have to configure. I don't have to deal with two sets of updates-one from the OEM for drivers and another from Microsoft for windows. What really annoys me with Windows devices is OEM driver support. After a year or so they simply forget your device. Rarely have I got consistent updates for specific drivers from OEMs after a year or two. If I keep a windows device for say four years and there has been a major update like from Windows 10 to Windows 11 and my device is over two years old there are no new driver updates. Everything still works but it is no longer optimized for the newer version of Windows. With Macs you will never have this issue.

Windows and Android to me are like sort of just generic software thrown onto a device. Now there are some advantages to that because you have so much more hardware freedom and customization that you will never get with Apple.

So it is all a mixed bag. That is why I have a windows laptop, a Mac laptop, an iPhone and an Android phone and on. For some use cases different platforms just work better and work arounds are just that-bandaids that rarely give a good experience.

I try not to get locked into using only one platform but continuously use multiple platforms to keep my mind flexible and constantly see how things work on different systems.

I enjoy the variety of different platforms and all of them work well for the most part. Windows and Android have come a long way and so has MacOS and iOS.

You're not alone, though I have an intel mac Min, a Mac Studio, a Windows desktop and Windows laptop. (with Linux VM's on most) Plus a Flip4 and I'll be getting a new iPhone 14 Pro. (replacing a 13 mini).

I like having multiple machines and use all of them for different things.

 

[Technerd108]

You're not alone, though I have an intel mac Min, a Mac Studio, a Windows desktop and Windows laptop. (with Linux VM's on most) Plus a Flip4 and I'll be getting a new iPhone 14 Pro. (replacing a 13 mini).

I like having multiple machines and use all of them for different things.

I love Linux but I have borked my install with one kernel update after another. Finding a printer or other peripherals that work on Linux can be a pain. Some of the software works really well and some not so much.

I have taken a bit of break. I am not a Pro on Linux and use it mostly for desktop use and for that I keep coming back to Macs and Windows but I will always have a special place in my heart for Linux. I remember the days of Mepis Linux which was the first distro I could get wifi working on my laptop. Those were the days. Lol

 

[bobcomer]

I love Linux but I have borked my install with one kernel update after another. Finding a printer or other peripherals that work on Linux can be a pain. Some of the software works really well and some not so much.

I have taken a bit of break. I am not a Pro on Linux and use it mostly for desktop use and for that I keep coming back to Macs and Windows but I will always have a special place in my heart for Linux. I remember the days of Mepis Linux which was the first distro I could get wifi working on my laptop. Those were the days. Lol

I'm not a pro at Linux either and to tell the truth, I don't really like it much. I do have to occasionally do something with it at work though, so I keep up with it.

 

[TechRunner]

I try not to get locked into using only one platform but continuously use multiple platforms to keep my mind flexible and constantly see how things work on different systems.

This has been my philosophy for a long time, but as I age, I'm growing weary of keeping up with all the changes, and having to juggle protocols and best practices in my head to make sure I'm doing the right thing on the right platform so as not to create a disaster of my own making

 

[Bodie CI5]

Thanks for responding and for not pretending everything is wonderful when unfortunately it seems you are at a crossroads. Having just sold your Apple products I would not rush out and buy them again. I would give your new set up a fair chance and see how you adapt. A month is perhaps too short a time to rid your mind of the Apple ways of doing things.

Heh, unfortunately the past 2.5 years have been a little up and down, computer-wise. I've dabbled with Mac, Win, Chrome and Linux most of the way through with combinations of each.

This is not for bragging rights:

1984/5-88=C64
1988-1993=Amiga 500
1993-1997=Amiga 1200
1997-2014=Amiga 1200/4000/PC
2014-2022=Mac/PC/Chrome

Stupid me has lost a lot of time these past couple of years trying to decide on what to do and carry me through (platform-wise) for the remainder of my life. I thought the PC would do it for me, but all I end up doing is wanting to play games. I've set up my PS4 again, and thankfully I'm playing way less . Weird, I know. But, it's the way for me I think. S22 is gone, I bought an iPhone again and have my brother's M1 MBP.

The PC was literally only 2metres away from from my desk and I would set it up every so often, but I think, and famous last words (lol!), I think I'm content again.