Tech Column: A byte of my first Apple
What’s it really like switching from a PC to a Mac?
Logan Krupa
Tech Columnist
Going to my dad’s workplace as a kid was a treat. I was allowed to play “Fuji Golf” and “Ski Free” on his Windows 3.1 computer. My family’s first computer in 1996 was a state-of-the-art Dell running Windows 95 with a “massive” one gigabyte hard-drive. Over the years, I have owned computers running every major Windows release. I even found things to like about Windows Vista—believe it or not!
The fact that Windows computers cost less than their Mac counterparts while running more software always had great appeal for me. I once thought I would be a Windows user for life.
Sadly, Windows 8 proved to be a very disorienting experience for me. The coloured tiles of the “Metro” interface in conjunction with a traditional desktop mode felt to me like my computer had multiple personality disorder. I found too many important elements of Windows 8 were hidden off-screen at any given time. Over the past year, my frustration with my laptop rose to new heights.
I found myself staring at classmates’ MacBooks with envy and I made the switch to a 2014 15.6 in. MacBook Pro this past summer.
The first major hurdle of buying a MacBook is the price. I did have to part with an arm, a leg, a kidney and my future first-born child (sorry, Logan Jr.), but I find the superior quality of Apple’s hardware makes up for the cost.
The illuminated keyboard on the MacBook Pro provides well-spaced keys with the right amount of springiness. As for the trackpad, it is hands-down the best trackpad I have ever used. No longer do I have the urge to use a mouse with my laptop! The MacBook Pro trackpad is very responsive and the range of multi-touch gestures become instinctive with a bit of practice.
The unibody construction of the Macbook Pro is solid, yet lightweight, and it fits in a backpack with ease, which is impressive for such a high-end laptop. The only downside hardware-wise lies in the included AC adaptor, which is rather bulky and heavy.
When it comes to software, I find it refreshing that MacBooks come free of pre-installed third party software. The included Migration Assistant made it easy to transfer needed files from my Windows laptop to my MacBook. I have also found the OS X operating system to be easy to navigate. The major apps I need to run for my coursework (such as Adobe’s Creative Suite and Microsoft Office) are available on OS X. Steam also has an increasing number of games available for Macs, but it will not beat Windows in that category anytime soon.
In short, I’m quite happy with the robust hardware and relatively hassle-free software experience on my MacBook Pro. Switching from Windows was not nearly the headache I expected it to be.
Mmmm…that’s a tasty Apple!