The Difference Between Macs and PCs: An Overview

Macs and PCs have grown up together, transforming the world of business in the mid-1970s and 1980s. The battle over these two platforms has raged in IT departments across college campuses over the last 30 years. PC is a generic term for personal computer, but is usually associated with any computer that runs on a Windows operating system.  Macs refer to Macintosh, one of the early Apple computers named after an employee’s favorite apple. Here is a brief history of these dueling computing giants and some key differences between them.

Let’s know more on the both of these computer system giants Macs and PCs.

An Overview of Macs

Apple Computers, whose name was inspired by Isaac Newton and his discovery of gravity through the rumored apple falling on his head, was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. The first Apple computer (Apple I) was released on April 1, 1976, and others followed: Apple II, Apple Lisa, Macintosh  iMac, etc. Macs inspired a cult following, positioning itself as the underdog or non-conformist, and distancing itself from the prolific PC world. The heavily conceptualized design of the Mac is central to its company. Unlike the PC, Apple is the sole manufacturer of Mac computers. MAC computers only account for 5% of the market in 2011, despite its popular iPhone and iPad products. The operating system is more stable and less prone to computer viruses and hacking than the Windows environment of PCs. However, as Macs become more prolific in business, that is changing. Macs are popular with creative art industries because their platform supports high-end video game, 3-D graphics and print/design media.

An Overview of PCs

The widely used word (PC) comes from the first IBM Personal Computer, which used Microsoft’s MS-DOS (Microsoft’s first commercial operating system) in 1981. Bill Gates is the founder of Microsoft, the software company that defines the PC environment. Like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates dropped out of college to pursue his interests in developing software. Since Apple came out with the first Graphic User Interface (GUI) with its Apple Lisa, Microsoft responded with Windows. PCs today largely run on Microsoft Windows operating system such as Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows XP, etc. PCs are still the most popular computers in use today and are ideal for administrative departments that need spreadsheets, accounting, basic document creation and that manage large amounts of data. PCs are the workhorse of the two platforms. As stated earlier, all sorts of manufacturers make PC’s. Because PCs are so widely used and mainstream, they are prone to viruses and hackers.

Some Key Differences

• Macs stand out for their conceptual design
• PCs are significantly cheaper than Macs
• PCs are more prone to viruses and hackers
• Macs run faster but have less RAM than PCs
• PCs have far more variety than Macs
• Both use completely different operating systems
• Both are not compatible with many software products

Ultimately, what you choose to purchase is a matter of preference.  Both systems have their own pros and cons in terms of features and usability.