A ten-Yr Apple Fan Switches to Windows: Higher Compatibility and Gaming, however System Bugs Make a Return Tempting

Since I purchased my first MacGuide Air in 2015, I’ve been utilizing Apple computer systems for over 10 years. Apple laptops have at all times been my main work units, and I’ve at all times used the MacGuide Air sequence. The purpose I select Apple laptops is straightforward. Their efficiency by way of design, portability, battery life, display high quality, and system stability all fulfill me.

However, in recent times, Windows extremely – skinny laptops have additionally developed quickly. Many home manufacturers have produced fairly good merchandise. Among them, there are a lot of laptops with excellent total qualities.

Recently, numerous Intel Core Ultra 5 fashions have been shipped. The glorious efficiency and energy consumption of this chip left a deep impression on me. Facing the temptation of nationwide subsidies and first – launch reductions, in addition to issues about future PC value will increase, I positioned an order for a Windows extremely – skinny laptop computer.

(Image supply: Leitech)

Now, I’ve been utilizing a Windows laptop computer for work as an alternative of my MacGuide Air for over every week. It’s time to share my expertise.

First expertise of non – Mac work: Windows 11 is a letdown

First of all, though my main pc has at all times been a MacGuide, I even have a desktop Windows 10 pc at house. However, I take advantage of the desktop pc for work much less steadily. Most of the time, I take advantage of it for infrequent time beyond regulation work after work on weekdays and on weekends. It’s the primary time for me to make use of a Windows laptop computer for work repeatedly for a number of days.

After utilizing a Windows laptop computer for every week, my most profound feeling is that the Windows 11 system is a letdown, which immediately drags down the general work expertise. Next, let’s record the particular issues one after the other.

Problem 1: Unstable community

For a pc, connecting to the community is probably the most primary perform. However, when utilizing a Windows laptop computer, this drawback repeatedly troubled me.

First, I’ve encountered one or two conditions the place the pc could not connect with the community for no purpose. The Wi – Fi confirmed a traditional connection, and the router and modem had been working correctly, however I simply could not entry the Internet. Neither browsers nor apps like WeChat may connect with the community. The answer can also be very “Windows”: simply restart the pc.

(Image supply: Leitech)

Secondly, I additionally encountered some troubles when connecting to Wi – Fi. Even when the password was appropriate, it took a really very long time to attach. I could not set up a profitable handshake for a very long time. I needed to disconnect and reconnect a number of occasions earlier than lastly getting related.

(Image supply: Leitech)

The worst expertise was the extraordinarily unstable community of the Microsoft Store. In order to make this Windows laptop computer have the three – finger swipe and drag perform like my MacGuide, I deliberate to obtain a 3rd – get together software program.

However, the software program’s official web site did not present a direct obtain service. Instead, it gave a hyperlink to its web page within the Microsoft Store. Then, this began my painful software program obtain expertise.

(Image supply: Leitech)

Specifically, the Microsoft Store usually could not be accessed usually. Even if I used to be fortunate sufficient to enter the software program obtain web page, there was a excessive likelihood that the obtain progress would cease, and the progress bar would simply preserve spinning.

(Image supply: Leitech)

At first, I assumed it was as a result of Microsoft had fewer servers in China. But once I looked for related issues on-line, I discovered that customers all over the world, together with these in Japan, the United States, and Europe, had been complaining about the issue of being unable to entry the Microsoft Store easily.

Problem 2: No WeChat notification preview

Actually, I seen this drawback earlier than. The Windows model of WeChat just isn’t related to the Windows system’s notification mechanism. So, when there’s a new message, solely the icon will flash, and there can be no pop – up window or content material preview. Frankly talking, I did not assume it was an issue at first, however the longer I used it, the extra I felt it was needed.

In day by day work, my most important job is content material creation. The most effective time is commonly when I’m in a state of movement. At this time, I do not wish to be disturbed. However, throughout work, I nonetheless want to concentrate to the message notifications in varied work teams. The perform of message preview means that you can shortly perceive the overall content material of a message with none operation in a really brief time and shortly decide whether or not it will be significant, in order to resolve whether or not to click on in instantly or cope with it later.

After switching from a MacGuide to a Windows laptop computer, I misplaced this proper to resolve. Every flashing WeChat icon is sort of a blind field to me, and it is laborious for me to disregard it with out distraction.

(Image supply: Leitech)

Of course, this drawback should not be blamed on the Windows system. It’s as a result of WeChat hasn’t stored up in time. In distinction, Feishu on the Windows platform has a message preview perform, and the expertise within the work state of affairs is significantly better.

Problem 3: Power consumption administration wants enchancment

The Windows laptop computer I’m utilizing has a battery capability of 72Wh, whereas the M1 – model MacGuide Air I used earlier than solely had a battery capability of 49.9Wh. Theoretically, the battery lifetime of the Windows laptop computer needs to be significantly better. However, the precise state of affairs just isn’t like this.

First of all, the ability consumption administration of the MacGuide Air is excellent. After closing the lid and getting into the sleep state, its energy consumption turns into very low. According to my private expertise on enterprise journeys, despite the fact that the battery well being of this Apple laptop computer is simply a bit of over 80%, its battery life within the state of affairs of working offline can nonetheless be shut to five hours.

The efficiency of the Windows laptop computer on this facet is clearly not good. There is a likelihood that it will not enter the sleep state efficiently after closing the lid, and the ability consumption may be very quick. Moreover, there’s a very unusual bug within the Windows laptop computer for my part. That is, within the sleep state with the lid closed, in case you contact the mouse, the system will mechanically get up. And this bug just isn’t new. Windows laptops have at all times had this drawback.

(Image supply: Leitech)

In phrases of precise battery life, in an indoor work state of affairs (display brightness at 80%, related to Wi – Fi, WeChat open, and Chrome with seven or eight static tabs open), it consumes about 15% of the battery in a single hour and about 33% in two hours. This battery life efficiency is okay. It can mainly final for six hours from full cost to depletion.

It needs to be famous that in this week of utilizing the Windows laptop computer for work, I did not encounter many severe bugs. However, the above issues nonetheless affected my day by day use. Moreover, once I looked for issues associated to Windows 11 on-line, I noticed a number of suggestions and complaints from customers. Many bugs appear very unusual to us.

For instance, Microsoft launched a routine safety replace on January thirteenth, which triggered some Windows 11 computer systems to restart mechanically when executing the shutdown or sleep command. Some customers’ computer systems had issues with the touchpad not working after upgrading to Windows 11 24h2. The emergency replace KB5086672 pushed by Microsoft to Windows 11 triggered some customers’ community controllers to malfunction and Wi – Fi to disconnect.

(Image supply: Xiaohongshu)

Many customers are aggravated by the limitless bugs in Windows 11 and immediately use particular strategies to disable Windows updates. This is an answer that’s not actually an answer.

(Image supply: Leitech)

Windows laptops are stronger in comprehensiveness

According to the newest information from Statcounter, at present within the PC market, Windows occupies greater than 70% of the market share, whereas macOS solely has 16%. The incontrovertible fact that most individuals select Windows as their desktop working system largely exhibits that it has irreplaceable benefits. In my private expertise, though Windows has varied issues, its comprehensiveness is clearly a lot stronger than that of macOS.

First of all, by way of compatibility, Windows 11 can nonetheless set up and run software program from greater than a decade in the past usually, and the set up freedom may be very excessive. After I upgraded my MacGuide Air to macOS 15, many aged – common software program could not be used anymore. Moreover, Mac usually has some restrictions on third – get together software program that bypasses the Mac App Store. For instance, you’ll want to open permissions within the settings and typically enter the administrator password for verification.

Secondly, within the gaming state of affairs, Windows nonetheless beats Apple. Although as a piece laptop computer, the state of affairs of enjoying video games just isn’t quite common. And up to now, restricted by efficiency and warmth dissipation, it was very unusual to make use of a Windows laptop computer to play giant – scale video games.

However, the third – era Intel Core Ultra has drastically improved efficiency and energy consumption because of superior course of expertise. Take the laptop computer with the 338H chip I purchased. Although it’s an extremely – skinny laptop computer, it may well already run some 3A video games easily. For instance, in Cyberpunk 2077, at a low – high quality 1200P decision, the common body charge can attain about 50 frames. In the previous, this efficiency was unimaginable.

(Image supply: Leitech)

Actually, the gaming efficiency of Apple’s M – sequence chips just isn’t weak. Take the M4 for example. Its GPU efficiency is near that of the cell RTX4060 graphics card. However, as a result of low market share, not many recreation builders are prepared to develop video games particularly for Mac. So, the gaming efficiency of the M4 usually solely exists on paper and would not assist a lot in the true – world gaming state of affairs.

It’s value mentioning that the majority home PC producers have tailored corresponding software program providers for his or her pc merchandise. For instance, Xiaomi Computer Manager has a constructed – in app retailer, and the general expertise is significantly better than the official Microsoft Store. It additionally allows interconnection between the pc and the cell phone. Not solely can information be transferred between totally different units, however you too can management the cell phone on the pc. Huawei laptops have a constructed – in cell app engine within the system, which may immediately run cell apps on the pc with the assistance of the contact display.

(Image supply: Leitech)

It could be mentioned that home manufacturers are filling the gaps for Microsoft on the one hand, offering corresponding different options. On the opposite hand, they’re providing extra localized capabilities and integrating their very own ecosystems, which improves the general expertise.

Windows 11 wants a complete innovation

As an Apple person for a few years, I usually complain about varied bugs in iOS and macOS. iOS26 has been criticized by numerous individuals. However, the quantity and severity of bugs in Windows 11 have reached an unimaginable degree. Without exaggeration, each replace of the Windows 11 system is sort of a gamble for customers. It could remedy one present bug, however