Thinking of Switching from Windows to Mac – Need Your Advice!

[drtgns]

Yeah, well, again, it depends on your usage. If you're working on large-size files and have huge apps like Autodesk apps, adobe, Final Cut, logic, etc., you'll run out of storage pretty fast. Using an external ssd 24x7 isn't practical either.

However, you can always manage with free cloud storage or even get iCloud/Google One if necessary if all you need is storage. But 16 GB of RAM is always good. 8 GB might be enough now, but you'll definitely regret it later.

This is what was suggested to me by people on the MacBook Air subreddit. 250Gb ssd can work, but any mac with 16GB RAM is a must to consider in 2025. I also believe that, even apple is no longer selling macs with 8GB ram anymore, they stopped doing a year ago.

You can always spot people who havent used a Macbook lol. People use windows 8 GB and just build their frame of reference from that.

Used a M1 for 3 years and using an M2 for the last year as my office laptop (both 8GB) and it is easily the best VFM laptops out there. Extremely light weight. Excellent build quality. Fantastic keyboard and touchpad. Amazing battery life. Great display.

And zero (like literally ZERO) performance related issues over 4+ years. That M1 is still being used by a junior guy and working fantastic.

For what it is supposed to be (every day office/home laptop) nothing comes close for that kind of money.

yah, best value for money laptop after card discount, nothing beats base macs for efficiency and performance for this price range

 

[gourav]

No one should be buying 8 GB RAM computers in 2023.

We're in 2025, lol...

If you're working on large-size files and have huge apps like Autodesk apps, adobe, Final Cut, logic, etc., you'll run out of storage pretty fast. Using an external ssd 24x7 isn't practical either

What's the need for threads to devolve into theoretical arguments always? OP asked for suggestions. If he were using Autodesk, Adobe, or Final Cut, he would have mentioned it. He specifically said regular office work.

256 GB is sufficient for office laptops, usually you never run out of space as docs and PPTs are around an MB on average.

 

[jayanttyagi]

We're in 2025, lol...



What's the need for threads to devolve into theoretical arguments always? OP asked for suggestions. If he were using Autodesk, Adobe, or Final Cut, he would have mentioned it. He specifically said regular office work.

256 GB is sufficient for office laptops, usually you never run out of space as docs and PPTs are around an MB on average.

Yeah thats the joke.



256gb wont be enough if you work on multiple projects or even monorepos. Apart from that it should be ok.


Would suggest op to get M4 as it is considerably better than 1&2. If they get good deal on m3 16gb then that is fine as well.

 

[drtgns]

We're in 2025, lol...



What's the need for threads to devolve into theoretical arguments always? OP asked for suggestions. If he were using Autodesk, Adobe, or Final Cut, he would have mentioned it. He specifically said regular office work.

256 GB is sufficient for office laptops, usually you never run out of space as docs and PPTs are around an MB on average.

That's what I think. I have a 512GB ssd in my laptop, and if I don't install games, I hardly ever use 150GB of space , considering how bloated Windows 11 is

 

[OMEGA44-XT]

I use MBP 16" with M1 pro & 16GB RAM for work. My work mainly involves emails, chat, excel, powerpoint, etc. 16GB RAM is easily not enough, 8GB will be a poor choice even if you have light web browsing as the requirement. 256GB storage is fine, can anyways add extra storage via ext HDD/SSD if needed.

MacOS vs Win11 - I will choose Win11 anyday. Win11 is worse than earlier, just that MacOS is even worse in usability for me (surely superior to Win11 in stability). To highlight major annoyances, "x" button of a window doesn't quit an app (not sure who thought there needs to be a difference), mouse scrolling & touchpad scrolling directions are linked (you will scroll the unnatural way on either one), File explorer is bad, etc. Also, excel seems worse in mac vs Windows for large datasets.

Even if you are fine with macOS, RAM is the major bottleneck in macbooks considering the price. I talked to a few devs, they don't like the 16GB RAM limitation as well. Ideally, I would love a 32GB RAM Windows laptop for my work but can't get one from IT. The battery life is great on Macs for sure. Anyways, I am being paid to use a mac.

 

[drtgns]

I use MBP 16" with M1 pro & 16GB RAM for work. My work mainly involves emails, chat, excel, powerpoint, etc. 16GB RAM is easily not enough, 8GB will be a poor choice even if you have light web browsing as the requirement. 256GB storage is fine, can anyways add extra storage via ext HDD/SSD if needed.

MacOS vs Win11 - I will choose Win11 anyday. Win11 is worse than earlier, just that MacOS is even worse in usability for me (surely superior to Win11 in stability). To highlight major annoyances, "x" button of a window doesn't quit an app (not sure who thought there needs to be a difference), mouse scrolling & touchpad scrolling directions are linked (you will scroll the unnatural way on either one), File explorer is bad, etc. Also, excel seems worse in mac vs Windows for large datasets.

Even if you are fine with macOS, RAM is the major bottleneck in macbooks considering the price. I talked to a few devs, they don't like the 16GB RAM limitation as well. Ideally, I would love a 32GB RAM Windows laptop for my work but can't get one from IT. The battery life is great on Macs for sure. Anyways, I am being paid to use a mac.

have a 16 GB Windows 11 laptop, and I am yet to see a bottleneck , i have most of the time 10-20 chrome tab opened. and what other people have said about macis that even years-old M1 with 8 GB RAM is still sufficient in 2025. How come your experience is so different? Lol, even my 10-year-old second laptop can handle email and Excel.

 

[OMEGA44-XT]

have a 16 GB Windows 11 laptop, and I am yet to see a bottleneck , i have most of the time 10-20 chrome tab opened. and what other people have said about macis that even years-old M1 with 8 GB RAM is still sufficient in 2025. How come your experience is so different? Lol, even my 10-year-old second laptop can handle email and Excel.

I have 20+ tabs open, some big excel files, etc. Browser tabs reload a lot, sometimes browser lags, using MS Edge because of MS account from office. I mostly use Excel web app as its easier to use but do use local excel for bigger excel sheets (even that lags a bit at times). I see memory usage of close to 14GB with memory pressure in yellow at times.

16GB RAM was not enough for me in Windows back in 2022, my personal desktop is 32GB built in 2022. I understand that my usage is heavier than most but at the prices Macs sell, they should have 32GB RAM IMO. Heck it is hard to get decent Windows laptops around 75k with 32GB. I luckily got a Lenovo 14" with Intel core ultra 5 125H + 32GB RAM + 100% sRGB panel for my cousin some time back for 70k but the general build is surely inferior to Mac.

 

[Darth Vader]

That's what I think. I have a 512GB ssd in my laptop, and if I don't install games, I hardly ever use 150GB of space , considering how bloated Windows 11 is

Its not about how much you need, its how much they charge you if you plan on upgrading from 256GB to 512GB Storage and soon. Its 20000 INR (200 $) - this is what we called scummy practices by a greedy company and by buying their products you're only supporting these practices.

The last time i used a 256GB SSD was 10 years ago and i even sold one here for 500 INR last year.

IMO Apple products are all massively overpriced trash offering.

 

[tearphones]

Allow me to give the contrarian opinion: Windows is my favorite OS (and I consistently use Mac for work laptop, Linux for work desktop, and Windows at home). I particularly like how easy it is to manage windows (snapping windows to the sides, ALT+TABbing properly), and how easy it is to find information about tweaking Windows online.

If your main complaint was about battery life, then moving to a productivity focused laptop will do you more good than switching OS. At a time when you feel you're not able to devote enough of your time to what you perceive as productive work, switching OS may end up being less productive.

 

[MarioBros]

Windows users with hardly any MacOS using experiences should not be commenting in this thread or passing sweeping statements about Macs
Starting 2020 I have been a M1 Macbook user, I have bought three M1 Macs in last 5 years... (8gb - 256g version), just 6 months back got a 16GB M1 Macbook Air since I got a good deal.

while 8GB is definitely not ideal, but if you are using your MacBook just for day-to-day activities like browsing, MS office, media consumption and few basic photo/video editing, it is more than enough.
No Fan noise, exceptional battery life - huge plus

FYI - The current M3 & M4 MacBook Air base model is now sold with a 16gb RAM. (8gb MacBook Air is now discontinued by Apple)

 

[PunkX 75]

No one should be buying 8 GB RAM computers in 2023.

And definitely not in 2025
@drtgns My advice:

I'm not going into the whole debate of Mac vs Windows. To each their own and preferences.

However, in my opinion, your reasons for switching don't make much sense:

1. An OS change will NOT make you more productive
2. "Want to quit gaming" as the reason for switching over with an unnecessary expenditure added doesn't make sense. You need to be self-disciplined and not run.
3. If battery life is your main concern currently, sell your old laptop and pick up a non-gaming one (could also be a Mac if you find a good deal), that prioritizes storage, battery, and memory.

The aforementioned is moot, if you just want to use Mac for shits and giggles, and have an itch for change.

 

[CrimeMouse]

I jumped on the M1 bandwagon at launch, ordering it a few days after it was announced, and getting it by mid-December 2020.

Back then it was a no brainer, there was no other laptop that came even close to it in performance, battery life, screen, speakers and build.

Then it turned out I barely use it on battery, then it turned out I like to play video games. So I got an HP Pavilion 15 Gaming Laptop in October 2021, which I started to use a lot more, a lot more. I spent the majority of my computing time on the HP.

By the fall of 2022, my infatuation with gaming shrunk and I started to spend more time on the Air, and in July 2024 I gave my gaming laptop to my sibling. Since then the Air has been my main laptop.

Even after all this time, I feel like an outsider with macOS, as I like to play games and plug stuff in that isn't USB-C. There are things it does well- excellent battery life (the few times I used it on battery), and excellent performance (I have only felt it struggle when I tried to run Minecraft with shaders without any optimisation mods). But last month something changed, the yearly Minecraft bug caught me. Then I realised how terrible macOS is for gaming, the stupid natural scrolling, lack of support third-party gaming controllers, etc.

Oh and there is some trick to get it for 76k by buying it from apple.in on a 24 month EMI with an ICICI CC and foreclosing the loan within 15 days.