It's another Windows or MacOS thread! Let's get the popcorn ready...
There's at least 3-4 people a week asking which is better - Windows or MacOS. I'm going to give my opinion and open it up for discussion...
THE OFFICIAL KLH OPINION ON WINDOWS VERSUS MACOS!
Use what you can maintain. ALL computers fail if not properly maintained. Equally, if you know how to optimize them, both Windows and MacOS can really be great. Said differently, buy what you like and maintain it.
Of course, there are differences in philosophy between the two and DJs can get caught in the middle. It's best to understand the differences between the platforms and make up your own damn mind.
MacOS
The MacOS platform is closed as Apple rules it with an iron fist. Hardware is only upgraded yearly and (AFAIK) no applications are released on it without testing and approval from Apple. As such, MacOS software tends to be well made and very well tested. Of course, the downside is that there is less software available for it... and what is available tends to be expensive.
Still, the platform itself does not change often (beyond the yearly refreshes) and that has led to the perception of stability. Encouraging that perception, Apple itself optimizes the hardware and OS for real-time audio as Apple makes software (GarageBand, Logic) that uses that capability.
The end result is that MacOS products work well out-of-the-box for DJing. Of course, there is a premium for this... and Apple prices their products accordingly.
Sponsored content:Windows
The Windows platform is open as Microsoft wants everyone to make software for it and hardware to run it. Hardware is continually brought out for it and there are many, many combinations of motherboards, chipsets, network interfaces, and video interfaces. In fact, there are so many combinations that testing the combinations is a futile effort - as new hardware is frequently introduced.
On the software side, it takes time to optimize drivers and it takes about 6-8 months after new product launch for new optimized drivers to be released. Adding to the mix (pun intended), Microsoft updates Windows itself continually.
As you can imagine, the performance of a Windows system is usually limited by the quality of the drivers available for the discreet hardware components. If the drivers aren't optimized, then digital audio won't flow through the system uninterrupted and glitches, drop-outs, and freezes occur.
The most frustrating thing is that Windows buyers won't know if laptops have optimized drivers until they try it out with their audio interfaces. If it works well out-of-the-box, you're lucky. If it doesn't work at all, it most likely won't work. If it doesn't work well, there's usually tweaking that will make it work better. It's this crap-shoot that drives most to give up and buy MacOS.
The upside with the Windows platform is that the extreme competition keeps pricing low. It is possible to spend a third of what Apple charges and achieve the same results... or not work at all.
Bottom Line
Now that you know the differences, I say choose wisely. They can both be nightmares or the best investments that you've ever made. Regardless, remember to back up religiously and learn how to maintain the OS. You'll be glad you did.
-KLH
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