In the strictest definition, a Macisa PC because PC stands for personal computer. However, in everyday use, the term PC typically refers to a computer running the Windows operating system, not the operating system made by Apple. At Lifewire, we use both for work and play so we feel uniquely qualified to compare the two.
So, how does a Mac differ from a Windows-based PC?
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The Mac vs. PC showdown started when IBM, not Apple or Microsoft, was the king of the computer. The IBM PC was IBM's answer to the flourishing personal computer market that started with the Altair 8800 and was being led by companies like Apple and Commodore.
IBM was thrown a curveball when IBM-compatible personal computers, commonly referred to as PC clones, started popping up. When Commodore dropped out of the personal computer market, it became mostly a two-company race between Apple's Macintosh line of computers and the legion of IBM-compatible computers, which were often referred to (even by Apple) as merely PCs. As Apple framed it, you could buy a PC, or you could buy a Mac.
Despite Apple's attempts to distance itself from the PC, the Mac is now, and has always been, a personal computer.
Because a Mac is a PC, it probably won't surprise you to learn that Macs have more in common with Windows-based PCs than you might think. How much in common? Well, while this wasn't always the case, you can install the Windows operating system on a Mac.
Remember, the Mac is just a PC with Mac OS installed on it. As much as Apple prefers the Mac to be thought of as something different than a PC, it's never been more similar. You can install both Windows and Mac OS on your MacBook or iMac, switch between them, or run them side-by-side (or, more accurately, run Windows on top of Mac OS) using software such as Parallels or Fusion.
Some of those similarities are:
The Mac OS supports both a left-click and a right-click for the mouse. In addition, you can hook up the mouse you use on your Windows PC to a Mac. While Apple's Magic Mouse may seem like it is a single button, clicking it from the right side produces a right-click.
One of the biggest stumbling blocks for people transitioning from the Windows world to a Mac is keyboard shortcuts. The first time you try to use Control+C to copy something to the Mac clipboard, you realize that Control+C doesn't copy anything to the clipboard. On the Mac, Command+C does. As simple as that difference sounds, it can take some getting used to before it feels natural.
The differences include:
Despite the obvious connotation, the termhackintoshdoesn't refer to a Mac that's been hacked. Remember that a Macbook or iMac can run Windows because the hardware is virtually the same? The reverse is also true. A PC meant for Windows may also be able to run the macOS, but the process is tricky.
All the hardware in a PC meant for macOS must be recognized by macOS. Typically, a hackintosh is a PC someone puts together themselves specifically to run macOS on it, and it takes a lot of research to get the right components,
Even with the right components, there's no guarantee Apple won't make future updates incompatible with that machine.
MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro: What's the Difference? FAQThe Mac mini is Apple's smallest and most affordable desktop computer. At just under 8 inches by 8 inches and only 1.4 inches high, you might think it isn't powerful, but you'd be wrong. As of 2021, the mini runs Apple's M1 chip on a 16-core Neural Engine. You supply the monitor, keyboard and mouse.
The Mac Pro computer is the top of the line desktop Mac capable of astonishing performance, with an astonishing price tag to match. Available in configurations from 8-core to 28-core with up to 8TB of storage, it provides all the power a professional needs to run multiple monitors, handle complex rendering and animation, and work in 8K video.