The world is divided along so many lines that are drawn up by humans, and yet, these divisions become tenets that others will fight for with their lives. Elevating ideas to existential levels of crises is just us entangling ourselves further into synthetic convolutions.  

One such divide concerns tech platforms; are you on iOS or Windows/Android? Mind you, when I casually say ‘on’, it implies something much greater, a word which stands to encompass everything about a person’s existence—personal aspirations, professional ambitions, relationship goals and social interactions. Yes, doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Which is probably why people who use Apple don’t contemplate shifting to Android (or Windows), and those with the latter never flirt with iOS.  

Let’s unpack it all slowly. As virtual lives become increasingly real, how we access them becomes a crucial decision. Both sides of the spectrum have their USPs, their merits. The influence they have on us is tremendous, and one which we don’t realise.   

For e.g., even the vocabulary of users on either side of the spectrum changes. Apple users FaceTime and AirDrop, others Meet or WhatsApp (we used to Skype, if you are old enough to remember) and Bluetooth files over, unless it’s too big and they WeTransfer. Apple users have a solipsistic mail address (one which ends with a me.com) while others stick to Gmail. The way each group listens to music, stores pictures, documents and saves memories and memos, Apple and Android could very well be religions with clashing ethos. 

I am a hybrid user, having a foot in both worlds, or as it’s otherwise known, I have commitment FOMO. I can’t trust Apple to give me everything, and I always need to know what Google and Microsoft are up to. Just like now and then, I keep tabs on things that Apple can do and get away with. 

To be honest, I like this dualistic existence, for I believe it has so far allowed me to enjoy the best of both worlds. I have the ease and speed of a MacBook Air, along with lots of free software, and none of the virus-infection headaches.  But at the same time, my Android keeps a better check on my emails, recognising trips and saving them directly to my calendar, even prompting me when to leave home so as to arrive on time and not end up missing flights. 

Mac, if you will believe me, is technology dumbed down. It offers far fewer options and keeps things simple. It gives you a tidy sandbox, but one has to play within its confines. Consequently, the breakdowns are few and far between, as everything has already been accounted for. Not so with the non-Mac universe, which is a democratic space where everyone can create a feature, product, or app to add to the universe. Since all permutations of compatibility can rarely be tested, glitches inevitably occur. If Windows lets you paint like Monet, and Android is as crazy as Picasso, Apple is then akin to a paint-by-numbers. 

This is what made me switch to MacBook in the first place—the quick start-up time, the speed of task execution, the bug-free functioning, and the sleek design. When I made the switch, MacBooks looked slick, like a bite of what the future would feel like. They weren’t selling me specs on a laptop; I was buying into a lifestyle statement. 

That gap with PCs has ever since not only diminished but PCs have possibly even taken over. Today, when people discuss sexy devices, from folding phones to laptops with double-touch screens, Apple is conspicuously absent from the conversation. The only reason that Apple users stick to their old faithful is because they imagine the switch to be utterly painful and agonising, a transition to bear. 

This is what had been holding me back, but then, in 2025, I decided to leap into uncharted waters. Will I end up forsaking the Apple universe for good, or will I come whimpering back to the comfort of the known? Only time would tell. 

My position as a columnist allowed me the privilege of tinkering with a few devices before I made the momentous decision about which way to sway.  

Right off the bat, I noticed these few things: 

1. PCs look way sexier. Gone are the days when they were seen as a symbol of corporate slavery, while the artistically inclined independent and freelance types touted Apples. It’s a level playing field now. In fact, given how expensive PC configs can be, having one is a sign of a successful freelance artist. 
2. PCs have the mousepad and keyboard shortcuts that Macs used to, but then, they also have touchscreens, and you might think, how much could one need that? Well, wait until you're filling out online forms or signing at the bottom of one. 
3. The boot-up lag is mostly gone. The startup time was no longer than that of my MacBook Air, possibly only a tad longer, but not noticeably so. 
4. The media sound is crisper and louder (across PCs from different brands). The video quality was great, although I am never a fan of glossy screens (nobody seems to make matte screens anymore). 
5. The incorporation of AI, especially in the new breed of laptops which have a dedicated NPU, frees up the CPU and GPU, thereby making them faster. 
6. The NPU not only makes these devices faster and more intuitive, but it also gives them super battery life, like almost three times what they used to. 
7. The AI functionality is a whole new universe to explore, and most systems allow you to choose which model algorithm you wish to interact with as your AI companion. The AI Playground by Intel ARC on the Dell XPS was a lovely place to explore, asking the engine to draw mythical creatures and ponder philosophical quandaries. 
8. One no longer needs an Apple device to enjoy Apple TV and Music subscriptions, so that’s a reason not to stay confined. 

One thing I realised, which had held me back previously, was the way keyboards feel under my fingers. The HP Envy Spectre has tiny island keys, which I didn’t enjoy as much, given their compact footprint, compared to, say, the ones on the ASUS or Dell XPS, which are larger and have a resounding click. Samsung devices are as close to a MacBook as it gets, in case someone wants to switch while sticking to a very similar layout. 

So, is there anything that still vindicates a MacBook, a reason to prefer them today in 2025? Well, all is not lost and here is what I still enjoy about Macs: 

1. Clutter-free layout and menu options. 
2. Good quality metal faux-monocoque body with a spacious yet ergonomic layout. 
3. Blazing fast when processing high-resolution graphics. 
4. The quality of the camera and mic is much better than most PCs, and this was noticeable during online meetings and presentations for all participants. 
5. The four most widely used software programs for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and emails are still free for Mac users. 
6. Some gestures are still unique to MacBooks, such as scribbling on the mousepad, which enlarges the cursor pointer to help you locate it more quickly on the screen. 

Which brings us to the verdict. What did I finally decide? I was quite apprehensive, and the transition period is still ongoing. I still flounder about, combing through menus, trying to find simple answers buried within complicated layers of menu options (or so it feels to me). However, I have changed, and it will require a revolutionary (and not just evolutionary) change at Apple to bring me back. For now, I am enjoying the new workspace and am still constantly amazed by how much efficient AI makes things easier for me daily.