This article attempts to address the "age" old question: Mac versus PC? And while the information may be a bit dated - this article dates back to 2011 after all - I believe most of the main points still stand today.
Using laptop computers of a similar design, the research team put both devices through a battery of tests meant to determine which computer was ultimately better. The tests were conducted in three different areas: User experience, hardware / price and software availability.
The user experience was very insightful. While "gamers" were aware of specific hardware limitations in both machines, most users noted aesthetic differences in the operating systems. It would appear the greatest determining factor is a consumers familiarity and comfort with their machine. In other words, if you prefer the organizational ease of a Mac, you'll stay with the Mac, and vice versa.
While an argument can be made for the well-built design of the Mac, the hardware / price category went to the PC for its extensive adaptability. PCs can be modified in hardware, applications, ports and device. That with a markedly higher price tag for the Mac seemed to set the PC as the winner in this bracket.
Finally, the software availability seemed to be a bit of a tossup. The Mac offered more built in applications and features, but the PC has endless amount of content available online.
All in all, the author believed both machines were of tremendous ability with only the inflated price of the Mac as a determining factor in which computer to buy. Still, at the end of the day, the PC was the winner by a hair.
I found this article to be quite interesting. We are facing a similar situation in our school. Our current Fine Arts curriculum is based around the Mac Desktops we currently have in our labs, while tech and administration would like to move to the more "network friendly" PCs. This article provided some much needed insight into this subject and helped solidify some of the research my colleagues and I have been conducting.
