The Best Alternatives to Apple’s Mac and MacBook

Venture Capital June 06, 2019 (0)

Another WWDC has come and gone, leaving in its wake an impressively powerful piece of hardware: the new Mac Pro. But while the Mac Pro will make some creative professionals happy, the machine’s $5,999 sticker price may send others looking for alternatives.

Truth is, while the Mac Pro now leads the pack, many other Macs have been left behind by cheaper, better options on the Windows PC side of the fence. With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of excellent Windows and one Linux-based alternatives to the most popular Mac models, from low-end machines to beastly 32-core prosumer rigs.

Sure, macOS has its advantages, but Windows 10 is a mature, stable platform that’s updated and improved on the regular. Switching to PCs means you’ll be able to grab the latest and greatest computers at a wide array of prices from any number of PC manufacturers, without having to light prayer candles at a shrine dedicated to Steve Wozniak.

Apple’s most portable notebooks are in an awkward spot. It’s been a while since the MacBook got a hardware update, and keyboard problems have continually crept back into the news cycle in the last couple years. Apple recently extended its warranty program on those faulty keyboards, but the MacBook’s single USB-C port still feels limiting.

The Microsoft Surface 2 Laptop is a solid substitute for the portable MacBook. You get newer chips, a brilliant 13-inch display, a wonderful keyboard, and an eye-catching design. Starting at $999, it’s a premium notebook without the performance drawbacks of what Apple’s offering right now.

After years of neglect, the MacBook Air was updated in 2018 with a refined look, improved specs, and a high-resolution display.

There are many great laptops out there, but its best Windows equal may be the 2019 Dell XPS 13. If you opt for the touch model, you’ll get a screen that Apple’s 13-inch models can’t match, along with a new processor and a solid keyboard, all in an ultra-slim package that still manages to offer 3 USB-C ports. The XPS 13 recently saw a minor redesign that moved the much-maligned nose cam from the bottom of the screen up to the top, where it should have been all along. That eliminates our main gripe and makes the XPS 13 an excellent MacBook alternative. The XPS 13 starts at $899 and manages to outclass Apple’s 13-inch offerings.