Choosing between operating systems is not a new problem, it has been around for some decades. But the latest versions of software and hardware offer new options to consumers at all levels of price and experience.
Windows and Mac have been in active development for decades, and if you're looking for a computer for the job, the odds are that you're going to go for one or the other. Chrome OS, a Linux-based system developed by Google, is more of an anomaly. It is based on Google's Chrome browser, with much of the same interface and a web-centric design. It's not for the typical user, but Google has been constantly improving it in recent years, and it's worth considering for a broader user base.
Windows 10
Pros
- The best selection of software and the widest variety of hardware
- Can work on desktops, laptops and tablets
- Easily the best choice for players
- Works with almost all accessories
- Biennial updates present new features
Cons
- Faster update the schedule can get confusing
- Compatibility problems with some hardware
- Different versions create confusion
- Microsoft fight by getting modern written applications
Windows 10 from Microsoft owns approximately 90 percent of the desktop and laptop market worldwide. The reasons are complicated, but we can divide it into two factors: hardware and software variety.
Because Microsoft sells Windows licenses to more or less any PC manufacturer to load on desktop computers, laptops, tablets and everything else, you can get a Windows machine in almost any size, shape or price range. Microsoft even sells Windows by itself, so consumers and businesses can manually upload it to their hardware. That wide-open approach has allowed him to conquer all competitors in recent decades.
Due to its availability and longevity around the world, Windows also has the largest software library on the planet. Windows users do not get every new application that hits the market, but even those that do not initially receive tend to come to Windows over time. Consumer, media, company, games, it does not matter; If you want the most complete range of capabilities, Windows is the way to go.
At least, that's true of the traditional desktop applications written for Microsoft's venerable Win32 platform, such as its own Office suite 2016. Today, the company made a massive bet on its Windows 10 application platform, called Universal Windows Platform (UWP), which aims to be Microsoft's response to mobile applications with low battery consumption, safe and easy to manage on iOS and Android. However, UWP has not taken off, and that leaves Microsoft somewhat precariously between the old and the new.
Works with all
Windows also boasts of compatibility with the wider range of hardware. That is an important consideration if you want to play high-intensity graphics games or work with high-power software for media, video editing or computer-aided design. There is no Chrome operating system that offers high-end desktop hardware, and MacOS recently received ultra-powerful and up-to-date hardware on the iMac Pro.
In addition, the Windows PC ecosystem has exploded in terms of the different types of form factors available to buyers. There are traditional and traditional desktop computers, which are more powerful and of higher quality than ever, and their price ranges from a few hundred dollars for the options of initial level and even thousands for premium machines. The 2-in-1 market is probably the most intriguing development, since it allows users to access a large number of fascinating devices that can switch from laptops to touch tablets and with a pen rotating the screen, tearing it off or taking it off. .
Although most accessories are universal since the introduction of the USB standard, Windows still technically boasts the highest compatibility with third-party add-ons, as well. Almost any mouse, keyboard, webcam, storage unit, graphics tablet, printer, scanner, microphone, monitor or other application you want to add to your computer will work with Windows, something that can not always be said about Mac. And it is even more true for Chrome OS.
Windows also gets universal and updated drivers, some provided by Microsoft and some developed by the same hardware manufacturers, at a much more frequent rate than the alternatives. The bottom line is that if you want to use it, then Windows 10 is the best you can.
Quick and significant updates
If you have not used Windows in a few years, then you can associate it with slow and lukewarm progress. That is not true anymore. With Windows 10, Microsoft committed to more timely updates. And it has been executed.
In fact, those who want to access the cutting edge, or to the limit, can join the free program Insider, which publishes new updates almost every week. People with access to privileged information have access to solutions, adjustments and important new features that add up over time. Insiders not only gain immediate access to the latest capabilities, but also help set up the operating system by providing continuous feedback to Microsoft.
In one of the most recent official updates, for example (update of Windows 10 Fall Creators), Microsoft added a series of new features and renewed the user interface. In April 2018, Microsoft is ready to launch the Windows Update on April 10, 2018, which adds a powerful new productivity feature called Timeline, which allows users to go back in time to collect tasks and applications.
In general terms, Microsoft committed to a biannual update schedule that provides a new major version every April and October, more or less, and that means that Windows 10 never becomes obsolete. Over time, this quick update policy has given Windows 10 an advantage over MacOS, which is updated every year, but usually with only one or two significant new features. Chrome OS is also rapidly updated, but Google rarely introduces important new features, which has slowed down progress in relation to Windows and MacOS. The fast update cycle of Windows 10 means getting used to new features and being exposed to possible errors more frequently, but so far Windows users seem to prefer compensation.
Compatibility problems and version confusion
Windows has also had the reputation of being less secure than MacOS and Chrome OS, simply because it is the most used desktop operating system and therefore the most specific. Windows includes numerous tools and protections from Microsoft to prevent and eliminate viruses and other threats, and there are also third-party tools available. Therefore, Windows 10 is much more secure than it was despite being still the most attacked operating system; it is simply no longer the security risk that it once had.
The wide variety of Windows hardware can also cause problems. The complex system of Windows drivers can cause system errors that the user must diagnose and resolve, and frequent Microsoft updates can break software or devices that have not been considered or anticipated. For that reason, Windows is harder to manage for the typical user, although the Windows update infrastructure integrated in Windows 10 makes things easier than they were in the old days of searching the web for updates.
Finally, Microsoft has created something of a confusing situation with its "Windows 10 S" initiative. Microsoft originally introduced Windows 10 S as a locked, secure, high-performance version of Windows 10 for schools and other environments where administrators did not want users to make changes to the operating system. And, Windows 10 S only ran UWP applications except Microsoft Office 2016, which meant easier administration and better security compared to installing applications from anywhere and outside the UWP sandbox.
Microsoft abandoned Windows 10 S as a standalone version shortly after introduction, however, and instead renamed it as a "mode" of Windows 10. In general, it is a confusing situation that creates some uncertainty about where to go. directs Microsoft exactly with Windows 10.
Is it Windows for you?
Windows is in a better position than a few years ago. The newer version, Windows 10, is more elegant and easier to understand than previous editions, and receives frequent updates.
The problem of complexity does remain. You are likely to find more errors with Windows than with your competition. But these errors are rarely the fatal errors that used to drag Windows systems, and are balanced by features and hardware compatibility that simply is not available with Microsoft competence.
Read our full review of Windows 10