Backstory/Context: My wife is an aspiring writer and wants to self-publish a novel that she’s been writing. Currently she’s typing on my old Asus ROG gaming laptop that I no longer use. It’s (barely) running Windows Vista, it was built with Crysis in mind (really shows you how old it is), it’s bulky & heavy, and the battery is completely dead (no longer charges)
Originally, I wanted to get her a MacBook because she can switch between MacOS and Windows (via Boot Camp) to get the best of both worlds, that’s until I found out Boot Camp no longer works/exists. I also felt sticking with the Apple ecosystem might be better in the long run, allowing her to sync her iPhone, use iMessage/FaceTime/iCloud etc… when she’s not near her phone, better laptop design & portability.
I’ve been using MacBooks since Leopard-era and have experience with Apple computers before (candy colored iMac and 5200LC) so I know my way around an Apple keyboard & the shortcuts.
She, on the other hand, has only used Windows.
Definitely looking for laptop recommendations in general. Sure, it might be bias to post this in an Apple community but as an Apple user, I’d like to hear other opinions. Maybe there’s a Windows laptop with a similar feel/design of a MacBook? Perhaps the MacBook is the better choice?
Might be worth mentioning that I’ve heard horror stories about people finding spyware on Windows laptops (I think Dell/Alienware was the big one) and I’m totally out of the laptop game.
I can only give my perspective as a developer switching from windows to Mac (I had the surface book and switched to the M1 Pro MBP. I still also use a Windows pc at home daily since I game a bit.
I really did enjoy my surface book, it had great battery, great display, was versatile, the surface pen was nice. However, I don’t think I’ll ever go back to a windows laptop. At least for me, my MBP has a level of polish that is quite hard to find. MacOS is fine for me, I got used to it and I don’t have any complaints, it has its pros and cons compared to windows, what’s new.
I do feel like your wife would probably enjoy the experience of a 14 or 15 inch MacBook Air. I think they are incredible value due to how powerful they are but also how power efficient they are. Standby on Macs is particularly amazing.
I can only guess, but I think the workflow of a Mac will probably suite a writer better than on windows. I feel Finder in macOs to be more friendly and easier to use, Stage Manager might be useful if she switches between a few apps while writing, and I just feel like a MacBook Air is really an excellent All-Rounder of a laptop.
What do you actually gain from using apple products besides the debatably better build quality? I personally think the keyboards now are obnoxious.
Unbeaten battery life and out of integration of her iPhone (where she most likely dumps her ideas)
What do you actually need the battery life for?
Umm… using the mac on the Go?
Obviously my first point is take her to a Microcenter or something and test them out. Every keyboard has different travel distance and resistance.
I write in my m1 MacBook Pro. When I type very fast I sometimes worry I’m clipping under the keys. Other than that, I love it. Ive written way more since I got it, and the feel of the laptop is perfect. There are some solid windows laptops for typing too. Ultimately, for a writer, it’s going to come down to what keyboard she likes the feel of. It’s hard to write when it feels like a chore because I hate the keyboard (the old butterfly switches for example, I could NOT use.
Just get the cheapest M1 Air you can find.
There’s pros and cons to both platforms and there’s plenty of people willing to argue each side. I wouldn’t necessarily focus on this as much as trying to find the laptop she’s most physically comfortable typing on. Also for an aspiring writer you may want to look into a screen that’s easy on the eyes over long periods.
macOS and Pages have long been many writer’s tools of choice. If you wife really wants windows or a windows app (or just a safety net while learning), Windows ARM can be downloaded for free and only has the following restrictions without a paid license:
- cannot set a custom background
- the occasional watermark appears telling you to activate windows
Everything else works fine.
You can install UTM or the free version of VMware Fusion (current Tech Preview supports 3D video acceleration and fast drag and drop file transfer), allowing your wife to have a fully-functional Windows environment.
And the new MacBooks are incredibly fast and energy efficient. If all she’s doing is living in a word processor a MacBook Air will be more than enough, and should go about a full day or more on a single charge. Obviously with a windows VM the battery life will be slightly worse, but nowhere near as bad as many flagship windows laptops.
If all she’s doing is living in a word processor, she can use a tablet with a keyboard, or any old laptop with Debian/Ubuntu and LibreOffice on it.
