Buying guide
Windows vs macOS vs ChromeOS
The operating system matters more than the brand. Pick the one that runs what you need, then pick the laptop.
| Windows 11 | macOS | ChromeOS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laptop choice | Huge: every price and size | MacBook Air and Pro only | Many brands, mostly budget to mid-range |
| Software | Runs almost everything, including most specialist and business apps | Excellent creative apps; some Windows-only software won’t run | Web apps and Android apps; no traditional desktop software |
| Gaming | Best by far | Improving, still limited | Cloud gaming only, really |
| Ease of use | Familiar, occasionally nagging | Polished, works well with iPhone | Simplest of the three |
| Maintenance | Updates, drivers and preinstalled extras to manage | Low | Very low: automatic updates, hard to break |
| Good for | Almost everyone, gamers, business | Creatives, iPhone users, battery-life fans | Kids, schoolwork, browsing, second laptops |
Choose Windows if…
You need specific software (accounting packages, CAD, many work apps), you want to game, or you want the widest choice of laptops at every price. Note that some Windows laptops now use Arm-based Snapdragon chips: great battery life, and most apps run fine, but check any niche software or older hardware drivers first.
Choose macOS if…
You have an iPhone, you care about battery life and build quality, or you work in creative apps. MacBooks hold their value well and are supported with updates for many years.
Choose ChromeOS if…
Almost everything you do is in a web browser. Chromebooks boot in seconds, update themselves and are very resistant to malware. Check the automatic update expiry date for a model before buying, and look for the “Chromebook Plus” badge if you want a faster one.