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A media access control (MAC) is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) for use as a network address in communications within a network segment. This use is common in most IEEE 802 networking technologies, including Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Macs are capable of all the same general functions as PCs, such as word processing, playing music and videos, games, accessing the internet, and more. Most features require different programs than those on a PC, however. Apple Macs have a number of advantages over PCs.
The term MAC may be defined as any of the following:
- MAC stands for media access control is an address, called hardware address and physical address. It is a type of address, which is given to all computers individually or on network devices, and it is exclusively arranged in hexadecimal format. It is not related to Apple Macintosh computers and is manufactured into every network card like a Wi-Fi card or an Ethernet card. Usually, it is assigned by a hardware manufacturer. MAC addresses are implemented in most network types, but they cannot be changed.
There are more than thousands of networkable devices available, and all devices need a unique MAC address and a wide range of possible addresses. Therefore, the six two-digit hexadecimal numbers are used to make the MAC addresses, and they are separated by colons. The given address is an example of a MAC address: E4-CE-D9-5D-46-11A Also, an Ethernet card may have a 00:0d:83:b1:c0:8e MAC address
- The term MAC is also used to describe Macintosh, which is the computer operating system for Apple Computers. Mac OS X is a desktop interface, which is a popular feature of its latest version. It runs older Mac applications as well as UNIX applications. When MS-DOS was the industry standard, the Mac OS was introduced and considered the pioneer of GUI-based operating systems. It is also able to offer services and functionality similar to Linux OS or Windows. Mac OS has some of the features and codebase of Lisa OS. Mac OS does not support x86 architecture by default and is designed to operate on Apple-manufactured PCs. It has released various versions till 2012, such as Mac OS X, Macintosh 128k, Mac OS X, Mac Mountain Lion, etc.
Is a Mac a PC?
In the realm of computers, the term PC has taken on two meanings. But they have exclusive definitions when they are related.
Originally, the term PC stands for a personal computer. It means a computer can be considered a PC or a personal computer when it comes to using it personally by a person. The computers used in the home or offices are considered personal computers. As Mac is designed for personal use; hence, based on this definition, a Mac computer is considered a PC.
However, the term PC became something more specific when the first computer, model number 5150, was introduced by IBM in August 1981. Since when the PC occupied the place of IBM-compatible computers. In modern times, if anyone talks about the PC in terms of computer, it is commonly referring to an IBM-compatible computer. So, a Mac computer is not IBM-compatible; hence, it is not considered a PC.
Although in most cases, the term PC is referring to IBM-compatible computers, it is still a short form for the personal computer. A Mac doesn’t run Microsoft Windows. Hence, in a specific sense, it is not a PC.
What is the Difference Between Mac and PC?
When the term Mac and PC come to computers, the difference between Mac and PC becomes one of the most controversial topics. IT started when IBM was not the king of Apple or Microsoft computers. The IBM PC encouraged IBM for a personal computer that began with the Altair 8800, and Apple and Commodore companies were being led.
Mostly, the Commodore became a two-company race due to it dropping out of the personal computer market. Between the legion of IBM-compatible computers and Apple’s Macintosh line of computers, it became a race that was often referred to as PCs. As Apple framed it, then you were able to buy a Mac and a PC.
How a Mac and a PC are Similar
Remember, a Mac is considered a PC when it is just installed with Mac OS. It is never more similar to Apple, which attempts the Mac to be thought of as something different compared to a PC. Both Mac OS and Windows can be installed on the iMac or MacBook; you can also switch between them or run Windows on top of Mac OS with the help of software like Fusion or Parallels (or can run side-by-side). There are various similarities between Mac and PC; such are as follows:
- They both are similar in terms of using basic hardware components.
- They both can support third-party keyboards and mice, as well as wireless mice and keyboards.
- They both include a similar user interface that has app icons on the desktop or enables users to store applications on their desktop, easily runs installed applications, and many other functions.
- Both Mac and PC allow users to use cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, Box.net, etc.
- They both consist of a virtual assistant; Windows-based PCs have Cortana and Mac has Siri.
- Web browsers, such as Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari are available for both Mac and PCs, one of the few popular browsers that are only Windows-like Edge browsers
How a Mac and a PC are Different
The Mac OS is capable of supporting the left and right-click for the mouse and also allows users to connect the mouse with Mac, which they use on their Windows PC, whereas Apple’s Magic Mouse looks like a single button; it generates right-click while clicking it from the right side.
The keyboard shortcuts are many difficult steps for people switching from the Windows interface to a Mac. If you are working on the Mac clipboard and you use the shortcut key Control+C to copy something, you see that Control+C does not work to copy anything to the clipboard. The Command+C is used to copy anything on the Mac. Although it looks very simple, it is not very easy to feel as natural as before. There are multiple terms for the difference between Mac and PC, which are described below:
Security
Mac: Traditionally, Mac is considered more secure as it has fewer security vulnerabilities. As compared to PCs running Windows, Macs receive fewer viruses. Based on the market rate, this number can be different as Apple’s computers are available only less than 10% of the market share. The result, showed PCs have more vulnerabilities, but PCs are the best target if anyone tries to unauthorized or illegal access most computers.
PC: Computers running some versions of Microsoft Windows are becoming the main target for attackers as they are used by most people today. It is being said that Windows computers had more security vulnerabilities in the past compared to Apple computers.
Bottom line: In this category, Mac wins. However, there have made substantial improvements in security in newer editions of Windows. But due to most malware being created for PCs, the security issues are less with a Mac.
Software
For Mac, the different software titles have increased over the years. However, when it comes to gaming, Windows are conquered by the computer software market. Due to the much larger user base, developers are more motivated to develop the software for PCs.
Bottom line: Due to the overall availability of software and free programs, PC wins in this category.
Price
Mac: It is considered by many people that for a Mac computer, “you get what you pay for,” as compared to a PC, a Mac computer comes along with its peripherals. But it is much more costly from a dollar to a performance viewpoint.
PC: Many PCs are much less expensive as compared to Mac, including their peripherals. As compared to others, they are especially cheaper.
Bottom line: When comparing all computers and hardware, the PC wins this category. In some cases, a PC can be costly if you compare only high-end hardware.
Operating system
When it comes to comparing the operating system, it is just like comparing the apple and oranges. Both operating systems, macOS and Windows 10, are highly capable, fast, clean, and simple operating systems. It comes down to the user’s specific requirements and personal preferences.
Ecosystem
Mac: Apple created a strong ecosystem with its products, such as Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad. If you purchase an Apple computer, it helps you to communicate with other Apple products with the help of Mac OS.
PC: With the Xbox and Microsoft Office, Microsoft has a strong ecosystem. However, Microsoft must rely on Android devices and have no mobile products. Additionally, like Apple’s product ecosystem, other manufacturers product’s ecosystem is not as cohesive.
Bottom line: In this category, Mac wins but situationally.
Boot time
Bottom line: As compared to PC, Macs were faster to boot up. The operating system, Windows 10, performs is faster in some cases comparing macOS. The type of hard drive a computer uses is the single biggest component that helps to reduce boot time. Although PCs and Macs have SSDs available to them, they have much faster options than built PCs.
Drivers
Mac: Apple is the sole manufacturer of most of the hardware and these computers, which offers an advantage to Mac. As the result, Apple can maintain and control most of its drivers.
PC: PCs need numerous drivers because they are built by various manufacturers with interchangeable components. Although plug and play offer the advantage that it has made it easy to install hardware easily, all manufacturers are required to maintain drivers, and all hardware still requires drivers.
Gaming
The interest of computer game companies has increased in Macs over the years. Although developers are more motivated to create gaming software for Windows, it has also owned 90% of the market share.
Bottom line: Due to the wide development of gaming software for Windows operating systems by developers, PCs win this category.
Repair costs
Mac: Apple always tries to make its products as compact as possible and lines as sleek. For doing that, they integrate their components continuously. Therefore, these computers require more cost when they need to be repaired. Also, Apple products are not easy or common to repair anywhere, like other products, which makes it harder to get your computer fixed. For other company products like Microsoft products, you can easily find any showroom or shop anywhere to repair these products.
PC: Desktop PCs can be repaired very easily by any local computer repairing shop. However, there are some models of PCs and laptops that can be difficult and expensive as an Apple laptop.
Bottom line: As it is easier to repair a PC as compared to Mac; thus, the PC wins this category.
Support
Mac: Apple can provide much assistance when needing technical help or support with your Mac, which is not available with PCs. Because when users have any problems regarding their Apple products, they only need to deal with Apple as its products are designed and built only by Apple. Additionally, for Apple products, Apple has a lot of stores all over the world that provides in-person help and support.
PC: With PCs, the support can be hit or miss based on the OEM and the kind of problem you are having if you purchase an OEM PC (e.g., Dell or HP). Although there are a lot of shops that repair computer problems, they offer no training and can be unsuitable for repairing a brand of computer. Finally, you will deal with a lot of different manufacturers for support if you build your computer.
Touch capability
Mac does not offer touch screen capability when it comes to desktop and laptop computers. It provides Touch Bar on some MacBooks, Whereas PCs come with touch capability. Thus, PCs win this category.
Additional disclaimers
All PCs are not the same
All the PCs are not the same; there are multiple models of computers and different PC manufacturers which means every PC has not all things or does not apply to every PC, which is mentioned above. Hence, all PCs are not the same.
My Apple can run Windows
All stated above may not apply to your Mac because Microsoft Windows can run on Apple computers with the help of using Boot Camp. Also, by using Boot Camp, on the Mac, you may be able to run the newest games. However, Boot Camp is not perfect and is not completely able to run every game on the computer until PC games have not developed compatible with Apple hardware. Thus, it is much more possible to have performance problems and encounter issues.
Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10
Windows XP has passed 18 years in the market. Therefore, if you compare a Windows XP computer with a new iMac with macOS, it is just like comparing an old model of car with the latest model of car, e.g., Maruti 800 compared with Ferrari or another new model of car. If you are comparing any computer, it is the right way to compare a new model of a computer with similar hardware components.
Some people do not like Windows or macOS
Some people don’t like any type of operating system, Apple macOS or Microsoft Windows. It is completely dependent on the users which one OS they want to use; if they do not like using Microsoft Windows, get a Mac, and if they do not like using macOS, get a PC accordingly.
Some major key points of MAC vs. PC are given below:
- PCs are the best target for accessing unauthorized or illegal functionalities. However, most viruses and malware are specially written for the Mac.
- Windows-based PCs are less expensive compared to Macs because they are designed and built by many different manufacturers, such as Dell, HP, Acer, Sony, Lenovo, etc.
- Macs are much more costly comparing PCs, as they are designed and built only by Apple. But they offer better stability as the tighter control of the hardware leads to fewer problems.
- For gaming, Microsoft Windows offers better support. It also comprises support for Oculus Rift or HTC Vive and other Virtual Reality hardware.
- Although for Windows-based PC, it is much easier to upgrade it part by part, most people find it an appropriate solution to purchase a new Pc rather than upgrade it. But with the help of upgrading the graphics used by games, techies can enhance the longevity of their computers, the storage capacity used by music, movies, and other media, and the RAM with the help of using applications.
Difference between Windows and macOS
1. Windows: Windows is a group of various proprietary graphical operating systems which is provided by Microsoft Incorporation. It is also known as Microsoft Windows. It currently includes Windows NT and Windows IoT as members of its family. Earlier it included Windows 9x, Windows Mobile, and Windows Phone which is no longer in use. It is the most used operating system in personal computers. The first version of Windows was launched by Microsoft in 1985. The most recent version of Windows for personal computers is Windows 11.
2. macOS: macOS is a series of proprietary graphical operating systems which is provided by Apple Incorporation. It was earlier known as Mac OS X and later OS X. It is specifically designed for Apple Mac computers. It is based on Unix operating system. It was developed using C, C++, Objective-C, assembly language, and Swift. It is the second most used operating system in personal computers after Windows. The first version of macOS was launched by Apple in 2001. The latest stable version of macOS is 10.15.1 which is also known as Catalina.
Difference between Windows and macOS :
| WINDOWS | MARCOS |
|---|---|
| It was developed and is owned by Microsoft Incorporation. | It was developed and is owned by Apple Incorporation. |
| It was launched in 1985. | It was launched in 2001. |
| It is designed for PC of all companies. | It is specifically designed for Apple Mac computers. |
| The current stable version is Windows 11. | The current stable version is mac 12.0.1 (Monterey). |
| It is for workstations, personal computers, media centers, tablets, and embedded systems. | Its target system type is a workstation, personal computers, and embedded systems. |
| Computer architectures supported by Windows are IA-32, x86-64, IA-64, ARM, Alpha, MIPS, and PowerPC. | Computer architectures supported are x86-64(10.4.7-present), IA-32(10.4.4-10.6.8) and PowerPC(10.0-10.5.8). |
| File systems supported are NTFS, FAT, ISO 9660, UDF, HFS+, FATX, and HFS. | File systems supported are HFS+, APFS, HFS, UFS, AFP, ISO 9660, FAT, UDF, NFS, SMBFS, NTFS, FTP, WebDAV and ZFS. |
| Kernel type is Hybrid with modules here. | Kernel type is Hybrid with modules here also. |
| Package management is MSI or custom installer. | Package management is a macOS installer. |
| Update management is Windows Update. | Update management is Software Update. |
| The native APIs are Win32 and NT API. | The native APIs are Carbon, Cocoa, Java, and BSD-POSIX. |
Comparison chart
| Mac | ||
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Short form for “Macintosh” and refers to any computer produced by Apple, Inc. | Refers to any computer running IBM-Based (Windows, Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD) operating systems. stands for “Personal Computer” |
| Cost | Macs start at $699 for the Mac mini desktop, $999 for the Macbook Air notebook, and $1299 for the 24-inch M1 iMac. Macs are often more expensive than comparable PCs, but the M1 models, offer much higher performance. | Compared to a Mac, Windows and Windows-associated hardware is cheaper, and you can build your own for even less money. Comparable computers running Windows can be found around 40% cheaper than a Mac. |
| Manufacturer | Apple, Inc. | Several companies: HP, Toshiba, Dell, Lenovo, Samsung, Acer, Gateway, etc. |
| Development and Distribution | Macs are developed and distributed by Apple Inc. | PCs are manufactured and distributed by hundreds of manufacturers. |
| Company / developer | Apple, Inc. | Microsoft (Windows), Ubuntu (Linux), Sun (Solaris), etc. |
| Gaming | Not as many games are made natively for the Mac, although in recent years, many more applications are released for them. The App Store is a hub for users to download games from. | The library of games available for the PC is exhaustive, and hardware specifically tweaked for gaming performance is much more readily available for Windows. The array of graphics cards and upgradability also favor Windows-based computers. |
| User | Home users and businesses (mainly in the creative department) | Home users and businesses |
| Available language(s) | Multilingual | Must purchase a different OS Version, but has multiple languages available. |
| OS family | Unix-like (BSD>Darwin>Mac) | Windows, Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, etc. |
| Latest Operating System | macOS Monterey (version 12.2.1) | Windows 11 (version 21H2) |
| Popular Applications | Final Cut Pro X, Logic Pro, Photos, iMovie, GarageBand, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Safari, Mail, Messages, FaceTime, Calendar, Contacts, App Store, iTunes, iBooks, Maps, Photo Booth, Time Machine. | MS Office, Internet Explorer, Media Player, Media Center, Windows Defender, SkyDrive, VLC media player, Chrome browser |
| Compatibility | Can open almost all PC files and can coexist on local networks with PCs. Can open .doc, .exe (as a compressed bundle), .xls, and others. Software exists for other file types. Can also run Windows on a Mac for 100% compatibility. | Mac-based files (.DMG) cannot be opened on PCs natively, but you can install software that can read, and possibly write Mac-based files on a PC. |
| Supported architectures | Intel processors, Apple Silicon M1 | Intel and AMD processors |
| Market Reach | Attracts graphic designers, video and music producers, tech journalists, app developers, etc. | Wide reach to all strata. Business users tend to use Windows hardware due to compatibility. |
| Virus Attacks | Since Macs are not as popular as PCs, there is less malware written to target them, although the threat of malicious software is growing as their popularity increases. | Being the popular desktop choice, most virus writers target Windows systems, however, Linux often has less malware. |
| Compatible Operating Systems | macOS, Windows (through VirtualBox, Parallels, or Boot Camp [Intel-based Mac only]), Linux | Various |
| Performance | Apple controls the hardware & software, so every Mac offers tight integration of the two, which leads to greater stability and performance despite on-paper specs often inferior to comparably priced PCs. | Different OEMs and even custom-built PCs might not have the suitable drivers released for every component in each OS version, incompatibilities can occur that adversely impact overall stability and performance. |
| Repairs | Apple Stores offer troubleshooting and carry-in service. AppleCare can extend the warranty. Third-party specialist repair shops also offer repair services. | Any knowledgeable person can perform repairs and upgrades. Local computer-help stores can also be contacted for repairs. OEMs and component shops provide a limited warranty. |
| Programs and apps | Same as gaming, limited choice due to user range. | Same as gaming, excess choice due to user range. |
| Piracy Prevention | Activation is not required, can reinstall as many times as needed. | Windows has a unique activation key for each package distribution, and lots of custom and OEM PC appear, so genuine checking become important. Linux, Solaris, and FreeBSD are free and no need for those keys. |
| Customizability | Limited | Extensive |
| Messaging | Messages (using iMessage, Google Talk, etc.) | Skype, Facebook, and Twitter |
| Voice commands | Siri | Cortana |
| Maps | Yes | Yes |
| Internet browsing | Safari, Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi, Tor | Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi, Tor |
| App store | App Store | Microsoft Store (8 and later, formerly Windows Store) |
| Widgets | Yes | Yes |
| Working state | Current | Current |
| Interface | Mouse, keyboard, trackpad, other peripherals | Mouse, keyboard, trackpad, other peripherals |
| Has Registry | No | Yes |
| Overclockable | No | Yes, depends on the CPU, GPU, and Motherboard |
