Windows vs Mac For Internet Marketing

Windows vs Mac For Internet Marketing

This is an off-topic post and not a proper review (primarily because I don’t really have the technical knowledge to be able to review this kind of thing in great detail). However, I’d like to briefly touch on the age old debate of Windows vs Mac for Internet Marketing. Which one is actually better?

Benefits of Windows

  • Far more choice in terms of hardware. Whereas Macs are limited to a select few production models with a smattering of upgrades for each (and always at ludicrous prices) there is an endless array of hardware choices for Windows.
  • More low end options available. When you’re an up and coming Internet marketer, chances are you will probably be quite strapped for cash. Dropping big Gs on a Mac laptop or desktop probably won’t help your overall financial position … especially if you need to spend money on getting software, building sites and so on. With Windows you can buy a serviceable machine for next to nothing. You could probably buy something basic enough to get started for under $100 2nd hand (although you would be making serious compromises).
  • More SEO/marketing software available. Quite a few niche SEO and marketing software products are designed for Windows. This is often the case with programs that you have to install, as opposed to cloud-based software.

Benefits of Mac

  • Easier to use. I’ll probably get flamed for this by Windows fanboys … but I’ve always found Mac easier to use and I think a lot of other people do to. Something about the Mac OSX operating system just feels so “fluid”.
  • Generally more reliable. Once again, strong chance of me being flamed by fanboys here but I have always found Mac computers to be more reliable in the sense that they don’t seem to crash so much. Your mileage may vary, however.
  • Street cred. This sounds dumb for basement dwelling affiliate marketers – but if you’re out there running any type of agency or freelancing in any way that requires meeting clients, then rocking up with a nice Macbook Air or Pro (or maybe even one of those stupidly overpriced Macbooks) makes you look the part. Appearances are everything, and having a Mac laptop simply projects an air of success and quality.
  • Better for audio editing.  Depending on what type of Internet marketing you do, this may or may not be relevant. However, I have always found that Macs are better for audio editing and production as it seems to be easier to get things like microphones set up. For example, my Blue Microphones Yeti Pro is infuriating to set up on a Windows 10 machine, but works flawlessly without any setup required on Mac.

Conclusion

In the past 12 months I have used both Mac and Windows for my computing needs. As I outlined above, there are pros and cons for each operating system.

If your budget is limited, you want to be running lots of install software (e.g. something like Traffic Travis as opposed to cloud-based programs), and if you want to be able to do things like play games in your spare time, then I would have to recommend Windows. You can grab a laptop with a decent i5 or i7 processor, 8gb+ RAM and passable graphics for under $1000 somewhere like Amazon. Swap out a standard HDD for an SSD and you’re away laughing.

If you want a desktop machine, then Windows becomes an even better proposition in my opinion. Mac Minis aren’t that good value any more, and the iMac and Mac Pro are undeniably pricey. For the same price as a low spec iMac, you can have a powerful Windows desktop with a quality monitor – and you’ll be able to upgrade it in the future as well!

Of course my dream combo would be a powerful Windows desktop computer (I’d really like one of those 6 core i7s for audio and video processing … as well big framerates, as well as an ultrawide monitor and powerful graphics card) and then a Macbook Air or 13″ Pro for working on-the-go.

 

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