Notebookcheck's Top Windows alternatives to Apple's MacBook series

[Redaktion]

Mac? No, thanks. Apple's laptops continue to be popular. This is not surprising, since the "Pros" and "Airs" could overall convince in our reviews. However, there are few laptops for Windows users which are quite similar to their counterparts from Cupertino. Here you will find the best devices from the Windows world competing with the Apple portfolio.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Notebookcheck-s-Top-Windows-alternatives-to-Apple-s-MacBook-series.129395.0.html

[gary sharp]

Apart from good build and design, technically MACs are also rans... if you are more concerned with style over substance get a Mac... Notebookcheck seems to rate Style over Substance highly also. Macs have vastly limited software choice... slower and older processors, no GPUs (Iris does not cut it and GT750 is a joke compared to GTX970s in the lastest slim notebooks...). Personally, I have little regard for those who choose style over substance.. it just highlights how stupid they are... a bit like Tokyo officials getting Hadid to design their 2020 Olympic Stadium.. :)

[joe galamb]

"slower and older processors"?
MacBook Pro 13 has neither faster nor newer alternatives at all. They aren't even much cheaper. I think the 13" Pro is a pretty good offer.

[matteventu]

UX305UA is not 12mm thick, that one is UX305CA (12.3mm).

[Ruturaj]

I am not a a fan of macbooks, but they are pretty good machines, all listed macbook 13 alternatives have processors with 15 w TDP, while macbook has 28W TDP processors. They make significant difference, given windows is more power hungry as well (I am mainly a Linux user). All 15 inch listed except XPS have 15W TDP Dual core processors when macbook has Quad core 45W TDP processor. XPS is only good alternative which falls behind macbook 15 in only few thing, keyboard and storage, but has few better parts and mainly for me upgradability and repairability. I can hold on for few months then going to buy newer version of XPS or thinkpad T series P model.

[Ruturaj]

Shouldn't the FHD model of XPS also be in list which scored 88%

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Dell-XPS-15-9550-Core-i7-FHD-Notebook-Review.158875.0.html

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Honestly, how can a computer's brand become such a big thing? Answer: it has become a cult, not based on quality (Apple devices have enough quality, but their prices are way too high) but on the way it looks: hey! I have an iPhone, and an iPad, and a MacBook Pro Retina... It is sad.

[dthrp]

@Tyrone Slothrop:
That's the unfortunate reality of modern consumerism culture. There's a general lack of education on how to make rational purchase decisions, but rather people are encouraged to accept advertising that is mostly lies and deceit. On top of that, development of technology makes people feel insecure, thus they become overly attached to products including machines. Too many are obsessed with the "aesthetics" of a thing, merely a tool and a sticker. Remember a firm doesn't care about its staff, customers, products, or how much it sells. It only cares about one thing: profit. For them, that justifies a means to an end.

[Paul Parsons]

I am what we call a computer design geek totally agnostic to the Pc vs. Mac war. Does program in python (mostly ML), do some photo gig to make money and play video games when I have time. I never bought something new or at full price and use ebay/cragislist pretty much for everything.
So I own 4 computers:
- a macbook pro mid-2014 15inch fully loaded
- a razer blade 2014
- a windows pc oc i7-6700k with two gtx 1080 sli in a s340 case, kraken x62, totally silent. samsing 960 pro, 32gb of ram
- a hackintosh i5-4690k with gtx 970m in a s340 case

In term of usage i used the macbook pro more than anything, always the first one i will grab for any common task (usage 50% of the time). The hackintosh is for the money making workflow (25%). the pc is for gaming (25%). the razor is for sale.(0%)

i tried to understand why? because i actually like windows 10 and my pc is the fastest machine, no joke. the reason workflow, simplicity and integration. i still do not experience the same thing in the windows world.

1 - hardware wise, the freaking mac trackpad is a beast, i cannot believe that they have not caught up yet on windows, what freaking secret has apple that they cannot copy? for the rest you can have the same on a windows machine.
2 - power management (at least until 2015), literally amazing on a mac.
3 - the fact that you have less software is actually a plus make my life easier, because i can rely on the community of people using the same and making stuff for it  faster than in the pc world
4 - unix and brew, there are windows alternative but let's be real brew on mac is amazing.
5 - perception of speed ( i say perception because it is not really faster benchmark wise) but everything seems fast to me and i have a 2014 mac.

I would hackintosh my gaming machine but the config is not adequate

[David414]

Apart from good build and design, technically MACs are also rans... if you are more concerned with style over substance get a Mac... Notebookcheck seems to rate Style over Substance highly also. Macs have vastly limited software choice... slower and older processors, no GPUs (Iris does not cut it and GT750 is a joke compared to GTX970s in the lastest slim notebooks...). Personally, I have little regard for those who choose style over substance.. it just highlights how stupid they are... a bit like Tokyo officials getting Hadid to design their 2020 Olympic Stadium.. :)

So I don't think it is nice to assume that people who have Macs are stupid. People with a Macbook Pro obviously prefer the amazing trackpad and one of the brightest IPS displays with great colors. I would say to be truly unbiased, you would have to research both sides of the table.

[David414]

Macbooks don't have GPUs, all other Macs have dedicated GPU options

[senzen]

It would be better to begin with equivalent displays, both in resolution and colour accuracy, no point in involving 1080p laptops. If you don't need that (and most people don't) then you'd compare with the Macbook Air, at a lower price point.

Then include the stability of drivers, the cost of security solutions, the time dedicated to keep an eye on these, the risk of having your computer fail when you need it, or the time required to configure a Linux distro if you can't stomach Windows, to match MacOS. Some of us are willing to spend the time and tinker to get there, Apple's target segment doesn't and will pay gladly. This would serve your normal readers better, as opposed to those who only care about tech specs.

On the positive side you can have better keyboards, more ports, laptops that turn into tablets.

I find Apple's prices ridiculous but what's even worse is the state of the entire PC industry that is is unable to produce secure, reliable, durable computers.

[nik]

acer v3-372-57cw !
iris 550, i5-6267u, 13.3 lighweight, nice fullhd screen
about 600 euro...

[Tim Cookie]

How could any of those possibly an alternative when none of them run OSX?