College is back in session, which implies it’s time to go laptop buying. When buying a brand-new system, choosing the appropriate operating system is the most important choice to make. As much as we love the hardware, Operating System plays a vital role in deciding the ultimate laptop for your college. The final decision for your laptop will mostly be decided on the Operating system and one out of three Windows Vs macOS vs Linux contenders are likely to be your laptop.
There are three leading laptop os: Windows, macOS, and Linux. It’s important to understand each of their pros and cons prior to buying your next laptop since no solitary operating system is the best for every trainee. So which of these running systems– Windows 10, macOS, or Linux OS– should you opt for? Let us discuss with a short overview of all three operating systems so you could decide which one fits your requirement. Continue reading to figure out.
General Comparison
- Linux: Linux was originally developed at Finnish University by Linus Torvalds and was released in 1991 as an OS designed for GNU developers. It is open to consumers and everyone can use it as per their specifications.
- Windows: Windows was first released in 1985 by Microsoft corporation and was supposed to be a graphical user interface on top of MS-DOS that relied on command line input. Its development was headed by Microsoft’s founder Bill Gates. It was a huge success and led to Windows All features of MS-DOS were later integrated with the Windows 95 release.
- macOS: The Macintosh operating system from Apple stands older than Windows. It was first released on January 24, 1984, by the visionary Steve Jobs. It began as a graphical user interface right from its inception. The design and structure of MAC OS were changed to Intel x86 based architecture in 2005.
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Command Terminal
- Linux: Linux provides a terminal that can be found at: Applications -> System or Applications -> Utilities. There is also a shell prompt in Linux. The most common shell used is bash which defines how the terminal will behave and look when it is run.
- Windows: Windows uses a command prompt or Windows command processor to execute commands and different batch files. The command prompt can also be used to troubleshoot any windows issue as well as for administrative purposes. To open the command prompt you can either search for it or press Windows + R on the keyboard.
- macOS: macOS has a console, command line, prompt, and terminal. Command-line allows you to type your commands. The prompt will provide you with some information and also allow you to run commands. A terminal is an actual interface that provides the modern graphical user interface as well. To open the terminal, go to Applications -> Utilities.
Security
- Linux: Linux is more secure than Windows and macOS and hackers or virus developers find it quite difficult to break through a Linux based system. Linux has a wealth of options to sandbox any process and it does not provide admin access to its users by default thereby preventing users from clicking on links and downloading files indiscriminately.
- Windows: Windows is the most used operating system in the world making it one of the prime targets for hackers, virus, and malware attackers. Windows 10 comes with a free built-in Antivirus suite known as Windows Defender which is quite competent at detecting commodity malware through the use of signatures, YARA rules, and reputation checks, although it is not capable of protecting the enterprise against more advanced attacks.
- macOS: macOS claims that its security features are built-in and the hardware and software are designed to work together and run apps more securely, protect your data, and help keep you safe on the web. System Integrity Protection protects the core OS which could otherwise be a target for exploits from user and application access.
Usage
- Linux: Linux OS is mostly preferred by system administrators that have to manage Linux based servers at work. Security professionals also prefer Linux over other operating systems due to the security advantages it provides. It occupies just 74% of the operating system market share.
- Windows: Windows is OS for the general public as well as large organizations. It is the most used operating system in the world and 12% of the desktop, tablet, and console OS market is occupied by Windows. Its flexibility and numerous features along with effective pricing have attracted millions of users towards it.
- macOS: macOS is generally preferred by professionals and experts because of the security features and efficient hardware properties. As of September 2020, macOS X has about 56% of the global market share. Data scientists, R&D organizations, music, and video editing professionals, etc prefer macOS over other platforms because it is reliable and effective.
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Windows Vs macOS vs Linux Advantages
- Linux:
- Linux is open-source software and the availability of distros adds to its popularity.
- It is the best operating system as far as security features are concerned.
- It does not require OS installation for booting purposes.
- Windows:
- Excellent selection of software coupled with the widest variety of hardware.
- Windows 10 is the best OS for gaming enthusiasts and can work on almost any device like desktops, tablets, laptops, notebooks, etc.
- A new feature is introduced to the OS twice a year.
- macOS:
- Apple’s top-quality software and hardware enables Mac OS users to get the best experience and a reliable device.
- Using Boot Camp, Windows OS can also be run on Mac computers.
- Apple tries its best to provide the best security options for its users since mac-OS is compatible with other Apple devices like iPad’s and iPhone’s.
Windows Vs macOS vs Linux Disadvantages
- Linux:
- It is not easy to understand and it usually takes time for people to master the features of Linux.
- Linux is not a widely used OS and gamers and video editing professionals would any day prefer Windows or Mac OS over it.
- Software compatibility is a major issue with Linux since many of the popular software’s are not available for Linux systems.
- One of the major issues that most Linux users face is that some hardware drivers are not available for Linux because hardware companies prefer to make drivers for windows or mac due to their popularity.
- Windows:
- Windows often have compatibility issues with some hardware.
- It is a less secure OS as Windows-based systems have a high amount of hacker attacks and the hackers can easily break windows security.
- Windows OS requires higher computer resources such as RAM and disk space. If you load many programs at the same time then the system slows down and hangs up and the only solution for this is system reboot.
- macOS:
- It is a very expensive OS and not everybody can afford an Apple device to use macOS.
- One drawback of macOS is that it still has a limited number of apps whereas Windows users enjoy a large spectrum of apps.
- macOS has restricted options for hardware upgrades or customization making it less popular among the gaming community.
Windows Vs macOS vs Linux Prices
- Linux: Linux is quite efficient in its prices and system requirements since it is free to use OS and anyone can download and use it.
- Windows: Windows is an expensive OS, although it does not come with any system restrictions, and the computer that fulfills its requirements shall be able to run it properly. Windows 10 Home edition is priced at $139 and Windows 10 Pro costs about $199.99 for 1 licensed PC.
- macOS: MAC is probably one of the costliest Operating Systems and is even costlier than Windows and the user is forced to buy a MAC system built by Apple the price range of which starts from above $999 and $100 OFF if you are a student.
Thus, it can be concluded that these three operating systems are very efficient in their own fields. We have provided a short overview of these operating systems so that anybody can make a proper decision among the three. Well, with the entry of Apple’s M1 Chip, things might change with performance calculations but as of now, for students who want no so powerful, classy, and secured Operating System, Apple’s macOS is the one for you. Want some variety in the hardware choices, software and more compatibility of games, Windows and Linux Operating System is for you.
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