Background information

Switching to Windows after 10 years of Mac

17/10/2022

Translation: Veronica Bielawski

I like my Apple setup – my Macbook, iPhone, iPad and Airpods all work together in harmony. The only downside is I can’t game. So, after many years, I decided to build my own PC gaming rig. But I’ve had some struggles.

FYI: You can win the PC I’ve built. Simply participate in the draw until 24 October. Good luck!

Anyone can assemble a PC themselves – even after years of no practice, as I recently learned first-hand. But the process for me didn’t end with the last screw I tightened. How so? Well, I’ve been a Mac user for the last decade. I haven’t set up a Windows computer in just as long and only rarely had the chance to use one.

Guide
After a 10-year break, I’m building a PC – can I still pull it off?
by Samuel Buchmann

First trials and tribulations

Right at the beginning, I found myself facing an existential challenge: how do I get the operating system onto the empty hard drive? In times past, I would have burned myself a ~~cracked~~ Windows installation CD on an old computer and then slid it into the new one. But I don’t have an old Windows computer. Not to mention CDs and drives aren’t a thing anymore – at least not on most devices. Upon consulting Google, I learned that I can create a bootable USB stick instead. Sounds simple enough ...

.. or not. After quite some research, I had to concede there was no easy way to create a Windows 11 installation medium using my M1 Macbook. Sure, some options exist. But the instructions span five pages and include homebrew and terminal commands from a non-verified website. No way, José!

As a newbie, getting your hands on the Windows installation is no easy feat. On the right: a Macbook – reproachful and all.

I call on my personal Yoda

Turns out it’s much easier to have a Kevin around – the very same one who happened to compile the necessary PC components for me. He gives me a bootable stick to get to work with. At first, everything seems to run smoothly. I insert the stick, turn on the PC, select the language and wait. Alas, mere seconds later, an error message appears: «This PC can’t run Windows 11.» Excuse me?

Had I been forced to figure out what this error message means on my own as a (reborn) newbie, I probably would have had to do some serious googling.

I went a-running back to my personal Yoda. Kevin explains to me, the young Padawan, I have to enable the option «AMD CPU fTPM» deep in the BIOS of the motherboard. I never would have thought of that myself. As I find out, this is a security module that’s been mandatory since Windows 11. To be fair, I should mention that according to Kevin, the setting is already correct by default on most new motherboards.

The fTPM option is usually enabled by default on newer motherboards – but it wasn’t on mine.

With fTPM enabled, the ball finally gets rolling! Half an hour later, Windows 11 is installed. On a Mac, all I’d have to do is press one more button, and all the drivers and software would be updated – that’s the huge advantage of total hardware and software integration. Windows is different. The operating system is from Microsoft, while the hardware components come from various manufacturers and all have their own update cycles. Although Microsoft does provide a standard driver for everything, you’ll need the latest driver to get the most out of things like graphics cards. And I’ve got to laboriously download and install each of these separately.

Cracks in the glossy surface

Once I’ve done all that, I get to experience the Windows 11 user interface for the first time – and am pleasantly surprised. The design language feels cleaner than before, and the Start menu is now centred just like Apple’s. However, in my opinion, the interface still doesn’t look quite as polished as on macOS. This is partly because certain dialogue windows look just like they did 20 years ago, even on my 4K, 27-inch monitor. Functionally, it’s irrelevant; aesthetically, it’s a thorn in my side.

Certain dialogue boxes still look rough.

On the other hand, something I do like is that I can pin windows to the edge of the screen and they automatically scale. On my Mac, I need an app to be able to do this. Another boon that only Mac users will understand: window management on Windows is worlds better. While Apple forces me into full-screen mode when I click the green button in the bar, Windows merely maximises the window. I can also use Alt-Tab to not only switch between different programs, but also between different windows of the same program. Hallelujah!

I don’t have a Windows license for my little experiment, but this doesn’t seem to be a big deal. As far as I can tell, the only limitations this entails are the fixed background and theme as well as a watermark at the bottom right. The latter would annoy me in the long run, so I would end up buying a licence. But I do think it’s great that Microsoft allows you to use its operating system without one.

Microsoft Windows 11 Home (DE) (1 User, unlimited)

Software box

EUR150,21

Microsoft Windows 11 Home (DE)

1 User, unlimited

Software box

Microsoft Windows 11 Home

unlimited

Software box

Microsoft Windows 11 Pro (DE)

1 User, unlimited

Software box

EUR150,21

Microsoft Windows 11 Home (DE)

Software box

Microsoft Windows 11 Home

Software box

Microsoft Windows 11 Pro (DE)

I prefer my Apple setup for creative work

I’m used to my Apple setup – and to everything running smoothly. My passwords automatically end up in Keychain and are synced between all my devices, as is my iCloud Drive. The same happens with my contacts, calendars and e-mail accounts. There are certainly good tools to get this done on Windows, too, but I have to find, install and configure them first. This still seems to be a fundamental difference between macOS and Windows. With Apple, everything works how I want it to out of the box, whereas with Microsoft, I have to invest time and energy to get things configured. And I’ll probably never get used to that damn CTRL key again.

I experience similar differences in the hardware. Mac computers are only minimally customisable, but everything is in perfect harmony. Thanks to the complete integration of all components and the new Apple Silicon SoC, my M1 Max MacBook Pro runs completely silently 99 per cent of the time – and still delivers outstanding performance for creative work like video editing and image processing. My Windows rig, on the other hand, has fans that spin nonstop, it heats up my room more and is less pretty. I'm sure this is the Apple fanboy in me talking, but this is reason enough to stick with my Macbook for professional purposes. And yes, I’m aware that I’m comparing a laptop to a desktop, but I could also replace the Macbook with a Mac Mini or Mac Studio and I’d come to the same conclusion. I am equally aware that Apple’s aesthetics and efficiency come at a pretty premium.

Finally gaming to my heart’s content

Yet there’s one thing I can’t do on any Apple device: game. Over the past ten years, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve thought, «Oooh, that looks cool, I’d like to give that a go!» – only to inevitably discover it’s only available on Windows. Previously, I was at least able to play less graphically demanding games via Bootcamp on my Mac. This is no longer possible with Apple Silicon. Workarounds like Parallels or Crossover only allow a few games to work.

I couldn’t even play the revival of «Age of Empires» on Mac via workarounds like Parallels.

This Windows PC is like the gaming land of milk and honey! With one year’s delay, I finally download «Age of Empires IV». Although the PC under my desk is a cheap configuration totalling just under 1,000 francs, the game runs smoothly at 2160p and high detail. As an Apple customer, this is something I’m not used to. I’m a bit disappointed with the «Age of Empires» re-release itself, though.

Verdict: I want both

This brings me to the end of my little experiment. I have to reformat the PC again; the components are sponsored by the manufacturers, and we’re offering up the rig in a prize draw. You can enter below for a chance to win. Sooner or later, I’m sure I’ll build myself a Windows PC for gaming. But I’ll be sticking with my Macbook for work. Once both systems are up and running, the differences in handling are smaller than back in the day, making it easy to switch back and forth. Except for the damn CTRL key.

Budget gaming PC

If you want to participate in the raffle, click on the button.

The competition has ended.

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Samuel Buchmann

Senior Editor

Samuel.Buchmann@digitecgalaxus.ch

My fingerprint often changes so drastically that my MacBook doesn't recognise it anymore. The reason? If I'm not clinging to a monitor or camera, I'm probably clinging to a rockface by the tips of my fingers.

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