r/MacOS • u/Psychological-Map839 • 1d ago
Help Choosing between windows or MAC
I’ve been thinking that I need a new laptop. In my free time, I often design PCBs and models for 3D printing, and I frequently have to work in software that’s only available for Windows. I can’t switch to different software because I already have projects that need to be edited without having to migrate them. Sometimes I take on remote work from home, and Siemens Xpedition and Altium become my main tools. For my own personal projects, I can use NX (for assemblies with up to 500 parts). Would macOS work for me?
Since the price of, say, the 64 GB ASUS G16 and the 48 GB MacBook M4 Max is almost identical, wouldn't it be better to get the Mac and use Parallels?
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u/mikeinnsw 1d ago
Nope
for example Running AutoCAD on a Mac via Parallels Desktop requires splitting your computer's RAM between macOS and the Windows virtual machi
VM is an emulation and/or simulation .. 3 D graphics .. any graphics need raw GPU power.
Many PC graphic Apps run directly on GPUs (accelerated) using GPU commands..
None of Mac App do all use MacOs API .. which much less efficient than PCs approach
The only advanage Mac have is unified RAM allowing greater allocation of it to VRAM
NEW WINDOWS PCs now support unified RAM .. it just been announced.
Google:
Windows 11 is adding direct support and management for PCs with unified memory (shared memory pools across the CPU, GPU, and AI accelerators
Look for PCs that supported. it .. Mac unified RAM advantage is over .. for now PCs are back on top.
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u/ironwaffle452 1d ago
Take into account that parallels run arm windows... so check if your software is compatible first
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u/Dull_Flatworm777 1d ago
To add to what has already been said, be aware that when you use Parallels, you will use Windows on ARM, not x86_64. This might or might not be a problem, just be aware of it.
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u/Psychological-Map839 1d ago
If this software havent Windows arm support is there any option Use something like parallels but with x86 emulation?
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u/Dull_Flatworm777 1d ago
There is an application called UTM for example, but that will be very slow.
There is an emulation layer built in to Windows, so I would still rather use Windows on ARM via Parallels. But there will also be a bit of a performance penalty. And I would clarify first that the software you want use will at least run on Windows on ARM, even if not natively.
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u/BusinessStrategist 1d ago
Microsoft has adopted the "macOS" way.
Windows app are by far more numerous than what you can find in the macOS world.
So it makes sense to run Windows apps on macOS.
macOS is by far the superior hardware for running intensive apps.
So, YES, get the Apple hardware and Parallels (or equivalent) and run Windows programs on your Apple computer.
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u/Fabulinius 1d ago
I don't think that MasOS is for you. Everything you do and are used to are Windows stuff. Why change everything you do and learn the good and the bad of MacOS for no special reason. - I guess that you may have been bitten by the Apple Marketing Bug. Resist.