Macs and PCs: Comparison (Essay Sample)

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Macs and PCs
INTRODUCTION
The computing world has advanced significantly through innovation and development of existing computer varieties. The primary computing brands in the market are PCs and Macs. Though these computers are developed with the aim of providing their users with optimal computing experience, they have similarities and differences that distinguish them.
SECURITY AGAINST VIRUSES AND MALWARE
The number of PC users is significantly more than that of Mac; as such, hackers and malware developers often target PCs in contrast to Macs. Evidently, there are fewer users of Mac computers across the world, with a high concentration of users in the United States of America (Smith). Meanwhile, PCs are widely used across the world. This increases the chances of hackers targeting PCs since they are widely used by most people whose security awareness may not be up to date.
Though Mac computers are not often targeted as much as PC’s, they are increasingly becoming popular as a result of Apple's innovation and marketing strategies. This has increased the chances for Macs being targeted by malware and hackers (Smith); however, PCs continue to be the primary focus of hackers and malware. Though PCs get regular security software updates, the inbuilt firewall is not adequate to deter malware and hackers. As such, a third party antivirus software is required to safeguard data and protect it against potential attacks. In this respect, Mac computers are preferable for their enhanced security and less vulnerability to threats.
BRAND VARIATION AND FIRMWARE AVAILABILITY
Since PCs are widely used, they are more popular with different computer manufacturers. This has enabled the PC to diversify as a brand through various computer manufacturers. For instance, companies that make PCs include Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus, Acer, among others. All these companies make differentiated brands of PCs. This creates a broad market for PCs, unlike Mac computers that are solely developed and produced by Apple Inc. (Smith).
The variation in brands enables PCs to provide people in varied economic classes with computers that they can afford. In essence, PCs aspire to fit in any budgetary constraints and preferences making it the dominant computer brand in the market (Smith). In addition, since PCs are widely used in different environments, developers are more focused on developing software and firmware for PCs. As such, drivers for various computer components are readily available and accessible in the case of PCs.
On the other hand, Mac computers depend on Apple to develop both the hardware and software. Therefore, there are not as many developed applications and component drivers for Mac as there are for PCs. However, Macs are more stable and reliable since Apple emphasizes on innovation and perfection of its systems. However, PCs are preferable because of their wide range of choices that are available, including readily available drivers for various firmware and components.
COMPUTER COST
The most significant difference between Mac computers and PCs is their pricing. Macs computers are significantly e...