Apple at the company vs Windows: how to choose the equipment to work

The problem often appears only after the purchase: a new MacBook goes to the accountant, and the HR program or the label printer driver only works on Windows. The compatibility of critical applications and devices has to be checked before ordering, because after the purchase all that is left is virtualisation or returning the hardware.

A company computer is meant to serve for 3-5 years, so the choice of platform has financial and organisational consequences for that whole period. To make it an informed choice, you need to set aside the manufacturers' slogans and look at how your organisation really works.

Where to start when choosing between Apple and Windows for your company

Conversations about hardware often turn to the question of the “better” system. In a company, no such thing exists in isolation from its processes. There is only a system that is better suited to specific tasks.

The right question is: “which applications are critical to our work?”. If the company runs on Polish accounting and warehouse software (for example older versions of ERP systems), moving to macOS will generate the cost of virtualisation or remote work on a server. On the other hand, in a company built on cloud services (SaaS) and creative work, sticking exclusively to Windows can make work harder for people used to a different interface.

The choice of platform is therefore a result of analysing the software, not the starting point.

How different departments use computers

When choosing hardware, it helps to divide the company into areas of work. In a typical small or medium-sized business, there are four groups with clearly different needs.

Administrative and office work and accounting

The work is dominated by data, pivot tables in Excel and Polish banking and government systems. Hardware requirements depend on the size of the data and the applications, and the compatibility of every critical system has to be confirmed before choosing a platform.

Sales and field work

For a salesperson, mobility is what counts. Compare weight, real battery life, call quality and compatibility with presentation tools over a typical working day.

Creative teams and marketing

For graphic designers, video editors and interface designers, the computer translates directly into the quality of their work. They need accurate colour reproduction, stability under heavy load and programs that are sometimes better polished on one of the platforms.

Management and senior staff

What matters here is mobility, access to reports, video conferencing quality and compliance with the company's device management policies.

When Apple computers work well in a company

Apple computers usually have a higher upfront cost, but in some uses that cost is justified.

Devices with M-series chips can offer a good balance of performance and power consumption. Real battery life, however, depends on the model, battery condition, applications, screen brightness and workload. The same criteria need to be checked in the Windows computers under consideration.

The second argument is the consistency of the platform. Apple designs the hardware and the system together, which can reduce some driver problems. It does not eliminate update bugs, incompatible peripherals or differences between hardware generations.

The third is working with phones. If your staff have iPhones, the shared clipboard, sending files via AirDrop and taking calls on the computer speed up small office tasks. We describe this in more detail in our post on the Apple ecosystem in business.

When Windows is the natural choice

The greatest strength of Windows is its versatility and backward compatibility. Many Polish companies still run industry applications that have no equivalents on macOS or whose browser-based versions are functionally limited.

Windows computers also offer a wider choice of designs. Convertible laptops with a touchscreen (2-in-1), rugged units for work on the shop floor and in warehouses, and simple workstations where the risk of damage is high are available from many manufacturers.

Another argument is management. Macs work better and better in company networks, but an environment based on Active Directory or Microsoft Entra ID and Group Policy is easiest to run when the endpoints are Windows computers. If your company uses VBA macros or Power BI Desktop, bear in mind that, according to Microsoft's documentation, Power BI Desktop requires Windows.

The total cost of owning a computer in a company

A rational decision requires a total cost of ownership analysis (TCO, the sum of the costs of buying, deploying, maintaining and retiring the hardware). Compare devices intended for a similar role, with similar performance, warranty and specification. The purchase price alone does not show the cost of deployment, support, repairs, accessories and later resale.

It is worth looking at costs in three dimensions:

1. Purchase price: the entry price for Apple hardware is usually higher, because the range includes fewer of the cheapest configurations.
2. IT support costs: calculate them on the basis of tickets from your own computers or a comparable pilot. Also check the price and availability of repairs, the warranty terms and replacement hardware.
3. Resale Value: can lower the cost of the whole life cycle, but depends on the model, condition, configuration and market situation. Do not assume a fixed percentage in your calculations without data from comparable transactions.

Security and management of Mac and Windows computers

The belief that Apple computers “don't get viruses” and that Windows is unsafe by definition is false. Both systems have built-in protection mechanisms, including disk encryption and application control, and both require updates, identity management, limited permissions and monitoring.

From a company's point of view, what matters is management through MDM (Mobile Device Management, a system for managing devices remotely). Apple and Microsoft documentation describes the following remote capabilities for both platforms:

• disk encryption,
• enforcing password policies,
• wiping data in the event of theft,
• installing applications.

The range of remote operations depends on the system, version, hardware, the MDM used and the licence. Before deciding, run a pilot of the policies you need instead of assuming that one platform gives more control in every environment.

A mixed Mac and Windows environment in one company

In some companies, individual departments use different platforms. This model can be maintained, but it increases the amount of testing, documentation and licensing, and the skills required of the people who support it.

Services such as Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace reduce dependence on the operating system. However, application features, integrations, shortcuts and management methods are not always identical on both platforms.

Problems in mixed environments usually come up in specific places:

• network printers (you need devices with drivers for both systems),
• file systems on external drives (NTFS and APFS; the solution is exFAT or the cloud),
• document formatting (for example different system fonts on Mac and PC).

Check these issues during the pilot and include them in the standard configuration and in user instructions.

The most common mistakes when buying computers for a company

Purchasing decisions in small businesses are often quick. These practices most often cause long-term problems:

• Buying without checking the system edition: in its comparison of security features, Microsoft lists BitLocker and joining an Active Directory or Microsoft Entra domain for the Pro, Enterprise and Education editions. The Home edition is not in that comparison, so check your encryption, domain and MDM requirements against the documentation for the specific version.
• No standardisation: every employee has a different laptop model. This makes servicing and buying docking stations and accessories harder. With Windows, stick to one business line from one manufacturer.
• Specification underestimation: memory, processor and disk have to be matched to the measured workload, the planned period of use and the upgrade options. The cheapest configuration can raise the cost of work, but over-specifying is not justified either.
• Overlooking service terms: repair time and the type of service depend on the manufacturer, the model and the package purchased. Check the terms and plan replacement hardware for critical workstations.

How to prepare a hardware purchasing decision

Before buying, carry out a short needs review in four steps:

1. Software Inventory: list the five most important applications in each department. Check whether they run natively on the planned system and, if not, whether an alternative (virtualisation, a change of program) pays off.
2. Mobility Analysis: if the employee takes the computer out of the office, weight and battery are the priority. If not, a desktop computer will be cheaper and easier to service.
3. Life Cycle: if you plan to replace hardware only after 5 years, it makes more sense to start with a more powerful configuration.
4. Deployment budget: add the cost of configuration, licences (Microsoft 365, workstation protection) and accessories (adapters, hubs, especially with Apple).

Hardware matched to the role in the company

For some companies, a good solution is a mixed environment in which the system is matched to the role. However, it increases the scope of administration, compatibility testing and documentation, so the benefit has to be weighed against the cost of maintaining two platforms.

A good hardware decision simplifies everyday work and becomes invisible to the employee, whatever the logo on the case. Hardware standards, pilots and device management are part of our ongoing IT support.

Sources

• Microsoft Learn, Windows security features licensing and edition requirements, https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/licensing-and-edition-requirements (accessed 02/10/2026)
• Microsoft Learn, Download Power BI Desktop (Minimum requirements), https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/fundamentals/desktop-get-the-desktop (accessed 02/10/2026)
• Apple, Platform Deployment: Intro to device management, https://support.apple.com/guide/deployment/intro-to-mdm-depc0aadd3fe/web (accessed 02/10/2026)

As of 2 October 2026.