Ready to ditch Windows? 5 factors to help you decide between Linux or MacOS

Microsoft’s Windows 10 will reach the end of its life in October 2025. Time seems to be going by faster and faster — the next thing you know, you’ll no longer be receiving updates for your operating system.

Why is that a bad thing? Security.

Would you want to use an operating system that’s already one of the most targeted on the planet when it’s no longer getting security updates? The answer to that should always be, “No!”

Also: This Linux distro is so Windows-like, it even comes with Microsoft apps

That’s why you should consider a replacement sooner rather than later. Sure, you could upgrade to Windows 11, but does your hardware meet Windows 11’s minimum requirements? If so, you can check out these workarounds.

But if it’s time for an upgrade anyway, why not switch to something more powerful and secure, like Linux or MacOS? But which is right for you? Here are several factors to consider.

1. Cost

Technically speaking, MacOS doesn’t actually cost anything — it’s the hardware that does. If you’ve ever shopped around for Apple hardware, you know it’s not exactly cheap. The cheapest new iMac M4 you can buy right now is $1,299, which ships with the bare minimum specs to run MacOS. If you’d rather have a MacBook, be prepared to shell out $1,099 for the lowest-end MacBook Air (again, with bare minimum specs). 

Also: Stop paying full price for PCs and Macs: 7 ways to save money on your next purchase

However, consider this: You already have a computer that is perfectly capable of running Windows 10. If that machine runs Windows just fine, imagine what it would do with Linux. But we’re not talking power now; we’re talking price, and Linux is free. You can download a single ISO to install Linux on as many computers as you like. 

So, if you don’t have budget restrictions, go with MacOS. If you do, go with Linux.

2. Hardware choice

With MacOS, you have three choices: iMac, Mac Mini, or MacBook. With Linux, you have a world of choice before you. You can purchase a computer with Linux pre-installed from companies like System76 or Tuxedo Computers; you can install Linux over Windows 10 on your current machine; you can buy just about any machine from Amazon or a big box store and install Linux on that; or, you can even install Linux on your Apple machine. 

Also: MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air: How to decide which Apple laptop is best for you

Also, with those Linux computers (minus the Apple machines), you can always upgrade the components. Need more RAM? You can add it. Need a new GPU? Go right ahead. Want a faster CPU? Do it.

If you want choice, go with Linux. If you prefer Apple hardware, MacOS is the way to go.

3. Flexibility

MacOS is a very good operating system; it’s user-friendly and rock-solid. One reason it’s so stable is that Apple doesn’t really allow much customization. Like Windows, MacOS is fairly rigid. Sure, you can tweak a few things, but you certainly can’t change much of the behavior or the UI to perfectly meet your aesthetics. For those who don’t care about that, MacOS is equal to Microsoft 10. 

Also: 3 handy upgrades in MacOS 15.1 – especially if AI isn’t your thing (like me)

However, if you like the idea of a highly customizable operating system, one that you can either make look and feel exactly how you want or even install a completely different desktop, nearly every Linux desktop environment allows for considerable customization. Don’t like GNOME? Install KDE Plasma. Need something more lightweight? Install Xfce.  I’ve found myself spending hours tweaking the Linux desktop and have always been thrilled with the results.

If you just want to log in and do your thing, go with MacOS. If you want an OS that allows you (but doesn’t require you) to change just about every aspect, consider Linux.

4. Proprietary vs. open-source

I realize that this won’t really matter to a lot of people, but hear me out anyway. Whether your software is open or closed-source is much more than just an ethical issue. 

Also: 10 lessons I’ve learned from the open-source community that aren’t about tech

Consider this: When a vulnerability is discovered in open-source software, it’s almost always patched within days. When we’re talking closed-source, those vulnerabilities can take longer to patch. Firsthand, I’ve seen a patch for a Linux vulnerability be released within hours of the issue’s discovery. Neither Windows nor Apple can meet that level of expeditiousness.

So, if you want an OS that experiences much faster vulnerability patching, go with Linux. If you don’t mind waiting, MacOS is a great option.

5. Reliability

This one is simple: Both Linux and MacOS will be exponentially more reliable than Windows 10. You won’t ever have to worry about upgrades going awry — the OS kernel simply doesn’t crash, and should something happen to go wrong, you have all the tools you need to figure out what happened. Windows (in all of its incarnations) cannot touch the reliability of these two operating systems.

Also: You can test all the best Linux distros right in your web browser with this site

So, on that front, if reliability is what you’re looking for, you’d be good with either Linux or MacOS. I will say this: As someone who uses both Linux and MacOS, I’ve had less trouble with Linux than I have with MacOS.

The truth is, either one of these operating systems would be a great alternative to Windows 10, so if you’re looking at the end of life for that operating system, I would highly recommend you take a close look at either Linux or MacOS.