Twenty years of experience — and why the right tool for the job matters
If you ask me whether I’m an Apple fanboy — I won’t deny it.
But it’s not blind loyalty.
It’s twenty years of hands-on experience across business, creative work, media production, and IT support that have proven to me:
Apple products just work.
But here’s the key:
I’m a true believer in using the right tool for the job — and sometimes, that means Windows or Linux too.
This post isn’t a one-sided Apple sales pitch. It’s an honest look at why Apple fits my primary needs perfectly, where Windows shines, where Linux dominates, and how choosing the right platform matters more than picking sides.
📜 A Brief History: My Journey With Apple
My first Apple experience wasn’t through sleek aluminium MacBooks or M-chips.
It was the colourful, quirky iMac G3s — those futuristic jellybean-looking desktops.
From there:
PowerPC Macs in the early 2000s
Intel MacBooks
iPhones starting with the 4
iPads evolving into creative and control tools
Apple Watches becoming daily health trackers
Today: an M3 Max MacBook Pro as my primary machine
Every Apple upgrade wasn’t about chasing hype. It was about getting real work done better, smoother, and for longer.
🔒 The Apple Ecosystem: Seamless by Design
One of Apple’s greatest strengths is the ecosystem.
Every device enhances the others.
In my daily workflow:
Universal Clipboard copies content between Mac, iPhone, and iPad instantly.
AirDrop moves giant files without cables.
Handoff lets me switch tasks between devices mid-stream.
Sidecar turns my iPad into a second screen on the go.
iCloud keeps everything synced quietly in the background.
It feels effortless — and it saves real hours every week.
In a Windows or Android world, you can achieve some of this.
But it’s often patchy, app-dependent, or fiddly.
🔒 Security and Privacy: Built In, Not Bolted On
Apple’s approach to security and privacy isn’t a marketing gimmick — it’s fundamental to how they design products.
End-to-end encryption on messages and calls
On-device processing for biometric data
Transparent privacy settings users actually control
No advertising-driven revenue model
As someone who works in IT and cybersecurity, this matters.
Sure, no system is perfect.
But Apple’s record and focus on keeping users, not advertisers, as the customer gives me far more peace of mind.
🖥️ Longevity: Macs Just Keep Going
Many people call Macs “expensive.”
Maybe — if you only look at upfront cost.
When you factor in lifespan, resale value, and total cost of ownership, Macs often come out ahead.
My history:
iMac G3 (1999) still booted after a decade.
2009 MacBook Pro worked until 2020 as a backup media server.
2015 MacBook Pro handed down, still daily-driving for family.
Current M3 Max MacBook Pro: a powerhouse I expect to use for 5+ years.
Why?
Because Apple controls hardware and software — designing macOS specifically for their hardware — they can achieve longevity Windows OEMs often can’t.
Windows machines can be long-lived too, but you usually need to over-invest at the start — and even then, driver support or firmware updates can become issues.
📱 iPhone: From Cool Gadget to Essential Infrastructure
I started with the iPhone 4.
Back then, smartphones were luxury tech.
Today? My iPhone 13 Pro Max is core infrastructure for work and life.
From:
Calendar management
Calls
File transfers
Document signing
2FA authentication
Mobile control panels for media setups
The difference?
iPhones stay fast and supported for 5+ years — unlike many Android phones that feel disposable after 2–3.
I no longer upgrade frivolously. I upgrade when needed — and the iPhone 13 Pro Max is still performing perfectly.
📚 iPad: Laptop Alternative and Creative Beast
Gone are the days when iPads were just “big iPhones.”
My M4 13” iPad Pro is:
A secondary workstation
A digital sketchbook
A live event controller
A mobile media editing station
Thanks to Stage Manager, Sidecar, and massive app support, the iPad isn’t just a toy — it’s a serious creative tool.
⌚ Apple Watch: The Only Watch I Wear Daily
Before Apple Watch, I tried wearing traditional watches.
It never stuck.
Since my first Apple Watch? I haven’t taken it off.
Currently using the Apple Watch Ultra, it helps me:
Track health data
Manage notifications
Monitor fitness goals
Stay connected discreetly
It’s invisible utility — the kind of technology that improves life without demanding attention.
📺 Apple TV: Quiet, Reliable, Awesome
Across my home, Apple TVs handle:
4K streaming
HomeKit automations
Fitness+ sessions
Family photo sharing
Fast UI, minimal ads, years of software updates.
A small device, but a critical part of the ecosystem.
🛠️ Windows: Right Tool, Right Place
Despite being a Mac user personally, I work in IT at an MSP — and deal with Windows every day.
In corporate environments?
Windows is absolutely the right choice.
Active Directory and Group Policy management
Standardised enterprise software support
Large-scale IT deployment and maintenance systems
Windows makes sense when you need:
Massive customisation
Deep corporate integration
Industry-standard software like AutoCAD, specialized finance tools, or legacy systems
Even for creative media work:
Modern Windows machines have come a long way.
There are incredible Windows setups for:
3D modeling
Video editing
Game design
BUT — you need to invest heavily:
Top-spec GPUs
Fast SSDs
High refresh displays
Careful driver management
Otherwise, budget Windows machines (especially under $2k) tend to age badly, lag, and require constant upgrades.
By contrast, even a base model Mac can perform admirably for graphic design, video editing, and media management straight out of the box — and feel fast for years.
🐧 Linux: The Power Behind the Curtain
And we can’t forget Linux.
Linux dominates when it comes to:
Servers (the majority of web servers globally)
Custom applications
DevOps environments
Docker hosting
Lightweight custom builds
When I run:
Containers
Media servers
Custom hosted websites
It’s often on Linux — because it’s flexible, stable, and optimised for exactly those roles.
Not for casual desktop users (usually).
But absolutely critical for the modern internet’s backbone.
🎯 Right Tool for the Job: Always the Priority
My philosophy isn’t “Mac is best, everything else sucks.”
It’s “Pick the right tool for the right need.”
Use Case | Best Choice (Usually) |
|---|---|
Business Infrastructure | Windows |
General Office Use | Windows or Mac |
Creative (Web/Design/Video) | Mac |
Web Hosting/Servers | Linux |
Mobile Productivity | iOS + iPadOS |
Lightweight Personal Projects | Mac or Linux |
Choosing wisely saves frustration, downtime, and money.
🎨 Why Apple is Still Preferred in Design, Media, and Web Industries
While Windows has made huge strides, there’s a reason Apple remains the preferred platform in creative industries like web design, graphic design, video production, and digital media.
It’s not about hype.
It’s about how the tools actually perform when it matters most.
🎯 1. Better Color Accuracy and Display Quality
When you’re designing websites, logos, branding materials, or video content, color accuracy matters.
Apple’s Retina displays are:
Factory-calibrated for color precision
Consistently reliable across devices
Supported with better color profiles and rendering pipelines
On Windows, professional-level color accuracy usually requires additional investment in calibration tools, monitors, and drivers — adding complexity most creatives don’t want to deal with.
🎯 2. Stability Under Creative Workloads
Creative software can be brutal on machines:
Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro
Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo
Final Cut Pro
DaVinci Resolve
On Mac:
The OS, hardware, and GPU pipelines are optimised together.
Apps crash less frequently.
Performance remains smooth under heavy load — even on entry-level Mac models.
On Windows, unless you spec and maintain very high-end hardware, random instability and weird driver issues can creep in faster.
🎯 3. Industry-Standard Software is Optimised for Mac
Many core creative apps have their best, most stable versions on macOS.
Adobe Creative Cloud has historically prioritised Mac optimisations.
Final Cut Pro — one of the industry’s leading video editors — is Mac-only.
Audio production tools like Logic Pro (Mac-only) dominate the music industry.
If you’re serious about creative work, Mac gives you access to the best ecosystem without as much tweaking or troubleshooting.
🎯 4. Client Expectation Alignment
Especially in creative industries, there’s an unspoken client expectation that your gear matches your professionalism.
When clients see you working on:
An M3 MacBook Pro
A Retina-calibrated iMac
An iPad Pro sketching layouts or designs
It subtly reassures them that you’re serious about your craft.
It’s psychological — but it’s real.
Your tools become part of your brand presence.
🎯 5. Resale Value and Longevity
Creative professionals often upgrade tools as their businesses grow.
When you eventually move to a newer machine:
Macs retain far higher resale value than most PCs.
Older Macs continue to function perfectly as second machines (e.g., for rendering, backups, media storage).
This reduces total cost of ownership compared to creative-grade Windows PCs that tend to lose value faster.
🧠 Bottom Line: Macs Feel Creative Because They Are Built That Way
The smoothness.
The responsiveness.
The integration between the hardware, the OS, and the creative software stack.
It’s not fanboy fantasy — it’s practical, tangible workflow improvement for creative professionals who depend on their gear daily.
Windows can absolutely be an excellent creative platform — especially at the high end.
But for pure web design, graphic design, media production, and day-to-day creative business work?
Macs offer a level of reliability, smoothness, and polish that’s hard to beat.
🚀 TL;DR: Why I’m Proudly an Apple Fan (But Not Blind)
The Apple ecosystem delivers seamless productivity.
Macs last longer with less babysitting.
iPhones and iPads evolve from luxuries to essential tools.
Windows still rules corporate infrastructures — rightly so.
Linux powers the internet’s critical infrastructure.
Tech isn’t about loyalty.
It’s about effectiveness.
And for my primary needs — creative, business, media, content production — Apple consistently proves itself as the most effective, reliable, and enjoyable platform to build my work on.
✋ Thinking About Your Next Device?
It’s not about “Apple vs Windows vs Linux.”
It’s about building your workflow, your business, and your life with tools that empower you — not fight you.
🌐 Visit bitstreammedia.com.au
Let’s help you pick the right tools for your future.
