In short
- Don't switch because of the Windows 10 deadline. ESU makes that a non-problem for free until October 2027.
- The Mac mini, reusing your existing monitor and keyboard, is the sensible entry point for anyone replacing a desktop.
- Hard blockers: competitive multiplayer games, Power Pivot in Excel, Microsoft Access, QuickBooks Desktop and Sage 50, anything with a hardware dongle.
- Budget for rebuying software. Few Windows licenses transfer.
Switch because you want a Mac, not because of the deadline. Staying on Windows 10 is free until October 2027. If the deadline is your only reason to spend $800–2,000, the numbers don't work. The ecosystem, the battery life, the build quality and the quiet are good reasons. A deadline you can neutralize for free isn't one.
Current prices, and the June 2026 increase
Apple raised prices across nearly the whole Mac line in June 2026 because of the global memory-chip shortage. If you last looked a year ago, everything costs more now for identical hardware.
| Model | Chip | From |
|---|---|---|
| Mac mini best value | M4 | $799 |
| MacBook Neo | A18 Pro | $699 |
| MacBook Air 13"/15" | M5 | $1,299 |
| iMac 24" | M4 | $1,499 |
| MacBook Pro 14"/16" | M5 family | $1,999 |
Verified from Apple's US store pages, August 2026. Prices vary by region.
For most switchers, the answer is the Mac mini. You already own a monitor, keyboard and mouse, and they'll all work. A Mac mini reusing your existing peripherals is by far the most sensible entry point for anyone replacing a desktop, and it's the machine most "should I switch" articles skip on the way to recommending a laptop. If your old monitor is tired, a basic 24-inch 1080p display is cheap and a wireless keyboard-and-mouse set tidies the desk.
Two buying notes that save real money
- Check education pricing first. Students, accepted applicants, parents buying for them, and staff at eligible institutions get around $100 off.
- Refurbished isn't automatically cheaper right now. We've seen Apple refurbished MacBook Airs listed above the education price of a new one. Compare both before assuming.
The $699 MacBook Neo deserves a warning
It's the cheapest Mac laptop, but it runs an A18 Pro, a phone chip rather than an M-series processor, with fixed 8GB of memory, one of its two USB-C ports limited to USB 2.0 speed, no Thunderbolt, and a single external display. Fine for browsing, email, streaming and light documents. Not the machine for heavy multitasking, video editing, or running Windows in a virtual machine.
Who should not switch to a Mac
| If this is you | The position |
|---|---|
| Competitive multiplayer gamer | Blocker. Valorant, Call of Duty and similar use kernel-level anti-cheat that macOS cannot permit. It fails through virtual machines and cloud streaming too. |
| Heavy Excel modeler | Blocker. Power Pivot, the Data Model and DAX do not exist in Excel for Mac. No add-in, no workaround. VBA runs, but anything calling Windows APIs fails. |
| Microsoft Access user | Blocker. No Mac version and no real equivalent. Frequently overlooked until after the purchase. |
| QuickBooks Desktop or Sage 50 | Blocker. Sage 50 has no Mac version. QuickBooks Desktop for Mac is end-of-life: 2024 was the last version and support ends September 30, 2027. |
| Hardware dongles or specialist kit | Blocker. License dongles, lab instruments, till systems and medical devices need Windows kernel drivers and often fail even inside a virtual machine. |
| You want an upgradeable machine | Think carefully. Memory and storage are soldered. Buy the specification you'll need in five years, on day one. |
| Tight budget | Think carefully. There's no Mac equivalent of a $400 Windows laptop. A good used business laptop costs a third as much. |
Who a Mac genuinely suits
- You already have an iPhone or iPad. Messages, calls, AirDrop, Handoff and a shared photo library all just work. This is the strongest real reason.
- Browser, email, documents, photos, video calls. Everything works and the experience is excellent.
- Creative work. Adobe runs natively and is now Apple-silicon-first.
- Laptop users who care about battery life and silence. A real advantage, not a marketing one.
- You're tired of Windows maintenance: the Start menu ads, the forced restarts, the bundled software.
Moving your files across
Apple's Windows Migration Assistant is actively maintained. It moves documents and files from your home folder, email, contacts and calendars from Outlook and Windows Mail, bookmarks into Safari, and your music and video libraries.
It does not move applications (you reinstall or rebuy every one), software licenses, or passwords. Export passwords from your browser or password manager before you wipe the PC. Photos land in your home folder rather than the Photos app; import them yourself.
Three things that go wrong: older Windows desktops often lack Bluetooth Low Energy, which macOS needs for pairing, so a cheap USB Bluetooth adapter may be needed; an old copy of Migration Assistant against a current Mac is the usual cause of a mid-transfer freeze, so download the version matching your macOS; and each Windows user account needs its own run.
Running Windows software on a Mac
Apple silicon Macs can only run the ARM version of Windows 11, which then emulates ordinary Windows apps. Two layers of translation. Boot Camp does not exist on Apple silicon, whatever older guides say.
| Option | Best for | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| CrossOver | One or two specific Windows apps, no Windows license needed. Compatibility is app-by-app, so test yours in the free trial first. | $74 once |
| Parallels Desktop | A full, polished Windows environment. The Microsoft-authorized route. You still need a Windows license. | $99.99 a year |
| VMware Fusion Pro | Same job as Parallels with rougher edges and an awkward download. Free for all use, including commercial. | Free |
| Anything with kernel drivers | Dongles, tills, lab equipment, anti-cheat games. | Nothing works |
Printers, scanners, drives
- Most modern printers need no driver thanks to AirPrint. If one stops working after a macOS upgrade, it's usually the Local Network privacy permission in System Settings, not the driver.
- Scanning is separate from printing. An all-in-one can print perfectly while its scanner does nothing. Check your exact model against the maker's macOS support page before buying.
- External graphics cards do not work on Apple silicon. The GPU in the Mac you buy is the GPU you have.
- Reformat external drives. macOS reads NTFS but can't write to it without extra software.
The real total
| Scenario | Realistic first-year cost |
|---|---|
| Stay on Windows 10 with ESU | $0–30 |
| Good used business laptop | $250–450 |
| New budget Windows 11 PC | $400–700 |
| Mac mini, reusing peripherals, free software | about $800 |
| MacBook Air, typical setup | $1,400–1,800 |
| Mac plus Office, Parallels and a Windows license | $1,700–2,300 |
The cost people forget is rebuying software. Every paid Windows application you rely on needs a Mac license, and few transfer.
Apple does not give trade-in credit for Windows PCs. Several websites claim otherwise. Apple's trade-in page limits third-party credit to Samsung and Google phones. Apple will recycle your old machine free, but you won't get money off. A 5–10 year old Windows desktop is worth very little anywhere; wipe the drive, or remove it, before you dispose of it.
The option most people overlook
You don't have to choose. Keep the old PC for the one or two things that need Windows, and use a Mac for everything else. It's cheaper and less frustrating than forcing a virtual machine to do work it can't do reliably, and since ESU keeps that old machine patched until October 2027, leaving it in the corner costs nothing. If it's a laptop with a good screen, it also makes a fine media PC.
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