Thinking of getting a MacBook? It's a whole new world, and some don't regret their switch from Windows one iota . There are a raft of reasons to do so: being tired of Windows shoving ads and crapware in your face, foisting unwanted features upon you (like the infamous Windows Recall ), having so many annoying updates, zapping your battery in sleep mode – the list goes on. Your reasons are your own, but before diving in headfirst, there are a few noteworthy caveats that come with the territory.
A lot of the reasons to come to Mac are right on the money: Mac "just works" and frees you of most Windows headaches, the devices are sleek and slim, they seem to last longer than most Windows PCs, and they hold their value well. But they also run on an entirely different codebase and set of hardware. The way you get things done, the philosophy behind the OS, everything — especially if you've been using Windows your entire life — will be a night and day difference.
Don't go in blind. Let's take a look at 12 things you ought to know before you click buy. It may be obvious for most, but if it wasn't already, a MacBook isn't a budget choice in any sense of the word.
Windows and Linux will always be the best bang for your buck. A MacBook doesn't make it onto our list of best budget laptops for college students , and it probably wouldn't on a list for budget-minded professionals, either. Apple's cheapest entry-level computing device is the Mac Mini, which starts at $599.
A baseline Mac.
