A new survey carried out by Consumer Reports has found that Apple’s MacBook is considered to be more reliable than competing Windows laptops, based on the responses of 58,000 subscribers who were quizzed about systems bought between 2010 and 2015.
Only 10 percent of MacBooks were seen to break down in one way or another in the first three years of ownership, according to a report from MacRumors. For comparison, Samsung and Gateway tied for second place, albeit with a less impressive statistic — 16 percent of their systems failed in the same time frame.
These figures fly in the fact of usage data, with suggests that MacBook users spend 23 hours per week using their system, compared to the 20 hours the average Windows user spends at their laptop. A whopping 71 percent of MacBook owners were completely satisfied with the reliability of their laptop, almost doubling the 38 percent of Windows users who gave the same response.
Apple refreshed its MacBook line earlier in the year, notably ditching all its ports in favour of a lone USB Type-C input. Microsoft’s recently released Surface Book is an attempt to battle Apple for the luxury laptop marketplace, but it’s not yet clear whether the system can knock the MacBook from its perch.
Right or wrong, Apple’s hardware has a reputation for being better in areas that really matter to the average user — not breaking down shortly after purchase clearly being a major factor. Survey results like this demonstrate just how highly the MacBook is regarded among its users.
However, there’s one statistic tucked away in these findings that paints Apple in a very different light. Should your MacBook break down, the experience is less pleasant, with the remedy typically costing more than a comparable Windows laptop.
