Skip to main content

Users maintain that MacBooks are more reliable than Windows laptops

MacBook 2015
Image used with permission by copyright holder
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.

Editors' Recommendations

Brad Jones
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…
The biggest threat to the MacBook this year might come from Apple itself
The MacBook Air on a white table.

MacBooks have held a dominant position in the laptop world for the past few years. Though there have been meaningful rivals from the Windows side of the aisle, the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro still feel like they hold an unshakeable lead at the moment.

But according to the latest reports, the most serious challenger to the MacBook's reign won't come from Windows -- it'll come from within Apple in the form of some very advanced new iPads.
What's a computer?

Read more
I’m worried about the MacBook’s next big rival
The MacBook Air on a white table.

MacBooks have dominated the laptop landscape over the past few years.

As good as Windows laptops are, they just haven't been able to compete with MacBooks in terms of efficiency or performance-per-watt. It's what allows modern MacBooks to be thinner, quieter, and longer-lasting, without losing performance. They're so efficient that you don't even lose performance when on battery.

Read more
The case for buying the M2 MacBook Air over the M3 model
The screen of the MacBook Air M2.

Apple's MacBook Air M2 recently stood at the top of our list of best laptops, and for good reason. It's incredibly well-built, exuding an elegance that few laptops can match. It's also plenty fast for productivity users, and its GPU is optimized for creators. Its keyboard, touchpad, and display are all top-notch.

Enter the MacBook Air M3, which (hint) took over the MacBook Air's place on that list. The upgraded chipset offers even faster performance, particularly in GPU-intensive apps, and the M3 model supports an additional external display (with the display closed). It's $100 more, but is that uptick in price justified? Let's dig in.
Specs and configurations

Read more