Opinions wanted. I am going to by a PC. Leaning towards Microsoft based, but I like Apple products. Which do you prefer and why?

My cousin has used both and will never return to windows. I have only dabbled with apple but hate that I don't know where everything is. Windows I can use in my sleep!

There's a view from both perspectives there.

It depends on personal preference. I've been using Windows all my life, so I'm not planning on switching. I'd recommend going to a store like Best Buy or something and trying out difference computers.

If you have an iPhone, the one advantage a Mac has over MS is syncing messages, photos, contacts, files, etc through iCloud.

Otherwise, I agree with some comments that Apple isn't the same since Cook trashed it for profits.

I bough a 2013 i7 MacBook Air refurbished on eBay a few years ago and it's still a screaming' machine.

The false belief of Apple computers being made of some mystical quality hardware is TOTALLY FALSE. Apple buys it's processors from Intel, it's RAM + Flash storage from Samsung, and Foxconn or Asus makes the other parts such as the "Logic Board". There is no quality difference in hardware between a $1500 Apple and a $1500 PC. In fact, Apple computers break down and from what I've seen the quality of the hardware hasn't been the same since Tim Cook took over. It's like Apple has lost it's magic. Then again, some PC vendors like Lenovo and Acer cut corners too.

If you go out and buy a $300 or $500 PC, then you're not going to get something that's made with the Highest Quality Hardware. Sometimes these cheap PC's will last for years but more often than not a part like the Power supply or Hard Drive gives out. In worse cases the motherboard dies.

The one Nod I can give to a PC is you're going to get more Hardware Power for the dollar.

If you plan to play PC Games then do yourself a HUGE favor and stick with a PC. If you're editing music then take a look at Apple. Apple is not known for putting a nice Graphics card in their systems and most PC games require Windows 10.

Just to be clear, a PC refers to a Windows based computer.

I prefer Linux. Totally free and worry-free.

If you rich then buy Mac or middle class then buy Window system. Choice is yours. 

Although things have improved over the years, you can still get a much wider variety of software for Windows.  As to power?  Intel boxes and AMD boxes can be very fast and can get a lot done.  Windows can be a bit persnickety but Apple when it gets in a snit can be totally unusable.

Also, it is damned near impossible to repair Apple.  (Not totally impossible, just very difficult.)  When it breaks, you replace it - and then have to reload the world.

Apples are too pricey. A comparable Windows- based PC is probably half the price.

The only reason to choose Apple anymore is because you like the color. I have a friend who bought a $7K Apple system a month ago and he boasted that they "delivered it right to my door!" I didn't have the heart to tell him that the last system I bought was from an EBay dealer and they "delivered it right to my door!"

I've got no clue what you mean by Microsoft based. Do you mean having Windows as an operating system or are you literally planning to buy a PC from Microsoft's store?

I'd go for a PC where you can install Windows. Assuming same specs, it'd be cheaper and offering the same performance of its Apple equivalent. Upgrading the parts would be a lot easier and software/driver support would be better.