What do macs cost

That cost is essentially the same for both platforms. Most organizations will bind a computer to their directory, with the most popular being Microsoft Active Directory. Macs can easily be bound to directory services, such as Active Directory, and can use directory credentials to log in and map network drives. Beyond power and a license for your directory service, you will also need to license other services required by your users to do their jobs.

This is often a mail account, possibly cloud storage, access to a chat service, expense system, collaboration tools and more. The majority of these services have moved to the cloud and simply require modern web browser access. Since they are cloud-based, they work the same way for Mac as they do for PC, and vendors charge the same price regardless of platform.

Next, users need access to software. Mac comes with most applications a user needs right out of the box: Safari web browser, Mail, Calendar, Contacts with Exchange support, and productivity apps like Keynote, Pages and Numbers. Since introducing Office a few years back, Microsoft has standardized the cost of Office on all platforms.

Finally, in addition to the software required for all users, organizations need to consider distribution points for deploying software to their users. Distribution points can be in the form of cloud storage or local servers running a standard file share. Regardless, this is the same cost for Macs and PCs. Hardware Macs typically cost more than PCs. PCs, on the other hand, can range wildly in price because vendors will offer lower-end specs for price-conscious buyers.

Because of this, some PCs come in at half the cost of Mac. Apple only builds one version of its desktop operating system, so there are no discrepancies in features and users gain a consistent experience. The Pro version is required to bind a PC to your domain and to get full disk encryption called BitLocker.

Additionally, most organizations add antivirus software on top of Windows to protect against malware and viruses that have plagued and continue to plague PCs. Finally, organizations need a method to deploy computers to new employees. Just like encryption and malware protection, Apple offers a solution that is built into macOS — known as Apple Business Manager. From there, a management system can load additional applications and settings.

This is a tremendous time and cost savings over traditional imaging. Management A management system is essential for both Mac and PC in an enterprise environment.

A proper desktop management system allows IT departments to deploy new devices, configure settings remotely, deploy and update software, gather extensive inventory and ensure security.

Mac Pro. Overview Design Tech Specs. Choose your Mac Pro. Have questions about buying a Mac? Opens in a new window. Mac Pro Tower from. Configure Mac Pro. Mac Pro Rack from. The initial cost of a PC can also greatly differ based on needs. A high-end PC can come close in price to a Mac with similar specs.

In , Apple introduced its M1 chip that improved the performance, power efficiency, and battery life of Macs and also made them compatible with iOS and iPadOS applications, allowing companies to run iPhone and iPad applications natively on their laptops and desktops for the first time.

Macs also do not require a separate license for macOS but come with the operating system preinstalled. Macs include built-in solutions which PC users may need to purchase separately. Among them, encryption tool FileVault and antimalware software XProtect. Windows users meanwhile must purchase a license for the operating system, upgrade to the Pro or Enterprise version to benefit from additional native tools such as BitLocker and buy security tools like antivirus and antimalware software separately.

Apple also offers a built-in solution, called Device Enrollment Program DEP that allows companies to order Macs and iOS devices for their employees, automatically enrolling them as corporate-owned devices, saving time and costs. While Windows offers a similar service through its Intune feature, it requires an Azure Active Directory Premium subscription.

One of the biggest reasons for the difference in TCO between Macs and PCs is the amount of helpdesk support inquiries they generate. Companies running Macs, therefore, spend less on IT staff and support services, significantly reducing the total cost of ownership.

Some of the most important security and privacy updates for macOS include the iCloud Keychain being rebranded as iCloud Passwords and allowing users to import and export passwords between iCloud and other password managers. This is all part of making Safari more private and secure. Read more.