OS X 10.11 El Capitan vs Windows 10 comparison preview

Here at Macworld UK it won't surprise you to learn that we are OS X users. As a consequence we are mighty excited about the upcoming release of OS X 10.11 El Capitan. But that isn't to say that we don't like to keep an eye on rival platforms, such as the also all-new Windows 10. Windows 10 is set to release next month, and like El Capitan the latest version of Windows is free to existing users. So we compared what we now know about both Windows 10 and OS X 10.11.
Disagree? Think we missed something? Let us know in the comments below. Or simply enjoy OS X 10.11 El Capitan vs Windows 10 for features, security, performance and... stupidest name. (We've got plenty more of this stuff, at Latest OS X news, reviews and features from the Apple experts.)

OS X 10.11 El Capitan vs Windows 10 comparison: UK release date

If the most important thing to you is when you can get your hands on an operating system, then you need to change to Windows, friend. (We expect this is not the case). However, Windows 10 - which is already available as a beta - will be launched on to a largely unsuspecting public on July 29 2015.
We know only that the next generation of OS X - OS X 10.11 El Capitan - will launch the 'The Fall'. Like Windows 10 it will launch once, globally. We expect a late September or early October release (the last one came out on October 16). Find out more in our OS X 10.11 El Capitan release date story.

OS X 10.11 El Capitan vs Windows 10 comparison: UK price

The good news is that both OS X 10.11 El Capitan and Windows 10 will be free to existing users. So if you have a relatively recent Mac, or Windows PC or laptop, you will be able to upgrade to the new OS. In fact, you will be nagged to death until you do so.
That doesn't mean that either OS is completely free. In the Windows world systems builders will have to pay to licence Windows 10 for new PCs and laptops, and it is possible that you will be able to buy Windows media. Possible. (You can get OS X 10.11 now, BTW. Check out How to download OS X El Capitan, how to update to the new Mac OS.)

OS X 10.11 El Capitan vs Windows 10 comparison: availability

Hardware gets more powerful, and software grows less resource hungry. So it should be no surprise that both OS X 10.11 El Capitan and Windows 10 will be able to run on lots of existing computers. This is Macworld, so we will deal with OS X 10.11 first. We don't entirely know the system requirements, but the requirements for Yosemite are the same as those for OS X 10.9 Mavericks, the previous operating system for Mac, so we think most if not all of the Macs listed below will be able to run OS X 10.11. (You can find out more about Windows 10 from our colleagues at PC Advisor in our story Windows 10 UK release date, price, features UK.)
Yosemite can run on the following Macs:
iMac (Mid-2007 or later)
MacBook (13-inch Aluminum, Late 2008), (13-inch, Early 2009 or later)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid-2009 or later), (15-inch, Mid/Late 2007 or later), (17-inch, Late 2007 or later)
MacBook Air (Late 2008 or later)
Mac Mini (Early 2009 or later)
Mac Pro (Early 2008 or later)
Xserve (Early 2009)
It is a similar story with Windows 10. We know that Windows 10 will be able to run on any system that can run on Windows 8 and Windows 7. but as Windows 7 can be run fine on Windows XP hardware, we can't imagine many currently working X86 computers can't run Windows 10 - and that includes your Mac, of course.
Where Windows 10 does have the whip hand, in theory at least, is that Windows 10 will also run on mobile phones and tablets. Full Windows 10. Just how meaningful that is remains to be seen, and we suspect that you are not desperate to trade in your iPad and iPhone for a Surface and a Windows Phone. But the existance of what Microsoft calls 'continous apps' is a potentially exciting development. Being able to log in to the same app on all of your devices, and find the same data, could be a game changer. Could be. Find out if your Mac can run OS X 10.11 at Will your Macrun OS X 10.11?

OS X 10.11 El Capitan vs Windows 10 comparison: stupidness of name

You may think that 'El Capitan' is hard to top in terms of sheer stupidness, but consider this: Windows 7 was not the seventh version of Windows. Windows 8 followed Windows 7, and was itself superceded by Windows 8.1. And Windows 10 follows Windows 8.1. If you can work that out you are a better man than I.
Run Windows 10 on Mac

OS X 10.11 El Capitan vs Windows 10 comparison: performance

It is impossible to make any sort of judgment on the relative performance of Windows 10 and OS X 10.11. We will of course install and test both on a variety of Macs just as soon as we can - and for final code that is going to be the late Autumn. For now we should say that we expect both to add a relatively minor speed- and stability boost to their respective hardware. But don't expect a new OS to make an older computer feel like new.

OS X 10.11 El Capitan vs Windows 10 comparison: software support

Now we are getting into it. The one stick with which Windows users feel impunity to beat their Mac-using cousins. It is a simple fact there is a greater volume of third-party software available to Windows users than to those of OS X. And the nature of the Windows 10 upgrade means that it is likely that virtually all Windows programs will continue to work after the new OS launches.
But that isn't a problem for OS X. We doubt very much that there is any software program that you really want to use that isn't available on your Mac, and that will continue to be the case when OS X 10.11 launches. Indeed, the fact that you can install only software pre-approved by Apple is a real bonus: it frees you from the tyranny of having to choose from myriad me-too products. And it means that any software you install will work well.
There is, however, one area in which Windows 10 will have the edge. And that is games.
Again, we doubt that there are many great games available for Windows that you can't get on OS X 10.11. But it is possible there will be some. And on OS X 10.11 you won't have the sheer volume of games to choose from that you will on Windows 10. So if sheer volume of games is your thing, head to the Windows World.
Or head to our story outlining the 65 best Mac games you should play today.

Mac vs PC: poll

OS X 10.11 El Capitan vs Windows 10 comparison: security

And as we are rehashing traditional Mac/PC arguments, let's take a look at another hoary old saw: security. Windows 10 will be the most secure version of Windows ever, but that still makes it less secure than OS X 10.11 El Capitan.
The same old truths apply. Because OS X is built on a Unix system, it is naturally sandboxed. Any infection that does get in can do little damage. Because this makes OS X harder to attack - and because the exclusive nature of the Mac market makes it a smaller target to hit - few criminals write viruses for OS X. And it is much safer than is Windows.
Windows 10
Which is not to say that Windows 10 is the leaky old Windows OS we used to see. For one thing like Windows 8 it comes with built-in AV - this is important because it boosts the immunity of the whole herd. It is much more difficult for criminals to write software to attack the newer version of Windows, and so it is XP users and earlier who bear the brunt. It is likely that Windows 10 will also be pretty secure: after all the biggest threat vector today is user behaviour, rather than drive-by attack.
But because Microsoft will push out automatic free upgrades to Windows 10, it is likely to create an even bigger target for cybercriminals. And for the reasons outlined above we would say that OS X 10.11 will remain the more secure platform. (See also:Apple steps up security with native two-factor and 6-digit passcodes.)

OS X 10.11 El Capitan vs Windows 10 comparison: new features

Okay. So far so 'what we already know'. For one final point, Mac fans, let's take a look at some of the new features in both OS X 10.11 El Capitan, and in Windows 10.
New features in OS X 10.11 include a redesigned and slightly toned-down interface. As well as other interface improvements we are hopeful for the full inclusion of Siri (this to combat the admittedly excellent Cortana in Windows 10). Although there is no word yet, the inclusion of semantic 'Spotlight' search hints at Siri for OS X. Apple is promising improved Wi-Fi features, social app discovery, and App Store search, as well as QuickType-style predictive text.
There is also better iOS- and OS X integration, including the ability to log into your Mac using an iPhone, another feature that can only match a Microsoft equivalent.
This is relevant as in Windows 10 we are promised Universal Apps, as well as the on-the-fly Continium. The idea being that all Windows devices will speak unto other Windows devices. A well as the exciting Virtual Desktops feature, the Start Menu makes a return (personally I think that is a retrograde step), and Action Center notifications get a revamp. There is another redesign of the already useful Task Manager, too.
We're intrigued by the all-new web browser, previously known as 'Project Spartan' and now renamed Microsoft Edge. This replaces Internet Explorer, which can only be a good thing. Perhaps Apple could do something about Safari at the same time.

OUR VERDICT

We are confident in saying that with the next upgrades of both Windows and OS X Apple's software remains the best choice. Because Apple makes both Macs and the OS X on which they run, they simply work better. More secure, a more curated experience, and a better performance experience. But Macs aren't cheap, and for those who wish to spend less on their computers Windows 10 looks like a very strong version of Microsoft's OS. We will of course update this piece as we spend more time with both El Capitan and Windows 10.