Windows 11 vs MacOS Sonoma: Microsoft vs Apple

MacOS Sonoma is yet to be fully released to the general public but we already know the new features it will include. Armed with this knowledge, we compare it to Windows 11 to see what suits you best.

You probably already have a favorite when it comes to using Windows or MacOS but, with the launch of Windows 11, Microsoft added a bunch of new features and Apple improved its operating system with MacOS Sonoma.

Since MacOS Sonoma isn’t fully available yet, we’ll have to wait to give it a thorough test. But, for now, we’re comparing some of the big new features of Windows 11 and MacOS Sonoma. Here are some important points of comparison.

Windows 11 and MacOS Sonoma displays have one thing in common, and that’s hyping up widgets. Windows 11 take on widgets is a menu especially for handy tools. As you would expect, within this widget window, you can get everything from weather updates, news, sports scores, stocks and more.

The MacOS Sonoma version builds on what we saw in iOS and iPadOS, with the same style brought to the desktop operating system. Unlike Windows 11 and its restricted Windows panel, the MacOS version lets you place widgets wherever you want. Like Windows, widgets cover news, sports and more as well as things like your Notes app, Clock, Photos and more. But, most excitingly, Apple is finally making it so you can directly interact with its new widgets, like controlling your smart home and playing/pausing music apps.

Apple has some gaming upgrades

Without question, Windows 11 wins on the gaming front, with stunningly wide access to gaming libraries and high-end performance offered by Windows-compatible components.

However, for those locked into MacOS who want to play, Apple is taking a few steps forward with MacOS Sonoma. First, there are new games like Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, Humankind and more coming to the operating system. Sonoma will also have a new Game Mode, the mode sees games prioritize CPU and GPU usage while also reducing the latency of your wireless accessories.

Windows 11 extends its lead over MacOS in the organization

Windows has offered the ability to snap windows to different parts of your display for some time now, allowing for quick and easy multitasking across multiple windows. MacOS doesn’t have this feature, instead, you have to adjust your windows manually.

With Windows 11, Microsoft makes it even better. With the new Snap Layouts and Snap Groups, Windows 11 will suggest different layouts for you to use for your multitasking, such as having one window take up the left half of the screen then having two windows occupy the right part. It’s very easy to do.

Your hard organizational work won’t be lost if you close these windows either, with Windows 11 adding Snap Groups to your taskbar so you can reopen your Snap Layout at the same time.

Enhanced video conferencing

Microsoft is eager to promote some new AI-flavoured features for the Surface Pro 5G device, which is powered by its ARM processor. This includes native Automatic Framing, to center you in the frame, and Voice Focus, to eliminate background noise. But, they are intended for this particular device and not for all Windows machines.

In comparison, MacOS Sonoma brings its features to devices that support the latest update. In Sonoma, and it works with the likes of Teams and Zoom not just FaceTime, you can Presenter Overlay to put presentations in your window – think The

In comparison, MacOS Sonoma brings its features to devices that support the latest update. In Sonoma, and it works with the likes of Teams and Zoom not just FaceTime, you can Presenter Overlay to put presentations in your window – imagine… a news broadcast where the video is shown over the shoulder of presenting. Or, you can share your screen entirely and reduce your camera feed to a smaller icon anywhere on it. And, the big finale, you can now have reactions pop up on the screen according to your hand gestures eg giving a thumbs up will show some thumbs up emojis.

Apple is getting web apps

You’ve been able to use web apps in Windows since Windows 10, the way of adding web pages to your home screen as if they were apps, for easier access and management. The feature is, of course, still present in Windows 11.

Apple has gone a bit backwards but it adds web apps with MacOS Sonoma, letting you add them to your Dock and open directly for the File menu.