APPLE VS SAMSUNG

By Artem Apostoli

There is a lot of debate between tech experts on whether Apple or Samsung are better. In this article, I will do a fair comparison between the two.

First of all, I will look at their computers. Samsung have a whole range of laptops, PCs and touchscreen displays. They are pretty expensive, but good value for the newer ones, but they will never beat Apple. Apple also makes a wide range of PCs known as ‘Macs’ and the laptops are known as ‘MacBook’. Steve Jobs impressed the public by pulling a MacBook from an envelope. The Macs on the other hand were huge, heavy but also the most powerful computers on sale. They run on a totally different software from the rest (Mac OS) which is more secure than Windows which makes them less susceptible to viruses. Lately, Apple started using less powerful CPUs than before, for example, the 2009 Mac Pro has an Intel Xeon, while the new MacBook Air uses a Core i5. This is then matched by Turbo Boost which boosts the power of the CPU. They are definitely not good value for money, since the new iMac Pro costs £5,000 for the 18-core model. Even the MacBook Air costs £2,000!

Next, a comparison of their tablets. Samsung has a huge range of tablets on sale, all running Android. Unlike Apple, they cannot always be updated to the latest version. The newer tablets are more popular than iPads, however it is a matter of preference. In terms of specs, Samsung are better. But iPads are easier to use and once again are more powerful thanks to a more lightweight OS. If you need a replacement for a PC, you need a Samsung tablet. If you need it to work together with a Mac, the iPad is for you.

Next are the personal assistants. Apple put Siri in iOS 5 and newer, Mac OS Sierra and newer, all forms of tvOS and all versions of audioOS (Homepod). Samsung, however, have Bixby implemented on all devices since 2017. However, old devices can still side load Bixby unlike Siri.

Both companies also sell TVs. Apple released Apple TV in 2007 with many updates. It is very similar to the Amazon Fire TV Stick, requiring a subscription. Contrary to that, Samsung actually make Smart TVs. Apple tried this with Macintosh TV in a vain attempt to enter the home entertainment industry, selling 10,000 units. So, in conclusion, if you need a TV, buy Samsung. If you already have a TV, buy Apple TV.

Finally, phones. This is the most heated debate among owners on which is better. They each excel at different things, such as iPhones being faster and Samsung having more storage, up to 1 TB! There is so much to this that there is a table to compare and contrast the XS Max and the S10+, the top-of-the-range phones.

Overall, it depends on what you need. If you need a tablet, you should go for an iPad because it has an optional keyboard to add to its ease to use and great gaming experiences. If you need a TV, buy a Samsung TV; if you have a TV and want to make the most out of it, buy an Apple TV. As for a computer, I would go for a Mac, but if you need Windows, you need a Samsung. On the other hand, you can dual boot a Mac using Boot Camp and have a super powerful computer running both OS. As for phones, I will always remain an iPhone user. It is just so fast and so powerful that Samsung will never reach that sort of standard. Although the specs on Samsung are better in the newer models, not many people buy the newer models. The older iPhones are better.

My personal opinion is that Apple are always the best in everything they do and if I were you, I would always go for Apple despite the high prices. Apple only make premium devices, while Samsung make a whole range. I think that the fact that Apple only produces premium devices and always innovates makes it the best.