http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57581290-37/macbook-pro-declared-best-performing-windows-laptop/

MacBook Pro declared 'best-performing' Windows laptop

A PC services company placed Apple computers in the No. 1 and No. 6 slots as the best-performing Windows laptops.

The MacBook Pro 13 was rated the best-performing Windows laptop. One of the biggest reasons: 'every Windows installation on it is clean.'

(Credit: Soluto)

An Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro is the "best-performing" Windows laptop? Yes, says a PC services company that has done "frustration analytics" on some of the best-selling PCs.

The MacBook Pro won out over established PC makers like Dell, Acer, and Lenovo, according to Soluto, which was quick to explain its finding.

A main factor in this machine's metrics is the fact that every Windows installation on it is clean. With PC manufacturers loading so much crapware on new laptops, this is a bit of an unfair competition. But, on the other hand, PC makers should look at this data and aspire to ship PCs that perform just as well as a cleanly installed MacBook Pro.

The report went on to admit that it might be more fair to compare a cleanly installed MacBook Pro with a cleanly installed PC from Acer or Dell.

But there's method in Soluto's metrics: "We simply compared the real PCs in the field....We believe it's more representative of reality."

The metrics (see image at top) include crashes per week, hangs per week, Blue Screens (of Death) per week, and average boot time.

Soluto did list the disadvantages of running Windows on a Mac, including that it's more work to set up Windows on a Mac and there may be driver issues.

Acer's Aspire E1-571 came in second and Dell's XPS 13 received the third-highest ranking.

(Credit: Soluto)

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Well.. thats because they are expensive pieces of well build quality.. anyway:

"The report went on to admit that it might be more fair to compare a cleanly installed MacBook Pro with a cleanly installed PC from Acer or Dell."

Yep...obviously the bloated installs will run worse.
Hilarious that 2nd place is $800 cheaper too.

Hey that's what I'm using right now! Haven't bothered to install Windows on it though, I have a desktop for that.

That's kind of stupid. And the $2,200 model is only 6th despite the favorable conditions? Kind of shows how meaningless this exercise actually is.

How is it meaningless, this wasnt just a performance test, look at the chart its mostly about how stable the machine is, so who cares how fast that 2200 model is, if its crashing alot. 

Even the article says it's not a like for like comparison. Starting at 1,200 dollars , I'd be darn passed if it weren't near the top considering I could get two very decent windows PCs for that price.

no point in commenting if you are going to read the opening post. its not just about speed, but stability too. If you have problems with the metrics they use why not comment on that.

Not suprised, apple makes great hardware. It is at a premium though compared to the other laptops.

When a MacBook comes installed with Windows on it, call me. Until this, this is a very silly comparison.

I can take a laptop from just about any manufacturer, wipe it clean, install Windows and have the same top ranking.

You don't compare a factory install with bloatware against a clean user install on any laptop regardless of the manufacturer.

Viper1 doesn't post often around here anymore, but when he does, usually the debate is over and everyone can move along...

I think any one who installs windows in a mac does so with a fresh installed version since it doesn't come preloaded to my knowledge.  A lot of people seem to dual boot. at least in gaming forums since windows is better for games than macs. I would hope that this info would make manufucters install less bloated windows, but I doubt it.