Android Central readers heavily favor Windows over any other desktop OS

By Jeramy Johnson
published

Windows 11 Android Laptop
Windows 11 Android Laptop (Image credit: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)

What you need to know

  • We polled AC readers about which desktop operating system they preferred, and Microsoft's Windows platform was the runaway winner.
  • Linux came in a distant second, followed even further behind by macOS and then Chrome OS.
  • These results came hot on the heels of Microsoft's announcement that Windows 11 will support Android apps.

Even though we like to talk primarily about mobile operating systems on this site (our name is Android Central, after all), we recognize that just about everyone uses a desktop computer of some sort on a daily basis. Here at AC, our team of writers and editors work from a mix of Macs, Windows PCs, Linux machines, and Chromebooks, and we generally are comfortable with our personal choice of devices and software. What we weren't sure of, however, was exactly which desktop operating systems our readers preferred to use.

Last week Microsoft unveiled the latest version of its desktop operating system, Windows 11, and aside from the design tweaks and functional improvements, one of the most talked-about features of the update was the fact that users will be able to download and run Android apps from Amazon's appstore. Actually, Windows users can also sideload Android apps, but the larger point is that Android apps can run on Windows 11. So this got us wondering — is Windows the most popular desktop OS choice for our readers?

It turns out the answer is a resounding YES. Over 60% of respondents said that Windows was indeed their preferred desktop operating system. Linux followed in a distant second place with around 17% of the vote. Perhaps most surprisingly, macOS and Chrome OS were virtually tied with around 11% of the vote each. We would have thought more Android faithful might stay in the larger Google ecosystem, but the results didn't bear that out here.

Here are some of the explanations our readers gave for their poll choices. Benjamin Haube told us that he voted for Windows, but he was also somewhat lukewarm in his support of the platform:

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I believe that reader Joey Moore echoed what a lot of the poll respondants were thinking when he told us:

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Finally, we recognize that our audience skews toward the nerdier, more expiremental tech enthusiasts, so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that Linux beat out macOS and Chrome OS. Per reader Tournel Henry:

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What about you? If you didn't get a chance to answer the weekend poll, what desktop operating system do you prefer? Let us know in the comments below.

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Jeramy Johnson
Jeramy Johnson
Editor-in-chief

Jeramy is the Editor-in-Chief of Android Central. He is proud to help *Keep Austin Weird* and loves hiking in the hill country of central Texas with a breakfast taco in each hand. You can follow him on Twitter at @jeramyutgw.

6 Comments
  • Maybe now we'll start seeing a few more articles on AC that mention Windows? Just from the articles on the site, I get the impression that the AC writers skew towards the MacOS and ChromeOS side of things, which interestingly are the two least popular operating systems according to the data from the poll. Hopefully the AC writers will make sure to cover all four of the operating systems (and others if they become popular enough).
  • I find Chrome OS make interesting than Windows, even Mac is more interesting than Windows but it's Chrome OS that I'm interested in more than anything else as I've used nothing but Windows and I'm bored of it, I have no interest in trying a Mac because it's Apple and have no interest in Apple's walled garden. Chrome OS is the perfect balance for me
  • As someone who only uses Windows computers, I try to cover it when it becomes relevant to our site, but we implore you to check out Windows Central. Thanks for the feedback, though. It's good to know that this is something our readers are interested in, too 😁
  • My current desktop daily drivers are Windows- both personal, and work. Been using my Chromebook less, since Windows is quite robust, and as snappy. Galaxy phones. No tablet, zero Apple ever.
  • I wish I could use zero Apple ever but because of a pact with my sister I have no choice but carry an iPhone as s secondary device but thankfully she accepts I don't want an iPad or any other Apple device (except for the Apple Watch, which I don't really want either) I don't want another Windows laptop as I'm sick of Windows and want s Chromebook, specifically a Pixelbook as I want to be in the Google ecosystem.
  • I use a mix of Windows, both Insider and Stable builds, Linux and Android