Windows 11 frustrations – Stay on Windows for FL or try Mac?

[Another Sam]

Hey everyone,

I’m at a bit of a crossroads and would really appreciate some input from people who’ve used FL Studio on both platforms.

Background

I’ve been a Windows user most of my life and an FL Studio user since FL 11. I’ll admit when I began using FL, I was younger and I had some petty complaints, so I want to say thank you to the devs who have consistently delivered on user requests. As an adult now, I understand how much work goes into maintaining a product.

Current Situation

I used to produce melodic dubstep, but these days I mostly play guitar and record covers for YouTube. I also do CAD work, and I game casually.

My PC is almost 8 years old. It was high-end when I built it in 2018, but it’s time for an upgrade.

My frustration is mainly with Windows 11, not FL Studio. Between performance inconsistencies, Microsoft supposedly storing BitLocker keys, ads in the Start menu, and unavoidable telemetry in consumer versions, the experience just doesn’t feel as clean or stable as it used to.

At the same time, I see a lot of people praising Mac stability. But when I browse these forums, I also see people complaining about FL performance on macOS. I'm concerned of having the opposite issue, great a Mac experience but a not-so-great FL Studio experience.

The Question

I’m debating between:

• Building a new Windows PC
• Trying a Mac (a Mac Mini M4 is surprisingly affordable right now, on par with a 32GB kit of DDR5 memory, crazy world)

For those who have used FL on both:

• How does FL on Mac compare in real-world use?
• If you were building fresh in 2026, what would you choose and why?

I’m not trying to start a platform war. I just want the most stable, smooth creative experience possible.

Thanks in advance.

[AtomicOverdrive]

Well I built a new PC last year and the PC its ...

[Tiles]

Hi, If you want to make music and stick with F...

[MvR]

Personally I’ve recently switched to Mac and ye...

[WilliamAshley]

Another Sam wrote: ↑Wed Feb 18, 2026 6:52 am .....

[m.letcher]

I miss my Atari-1024-ST with Dr.T's KCS (and hi...

[evmmc]

OSX in itself is fantastic for creative work. I...

[kitekrazy]

These thread are a dime a dozen. I guess you m...

[kitekrazy]

MvR wrote: ↑Wed Feb 18, 2026 1:14 pm Personally...

[kitekrazy]

AtomicOverdrive wrote: ↑Wed Feb 18, 2026 7:08 a...

[evmmc]

kitekrazy wrote: ↑Thu Feb 19, 2026 12:00 am Gr...

[Another Sam]

AtomicOverdrive wrote: ↑Wed Feb 18, 2026 7:08 a...

[Another Sam]

Tiles wrote: ↑Wed Feb 18, 2026 7:34 am Hi, [.....

[Another Sam]

m.letcher wrote: ↑Wed Feb 18, 2026 7:16 pm I su...

[Another Sam]

evmmc wrote: ↑Wed Feb 18, 2026 8:58 pm As a poi...

[Another Sam]

kitekrazy wrote: ↑Wed Feb 18, 2026 11:56 pm Lo...

[Another Sam]

evmmc wrote: ↑Thu Feb 19, 2026 2:17 am Sequoia ...

[Tiles]

Another Sam wrote: ↑Thu Feb 19, 2026 6:20 am Ti...

[Tiles]

Another Sam wrote: ↑Thu Feb 19, 2026 6:25 am m....

[Another Sam]

Tiles wrote: ↑Thu Feb 19, 2026 7:23 am I would...

[Another Sam]

Tiles wrote: ↑Thu Feb 19, 2026 7:25 am Another ...

[Tiles]

No need to apologize. All good

[kitekrazy]

Another Sam wrote: ↑Thu Feb 19, 2026 6:12 am At...

[kitekrazy]

Another Sam wrote: ↑Thu Feb 19, 2026 6:42 am ev...

[kitekrazy]

Another Sam wrote: ↑Thu Feb 19, 2026 6:34 am ki...