Today marks the 25th anniversary of Apple launching Mac OS X, the operating system that serves as the foundation of modern-day macOS. Apple released a public beta of Mac OS X in September 2000, and the operating system officially launched on March 24, 2001.

Choosing an operating system in 2026 requires more thought than ever. Windows, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS each offer unique strengths in hardware compatibility, software support, and user experience. Rather than asking which OS is "best," an OS comparison ...