Personal computers come in two main types: PC and Mac. Both work well, but they look and feel different. Many people have a favorite between the two.

The PC style began with the IBM PC in 1981. Other companies started making similar computers. These were called IBM PC Compatible or just PC. Today, PCs are the most common type of personal computer. They usually run the Microsoft Windows operating system.

The Macintosh, or Mac, came out in 1984. It was the first popular computer with a graphical user interface (GUI). This means users could click on icons and menus instead of typing commands. Macs are made only by Apple and mostly use the Mac OS X operating system.