There's never been a better time to switch to Mac from Windows. The Apple Silicon M-series chips (like the new MacBook M4) only need a trickle of energy for everyday browsing and watching, then turn into workhorses when you need real power. They come in a sleek aluminum chassis with an incredible trackpad, and they support a thriving ecosystem full of incredible Mac apps that improve your experience in every way. They can even play modern AAA video games. Whether you're a lifetime Windows user or prefer to start from zero with a new device, it's practically a rite of passage to skim through the settings and tweak things to your liking.
Some setting changes are a must no matter who you are; macOS for some bizarre reason does not come with the firewall enabled by default, to give one example. Others -- such as setting the dock to hide automatically -- come down to preference. Here are our recommendations for settings you should change once you've finished unboxing your new MacBook.