Why does Mac OS feel so slow compared to Windows?

[oneway]

Jamcat’s reply sounds basic but it is important.

If speed is really bothering you, a major thing to be aware of is how many iCloud-related features you are using and are you aware which are which. If you use the default iCloud Drive settings your Desktop, Documents folder, and a few others are constantly utilizing your Cloud storage to keep your hard drive usage down. There are also some new features in Monterey for browser tabs and groups where I could see someone having way too many tabs open eating RAM without realizing it.

I keep certain files I’m using and modifying a lot in my user folder but out of iCloud for this reason.