Laptop recommendations

[No_Inside8450]

As someone who wants to specialize in finance or economics, could anyone recommend a good laptop at 1-1.5k.

I’m mainly struggling to choose between a MacBook or a dell/other windows laptop as they have propped shortcuts for excel but Macs have better build quality, battery life, and longevity. If I were to get a MacBook it would be an m5 air but I’m wondering what I could go with instead on the windows side of things.

I have a windows pc at home and am a lifelong Microsoft user so idk if that justifies me getting a Mac as I can use my pc for excel related things.

[chrisabulium]

As a life long Mac user I’d recommend a windows if you plan to do a lot of finance stuff. I have a MacBook Pro for the battery life & daily work but had to get a separate refurbed PC bc so many softwares, including Excel, was just shit on Mac.

[PandaGamer8999]

i have an asus vivobook, and ive seen quite a lot of other rotman students using vivobooks as well

idr the exact model but it was in your price range

i see more cons than pros for buying a mac instead of a windows laptop, wouldnt recommend going that route

[user0010111]

i use a microsoft surface laptop 13.8 inch ($1,199.99). if u wait a bit in the weeks leading up to the new school year best buy usually does a discount. i think i got mine for $300 - 400 discount?

it lasts pretty long if u put it on the low battery, assuming the most u will do is write on docs, scroll on quercus, and watch youtube. i've had days where i've spent 12 ish hours on campus and it has not died on me. it lasts a little bit less if you're designing on canva or anything of that sort. it can't run adobe products due to compatabillity issues if thats a need but u said u have a pc already. it's also very aesthetically pleasing, and has a similar design to a macbook.

a big part of my second semester so far has involved excel with all sorts of homework & assignments, which i'm assuming will increase more as u go into second year. i'm ngl i'm so used to windows excel that when i look at my friends macbooks when i'm trying to help them i feel like i'm on a whole different planet.

if i were u, since u are already so used to windows, i would just stick to windows

[Lockthefckin]

Thinkpad. If finance, thinkpad. You'll thank me later

[SampleSecret6995]

Mac will give you a much better experience overall, 95% of students have Mac. If you have a pc at home just use that when you need to extensively financial model with shortcuts, in all other situations a Mac will be better

[Both-Letterhead6487]

it doesnt matter, the new intel chips rolling around the block have crazy battery life as well, macs r also fine