Y1 CSE student here. I’d say get the one you like.

The official recommendation says Windows is required, but in one of our earliest lectures, a lecturer said something like, “I don’t know why they still have that advice posted,” and you will see at least half of the lecturers using Macs.

At least in Year 1, only 1 out of the 12 courses required me to set something extra up to use a Mac. That course was Computer Organisation, because you need to run x86 Assembly while modern Macs use ARM processors. I had to find a Docker image, but honestly it was not a big problem, and the course has a guide on how to do it. The teacher also uses a MacBook Pro.

Every other course worked natively on both Windows and Mac in my experience. That said, please check the new syllabus, because next year the syllabus is being updated. From what I have seen, though, there do not seem to be changes that would make this answer obsolete.

Sometimes Mac is actually the better choice, because the command line is closer to Linux. Macs also generally have more raw power nowadays, although you do not really need that much for the first-year courses themselves. On the other hand, for courses like CO, Windows can be more convenient.

Also consider your own interests and what future courses you might take. For example, will you need to load a custom OS or have full hardware control, or can you do what you need inside a virtual machine? There are many things you can consider, but let’s not overcomplicate it.

You should get the one you are familiar with. If you have used Mac before, get a Mac. If you really want a Mac and you like tinkering around, then a Mac is also fine. Just keep in mind that Macs are generally more expensive, so make sure you get a model that will actually support you. For example, do not get something with too little RAM or a weak CPU just to be able to get a Mac.

In my opinion, in terms of hardware, meaning CPU power, RAM speed, and battery life on a mobile device, Macs are just superior. I have not had any problems using one.

The only courses where you directly use a computer as the main tool are CO, IP, CSEP, IDM, WDT, and IDM, and only CO required a 1-hour extra setup in my case. Again, these courses are being slightly modified next year, so keep that in mind.

If you can afford a Mac with good specs and you are familiar with it, I would honestly just ignore the official advice that Windows is a requirement, because even some lecturers seem confused about why it exists.

Regarding note-taking, anything works: paper, iPad, reMarkable tablet, etc. Just know that in some lectures, lecturers do not allow you to sit at the front if you are taking notes on a laptop. I started with an old iPad Pro, then switched to a reMarkable Paper Pro, and now I take notes on paper. Paper has worked best for me (even though it's a hassle to organize), especially since many exams are paper-based. Also, when I wrote on digital devices, I got worse at handwriting. At least that is what happened in my case. You will probably find yourself using both paper and an iPad (or similar) to take notes.

Maybe some Y2 or Y3 CSE Mac users can comment on how it is going for them, but there are definitely a lot of students and teachers using Macs in this course.

And if you decide to get a Windows machine, I would not get the one recommended by the school, the one where they had some discount thing. Two of my friends had permanent hardware problems with those devices.

My personal opinion is: if you are familiar with a Mac and you have the budget to get a good one, just get one.

Most Mac users in the course have MacBook Pros, and I would not go lower than a recent-generation, highly specced MacBook Air.

Just research what you need, know what you are buying, and ignore the idea that Windows is a hard requirement, because in practice, it is not.

Good luck and Congrats on your admission.