24/03/2026 12:10 am
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what laptop should I actually get for my CS degree starting in two weeks?
I looked at used ThinkPads but they look so old and I'm worried about the battery dying. Others say a used M1 Air is better but is 8gb ram enough for coding? I only have $600 and classes start soon...
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24/03/2026 12:45 am
tbh Im happy with Acer Swift 3 Ryzen 7 5700U 16GB RAM. Its super reliable and 16gb beats 8gb for coding. The ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 16GB RAM is also a safe choice.
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24/03/2026 12:10 am
Honestly with a $600 cap you have to compromise on either age or memory. 8GB on Mac is fine for basic syntax but it starts lagging once you run Docker or multiple IDE windows.
- Apple MacBook Air M1 8GB RAM 256GB SSD for battery life.
- Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 2 Ryzen 5 16GB RAM for multitasking. Go with the 16GB ThinkPad. You really need that RAM for local environments and labs.
