Honestly, you can't really go wrong either way these days, but i've been really happy with the Mac route. Most CS programs are totally fine with macOS since its Unix-based under the hood, making things like terminal work and setting up compilers way smoother than Windows used to be. I've found it much easier than messing with environment variables on a PC.

• Apple MacBook Air M2 13-inch 16GB RAM 512GB SSD: This is my daily driver and I have zero complaints. The battery life is actually insane and easily gets me through three labs without hunting for a plug. Just make sure you get 16GB of RAM because you cant upgrade it later and 8GB is pushing it once you start running Docker or heavy IDEs.
• Dell XPS 13 9315 i7-1250U 16GB RAM 512GB SSD: If you really want Windows for those specific VM labs or just prefer the ecosystem, this works well too. Its super portable and handles Linux distros like a champ if you decide to dual boot or use WSL2. The VM concern is kinda overblown because most unis provide a remote server or VDI for the one or two classes that need a specific Windows environment anyway. I went with the Mac and honestly dont regret it one bit, especially for the screen quality. Just stick to 16GB RAM regardless of which one you pick and youll be set for all four years.

Honestly, I've spent years testing hardware and that $1200 sweet spot is actually the best place to be. If you want a workhorse that wont let you down when you start running heavy Docker containers or local databases, you need RAM more than anything else. Dont settle for 8GB. I'd grab the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 4 Intel Core i7-1360P 32GB RAM. It's a tank, the keyboard is legendary for long coding sessions, and having 32GB of RAM at this price point is a total game changer for virtualization. Another solid pick is the Framework Laptop 13 DIY Edition Intel Core Ultra 5 125H. It's great for CS because it's completely repairable and you can swap the ports whenever you want. Tbh you'll appreciate having actual USB-A and HDMI ports when you're in the lab and dont want to mess with dongles. Both will serve you way better than a base-model Mac for actual engineering work.

Jumping in here because i've seen too many students regret the Mac route once they hit upper-level systems classes. Unfortunately, the compatibility layer for ARM-based MacBooks is still not as good as expected for certain academic software. I had issues with several older virtualization tools and specific assembly language debuggers that simply refused to behave on macOS. It is honestly quite disappointing that such expensive hardware can leave you stranded in the middle of a lab session. For a CS degree, safety and compatibility should be your main priorities over battery life. Personally, I think you should stick with a high-end Windows workstation to ensure you can run whatever the curriculum throws at you. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 7840U 32GB RAM 512GB SSD is probably your best bet right now. It falls right into your budget and provides the x86 architecture youll definitely need for certain VM setups. If you prefer something else, the Dell Latitude 5440 Intel Core i7-1355U 16GB 512GB SSD is another reliable alternative. Windows might feel clunky to some, but it wont leave you unable to complete an assignment because of processor architecture conflicts. Reliability is key when your grade is on the line...