TL
NR is that the cheapest Mac laptop will probably meet your needs. 16GB would be highly recommended but 8GB should do the job. I'd repeat others' concerns about the 256GB SSD - I think XCode needs about 40GB to install unless you want extra hassle slimming it down, and if you run Parallels you end up with large disc images taking space. Also remember that you
shouldn't be running with your drive anywhere near 100% full - especially with a SSD, which
needs free space to function. These things shouldn't be a dilemma in 2024 but, hey, complaints on a postcard to Apple for charging $200 extra for < $100 worth of RAM and the same again for an extra 256GB of flash.
Step #1 is to check whether the university has any particular recommendations/requirements for what type of system you need and/or get feedback from other students on what actually works. That includes systems for submitting course work etc. as well as the CS curriculum. If you're already a year in, think about what options/courses you might be taking in the future: they might have specific requirements. Odds are that any exotic hardware will be provided in the labs, but being able to work on your own hardware might be an advantage - or maybe not.
If you
do need to use Windows regularly for coursework then do yourself a favour and get a Windows laptop because t
he best computer/OS is the one that runs the software you need. You want to be studying the course, not how to get particular bits of software running on your Mac.
Also: repeat after me: "Visual Studio for Mac and Visual Studio Code
are not Visual Studio" - and any course that assumes you're using Visual Studio will probably also assume that you're on x86.
Of course, if it's a proper computer science degree then all you should need is an infinite roll of paper tape and a marker pen.
- but, seriously, it's unlikely that the actual coding will be particularly demanding and, in theory, a Mac should be an ideal tool for the job since it is running Unix.
I'm not for one moment suggesting that a Mac isn't suitable for CS but
check.
Odds are that a used/refurb
M1 MBA will do what you need for your course and work just as well in 4 years time as it does today, doing the same things that it does today. 16GB & 512GB SSD would be better - since it's very likely to become the standard spec for new Macs on that timescale (with Copilot+ PCs now starting at 16GB, any M4 Mac with less than 12GB would be laughable). On past performance, Macs get
new versions of the OS for at least 4 years after Apple stop selling them and critical updates for a couple of years after that.
But,
you're doing a CS degree - in 3 years time you might be specialising in AI development, augmented reality, designing CPUs, writing the definitive book on the history of 8-bit computing... or just using your degree certificate to get promoted to
senior assistant manager at MacDonalds (to fund your VR gaming habit). You don't know
what gear you'll need or whether or not you'll need to own it yourself.
...but seriously, "future proofing" is an expensive hobby that doesn't always pay off - it's not
fair but it's something to do when you have spare cash. If you have any sort of usable laptop at the moment then it would be best to save up until you can at least comfortably afford a 16MB/256GB M3
and have looked in to what you actually need for your course. If you must have a laptop today, get something that will do the job today and don't over-extend yourself financially.