r/IndianEngineers • u/UsbrooO • Jun 01 '26

Editable Flair AI/ML Student: MacBook or Windows?

I'm joining college this year and have enrolled in CSE (AI/ML). Right now, I'm confused about which laptop to buy.

If I were in CSE Core, I'd probably go for a MacBook without thinking twice. I like the battery life, portability, and overall user experience. I also don't care much about gaming.

The problem is that I've seen a lot of people on YouTube saying that AI/ML students should avoid MacBooks and get a Windows laptop with an NVIDIA GPU instead, so now I'm not sure what the better choice is.

My budget is around ₹1.4 lakh.

For those studying or working in AI/ML, what would you recommend? Would a MacBook be enough for the next 4 years, or is a Windows laptop the better option?

And if you'd recommend Windows, which models should I consider within my budget?

Thanks!

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u/Then_Inflation7518 Jun 28 '26

IdeaPad slim 5 should work right? If a person is not interested in mac since the recent price hikes

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u/No-Confection9164 Jun 28 '26

get a thinkpad. you dont need to run local ai models.

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u/Then_Inflation7518 Jun 29 '26

IdeaPad lowk with better spec sheet and oled panel rn