Skip to content
LaptopOwners

We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never decides which laptop we pick. How we make money

Mac or Windows Laptop for College? Check These 4 Things First

By LaptopOwners · Updated · 10 min read

Get a Windows laptop if your major uses Windows-only software, and either one if it doesn’t. Engineering CAD such as SolidWorks, tax and accounting desktop apps, and Microsoft Access need Windows on an Intel or AMD chip. Nursing, law and medical exam software runs on Macs too. Once software is settled, decide on price, battery, repair and resale.

The four checks below follow that order. If your major isn’t settled and engineering, accounting or business is still on the list, we’d buy Windows, because it keeps those doors open.

Check 1: does your major need Windows-only software?

This is the check that settles it. A Mac can’t run a program the maker builds only for Windows, and the usual workarounds don’t cover the programs that matter most.

Major Windows-only software? What the maker or program says Source, date read
Most engineering Yes SolidWorks lists “Windows 11, 64-bit” and an “x86_64 (Intel 64 or AMD64)” processor. Virginia Tech: “MacOS is not supported for most Engineering majors” Dassault, Virginia Tech, Oct 22, 2026
Computer science Usually not Virginia Tech calls CS students “a supported exception.” MATLAB R2026b runs on “Any A-series or M-series chip” Virginia Tech, MathWorks, Oct 22, 2026
Accounting Often Drake Tax lists Windows 11 and says “ARM processors are not supported.” Access “is available for PC only” Drake, Microsoft, Oct 22, 2026
Business Often Temple’s Fox School: “Macbooks and iMacs are not advised” Temple Fox, Oct 22, 2026
Nursing Usually not Examplify “works with most modern computers, both Mac and Windows.” Kirkwood’s nursing PDF says “No Mac OS” ExamSoft, Kirkwood, Oct 22, 2026
Law No Duke Law lists “Mac OS X 14 and above” and “M1 and above for Macbooks” Duke Law (updated 06/29/2026), Oct 22, 2026

Kirkwood’s PDF and Temple’s page show no date. Program pages change every year, so re-read yours before you buy.

Engineering: Windows, for most majors

SolidWorks is the clearest case. Dassault supports it only on 64-bit Windows with an Intel or AMD processor, and says “Windows Home Editions and Windows To Go are not supported.” That rules out every Mac running macOS, and it means a Windows laptop that ships with Home may need an upgrade to Pro or Education.

Colleges follow the software. Virginia Tech says “Required software is Windows-only or does not run reliably on Apple Silicon” and doesn’t support Snapdragon or other Arm chips either. UW-Madison’s engineering page says “we require engineering students to work on Windows laptops,” and its help desk “only supports Windows devices.”

Accounting and business: Windows, unless your courses say otherwise

Accounting software is the second big Windows-only group. Drake Tax lists Windows 11 and rules out Arm chips, and Microsoft Access, which some business courses still teach, is PC only.

QuickBooks Desktop is less simple. Intuit’s 2024 requirements page says the Windows edition needs “Windows 11, 64-bit, natively installed,” doesn’t run on Arm and doesn’t support “emulators, and virtual environments.” Intuit also lists a separate Mac edition (macOS 12 Monterey or later), but it stopped selling new Mac Plus subscriptions to US customers after September 30, 2024. So a new student can’t buy the Mac version; check which edition your course uses and whether the school supplies it.

Temple’s business school sums up why schools lean this way: Macs “lack compatibility with many of the software suites” its courses use, naming Excel, Access, ACL and PowerShell.

Nursing, law and medicine: a Mac is usually fine

Exam software is not the Windows trap many students expect. ExamSoft’s requirements list “macOS Sequoia, Tahoe or Golden Gate” with an “Intel, A18, or M series processor” (checked October 22, 2026). What Examplify won’t run on is a Chromebook, and it isn’t compatible with Windows in S mode.

Most nursing programs agree. In our survey of 14 programs’ nursing school laptop requirements (read October 18, 2026), 11 list macOS as an option, by our count of that table. South Carolina doesn’t recommend a Mac, Kirkwood’s program PDF rules macOS out, and A-B Tech asks only for “a current operating system.” That’s why your own program’s page matters more than any general rule. Our Examplify-compatible laptops page goes through each laptop type.

Check 2: price

Windows costs less at the bottom, and Macs are cheapest with the education price. These are examples from one day; check the live price before you buy.

Laptop Chip, memory, storage Price (store, date)
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15 (15IRU8) Core i5-1335U, 16 GB, 256 GB $499.99, Best Buy, Oct 22, 2026 (sale)
Apple MacBook Neo A18 Pro, 8 GB, 256 GB $699, apple.com, Oct 21, 2026 ($599 education price)
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 16 Gen 10 Core 5 210H, 16 GB, 512 GB $929.99, lenovo.com, Oct 22, 2026 (sale)
Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5), refurbished M5, 16 GB, 512 GB $1,099, Apple Certified Refurbished, Oct 22, 2026
Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5) M5, 16 GB, 512 GB $1,299, apple.com, Oct 21, 2026 ($1,199 education price)

Prices from our laptop database, checked on the dates shown. The IdeaPad Slim 3i family is also sold in S mode, so check the listing.

The cheap Mac comes with a catch. Apple lists “8GB unified memory” as the MacBook Neo’s only option, so you can’t buy more later or at checkout. ExamSoft lists the Neo’s A18 chip as supported, but a program that sets a 16 GB floor rules it out. Apple-certified refurbished stock is the cheaper way into a 16 GB Air; our refurbished laptop guide covers the warranty terms, and our best time to buy a laptop page covers when prices drop.

Check 3: battery life

Apple’s battery claims are long, but they aren’t directly comparable with Windows makers’ figures, because each maker runs its own test.

Apple claims the 13-inch MacBook Air M5 lasts “up to 18 hours video streaming” and “up to 15 hours wireless web” from a 53.8 Wh battery. The MacBook Neo is rated for up to 16 hours of streaming and 11 hours of web browsing from 36.5 Wh. Apple ran both tests itself in January 2026 on preproduction machines.

Lenovo rates the 60 Wh IdeaPad Slim 5i 16 at 15.8 hours of local 1080p video at 150 nits, an “approximate maximum.” Local video playback and Apple’s Wi-Fi streaming test aren’t the same task. For a lecture day, compare battery size in watt-hours and look for an independent test of the exact model.

Check 4: repair and resale

Windows laptops are easier to upgrade, and Macs have longer published repair windows.

Upgrades. On the MacBook Air and MacBook Neo, memory and storage are fixed at purchase. Notebookcheck’s review of the MacBook Air M5 lists “almost no maintenance options (RAM & SSD soldered),” and its MacBook Neo review says “neither the memory, nor the SSD can be upgraded.” Many Windows laptops differ: Lenovo’s spec sheet for the IdeaPad Slim 5i 16 lists “Two DDR5 SODIMM slots” and a second M.2 slot “for user self-expansion.” So on a Mac, buy the memory you’ll need for four years on day one.

Repairs. Apple publishes how long it will fix a Mac. Products become “vintage” 5 to 7 years after Apple stops selling them, and “Mac laptops may be eligible for an extended battery-only repair period for up to 10 years,” subject to parts. AppleCare+ for Mac lists “Unlimited repairs for accidents like drops and spills,” with a “$49–$99 service fee” for screen or enclosure damage and “$149–$299” for other accidental damage (read October 22, 2026). Windows makers’ plans vary by brand and model.

Resale. We couldn’t find a published resale study we could read, so we won’t claim either platform holds value better. What we can say: Apple Trade In takes Macs and prices them by serial number, and Apple’s page doesn’t mention Windows PCs. Best Buy and the PC makers run their own trade-in programs for Windows laptops.

What it means when you buy

Read your program’s laptop page before you pick a platform, and buy for the strictest rule on it.

Mac or Windows for college: start with your major’s software Decision flow. Question 1: does your major’s laptop page say Windows only, or list SolidWorks, Drake, Microsoft Access or QuickBooks Desktop for Windows? If yes, buy a Windows laptop with an Intel or AMD chip, not in S mode. If no, question 2: does your program’s own page rule out Macs, as Kirkwood’s nursing PDF does? If yes, buy Windows. If no, question 3: might you switch into engineering, accounting or business? If yes, Windows keeps those majors open. If no, a Mac or Windows laptop both work: decide on price, battery, repair and resale, and avoid Chromebooks and Windows S mode if your exams run in Examplify. Mac or Windows: your major’s software decides From maker and program pages read October 22, 2026 1. Does your major’s page say Windows only, or list SolidWorks, Drake, Microsoft Access or QuickBooks Desktop for Windows? Yes Windows laptop Intel or AMD chip, not in S mode No 2. Does your program’s own page rule out Macs? Kirkwood’s nursing PDF says “No Mac OS” Yes Windows laptop Follow the program No 3. Might you switch into engineering, accounting or business? Yes Windows keeps those majors open No Mac or Windows both work. Decide on price, battery, repair, resale. Either way, if your exams run in Examplify: no Chromebook, and no Windows in S mode. Our flow, from Dassault, Intuit, Drake, Microsoft, ExamSoft and program pages.
Sources: SOLIDWORKS system requirements, QuickBooks Desktop 2024 requirements, Drake 2026 requirements, Microsoft Access, ExamSoft minimum system requirements and Kirkwood nursing technology requirements, read October 22, 2026.

If your answer lands on Windows, skip Arm laptops such as Snapdragon models unless your program says they’re fine. SolidWorks, Drake and the Windows edition of QuickBooks Desktop all need an Intel or AMD chip, and Virginia Tech doesn’t support Arm. Also check the edition: SolidWorks doesn’t support Windows Home.

If it lands on “both work,” a Mac is a sound choice. Buy 16 GB, because memory can’t be added later, and turn on FileVault if your program asks for disk encryption. The best laptop for ExamSoft page lists laptops that pass on exam day, and our PA school guide shows how one health program’s rules play out.

If a Chromebook is on your list, our Chromebook vs laptop guide explains what it can’t run.

FAQ

Is a MacBook good for college?

Yes, for majors whose software runs on macOS, which includes most nursing, law, medical and computer science programs. It’s a poor fit for most engineering majors and many accounting programs, where SolidWorks, Drake or Access need Windows on an Intel or AMD chip.

Do engineering students need Windows?

Most do. Dassault supports SolidWorks only on 64-bit Windows with an x86-64 chip, Virginia Tech says macOS “is not supported for most Engineering majors,” and UW-Madison requires Windows laptops. Computer science is often the exception.

Can I use a Mac for nursing school?

Usually. Examplify runs on Macs with an Intel, A18 or M-series chip, and 11 of the 14 programs in our nursing survey list macOS as an option. Kirkwood’s program PDF says “No Mac OS,” so read your own program’s page first.

Can I run Windows on a MacBook for class?

Only Arm versions of Windows 11, through Parallels, on current Macs. Microsoft’s page lists limitations for some hardware, games and apps. Drake doesn’t support Arm, Dassault’s SolidWorks page asks for an x86-64 chip and doesn’t mention Apple silicon, and ExamSoft doesn’t allow Examplify in a virtual environment. Ask your department before you count on it.

What to do next

  1. Open your major’s laptop or technology page and note any named software, the operating system line and the RAM figure.
  2. Search the maker’s system requirements for each named program, and check whether it needs Windows on an Intel or AMD chip.
  3. If your exams use Examplify, read the Examplify-compatible laptops page and check ExamSoft’s list again before you pay.
  4. Use the Will it run? checker on the laptop you’re considering.
  5. Compare the live price, including Apple’s education price and refurbished stock, before you buy.
  6. Short on time? Our laptop finder matches your use and budget to laptops on our shortlist.

Sources

More guides guides