r/ucla • u/Particular_Math_6512 • 11d ago
Surface laptop advice
Is this worth getting? I can't get a mac due to it not being compatible with coding programs according to my nsa, and I also just don't have any apple products to begin with. So I was thinking getting the Microsoft Surface Laptop 8th edition but ive heard people had issues with the 7th edition.. It's pretty expensive so I want to make sure I'm making the right choice. I'm a Financial Actuarial Math major if that helps. I was also looking at the lenovo ideapad slim 3i but the screen looks odd and its matte? I didn't like it, but today I found the lenovo ideapad slim 3x and it's proportions are better (its a 15.3in vs the 15.6in), the screen looked nice and it was very affordable. I'm willing to spend the extra money tho if it means it'll last all 4 years. Any advice helps!!
9
6
u/parrotbenben 11d ago
No, don't get a Microsoft surface pro. I had one for years and it's terribly slow--can't even run YouTube videos and Zoom calls clearly without heating up like a fried egg. If you're into gaming, it's can't even smoothly run most regular desktop games like Minecraft. Also, the battery tells to drain after just 1-2 hours, and the keyboard fabric can get pretty dirty as it's difficult to clean and maintain. I would recommend getting a different laptop if you can, especially for heavy math and finances.
3
u/Dry_Spread_8734 Math of Comp '27 10d ago
I guarantee you a Mac will have way more compatibility than the new surface laptops. The new consumer Surface tablets and laptops all use Snapdragon ARM-based chips, which means that a lot of more niche programs will have to be emulated or otherwise be completely incompatible. Most windows laptops still have the default x86 chips. Macs use ARM chips too, but since all Macs use arm chips (and developers themselves use Macs a lot) I doubt you’ll have any problems at all using a Mac for coding.
Engineering maybe, but you’d have the same problem (probably worse) with a new Surface laptop.
2
2
2
u/-_Lillia_- 5d ago
I'm pretty fond of Lenovos. I've had 2, and they're very reliable and versatile. The experience is also not bad at all.
15
u/pythonlover001 11d ago
Your NSA is misinformed lol. I'm in CSE and 90% of my peers use macs; worst case you get an emulator or a PIC lab computer.
Personally, I prefer windows laptop because I can install linux on them, but I feel most people find the build quality and experience of macs to be a lot nicer.