Macbook M1 for Electrical Engineering

[2DayUDie]

Hello everyone! So I'm about to enter college as an Electrical Engineer Major and was wondering if MacOS is alright for it. Not just MacOS but the m1 macbook. Im hoping to get some feedback on whether this is doable or else I will just resolve to a windows laptop. It's just that the integration with my phone and ipad is what really wants me to get a mac. I think for my major its bunch of CAD software along with MATLAB but I also have my desktop as well. If not I will probably resolve to the Asus Zephyrus G14.  But then that laptop has no webcam which bugs me especially in this time with the pandemic. Cheers!

[CommanderAlex]

Have you consulted with your professors at the college you are going to and have asked them what type of laptop you should get (Windows or Mac-based OS)??? I'm an engineering major with plans on going into civil engineering and I've asked my professors and they said a majority of AutoCAD software that I would be dealing with (bear in mind, civil engineering) will be using Windows machines. 

[manikyath]

for anything that requires "specific" software, i wouldnt want to rely on M1. technically it can emulate x86, but from my experience a lot of the software you'll come into contact with will be touchy at best to start with.

 

the biggest issue will most likely be that all of the software will be windows based, so you're basicly SOL trying to run any of that on apple M1.

[Hackentosher]

It's possible to complete an EE degree on a Mac, but it won't be pleasant at all times. I would have a partition for Windows ready at any given time because there are some softwares that just aren't available on MacOS. I even had a prof that wrote his own software for his circuits homework (yes, it's even worse than it sounds) and he couldn't be arsed to port it to Mac despite half the class having Macbooks. The only option was to either find a windows machine for your homework, or dual boot. I think Windows is the way for quality of life in engineering, but you can do it on a Mac.

 

I am biased, but I personally think the Dell XPS laptops are about as good as you can get for engineering school because they're built like brick shithouses, and have a decent amount of power for games heavy software loads.

 

As you get into your higher level classes, you may find that some classes require you to remote in to a server to do your homework due to licensing restrictions or if it's really heavy software (Cadence, looking at you).

[manikyath]

5 minutes ago, Hackentosher said:

I would have a partition for Windows ready

apple M1 cant run windows 10. it *can* run windows 10 ARM in a VM, but that isnt publicly available and has the same software compatibility issue.

[Hackentosher]

1 minute ago, manikyath said:

apple M1 cant run windows 10. it *can* run windows 10 ARM in a VM, but that isnt publicly available and has the same software compatibility issue.

Oh shit I didn't realize. I think this rules out an M1 Mac then. You absolutely need to have access to a Windows install as an EE student at my university.

 

It can't run x86 Windows in a VM?

[2DayUDie]

12 minutes ago, Hackentosher said:

Oh shit I didn't realize. I think this rules out an M1 Mac then. You absolutely need to have access to a Windows install as an EE student at my university.

 

It can't run x86 Windows in a VM?

Well that solves everything!

[2DayUDie]

37 minutes ago, SpiderMan said:

Have you consulted with your professors at the college you are going to and have asked them what type of laptop you should get (Windows or Mac-based OS)??? I'm an engineering major with plans on going into civil engineering and I've asked my professors and they said a majority of AutoCAD software that I would be dealing with (bear in mind, civil engineering) will be using Windows machines. 

GOtcha

[manikyath]

13 minutes ago, Hackentosher said:

Oh shit I didn't realize. I think this rules out an M1 Mac then. You absolutely need to have access to a Windows install as an EE student at my university.

 

It can't run x86 Windows in a VM?

had to google it.. nope.

[Action_Johnson]

I would look into a Microsoft Surface, if you're looking for the PC flavor of the Mac experience. If you need more oomph, a Dell XPS laptop could be a good alternative. 

 

I know a couple people who use the Surface and they think they're amazing, considering the form factor. 

[Hackentosher]

1 minute ago, Action_Johnson said:

I would look into a Microsoft Surface, if you're looking for the PC flavor of the Mac experience. If you need more oomph, a Dell XPS laptop could be a good alternative. 

 

I know a couple people who use the Surface and they think they're amazing, considering the form factor. 

This is another good suggestion. A lot of my friends use a Surface and swear by it as it offers a great note taking experience. I personally like to take notes on paper, but a surface or an ipad are supposed to be really good.

[Action_Johnson]

It's more of the surface not being a chunky, plastic Windows laptop, and being virtually the only Windows laptop with a decent touchpad. Every Windows laptop I've used for the exception of the Surface, had truly awful awful touchpads.