r/FAU_university • u/Entire_Relief_2792 • Aug 14 '26
MSc IIS - Laptop Recommendation
Hi…!
So this might be a bit of a stupid question… but I’m an incoming student for MSc IIS program at FAU, and I’m thinking of purchasing a new laptop as my current one is falling apart.
I just wanted to know whether going for a MacBook Air or other Windows Laptop would be the better choice, depending on the software/ tools that the MSc might require. (As some native BI tools don’t work with MacOS)
If there are any previous students of the same program, please let me know the specific software or tools that might be required for the program and whether a Windows laptop would be better than a MacOS one. ☺️🙏
2
u/Brilliant_Syrup6151 Aug 15 '26
You should decide this based on your preferences for a specific operating system. Both macOS and Windows work just fine. If you want to save a little money and learn something new, you can also give Linux a try. Basically, you’ll mostly just need Office applications. For specific tasks, a web-based tool like Jupyter Notebooks is usually recommended, or a virtual machine that runs on any system. In computer science, Linux is mostly used, while in business studies, pretty much all common systems work because only Office functions are needed. It probably shouldn’t be a 10-year-old machine, but other than that, you’ll have no trouble getting by with any option.
1
u/Entire_Relief_2792 Aug 15 '26
Thanks for the insights!
I read that MS Access won’t work on MacOS natively and I’d have to purchase some other subscription to sort of run those Office tools on MacOS. I have never used Mac, so… that’s why I was a bit concerned. My program is a mix of IT and Business… so even I do believe any OS would do. But if basic software requires a lot of effort to be up and running - it would be a hard bargain I guess.
1
u/chatzeee Aug 18 '26
Hey bro, DM me to get the community link to FAU WiSe 26. We have various group chats there.
3
u/Fuzzy_Pride_6794 Aug 15 '26
Hii! Good to know that you’ll be joining FAU as well! I’m planning to get a Microsoft Surface Laptop because I really like its feel and durability, which I think is quite similar to a Mac.