# MacBook or windows laptop?

**URL:** <https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/macbook-or-windows-laptop/219310>\
**Category:** Rhino\
**Tags:** windows, mac, rhino6, rhino7, rhino8\
**Created:** [May 24, 2026, 9:11am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/macbook-or-windows-laptop/219310 "2026-05-24T09:11:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![4334didi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/4334didi/32/743232_2.png) [@4334didi](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/4334didi)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 9:11am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/macbook-or-windows-laptop/219310/1 "2026-05-24T09:11:22Z")

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Hello guys

I’m about to buy a new laptop and I’m trying to get an idea which laptop will be better for me

I’m planning to use rhino and some more 3D softwares on my laptop which laptop should be better for work with rhino and other 3D softwares MacBook or windows laptop

I would love to get your recommendations in regards and if you have specific MacBook or laptop recommendations it will help further

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**Author:** ![Lagom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/lagom/32/767418_2.png) [@Lagom](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Lagom)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 11:20am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/macbook-or-windows-laptop/219310/2 "2026-05-24T11:20:00Z")

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This - Apple MacBook Pro, M5 Max, M5 Max 32-Core, 36 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD - is a very good workhorse, particularly if you pair it with 1 or 2 external displays, but it depends if your annual billing structure can justify the cost.

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**Author:** ![CADARTZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/cadartz/32/648188_2.png) [@CADARTZ](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/CADARTZ)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 11:37am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/macbook-or-windows-laptop/219310/3 "2026-05-24T11:37:20Z")

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Whats your budget?

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**Author:** ![4334didi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/4334didi/32/743232_2.png) [@4334didi](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/4334didi)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 11:46am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/macbook-or-windows-laptop/219310/4 "2026-05-24T11:46:37Z")

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Let’s say no budget limit

I want to know which is better for the softwares MacBook or windows laptops because there is no much information on the internet

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**Author:** ![CADARTZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/cadartz/32/648188_2.png) [@CADARTZ](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/CADARTZ)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 12:03pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/macbook-or-windows-laptop/219310/5 "2026-05-24T12:03:28Z")

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i would say macbook then, the one @Lagom suggested has good specs

If you want windows (and if you can accept win11) lenovo legion laptops offer good perfomance for the money

Depends on what you are used to really not sure if there is any perfomance differences between those two

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**Author:** ![cdordoni](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/cdordoni/32/473711_2.png) [@cdordoni](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/cdordoni)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 12:22pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/macbook-or-windows-laptop/219310/6 "2026-05-25T12:22:24Z")

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If you anticipate using a larger range of CAD applications, get a Windows machine. There are many desktop apps that will not run on a Mac, and likely never will.

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**Author:** ![maje90](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/maje90/32/771922_2.png) [@maje90](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/maje90)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 4:17pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/macbook-or-windows-laptop/219310/7 "2026-05-25T16:17:18Z")

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> [@4334didi](#):
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> I’m planning to use rhino **and some more 3D softwares** on my laptop

… which software?  
Check compatibility first.  
CAD world is not really compatible with Apple.

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**Author:** ![Lagom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/lagom/32/767418_2.png) [@Lagom](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Lagom)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 4:30pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/macbook-or-windows-laptop/219310/8 "2026-05-25T16:30:15Z")

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> [@cdordoni](#):
>
> There are many desktop apps that will not run on a Mac

You can run Autodesk Alias and Fusion perfectly well using Parallels, and even use a Siemens SIMATIC S7-1200 PLC controller.

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**Author:** ![cdordoni](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/cdordoni/32/473711_2.png) [@cdordoni](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/cdordoni)\
**Post date:** [May 26, 2026, 3:34pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/macbook-or-windows-laptop/219310/9 "2026-05-26T15:34:38Z")

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I don’t think GPU is fully supported in Parallels.

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**Author:** ![theoutside](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/theoutside/32/770924_2.png) [@theoutside](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/theoutside)\
**Post date:** [May 26, 2026, 9:24pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/macbook-or-windows-laptop/219310/10 "2026-05-26T21:24:52Z")

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windows still renders faster if that is important to you.

modeling, it’s a personal preference-

Many more plugins available for windows if that is important to you.

The goal is that Rhino 9 will run on parallels much better than Rhino 8 as we are using D3d for graphics instead of open gl. So for the first time we will likely be removing the “not supported” status for Parallels on a mac. So If you are a mac devotee, but need some specific plugins you can run windows via parallels now. (at least that is the goal)

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**Author:** ![brvdln](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/brvdln/32/501837_2.png) [@brvdln](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/brvdln)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2026, 7:20am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/macbook-or-windows-laptop/219310/12 "2026-05-29T07:20:02Z")

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If you don’t want to deal with software compatibility issues in the future, Windows is the better choice. Most software runs on Windows. The same applies to third-party plugins that you may want to use with Rhino: on a Mac, you might not find them at all, or they may have limitations or not work as well as their Windows counterparts.

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Mac at the front desk, Windows in the office. The first one impresses clients while they grab a coffee, the second one pays the bills. 😄 🤣