MacBook Air vs Windows Laptop for Student (Excel + Quant/Programming)

Hi Lads,

I'm trying to decide between a MacBook Air (assuming the next M5 model) or a Windows laptop for university and future finance work.

My main use case will be Excel, and I expect to be an advanced Excel user based on the coursework, projects, and skills I want to develop. Therefore, I appreciate keyboard shortcuts, efficiency and overall Excel functionality.

I know that Excel is considered better on Windows in general, I know that most large finance firms use Windows machines. But I do wonder how much of a disadvantage macOS is in practice. Is it just a matter of learning different shortcuts and workflows or are there big limitations that get annoying at a more advanced level?

I also want to say that I am interested in quant finance so I am planning to do a little programming too, mostly python and related tools. That said, I'm not looking to become a full time software engineer, I mostly want a laptop that allows me to do everything I need to do as easily and smoothly as posible.

Longevity is another consideration. I am leaning towards a MacBook Air for that reason because they seem to age very well and I want to keep this laptop for about 5-6 years.If you've used both, how difficult is it to switch to excel on macOS, if you're used to windows? Does working in excel on a mac for finance stuff limit you? Or is it just a matter of getting used to different shortcuts? Is the MacBook better than any Excel cons in terms of build quality, battery life, and longevity? If you were a finance student today and wanted to get into quant/programming, what would you pick and why?

Any help is welcome!