Windows PC or MacBook suggestions? ($2.5k, USA)

Hello!

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

• Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US:

Under 2.5k USD

• Are you open to refurbs/used?

Certified Refurbs from site

• How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?

Performance >>> (I’m fine staying plugged into a wall, not super into the flippy screens)

• How important is weight and thinness to you?

Prefer thinner but not a dealbreaker

• Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.

15” ish

• Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.

Adobe Suite: Photoshop, Lightroom, InDesign, Illustrator, MAYBE Premiere Pro.

Games: Minecraft (not mod heavy) and Sims 4 (I’ve played this on laptops before, low render settings don’t bother me)

• If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?

I don’t know

• Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?

No pref

I’m open to Windows or Apple, though I’ve never had an Apple Computer. I’m unsure of the current processor and graphics card standards, below in the form I’ll list the applications I’m interested in using the machine for.

I’d like to lean perhaps towards Mac, because I already have an apple ecosystem (phone, watch, iPad) but I don’t know where to begin requirements wise for my wants/needs.

Can I have advice/suggestions for both?

Apologies in advice for mobile formatting.

Thanks for any help :)