system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Windows+Linux vs MacOS for development ecosystem

I'm getting either the Framework laptop or the new M1 Macbook Pro; I boiled the decision down to just the development ecosystem.

My work over the next two years will involve quantitative finance, so it'll essentially be Data Science, Software engineering, and Machine Learning work.

This decision would be a no-brainer and I would undoubtedly be using Linux (I use arch btw) on its own if it weren't for the fact that having Excel is an absolute essential need.

I do not like doing my dev work on Windows even with WSL. Linux has zero support for Office so I'd essentially be switching between the two (I'd make Linux my primary OS).

Looking at these criteria, it seems like the obvious choice would be to work on MacOS, but I'm wondering whether it's really worth paying the 'Apple Premium'. Also, I heard that developing on the M1 isn't all roses and flowers especially for lots of Python libraries since they don't compile properly. Lastly, Excel on MacOS does miss a few features here and there compared to Windows, but I'm not too familiar with them and I don't think it really matters.

Those of you who run a Linux+Windows combo, how productive are you guys? Is having to switch back and forth worth it at all? Is the MacOS premium worth it? I also have no idea what Windows 11 brings to the table.
gpt
If you’re a Linux user by choice and you only need windows for Excel, just run it in a VM. Dual booting is annoying if you’re having to do it regularly.

A Mac is perfectly fine too. But based on how you describe what you want, I'd go Linux and a Windows VM (or maybe Wine if Excel runs fine with it...no idea there).