For the SDL Studio 2021 installation guide:

To install and run SDL Trados Studio 2021 you need:

Hardware requirements

• A Microsoft Windows-based PC or an Intel-based Apple Mac computer running Windows as an operating system

• Up to 2.5 GB of available disk space to run the Trados Studio installer

• 2 GB of available disk space to run Trados Studio

• A 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor

• 32-bit (x86) OS

     • 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor

     • 8 GB RAM

     • A screen resolution of 1280x1024 pixels and 256 colors or higher

• 64-bit (x64) OS

     • A recent processor with dual or multi-core technology

     • 8 GB RAM

     • A screen resolution of 1280x1024 pixels and 256 colors or higher

Optimum performance

For optimum performance, SDL recommends using:

• 64-bit operating systems

• a recent processor with dual or multi-core technology

• 16 GB of RAM and SSD storage

• a recent Intel or compatible CPU

To successfully license Trados Studio 2021, it is important that your network adapter is enabled.

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Based on those requirements, I would suggest suggest a Mac with 16 GB of ram (or more) and a fast SSD.

Also as Apple has formally announced plans to fully migrate to from the Intel processor family to ARM processors, as used in iPhone and iPads, if you are wanting to somewhat future proof your system you may want to consider a mid to higher end Mac with 32 GB of ram and a fast and large ssd. That said with the pending purchase of SDL by RWS the software side has almost as many questions as the Apple hardware side right now.

Thanks for the information, Cory! I have a couple of questions. How can the processor migration affect the usage of Windows and/or Trados? Also, what can SDL's purchase by RWS bring to?

How can the processor migration affect the usage on Windows and Trados?

Currently, Studio and Muliterm Desktop are Windows based programs designed to run under Windows on Intel processors. Currently, Macs have the Intel processor under the MacOS so all the pieces that are needed are there. The upcoming change means all the Intel based instructions from Windows/Intel to the new Apple processor based on ARM will need to go through a translation phase which may or may not work. For example the Microsoft Surface X is running Windows 10 on a similar ARM processor currently and there are listed of applications which do not work. At this time if a ARM based Mac will be able to run Windows and/or Studio/Multiterm is an unknown and it could change too as current Macs no longer have the PowerPC based layer that the original Intel based Macs did.

As for the purchase of SDL by RWS, that is another significant unknown. Often though when merges like that happen there is a rationalization phase of the product offerings and some products are dropped or features are merged into a single new product. For example the old, separate Trados and SDL applications have both faded away in favor of the Studio application that is used today. It might be in some years time after the deal closes the only application available is a cloud based service similar to Studio Live. it is really hard to predict without information we currently do not have. 

Based on the typical two year product cycle for SDL and the approximate time line for Apple's Mac hardware transition I would say the state of things today will be different in two years time. That said SDL applications normally have a four year supported life cycle. So basically what I am suggesting, if you plan to stay on a Mac get as high as you can on the hardware side right now in have it is your system of choice for the next four years while waiting to see what changes are coming. It would be a similar life time to your currently 2015 Macbook Air. You also might be able to sell the Macbook Air to help offset the upgrade costs some.

Since I'm not into these matters, I have to confess that I feel more and more confused. "Current Macs no longer have the PowerPC based layer that the original Intel based Macs did": does this mean that Macs currently on sale might not be able to virtualize Windows? 

"If you plan to stay on a Mac get as high as you can on the hardware side right now": I totally agree with you, but Macs are so expensive... In my view, as I'm not an expert, a certain MacBook might appear to be powerful enough and I could end up spending almost 3000€ and then Trados could turn up to be too slow to be used on a daily basis without driving me crazy.

Thank you so much for your valuable advice!

Since I'm not into these matters, I have to confess that I feel more and more confused. "Current Macs no longer have the PowerPC based layer that the original Intel based Macs did": does this mean that Macs currently on sale might not be able to virtualize Windows? 

"If you plan to stay on a Mac get as high as you can on the hardware side right now": I totally agree with you, but Macs are so expensive... In my view, as I'm not an expert, a certain MacBook might appear to be powerful enough and I could end up spending almost 3000€ and then Trados could turn up to be too slow to be used on a daily basis without driving me crazy.

Thank you so much for your valuable advice!

Macs have been through two hardware transitions before, 680x0 to PowerPC/OSx, and then from PowerPC to Intel. Both times programs from the older side are supported for a time then the support drops off on newer hardware.  It is likely the upcoming move of Apple from Intel to ARM processors for its hardware will fully drop support at some time. 

As SDL needs Windows and Windows run best on Intel my advice would be if you want to use a Mac for many years to come get one that is towards the top end of the current hardware and should be be reasonable safe for about five years.