For cybersecurity, hacking, and IT professionals, what would you consider the most secure, private, and anonymous operating system and web browser combination for everyday personal use?

I'd like to compare the available options based on the following factors:

• Security, privacy, and anonymity
• Configuration complexity
• Cost
• Performance
• Available features and customization options
• Ease of use and productivity
• Hardware compatibility
• Long-term maintenance and updates

I'm also interested in recommendations for configuration, networking, hardware, router, and scripting/security-hardening techniques that could improve any of these areas.

Why I'm Asking

I've been comparing macOS, Windows, and Linux, along with browsers such as Brave and Tor Browser, and I'm trying to determine what would make the most sense for an everyday cybersecurity-focused workstation.

Apple / macOS

Apple seems to have a strong advantage when it comes to performance per watt, efficiency, thermals, battery life, and hardware/software integration, particularly with Apple Silicon. The ARM-based SoCs are extremely efficient and powerful while generating relatively little heat.

In my opinion, part of what you're paying for with Apple is the overall user experience: the GUI, ease of use, hardware/software integration, productivity features, and filesystem/storage experience with SSDs and APFS. I've never built my own PC, so I'm also interested in whether a custom-built PC can provide significantly better performance or flexibility for the money.

The downside is the price and the relatively closed ecosystem. Because macOS and Apple hardware are much more tightly controlled, there is also less visibility and control over the underlying platform compared with a self-built Linux PC. I'm also curious about Apple's telemetry and data-collection practices and how they compare with Microsoft and other vendors.

Apple platforms also appear to be less frequently targeted by certain types of commodity malware than Windows, although I realize that doesn't necessarily mean macOS is inherently more secure. Apple also provides frequent security, Rapid Security Response (RSR), and feature updates.

Windows

Windows seems to offer significantly more hardware and configuration options while generally being more cost-effective.

You can build a custom PC with your choice of CPU, RAM, storage, GPU, motherboard, networking hardware, etc., and configure the system specifically around your workload. Windows also has a familiar workflow and extensive software compatibility while still providing a large number of advanced configuration and security options.

However, I'm interested in how Windows compares with macOS and Linux from a privacy, telemetry, security, and attack-surface perspective, particularly given Microsoft's account integration and data-collection practices.

Browsers

I personally think Brave is a strong option for privacy-focused everyday browsing. It has built-in tracker and ad blocking, fingerprinting protections, configurable Shields, encrypted DNS options, script controls, and various privacy settings that can be configured globally or per website. It can also be configured to clear certain browsing data when the browser closes.

I'm interested in how Brave compares with Firefox, Tor Browser, and other privacy-focused browsers, particularly regarding fingerprinting resistance, security, usability, and anonymity.

Tails

I've never personally used Tails, but I understand that it is designed as an amnesic operating system intended to leave minimal traces on the computer after shutdown. It normally runs from a USB drive and routes Internet traffic through Tor.

Tails also has an encrypted Persistent Storage feature. I'm curious about how much using Persistent Storage changes the anonymity and security model and when it would or wouldn't make sense to use it.

Tor

My understanding is that Tor was originally developed with significant U.S. Naval Research Laboratory involvement and is now maintained by the Tor Project. Tor normally routes traffic through multiple relays, providing strong privacy and anonymity protections.

I don't currently use Tor regularly, so I'd also like to understand when Tor makes sense for everyday users, when Tor Browser should be used instead of a normal browser configured to use Tor, and whether combining Tor with a VPN is actually beneficial or simply adds unnecessary complexity.

My Current Idea

At the moment, I'm leaning toward macOS as the primary everyday OS, potentially with a Linux virtual machine for development and security work.

My initial browser/networking configuration would be something like:

macOS → Brave → VPN → encrypted DNS, with a separate Tor-based environment for particularly sensitive or anonymity-focused activities.

I'm also considering browser fingerprinting protections or user-agent controls, although I'm not sure whether those actually improve privacy or could potentially make a browser more unique and therefore easier to fingerprint.

What I'd Like to Know

Given all of that, what would you recommend as the best overall setup for everyday personal use by someone interested in cybersecurity, hacking, and IT?

I'd particularly appreciate recommendations for:

1. Operating system — macOS vs. Windows vs. Linux vs. Qubes OS vs. Tails
2. Browser — Brave vs. Firefox vs. Tor Browser vs. other options
3. Virtualization — whether Linux/Windows security VMs are worthwhile
4. Networking — VPNs, Tor, encrypted DNS, VLANs, firewalling, and router configuration
5. Hardware — CPU, RAM, storage, Wi-Fi/Ethernet, TPM, Secure Boot, etc.
6. Router/firewall — what hardware and software would provide the best combination of security, performance, and configurability
7. System hardening — encryption, firewall rules, scripts, endpoint security, account security, etc.
8. Compartmentalization — how best to separate personal, work, security research, and anonymous activities
9. Performance vs. security — where additional security measures start creating unnecessary performance or usability costs
10. Cost — what a reasonable budget would be for a high-quality setup

Ultimately, I'm looking for a setup that provides the best practical balance of security, privacy, anonymity, performance, configurability, cost, and everyday usability, rather than simply maximizing one category at the expense of everything else.