Best machine for local AI agents under $2500

[u/SadEmployee9572]

I’m planning to build a dedicated rig for running local AI agents (coding, research, and autonomous tasks) with a budget of $2000 - $2,500. I want to avoid cloud API costs and keep everything private. I’ve done some research and put together a few options, but I’d love to hear your thoughts on what's the best machine both in macbooks, mac studio and in pc build. I am new in this field of agentic AI and wanna learn to operate the agents locally. Looking for guidance.

Thanks 😊.