If you're a solo developer who prioritizes AI assistance and enjoys an intuitive experience similar to VS Code, choose Cursor. Its best-in-class AI completion and coordinated multi-file editing make it ideal for ai-first developers looking for efficient coding solutions. However, keep in mind the potential costs associated with heavy AI usage and that it’s a closed-source tool.
On the other hand, if you seek exceptional performance and value real-time collaboration, Zed is the better option. It's perfect for performance-sensitive developers who want a fast editing experience and appreciate the benefits of an open-source environment. Just be aware that its Windows support is still in development and you may miss out on some specific VS Code extensions.