I plan on buying a new laptop. I'm looking for something relatively light (<3.5 lbs but heavier is fine if it meets other criteria), preferably >=32gb ram, and >=512gb disk. A smaller screen would be good, maybe 14" but I'm flexible on that. I don't need a really big gpu bc I'd mainly use the laptop as a terminal and use modal or something else online/remote for compute. I don't need really good gaming capability, though it's a plus.
I always have like 200 tabs and 20 windows open, so I would like a laptop that can handle that.
In the past I used a thinkpad x1 carbon and really liked it (this was a temporary company one so I don't have it anymore). I also used a legion 5 pro which was good but kind of bulky. I'd prefer windows but also want to set up a linux or unix vm on it. Also, I'm a student living in the US, so if there's a student discount there or any other discount you can find, that's greatly preferred. I'm willing to spend a lot of money if the laptop can last a long time or doesn't depreciate immediately.
Maybe my critical flicker fusion frequency is very low, or I just have a really bad reaction time, but I don't see much of a difference beyond like ~120 fps. I used a laptop with 240fps previously (the legion 5 pro) and don't notice a difference between that and 60fps.
I would greatly prefer at least 2 usb-c ports and a usb-a port because I used wired mouse, earbuds, etc., but if it is a choice between small form factor and more ports, I will choose the small form factor.
I am not a big fan of osx, I don't use the apple ecosystem for other products. I prefer windows/linux and want to set up a linux vm in virtualbox, probably ubuntu.
If you add an option and I pick it, I will managram 3500 mana to the person who suggests the laptop I decide to buy and 6500 more mana if I like it (I won't judge it harshly). I'll also send mana if you find a really good deal.
Choices will count as distinct from each other if they are listed as different models. If they only differ in some customizable component like e.g. one laptop has 512gb disk and the other has 1tb disk, they count as the same choice and the duplicate will be n/a. Obviously this is somewhat subjective so lmk if there is any ambiguity.
Feel free to ask any questions or try to convince me one option is better than another
Update 2026-10-13 (PST) (AI summary of creator comment): - Ground truth definitions: Market options map to specific model index ranges in an external JSON laptop catalog.
Adding new options: The creator will assign corresponding catalog indices for newly added options.
Framework laptops: Framework 12, 13, 13 Pro, and 16 are considered separate models.
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One practical check before choosing the Snapdragon A16: your VirtualBox requirement makes the guest architecture important. Oracle’s VirtualBox 7.2 host/guest table lists Windows 11 on Arm as experimental and Arm64 guests on Arm64 hosts; it does not list x86/amd64 guests there. So if you need to reuse an amd64 Ubuntu VM or x86-only course tooling, verify that exact workflow before buying. An Arm64 Linux VM is a different proposition, so this is not a claim that VirtualBox cannot run on Snapdragon. Source: https://docs.oracle.com/en/virtualization/virtualbox/7.2/user/Introduction.html (Host and Guest Combinations). My earlier Zenbook 14 suggestion was the AMD model. I have no position in this market.
ok I tried to come up with some actual huge formal systematization of all laptop models but there's just too much ambiguity and Pros and Maxes and Plus editions and little sub-editions (does macbook pro m5 max count as separate from macbook pro m5?) so the ground truth is just going to be this json file I found online. Each label in the market maps on to the following disjoint labels:
ASUS Zenbook A16 (UX3607): 1469
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon: 3861–3873
ThinkPad X9 14, 15: 3923–3924
Dell XPS 13, 14, & 16: 2129–2148, 2159–2161
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s (Gen 6 or Gen 7): 3809–3813
MacBook Pro: 827–867
ASUS Zenbook 14: 1437–1453, 1468
json file:
https://laptop-series-catalog.abuzz-amber-4826.chatgpt.site/laptop-series.json
if you want to add an option you don't have to list it out like I do above, just add it and I'll add the indices that I believe correspond best to the spirit of what you intended to add to this comment
(there are a few options that are not in that list like framework, framework 13, 13 pro, 16, and 12 are separate models. lmk any others not on the list if you want to add them and I will decide)
@spiderduckpig fwiw, I think you’ve moved well beyond the point of diminishing returns and into analysis paralysis and you should just choose something lol. More analysis is unlikely to result in a better decision.
@WillJevons Yeah I was traveling recently and wasn't really looking into the laptops but will pick one soon
@capybara okay this is kind of annoying... since it was already functionally an option (ASUS Zenbook 14 includes the A14)...
"Choices will count as distinct from each other if they are listed as different models. If they only differ in some customizable component like e.g. one laptop has 512gb disk and the other has 1tb disk, they count as the same choice and the duplicate will be n/a. Obviously this is somewhat subjective so lmk if there is any ambiguity."
Can we get a ruling here?
@bens I do think this laptop is a great deal and probably by far the best at its pricepoint, although upgrading to an X1 carbon or Macbook Pro for about twice the cost might be wise
@spiderduckpig Also I should've clarified that I don't want to create a rules-gaming thing where I have to select the exact specific make, model, year, exact configuration, specs, (e.g. asus zenbook a16 with the x2 extreme elite snapdragon arm processor and exactly 48gb of lpddr5x ram from year 2025 but not 2026) or something for the option to resolve YES, so you can just suggest a make and model at the level of granularity you would use when recommending something to a friend (e.g. you should buy the asus zenbook a14 vs. asus zenbook a16) and I'll do my best to respect the spirit of it and remove options that overlap with it.
Lmk if there is a better way of creating disjoint labels for different laptop models and makes because this is obviously a bit subjective, like if there is a standardized ISO classification for them already or something
Also, you can also give a suggestion in the comments if you don't want to spend 1k mana and I'll add it myself (but you will get the mana bounty for your suggestion). Within reason of course, so please only suggest things you would actually suggest to someone
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this one. its specs are REALLY good for its price its a little on the expensive side but trust me the specs are worth it. (i will say it drains the battery very quickly cuz they deadass make it so the screens stuck on 240hz but like its battery life is still good for a gaming laptop)
https://www.bestbuy.com/product/acer-predator-helios-neo-16s-ai-gaming-laptop-16-oled-240hz-intel-core-ultra-9-nvidia-geforce-rtx-5070ti-32gb-1tb-obsidian-black/JJ8V8H38XT/sku/6619312
.
@Gen yeah, on that note, I was looking at this one and it seems pretty good
@spiderduckpig Is this close enough to be counted under the existing Zenbook 14 option? Seems like other options include the multiple screen sizes.
@capybara @spiderduckpig they are not very different! 3407/3607 is just one year's version off from the Zenbook 14 3406!!!
@bens ugh this is my least favorite part of questions like these... why bother betting on "ASUS Zenbook 14 2024" option when someone can come in and add "ASUS Zenbook 14 2025"
Sorry if I screwed this market up somehow. When I added the new option, the previous option was titled “ASUS Zenbook 14 (UM3406GA)”. The label specificity made it seem quite exclusive. That, plus when I then looked it up, the difference between AMD and Snapdragon CPUs seemed enough to warrant a separate option.