Close-to-perfect laptop for CS + Cybersecurity major

Laptops Suggest a Laptop
1

I am looking for a laptop for my 4 years of college. I am majoring in CS and also interested in Cybersecurity electives later on. I have been looking for a best laptop for weeks and currently thinking ASUS Zenbook S 16 (AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 - 24GB Memory - 1TB SSD) is the best one for me, but the major drawbacks I heard for this laptop is heat dissipation and very reflective screen. What laptops would you guys recommend for me?

My expectations:

  • 1 tb ssd
  • 24/32 gb ram (I don’t know if 24 is enough or not)
  • 8+ hrs of real-life battery duration
  • < 4lb (will be moving around a lot)
  • Large display
  • Good build quality
  • Powerful CPU
  • Compatible with Linux
  • Fingerprint/oil resistant
  • Less than $1800
1 Like
2

I would go for the Zenbook S16. There are no major issues with it. The thermal issue was fixed by ASUS through a BIOS update

1 Like
3

Currently I have two options for Zenbook S16:

  • 2024 model, Ryzen AI 9 365, 24 gb RAM, 1 tb SSD for $1450
  • 2026 model, Ryzen AI 9 465, 32 gb RAM, 1 tb SSD for $1800

Which one would be more cost effective? And should I wait until summer when price will get lower but not guaranteed to have in stock?

4

I’ll go for the first one. (2024 model has better price to performance)