Pls help choosing the right laptop!

Hi All!

I am getting rid of my bulky Lenovo legion which I used and abused back in college, and looking to replace it with a laptop that is -

Portable & Form Factor | Performance Based Productivity Laptop | Reliable | Great/moderately great battery life | Large Display (15-16 in) | Smooth/high refresh rate | Strong WiFi Connection

I do a lot of engineering work (run 3D modelling software and simulation), gaming, video/photo editing, and run diagnostic tools for car tuning. However, I have a powerful gaming desktop already, so when needed I can do some heavier tasks (Simulation & Gaming) remotely through the laptop (using Parsec). This is my plan but I don’t know if this is the right move, because to me spending another hefty amount on a workstation type computer seem to be a waste of money when I already have one at home.

In regard to the laptop performance, I am prioritizing loading/processing speed, it should have really fast/snappy online browsing capability and smooth user experience. Since most of my work includes being on the computer, this laptop will be heavily used and abused - meaning lots of browsing, opened tabs, and programs.

A few laptops that I came across to like -

  • Asus - Zenbook s16/A14/14 pro, Pro Art, ROG Zephyrus G16
  • Lenovo - Yoga Pro 9i, Yoga Pro 7i, Yoga Slim 7i or 7x, Thinkpad P1, P16, T16 or X1 Carbon, x9
  • MacBook - Pro, Air

Not sure if MacBook air is any faster but I got the opportunity to check ZenBook, ThinkPad and macbook pro and liked how fast and powerful they are. I am trying to stay away from Dell XPS or HP Omnibook, LG Gram or Razer because of what I heard in regard to their QC and reliability issues. Looking for something that is good for the next 3-4 years with least problems/complaints and good customer support. I will probably opt in for used/previous generation laptops if the new ones are too expensive (>$1.6k).

I am just struggling to choose one, your thoughts & suggestion would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

For just loading and processing speed- M series chips are unmatched thanks to its ridiculous single core performance. All apps you open will be snappy and macbooks are known for acing multi tab open tests. I do not know if all your programs or remote software is supported on macos- but if it is supported then definitely go for a macbook pro. For a windows alternative the zenbook S14, lenovo yoga 9i and the ThinkPad X9 is definitely a good pick.

These are the best option for your requirements, please take a look at them.