[SOLVED] [Solved] What kind of laptop should I get when I have a desktop PC?

[MarkTiger]

I have a desktop PC with spec like this:

• Ryzen 2600
• 16GB of RAM
• RX 570 4GB

What I'm going to do with the new laptop is for office work and coding outside my house. Maybe some light gaming (game that the laptop is capable for, I'm not going to force it run heavy game).
I'm currently learning web development and mobile app (React, React Native, MERN stack, and something like that). And in the future I'm going to learn to make game with unity engine (I have desktop for this, but if the laptop also capable to doing this it would be nice but not a priority).

I have searched on some forums and mostly it's about laptop as main device for work and everything.

What I have searched are these laptops :
Acer Nitro 5 :

• i5 11400F
• rtx 3050
• 8gb of ram (upgradeable, 2 slot sodimm)
• 512gb nvme ssd (with 1 empty nvme and 1 empty sata)

Asus Zenbook 14 UX425EA : ($35 cheaper than acer nitro if converted from IDR to USD)

• i5 1135G7
• 8gb or ram (soldered, dual channel)
• 512gb nvme ssd (under the battery)

At first I'm looking for light and slim laptop. but 16gb ultrabook laptop is a lot more expensive than the one I listed. So, I came across this acer nitro 5 laptop that have great spec and upgradability but heavy and bulky.

If I don't have a desktop I would certainly buy laptop gaming one than an ultrabook.

But with this situation should I care about upgradeability and future proofing the laptop with the cons of having heavy and bulky laptop to carry?
Please let me know if there are any missing information.

Thank you for your response.

 

[lvt]

All the laptops are more or less the same, at the end you probably will settle for one with i5 CPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVME for OS, maybe 1TB HDD for storage....

How about something more special like a fancy AMOLED screen?

 

[MarkTiger]

A laptop with 16gb of RAM is about $1200, an AMOLED + 16gb of RAM laptop will cost about $1500 on my country (Indonesia), and my budget is around $960. With your recommendation, it is leaning toward Acer Nitro 5 because the RAM and storage can be upgraded later. But if I use my desktop as my main heavy duty work device and use the laptop for work outside my home (if it's possible to go outside right now, lol)

Acer Nitro 5 is about 2,25kg if I remember correctly and need a backpack to be carried around, while an ultrabook like Asus zenbook is lighter and can be carried with a sidebag (slingbag?).

My dilemma right now is I got a desktop with enough power to run heavy app and what kind of laptop do I actually really need.

A gaming laptop is a better deal spec wise. But my experience tell me it's not fun going around with heavy backpack.
But how long does the ultrabook with config like I mentioned above will serve me to the future? 8gb RAM, is it going to be obselete any time soon? or should I ignore my ego and deal with heavy bulky laptop when going around that have 1 empty so-dimm slot, 1 empty nvme slot, and 1 empty sata slot for upgrades?

Storage is not a problem, because external ssd is exist. I'm worried about RAM and app I can run in the future. I certainly will not do rendering or heavy media creation on this laptop, but multi tasking is possible, like code editor, browser, server program, db server, etc.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

Get a new R5 based ultra book from HP with aluminum shell. 700$ My son loves his and you can actually game on it with the Vega 8 graphics. But we only use ours for work

 

[MarkTiger]

Get a new R5 based ultra book from HP with aluminum shell. 700$ My son loves his and you can actually game on it with the Vega 8 graphics. But we only use ours for work

Thank you for your recommendation. Do a little bit more of searching and I found Lenovo Ideapad 5 Pro with R5 5600U and MX450 with 16GB of RAM with the same price as Acer Nitro 5. Weaker GPU but certainly lighter, slimmer great display, and more RAM at stock

 

[Deleted member 14196]

Thank you for your recommendation. Do a little bit more of searching and I found Lenovo Ideapad 5 Pro with R5 5600U and MX450 with 16GB of RAM with the same price as Acer Nitro 5. Weaker GPU but certainly lighter, slimmer great display, and more RAM at stock

Oh yeah that’s a nice machine for sure I would be happy with either one of those. That’s one little bad arsed laptop right there

If you get the Lenovo or any Ryzen CPU then make sure to install the chipset drivers directly from AMD because then you’ll get the Ryzen balanced power plan Which will make the PC run very quiet most of the time unless you’re beating on it with heavy graphics or windows is updating or something