Looking for a laptop with good amount of RAM for a cybersecurity student to run VMs.
Currently looking at:
- Macbook Air M5 24GB RAM 512GB - $1200
- Macbook Air M4 24GB RAM 512GB - $1020 refurb
- used Macbook Pro
- used Thinkpad T14 with 32GB RAM from 2023-2025 - $400 to $800
LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE
Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US:
- $1500
Are you open to refurbs/used?
- Yes
How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?
- Thinkpad-style build quality. Battery life is important but not a top priority.
How important is weight and thinness to you?
- Not important
Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.
- 13-14 inch
Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.
- Mainly need enough RAM to run 2 VM simultaneously
If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?
- N/A
Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?
- No
Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion.
- Of the laptops I listed above, I'm hoping to use it for a few years. About a year for every $200. Would a used Thinkpad be the better deal? I would have never considered a Macbook if it weren't for the inflated RAM prices making it a ok deal.
- If a Thinkpad, what year, model, cpu should I aim for?
edit: typo and details