u/RedNick_

I’m starting a Computer Science degree at uni soon and I’m looking to replace my pretty old laptop before I go.

Budget is around £2,000 (give or take), and I want something that will last me at least 4+ years.

My main use case will be:

• Programming (Python, Java, C++, etc.)
• Jupyter notebooks / Anaconda
• Some light–moderate machine learning work (mostly coursework, not heavy training since I’ll likely have access to uni machines for that)
• Unity (and maybe Unreal later on)
• General uni stuff (browsing, notes, PDFs, etc.)

So basically I just want something solid for coding and development that won’t struggle or overheat when I’ve got a bunch of stuff running.

Right now I’m mainly looking at the Framework Laptop 13 (Ryzen AI 7 350 config) because I really like the idea of it being repairable and upgradeable over time. I’ve specced it with something like:

• Ryzen AI 7 350
• 16–32GB RAM (still deciding)
• 1TB SSD
• Linux

I also like the idea of it just being something I can keep fixing/upgrading instead of replacing completely.

But I’m also looking at more “traditional” laptops like the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 (Intel Core Ultra / Ryzen versions) since I’ve heard they’re really reliable, good for Linux, and just generally solid for long-term use.

I’ve also seen stuff like ASUS Zenbooks / Acer Swift / HP ZBooks mentioned, but I’m not really sure how they compare in real life for uni + dev work.

So I guess I’m a bit stuck between:

• Framework 13 (cool modular/upgradable idea, but not sure if it’s actually the best choice)
• ThinkPad T14 (more traditional, maybe safer?)
• Or something else entirely I haven’t considered

Main things I care about are:

• Good performance for coding/dev work
• Runs Linux well
• Doesn’t overheat easily
• Lightweight and easy to carry around all day
• Actually lasts the whole degree without becoming annoying to use

Would really appreciate any advice from people who’ve used these for CS degrees or similar stuff, especially whether Framework is actually worth it or just overkill for my use case.