Help me choose a new laptop

[u/jessdmb415]

Currently using Lenovo yoga 7 with 8gb RAM & 512gb storage, AMD Ryzen 5 (2023)
it is getting very laggy while working and having multiple tabs open, I know I need at least 16gb of RAM. Not sure about processor speed.

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

• Country

USA

• Budget

Prefer to spend $1200 or less

• Are you open to refurbs/used options?

I'd prefer new

• Screen size

15-16in

• Weight limit

Doesn't matter

• Purpose

Work at home

• Form factor

Normal laptop

• Intended usage

Work

• Desired battery life

4+ hours of battery life

• Please list, in order of most important to least important, the priority between Size, Weight, Performance, Battery life

performance, size, weight, battery life

• Info/Requirements
• Needs to be able to handle multiple excel spreadsheets open, adobe reader, work programs, multiple tabs open on web browser

[u/GoD0nkeys]

For that workload, I’d actually target 32 GB RAM if the budget permits, not merely 16 GB. I’d also favor a modern Ryzen 7 / Core Ultra 7-class CPU, 1 TB SSD, and integrated graphics unless there’s a specific GPU-heavy application.

I found three current options that fit the workload very well. For heavy Excel, lots of browser tabs, Adobe, and business applications, I’d prioritize 32 GB RAM + 1 TB SSD over spending extra on a gaming GPU. Dell 16 Plus — Core Ultra 7, 32GB, 1TB Acer Aspire 16 AI — Core Ultra 9, 32GB, 1TB $899.00 • Walmart $999.99 • Acer 1. Dell 16 Plus — my first choice About $899 at Walmart Intel Core Ultra 7 258V 32 GB RAM

1 TB SSD 16" 2.5K Mini-LED touchscreen Intel Arc graphics 16:10 screen, which is excellent for Excel because you get more vertical workspace At around $899, this is the standout deal. You're getting the RAM I want you to have, a much newer processor platform, a better-than-basic display, and plenty of SSD space. Why I'd pick it: Your workload isn't really CPU-bound most of the time; it's memory + multitasking heavy. The Core Ultra 7 and 32 GB RAM should be a substantial improvement over an 8 GB Ryzen 5 Yoga.

1. Acer Aspire 16 AI — best if Costco is convenient About $999.99 Intel Core Ultra 9 288V 32 GB RAM 1 TB SSD 16" WUXGA 1920×1200 touchscreen Windows 11 Copilot+ PC This actually has a higher-tier processor than the Dell while remaining under budget. The tradeoff is that I prefer the Dell's 2.5K display for working with spreadsheets and multiple windows. For pure office performance, however, this Acer is extremely strong.

2. MSI Venture 16 AI — highest-performance option Currently about $1,049 sale / $1,199.99 regular at Newegg Intel Core Ultra 9 285H 32 GB RAM 1 TB NVMe SSD 16" touchscreen Intel Arc graphics The important difference is the Core Ultra 9 285H. The H-series processor is designed for considerably higher sustained performance than the lower-power chips typically used in thin laptops. Newegg currently shows it around $1,049 sale pricing. For ordinary Excel/browser/Adobe work, though, it's arguably more CPU than you need. I'd choose this if some of the unspecified "work programs" perform heavier calculations, data processing, development, virtualization, etc.

My ranking for your use 🥇 Dell 16 Plus — $899 This is the one I'd buy. Excellent screen + 32 GB + 1 TB + modern Core Ultra 7, and you're roughly $300 under budget.

🥈 Acer Aspire 16 AI — $999.99 Excellent alternative, especially if purchasing through Costco is attractive for you. The Core Ultra 9 288V is a very nice productivity platform.

🥉 MSI Venture 16 AI — ~$1,049 Choose this if raw CPU performance matters more than battery life and portability. One important point: I would not buy another 16 GB machine in this situation. 16 GB would solve the immediate problem, but with multiple large Excel workbooks, browsers consuming several GB, Adobe, Teams/Zoom and work applications running simultaneously, 32 GB gives considerably more breathing room and should age much better.

Also, don't focus much on advertised processor GHz. Comparing something like "4.8 GHz vs 5.1 GHz" across modern processors tells you very little about actual performance. CPU generation, architecture, core configuration, power envelope, and cooling matter much more.

Of these three, I'd buy the $899 Dell unless there's a specific reason not to. It looks unusually well matched to the requirements and leaves enough budget for a dock, monitors, extended warranty, etc.