Peter G
Been using FF on almy devices for over a year now. Best.Browser.Ever.
Don’t know if that’s an option for you, but I but laptop parts on Amazon…
If you want to use desktop shortcuts, you’re better off using KDE Plasma, Cinnamon, Budgie, or XFCE as your desktop environment. Good thing in Linux is that you can install several DEs alongside each other.
Also, I must add this: PopOS! Is a good product for sure, but it’s based on Ubuntu LTS which itself is based on Debian. It’s a release-based disto. All that means extra time to wait for updated software. While it has a bit more polish, it lacks the latest features. EndeavourOS is based on Arch which is a base rolling distribution. The main and pretty much the only thing that differentiates it from Arch is the graphical installer that makes setting it up an absolute joy. It’s much more light weight than Ubuntu or it’s Derivatives and, being a rolling distribution has the absolute latest releases of software. I’d suggest going with KDE plasma for a DE. While I don’t have an Nvidia graphics, I do know that Arch and, by inheritance, EndeavourOS fully support it.
I run EndeavourOS with KDE. For VPN, I use SurfShark which do we have a GUI for Linux installable via AUR (Arch User Repositories). Steam works pretty good too.
Of course you can get a used of refurbished ones for less even Apple. I was referring to new devices. As an example, I use a Motorola Edge plus that I bought new for $400. It does everything my wife’s iPhone 15 Pro. The camera quality is slightly lower, but perfectly adequate.