A used framework 13 might be something for you

Have you tried looking for used thinkpads?

What trustworthy options do you have for acquiring hardware?

Install paru and use it to install mongodb from the aur.

Aren’t the megathreads synced?

You could sync your photos folder between your devices using syncthing.

I mostly work in qtile in a fullscreen layout or a diagonal split between two windows. My hotkeys are super+d for rofi in dmenu mode and super+q for a shutdown menu also in rofi.