I ended up getting a System 76 laptop. The Lemur Pro to be exact.

It makes my hand happy.

Yep it's the MX Ergo by Logitech. I prefer the thumb style tracks for whatever reason. I've been using them for decades.

Pop_OS has a firmware updater built in! Already updated all of it.

I'll just go with the 1080p/60 version for now. Maybe I can hack something together in WINE down the line. Heh it rhymes.

I love my trackballs. I'll never move on, dammit! (⌐■_■)

I can finance through Best Buy via their credit card which is why I'm going with the Dell.

That's what I was thinking I'd grab in the future. I've read about System 76 a few times now.

I was dual booting as well because GeForce NOW doesn't have a Linux app.

I tried that TLP app, but the options were overwhelming. I had no idea how to configure it properly.

My next laptop is going to be a built from the ground up for Linux machine.

Definitely this. I'm a total newb when it comes to the CLI. I'm tech savvy but Linux is a whole other universe that I've never been exposed to until recently. The online resources to fix stuff are relatively robust and the community is great. At the end of the day I was worn down by too many minor issues piling up and stressing me out.

I hope to try it again someday. Maybe with my next laptop I'll get something built for Linux to ensure compatibility. Probably the best bet for newbies who want no undue fussin'.

Tyvm ʘ‿ʘ

I wouldn't be opposed. How do I install something from the AUR on Manjaro?

Edit: A quick ddg search solved it for me THANK YOU for this. I had no idea about the AUR. https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-install-a-package-from-aur-on-manjaro-linux