Linux Gaming

I bought a Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3 for $600 US and use it with Garuda Linux. Everything works as expected and the onboard GTX1650 MaxQ handles gaming just fine. The hybrid graphics even work just fine with no fiddling around at all.

I'd recommend AMD over Nvidia for a linux laptop, but it's not as big a deal as it used to be. Most distros have good Nvidia support, although you often have to install the proprietary drivers after installing the OS. Even distros like Nobara that have Nvidia images to DL have to install and update the drivers at first launch.

So either will work, but if you've got a choice, go with AMD. It's just a smoother experience.

I had this hunt earlier this year myself; ended up going with the Acer Nitro 5 15. Its fully user upgradeable with DDR4 RAM, two m2 drives and even a 2.5 in drive. And it has a TB3 port for charging and works with external graphics as well. Everything worked under linux right out of the box.

Nvidia cards on desktops work very well, you just need to install proprietary drivers.

The problem with laptops is that they're not dedicated cards anymore but an hybrid intel/nvidia that can give you a lot of headaches on Linux, I advise against it. No idea how AMD is on laptops.

If being cheap is a priority, I suggest getting a Steam Deck, it's designed for gaming (unlike budget laptops) and it's a PC. You can get a docking and connect whatever peripheral you want (mouse/keyboard/monitor/TV/whatever) and it has a desktop mode to be used as a "regular" PC if you need other things besides gaming.

*I want this to last a long time, 10 years should be easy.

LOL.

When you buy Nvidia for Linux, you’re buying obsolescence. It will work fine for a while and then they’ll hard-drop driver support at a certain kernel version. Your 3d acceleration will last as long as you can run an LTS kernel compatible with it. You may have moved on by then, but I currently have 3 Nvidia laptops that have between limited and zero 3D support in Linux. If I cared to run Windows or MacOS, 3D would still work. MacOS would also be outdated, though. In the future, I’m going AMD only.

There is no such thing as a budget gaming laptop. Usually you're better off getting a Steam Deck or a PC and a laptop.

AMD does tend to have better support but Nvidia GPUs work fine nowadays. Pretty much any laptop you buy should work fine out of the box, so just get something that has decent specs.