Gung Pow Chicken

You shouldn't see any difference, excluding version like you said. I use Samsung T5's regularly to transfer files on client machines, or use them to reinstall images. Using both case/motherboard USB ports on several machines and haven't noticed anything. With transfer rates being identical.

You should be good to go, I would ignore comments of people who apparently didn't read the entire post and speeds on the memory. I've done this with hundreds of computers over the years, and never noticed a problem. Both with laptops and desktops. Even on my XPS 9500 after a memory module failed, I now have a 32GB stick + 16GB stick but both have the same speeds and I didn't notice a single performance decrease other than inability to run the same amount of VM's at the same spec.

Yup it should work just fine, if one module has slower speed than the other. The default speed will be the slower module. The performance difference will be little to none, maybe in a benchmark but real world performance should see nothing.

Tons of good Lenovo laptops, with an almost unparalleled typing experience available under your budget. https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkbook-series/ThinkBook-14-Gen-2-AMD/p/XXTBXTMA400 Picked up the 16GB model for my wife and she loves it, seems rock solid and has amazing performance. Thinkpad T15 is a great option, P series are amazing. I have a P52 and P53 which are beasts.

I wouldn't say they are a scam, tons of daily customers. The horror stories are like 1/500, so I'd say your safe.

Out of those 2 I would go for the HP just because it has 16GB RAM, providing a little more longevity. Lost of good Lenovo laptops around that price point. https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkbook-series/ThinkBook-14-Gen-2-AMD/p/XXTBXTMA400 The Ryzen CPU in this one is way better than either of the machines you listed, and probably better than anything else in it's price point.

Maybe take the ram out and try them one by one, and see if anything changes.

I use a WD19TBS with my 9500, specs are a little above yours with the i7-10875h. Haven't had a problem with it, pushes less power for non-dell systems. Also I use 3x32" Dell P3221D monitors.

Yea definitely possible, other forums posts stating the same kind of thing happened bricking the BIOS.

shttps://www.lptps.com/best-laptops-under-1200/ Seems like a pretty complete list, most of the Intel laptops here with have TB3 which can output displays, even Type-C which supports display port will output just fine. Lenovo has some good laptops in that price range, even some new Ryzen machines. Always have good sales going.

Have you tried removing GPU, maybe cycle the RAM. Take out one dimm, attempt booting and repeating the process with the other dimm while remove the previous.

Can you post a picture of what exactly is happening when you turn the system on? Have you attempted to boot safe mode? How are you trying to get into the BIOS? Is your keyboard wired or wireless? If it's wireless do you have a wired we can use?

Don't forget to hold the power button

What wires go to the CMOS, or what other batteries are there? Isn't this a desktop? That should be the only battery.

Just unplug the power cable going to the PSU.