[dragontamer]

> The most limiting thing is TDP, which in the highest performance laptop processors is still capped at 45W, whereas a maxed out desktop processor can draw 100W or more.

Maybe a small desktop. My desktop processor is 180W TDP (Threadripper 1950x), while some others are 250W TDP. You can also get a dual-socket workstation, for 2x CPUs (both pulling 200W each).

Thermals and power are significantly higher on desktops, it ain't even funny. Laptops win in power-efficiency, but absolute performance is always going to be a Desktop.

[arvinsim]

My desktop very rarely gets loud since I have made sure to choose a good airflow case and top of the line air cooler.

My Macbook laptop, on the other hand, sounds like a jet everytime I run yarn install.

So yes, desktops have higher thermals. But it handles it so much better than a laptop that it almost becomes irrelevant.