I want to get a MNT Reform or anything similar, but I want to use a good CPU

I want to get a good laptop to run virtual machines or that has good processing capabilities, and I believe that thinkpads are good option, i want a quick access to my stuff, good for studying and whatnot. But there's a catch, all the current thinkpads cost over $3000, like DAMN!!

looking at other laptops, they all simplified with copilot, MAC users should wake up if you consider MACs a good product, so I am left with a open source laptop, the type that's 40mm THICK, that's managable.

I was looking into MNT Reform's website and saw that there's only 2 CPU options:

• RK3588 16GB RAM/256GB eMMC

• QCS6490 8GB RAM/128GB UFS

I wanted to know if I could buy a compatible CPU that has a lot of cores, that I could run VM's comfortably, any advice?

https://preview.redd.it/wlnb9zm43xlh1.png?width=494&format=png&auto=webp&s=1d0f28c320841725d0cd2fc292acbd35d0226352