What should I look for in a laptop with Core Ultra 7 356H: build quality, ports, and expandability?

  The 356H is a soldered laptop platform, so the motherboard is not selected separately. Check whether memory is soldered or DDR5 SO-DIMM, SSD slots, USB and display outputs, the display, discrete-GPU TGP, sustained CPU package power, cooling assembly, and BIOS modes.

  For long compiling or rendering, favor upgradeable memory, a substantial heat-pipe system, and stable power. Weigh these against weight, noise, and battery capacity; the CPU name can't replace the full system spec.