Are the '40GB RAM, 2.5TB storage' Amazon laptop listings worth it?

Treat them with caution. Across specialist communities like r/laptops and r/Lenovo, reviewers repeatedly note that these eye-catching configurations are often achieved by third-party upgraders rather than the factory, and the underlying chassis, display, and CPU are usually entry-level. The huge spec numbers don't change the fact that you're buying a budget machine, so judge them on build quality and panel, not on the headline RAM figure.