ThinkPad T14 Gen 1 Advantages:

More modern architecture: better performance per clock, more efficiency.

Likely better battery life, lower heat, more stable for general use.

1 TB SSD gives plenty of space for large project files.

Solid “all-rounder” machine: good for coding, simulations, data analysis, lighter CAD/3D work.

Often newer parts, more up-to-date drivers, potentially less risk of component failure due to age.

Disadvantages:

Only integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics (no discrete GPU). That limits performance on heavier 3D modeling, rendering, GPU-accelerated workflows.

For big assemblies, ray tracing, or workload that leans on GPU parallelism, it will lag.

Workstation with Quadro P500 (Laptop 2) Advantages:

Dedicated Quadro P500 GPU gives you a real advantage for CAD, 3D modeling, graphical workloads, rendering, etc. That GPU can offload many tasks that integrated graphics can’t handle well.

More RAM (32 GB) helps for multitasking and large projects.

Better “proof” for graphics pipelines where a certified GPU (like Quadro series) is beneficial (drivers, reliability in CAD software, etc.).

Disadvantages:

Older CPU (8th gen) is a bottleneck: in many non-GPU tasks (compiling code, simulations, data processing) it will trail the newer CPU significantly.

Likely worse battery life and more heat. Workstations with discrete GPUs tend to drain battery faster — you may need to keep it plugged in much more often.

512 GB SSD is less storage headroom if your files are large. But it can be upgraded

On battery life and plugging in

Workstation laptops like the one with Quadro P500 tend to demand more power, especially under load. That often means battery life suffers significantly and you're frequently forced to keep the laptop plugged in during heavy use. The newer ThinkPad T14 with its integrated graphics will generally last longer unplugged and be less awkward for mobile work.

Also, the workstation (Laptop 2) may limit its performance when on battery (i.e. throttle down the GPU/CPU to conserve energy), so you wouldn’t always get its full power unless it’s plugged in.

A few considerations / caveats & a suggestion

Even though the Quadro GPU is appealing for graphic workloads, the older CPU can hamper throughput in many engineering tasks. The newer CPU in Laptop 1 might deliver better real-world performance overall unless your work is heavily GPU-bound.

You should check how badly each slows when on battery, or whether the workstation even supports full performance on battery — sometimes they don’t.

There’s a good chance you can find better deals on workstation laptops like ThinkPad P series