2019 i7 Macbook Pro 16 GB ram 1 TB storage vs. M2 base model with 512 storage

Hi everyone!

I'm looking to potentially upgrade. I had this macbook pro for college and whatnot, but I'm thinking about switching to PC due to the fact that the only times I really take a laptop is to travel, and I'd like to game. However, I don't want to leave the apple ecosystem entirely. I need an apple computer to hold my files, browse, hold my pictures and videos, and maybe some very light video editing.

One of the more important things to me is fluidity. I hate seeing lag. What I'm hesitant in making the move from my macbook pro to a mac mini is A) the 8gb of memory and B) the storage. How does the M2 factor into fluidity?

As of the current, I'm using my macbook pro as a "mac mini" in that I have it connected to an external monitor, have a mouse, and just use it like that. To those who stuck with the base model, how "fluid" did it feel? Based on the provided details, do you think it's worth the switch?