Sequoia allows iCloud folders and files to be set to “keep downloaded”.
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To clarify, macOS is installed on the nvme drive attached to the laptop (back of the screen) and connected to the MacBook via USB/thunderbolt port?
I assume this nvme drive is always connected to the MacBook. Probably have to be a little careful when taking it out of the bag etc.
TL;DR I think the only simple and totally set it and forget it reliable solution is to pay Apple for a larger internal drive.
Everything else requires at least inconvenience or careful thought process and workflows.
IMHO, using offline/selective sync is barely tolerable and not my choice.
Being in the Adobe ecosystem I have kicked the can down the road by storing all my photos in their cloud which is not a generic cloud service provider like iCloud or DropBox that strains the system drive.
Adobe cloud does allow some local caching, and the size is user selectable. For now, that has allowed me to clear enough space off the system drive to use a 4 TB drive in my primary system (Mac Studio) and a 2 TB drive in my Macbook Air.
I know I’ll probably reach the point where my next desktop will need to buy the 8 TB.
But OTOH, my careful pruning and adjustments allowed me to replace my Intel MacBook Pro with a MacBook Air and not have to jump up to the MacBrook Pro only to get 4 TB internal SSD which is not offered on the Air. So I managed to save some money in the overal scheme of things?
For me, one of the reasons I abandoned the PC years ago was to avoid the constant babysitting and tweaking of a system that “always almost worked” but never worked reliably - plus all the app software and UI limitations.
So I chose the pain of paying Apple versus constant want to throw my computer out the window.
(In my field of custom smart home systems, we call it the “buy once, cry once” solution approach.)
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One option is to pay Apple’s premium and then buy some AAPL stock so you profit when others do the same 
If the Wallet has anything left to buy AAPL with… 
This is the way. The only alternative storage I’ve found was using an SD card for my 1 TB music collect. I leave the card in 24/7 . Backblaze and Time Machine both back it up, in case the card fails.
I haven’t noticed any speed issues so it works for me.
My next Macbook will get the largest internal storage available though, I’ve learned my lesson
(I do like the upward-and-to-the-right graph on my Apple holdings, but this is not an invest subreddit 
)