The G90S 20W is more than enough for beginners. Previously, I used this radio with a balcony-mounted GP antenna (5W or less) to easily communicate across North and South America using SSB. For digital modes, the performance is even better. In my opinion, amplifiers are most useful when upgrading smaller radios to higher power levels (e.g., from 10 watts to 1 kilowatt).
The user's needs could be met by purchasing a 100-watt shortwave radio, which would offer a good balance of price and performance.
QRP – If you have good antennas, it will be a very rewarding experience to use.
I originally bought a small egg tart amplifier at the seafood market to tinker with, and it turned out to be a dud! The first time I tried to fix it, I fried a tube. The second time, I contacted customer service but didn't get a response, so I had to try fixing it myself. After repairing it, it broke down again shortly after... the board was even starting to tear apart...