Help with pseudo desktop replacement

General Questions

1) What is your budget?

~$2k USD, though cheaper is better so long as I can find a system that fits my requirements

2) What size notebook would you prefer?

c. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
d. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
e. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen

3) Where will you buying this notebook? You can select the flag of your country as an indicator.

USA

4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
a. Like:
b. Dislike: Toshiba, Dell, HP

5) Would you consider laptops that are refurbished/redistributed?

As long as it has a decent warranty, though preferably not

6) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?

Virtualization, Development, Linux

7) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?

Both

8) Will you be playing games on your notebook? If so, please state which games or types of games?

Possibly, though there might be a fair bit of image manipulation and/or video rendering

9) How many hours of battery life do you need?

3+

10) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?

Don't care

11) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista or Windows 7), Mac OS, Linux, etc.

Linux

Screen Specifics

12) From the choices below, what screen resolution(s) would you prefer? Keep in mind screen size in conjunction with resolution will play a large role in overall viewing comfort level. Everyone is different. Some like really small text, while others like their text big and easy to read. Click here for Screen resolution information.

1920x1080

13) Do you want a Glossy/reflective screen or a Matte/non-glossy screen?

No preference

Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?

Not especially, though if there is something that fits my needs that's a bit thinner, I won't complain

15) When are you buying this laptop?

April 2013

16) How long do you want this laptop to last?

2 to 3 years

Notebook Components

17) How much hard drive space do you need? Do you want a SSD drive?

If possible, 256GB SSD and spare internal bay slot for a second HDD

18) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD Burner, Blu-ray Reader or Blu-Ray Burner?

Need, no, though I'd prefer a BD Reader


Basically, I'm looking for a Linux pseudo desktop replacement with at least 16GB RAM, and I tend to prefer NVIDIA graphics chipsets since the drivers tend to be a bit better than the ATI/fglrx drivers out there. I'd like it to have a dual band wireless-N card built in, third generation quad core i7 processor, and two HDD bays. I don't care about fingerprint readers, though I do really like the trackpad on the MacBook Pro systems. Decent sound quality would be a plus as well.

I've been looking at Sager and MSI on xoticpc but have heard mixed reviews about the MSI notebooks so if there are any experts out here with respect to those builds, I'd definitely like some feedback.

Cheers!

 

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

I would suggest either the sager 9170 or alienware m17x r4. But to bring the costs done, maybe buy extra ram aftermarket.

Like you I prefer nvidia especially for linux. Just watch out for optimus, although next linux kernel should be good for that. I plan to just run windows 8 on a ssd, then linux dev vms through virtualbox on 7200rpm disk.

Would at least get i7 3740, although you get vt-x on 3630, thought the extra juice in the 3740 is worth it, plus you get vt-d.

I'm trying to make sure that when I purchase laptop, that optimus can be completely disabled.

 

The MSI GT70 is better than the Sager np9170 in almost all ways (some will disagree):

1. Better internal and external sound quality
2. No fingerprint reader between trackpad buttons
3. Better keyboard and touchpad
4. Various trivial features that add up: automatic OCing, full-speed fan button, headphone audio boost, WLAN, etc.
5. 16GB RAM standard on the branded model
6. Comes with a two year limited warranty with accidental damage coverage by default

The Sager will have two fans and a better chassis (much better-looking) and probably a better screen. Also, CPU upgrades for MSI models are pricey. Aftermarket upgrades are cheaper but problematic.

 

Thanks! I'll check that out.

 

I was actually looking at that one, though a few reviews I'd seen had mentioned some cooling issues so I wasn't sure if that was still a factor or not.

 

I actually haven't heard of that company but will definitely take a look as well. Thanks!

 

How about a Thinkpad W530? Its build quality is head and shoulders above a consumer-grade laptop, and when configured with a quad-core CPU it will hold 32 GB of RAM. It's available with workstation GPUs (rather than gaming ones) and Thinkpads generally play nice with Lunux too.

 

Eurocom is just another Clevo builder, same as Sager. The P150EM is the same as the Sager 9150.
If you are doing video or image manipulation, something like the W530 would be better due to the pro GPU. A Dell precision or HP Elitebook are in the same workstation category.
You can get a Quadro K3000m in a P150EM, it is quite pricey though.

 

Yeah, I was actually looking at the W530 but given the price point spec'd out, I can get a Sager 9150 for quite a bit less. Since the main use of the laptop won't be for video editing (mostly just something for fun on the side), it's kind of hard to justify the price just to get a Quadro card.