I recommend Dell's Alienware (AW) laptop if you need a machine with good specs that can reliably run Linux. I have been a happy Ubuntu user on AW for a while. G

I recommend Dell's Alienware (AW) laptop if you need a machine with good specs that can reliably run Linux. I have been a happy Ubuntu user on AW for a while. Great options for hardware, built like a tank, and can run simulations/experiments for days without heat warping problems* (this was my primary requirement). Downsides are it is clunkier than the competition (personally I am now used to it) and the battery backup isn't great. * I once started a set of experiments, drove off for a short 3 day vacation, and returned to see everything was still running smoothly. Which frankly I hadn't expected.