Desktop replacement?

So I'm pretty much to the point where about the only reason I need windows at home is to game. That said, I prefer most Linux distros I've tried to windows for daily driving. I have recently read that Alienware doesn't play well with Linux and also recently found this company/specific laptop https://system76.com/laptops/bonobo.

My question is this: Should I be able to VM windows on that laptop well enough to play some of the more demanding 2013/2014 AAA titles? The most demanding thing I can think of that I would want to be able to play is Skyrim or the last BioShock.

Why would an alienware laptop in general not play well with linux?

Otherwise what's your budget? And do you want a big laptop with plenty of cooling?

As far as VMing goes the mobile i7 is probably like 20% slower than the desktop counterpart, so whatever the end result of that is.

And how much portability were you looking for?

I've been reading that Dell started playing around some Apple level proprietary hardware with the Alienware line. Haven't looked all that far into it. And yes I would like to not have to worry carrying around some separate cooling apparatus everywhere I go if I'm just going to use it for general computing.

Budget for a replacement would be about what I was going to drop on the desktop, ~$3000.

I've heard good things about VMing with i7s.... will have to look into the quantification of 20% of that performance...

Complete portability. Can be used as a laptop when I feel like just taking a laptop out and about. That said, not obsessed with some kind of slimline ultraportable but would like to keep it under 10 lbs.

So, just shoot for the MSI titan then, even comes with a mechanical keyboard and SLI GPUs.

Were you consdering gaming on the Windows VM? i.e. GPU passthrough? If so I would not recommend a laptop unless you know for sure that the hardware is supported with the software and features you will be using.

There were threads here regarding doing this on a limited set of desktop and server hardware using KVM but a laptop is an entirely different story.

Yes that was what I was hoping. Didn't realize there was a rabbit hole I was heading down....

Meh. If I could get my hands on it I might change my mind, but otherwise I'm just not impressed. Laptop keyboards aren't that bad when it's time to use a laptop, but I would be using my K65 if the LT is "docked" at home anyway. The SLI GPUs with "guaranteed" upgrade path sounds cool but not sure if it's worth the rest of the package.

It's probably the best desktop replacement you can get, especially with the upgrade paths, it also hasn't multiple M.2 slots right? and it seems fairly easy to work with since you just pop off a cover and have access to most of the hardware.

Might I suggest this? http://us.msi.com/product/nb/GS30-Shadow-with-Gaming-Dock-Intel-Iris-Pro-5200.html#hero-overview

Not only can you put w/e GPU into the dock you want, the onboard graphics can play a number of things already.

It's a portable laptop that has the ability to go full desktop. In my opinion the GS line in general is extremely nice, I fully wish I could afford one. Lenovo also offers a very good line of laptops.

I avoid Alienware like it's a cancer... never what they did.

Seems more like an experiment for now.

Yes this. I completely forgot about seeing coverage of this before they released it. Looks like it's out in the wild. I'll have to take a closer look. Thanks for the reminder.