Best laptop to replace my desktop for under $1,100?

After years of loyal service, my old HP is starting to struggle, and I think it’s finally time to upgrade to something newer.

So, hey everyone, I could really use some help here.

My requirements:
A 17'' screen with HD resolution, ideally with an anti-glare coating.
An SSD or at least the option to install one later.
The longer the Warranty, the better; if there's an option for an extended one, that would be great.

Usage: Besides the usual web browsing and Office work, I want to play newer games (as long as they run smoothly on medium settings), amateur Photoshop, and some 3D modeling (using Dassault or Autodesk programs). The modeling part is pretty graphics-heavy, but I don't plan on doing heavy rendering on a laptop—mostly just modeling.

My budget is up to $2500, though I might stretch it to about $8,000 if it’s actually worth it. I'm paying for this with solar savings (cash from the sun).

I don't strictly need Windows, but everything I've found seems to come with it anyway. My plan is to set up a dual boot with Windows and Linux.

I’d prefer to avoid the HP Probook series; I just don't really like them.

I'm based in Chicago, but I'm totally fine ordering online.

Here is what I've found so far:
— unfortunately, it's out of stock right now.

— the graphics seem a bit weak for me.

— this one is pushing the edge of my budget.

Any suggestions or thoughts are welcome.

Honestly, none of them. The truth is, going with a 17" screen pushes you right to the edge of your budget, but if you actually care about quality and top-tier performance, the absolute minimum I’d suggest looking at is an excellent Asus N series. If you were dead set on having realistic color accuracy and most of your work involves Photoshop, you'd really need an IPS screen, which would definitely blow your budget. But since that's not the case, I think this one might work for you:

would be great for your needs. Aside from having a really solid screen, a metal chassis, a backlit keyboard, good audio, and all the other perks the N series offers, you're getting a 4/8 core i7 HQ processor, a fast drive, plenty of RAM, and some brutal GTX graphics... All those configurations you linked can't even touch this setup. You can install an SSD in two ways: via the internal M2 slot or by swapping out the DVD drive...

Thanks. I linked what I managed to find for a 17'' screen in that price range. Honestly, it’s a weak selection, and I get that the budget for this category is pretty tight. I don't follow mobile GPUs closely, and that 4GB Radeon spec totally threw me off. I assume this GTX has CUDA cores too? Because some of the software I use can really push them. 🙂 My main focus is 2D/3D CAD/CAM work and a bit of programming; Photoshop is just for quick fixes—like slapping a texture on an image instead of rendering the whole model, or maybe retouching some phone/camera photos. The one you suggested looks good to me. What would you recommend regarding an SSD? This M.2 slot drive is about $333. Is it worth it, or would it be better to grab a caddy and a drive to replace the optical drive? I haven't used an optical drive in years and don't really need one since I use digital downloads or just stick to USB/external HDDs. I'll be running Windows and Linux on it, along with my work software. Games and everything else will go on the HDD.

I’d suggest aiming for the one with the GTX960M, mostly because it comes equipped with GDDR5 memory; the GTX950 being proposed here uses DDR3, which makes it significantly weaker in my opinion.

I think the M.2 setup looks a lot cleaner, and price-wise, they’re pretty close. If you factor in the drive bay and grab a decent, budget-friendly SSD, you might save about 100 bucks or $67... Plus, an M.2 should be faster since it sits directly on two PCI lanes instead of hogging the bus that the GPU and other drives need.

Yeah, I was looking at the CUDA cores when I suggested that graph. The GTX950 has 640 CUDA cores and GDDR5 video memory on a 128-bit bus, whereas something like a GT940 only has 384 cores and DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus.

Edit:

Amy Vaughn12 made a good point there. These usually come in two versions—one with GDDR5 and one with DDR3. This specific one says it uses DDR3, but it still runs on a 128-bit bus...

@ Amy Vaughn12: Not exactly a ton of options here, because anything 17" with a GTX960 is way out of my budget...

Yep. Anything with a 960M is going to run you north of $1,300. Though, most of those deals usually include an SSD and a few other extras anyway.
Take this one, for instance—it might not be the absolute best pick out there, but the combo of the GPU, the SSD, the screen size, and that i7 processor caught my eye. It seems pretty solid:
http://www.architect.com/shop/index.php...ducts_id=12982

So, here’s my dilemma. Do I grab the one you suggested, save up a bit more, and just slap an SSD in later? Or should I just scrape everything together now and buy something like the one above? I know, I know—it sounds like I'm moving the goalposts on my budget, but I'm looking for a laptop to last me the next two or three years, and I'd really love some peace of mind. The price gap between the first option with the SSD and this second one is about $100. I'm not exactly a genius here, since I'm already blowing past my original budget anyway.

Look, you’ve been given some guidelines—hopefully decent ones—but after that, it's all on you. The first thing you need to figure out is your timeline: do you need this machine right this second, or can you afford to wait and save up some cash? Second, let's talk graphics. The 950 and 960 are basically identical in terms of core architecture; the only real difference is the memory. It's either DDR3 or GDDR5. We all know which one is faster, but the real question is whether the extra cost actually translates to a tangible benefit for your specific workflow. Is that faster memory going to pay for itself in productivity?

Having an IPS screen is great, but since you mentioned it's not a "must-have," don't sweat it. You can always slap an SSD in later. Basically, if you need a rig immediately, grab a cheaper, decent option without the SSD and just upgrade it down the road.

When it comes to shopping around, check out Best Buy (they usually have the best selection), but you might find better deals on Amazon or Newegg. Filter for 17" models and set your budget starting around $700 and up to see what's actually on the table: Acer, Asus n, or Asus g. Acer recently updated their platform with newer processors, while Asus tends to offer better warranty options through their various promotions. I'm not sure about extended warranty add-ons lately, so you'd have to dig through the retailers' sites to find out. Honestly, in this price bracket, it doesn't matter much which brand you pick; nobody is really cutting corners on quality at this level...

Edit:

I'm not trying to downplay the fact that Acer comes with a built-in SSD, I just want to point out that 128GB drives are getting pretty tight these days...

Thanks for all the advice. To you and Amy Vaughn12 too. Your guidelines are great, especially regarding the graphics card. I think 128 GB is cutting it pretty close for people who tend to overload their systems. I'll be running Windows 10 / Mint 17, CATIA, SolidWorks, AutoCAD, and MATLAB on this one. 128 GB should be just enough for that setup. I don't really need an IPS screen. This specific Acer model just happens to have one linked, but I was mostly looking for something with a 960M, an SSD, and a decent processor without breaking the bank. I guess the biggest difference will be how the memory holds up when I start running some renders. If you think this Acer model is a solid choice, I might just pull the trigger. My psychological limit was around one month's salary, and I can live with that. Sorry for the hassle and any silly questions—I honestly just don't have the time to stay on top of PC hardware anymore.

An IPS screen is definitely a non-negotiable at this price point, especially given the kind of work you're doing.
You could probably grab this one without an SSD and just pick one up later on your own; it might actually end up being cheaper than that Acer model they have listed.

I can only say what I’ve already said: you honestly can't go wrong with any of them...