Greetings to all sifus. Only discovered this site earlier today - glad to have found it
Hunting first new laptop in many years, after working with and heavily abusing old thinkpads with heating issues...

1. Preferred Brand: not dell, acer or hp (if possible)
2. Budget: <4K preferably; can push to 5 only maybe...
3. Usage: 2d/3d graphics, some video editing, movies, video encoding, coding, hundred or more browser tabs at times - always multitasking
4. Preferred laptop/screen size: 15"
5. Other preference:
a. i7 processor, 6th gen?
b. >=8GB RAM
c. not fussed about HDD; I guess >500GB (so probably not SSD)
d. nVidia GPU
e. with optical drive
f. do not require hybrid, touchscreen, etc
g. known to have good Linux compatability
h. good number of usb ports
i. ethernet port
j. hdmi nice but not necessary
k. less heat better, but not likely with i7 and nVidia I guess

Hope that's not overly specific. Thanks in advance for anyone taking the time to make suggestions.
I have been researching possibilities, but am not so aware of what is available and best to aim for in Malaysia...

Cheers

Thanks myway!
I can live without ODD. Can always buy external if necessary.
Any idea what options might remain?

Thanks again, myway.
I am liking MSI. I have also had Illegear suggested, as well as HP Omen.

I am wondering though, I am not really a gamer - are there many machines with high performance for video, 3d work, etc that are not styled for gamers?

I guess performance in games = performance in producing graphics/games/etc but I'm just looking for simple styling...
However, if the best machine in my price range is a gaming machine, I will still happily get one.

Thanks again everyone who has been helping, very kind of you!

Have just noticed that the ASUS Zenbook UX501VW and the ROG G501VW appear to be the exact same machine with a different body...

Anyone know how hardy and long lasting the Zenbook might be (or the ROG for that matter)?
The specs are nice, but I'm concerned such a thin body is going to make for trouble...