Upgrading a Laptop

[Slade_87]

Hi all,

Backstory:

I really, really like my Dell D620 business laptop chassis. I've generally used it to take to work to do personal study or to screw around online. Unfortunately it's just getting too old to do even that. I want to upgrade it, but I know I'm at peak D620, because when I got it there wasn't any ram, wi-fi chip, hdd, or battery pack. While I currently lug around my alienware, I want to remove that strain from my back. I could just go buy a new laptop, but where's the fun in that? I know the D630 mobo will fit in the D620 chassis with some very minor modification. So perhaps there's an even more modern opportunity. I have no problem modding the case and have access to a 3d printer with the ability to create my own custom pieces as necessary.

 

This is a pretty weird request, so bear with me. I'd like to find a replacement motherboard to put in the same chassis, because I really like it. But the point is to put in a newer spec mobo, not just a replacement.

 

I'm not trying to find a custom motherboard, but somewhere I could figure out if a modern motherboard would fit into the chassis where I could put my own upgrades (modern proc, mem, etc.)

 

Before anyone tells me I'm crazy and wasting my time, etc. I have a an Alienware 14, and a desktop with AMD A10, 32GB vengeance, and a 1050Ti

This seemed like a fun project to me, but I can't find any info. If someone has a link to a site with various board specs(read: dimensions) that would be awesome.

 

TL;DR

Really like my old Dell D620, looking for a modern mobo to finagle into the chassis

 

 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

 

[Cypherf5]

Dont waste your time, not unless you want to dremel, holes and solder cables. It sounds like hell on earth. Is it possible? Yeah, do you have literally tens of hours to spend modifying? If yes then go for it I guess.

[markr54632]

Someone asks about this every month or two. It is a tremendous waste of time and effort. Not to mention all of the connectors are proprietary. Even if they fit they will not be wired the same.

[Slade_87]

6 minutes ago, Cypherf5 said:

Dont waste your time, not unless you want to dremel, holes and solder cables. It sounds like hell on earth. Is it possible? Yeah, do you have literally tens of hours to spend modifying? If yes then go for it I guess.

Time isn't a concern. It's actually been sitting in my closet for almost a year now. I was cleaning and found it again. I'm really just tired of carrying the alienware (and I want to sell it while it still has some value) Time-wise, I could just let it sit on my workbench until I can get to it. If it takes a year, or never gets finished, I just enjoy this kind of stuff.

7 minutes ago, markr54632 said:

Someone asks about this every month or two. It is a tremendous waste of time and effort. Not to mention all of the connectors are proprietary. Even if they fit they will not be wired the same.

As for proprietary, I am going to start looking in to modern dell boards and see if any are similar to the layout. If I can get a similar non-working board for cheap, I can work on finding a way to make it fit. Which might be what I'm looking for. The idea isn't to make it a power house. Just to have some fun while making it more modern.

 

Thanks for the replies