diy Please talk me out of cutting a hole in my laptop

[thacko]

I didn't think this belonged in one of the troubleshooting forums, because I don't actually have any problems... yet.

 

So I use an external GPU with my laptop - long story short, when I want to play something, I connect an external PCI-E mount to my laptop's internal M.2 port (where the WiFi card usually goes, there's a picture of the port in IMG_1122). Here's the thing: to do this, I need to flip my laptop upside down and close it to access the port, requiring me to use a second, old monitor. This means that while it works, it does require some sacrifices in usability and general display quality. However, I recently thought of something. What if I cut a hole in the bottom of my laptop to run the M.2 cable through (the attached IMG_1121 has a rectangle drawn in the location of the cut)? I'm sure the plastic can't be that hard - what's stopping me from just taking a pocket knife and sawing a hole through it? The way I see it, there are a couple of things I need to consider:

• The hole needs to be sealed when I'm not using the eGPU. That's easy, I can just tape a dust filter over it.
• I need to avoid trapping the cable when it's connected. This can be done by just propping up the laptop on some books.
• I have to be sure I won't damage the components of the laptop. I feel like this is a good time to state that I'd remove the laptop's casing before cutting into it.

However, I'm worried that there's something I'm forgetting. I use this laptop more than I sleep; and if I messed it up, I'd be... disappointed. Do you see any potential downsides?

[imreloadin]

4 minutes ago, thacko said:

what's stopping me from just taking a pocket knife and sawing a hole through it?

Most likely the pocket knife itself...

[myselfolli]

[LukeLinusFanFic]

Looks fine. Don't worry about it. Enjoy your first mod. You seem very reasonable and have definitely overthought this.

[Murasaki]

[louis rossmann hissing]

[thacko]

Alright, I've been sufficiently egged on. I'll do it now and let you all know how it goes.

[thacko]

Quick update: there seems go be a metal layer inside the casing. This might take a while to cut.

[star_pilot475]

This seems like a stressful project...

[thacko]

So it worked, in the sense that my laptop now has a taped-over hole and the whole thing still functions. However, I forgot two things:

1. I need a way to ensure that the M.2 cable doesn't slip out of the port while I'm reattaching the casing. At the moment, it keeps slipping out before I turn the laptop on. (As I type this, I'm remembering that I could have just used the screw built into it to secure it...)
2. I've just destroyed the resale value of the computer by putting a stonking great hole in it.

 

[star_pilot475]

4 minutes ago, thacko said:

I've just destroyed the resale value of the computer by putting a stonking great hole in it.

Yeah, nobody will probably buy that now, but hey you just modded a laptop...

 

Thats pretty cool  

[ARikozuM]

1 hour ago, thacko said:

Quick update: there seems go be a metal layer inside the casing. This might take a while to cut.

gun.exe

[Guest]

I... thought this was going to be a much different topic.

Thankfully, it's not what I thought it was.