Why don't they just sell a modular laptop?

[Internet Swag]

Well maybe modular isn't the right word. 

 

But why not sell a laptop chassis than you can assemble your own parts in, like a PC case.

 

I mean I am 100% sure it's possible.

 

A laptop is what really? A mini ITX case with a screen and speakers and a keyboard and touchpad.

 

I'm sure it's doable and you might not even need a touchpad. Even if they are a big bigger than the normal laptop I wont care. 

[Katsu-K1L]

ehhh its a good idea but it's not gonna happen anytime soon, or might never happen.

[Prodigydeadeye]

Pieces are too small. Too much incompatibility with parts and chassis. It would also be more expensive for the end consumer. Laptop manufactures buy parts in bulk and get discounted prices. If you were to buy the parts yourself, it is going the be more expensive. There are no set standards like there are with desktops ex. (ATX, Micro ATX, etc) Every company has many different models with different sizes, cooling, plus no one abides by a certain internal layout. Most laptops use custom batteries, you start upgrading parts and it tanks you battery life.

[Guest]

You technically can upgrade a laptop just not to the degree you can a desktop. I could be wrong but I would assume something like and easily upgradable laptop would have extremely high engineering costs. Also who would buy this laptop to justify them making it?

[Goldilock]

laptop is a laptop, people trash it when they are done.

[connorpiper]

Because that would make too much sense...

Some business laptops (HP Elitebook, Sony VAIO Z/S Series, Dell) have super easy access to drives, RAM, and CPU fans. But that is the closest you can get. 

[The Crazed Child]

Because laptops don't have a defined form factor, like desktops do. They don't have Mini-ITX or MicroATX.

[ShadowCaptain]

laptop is a laptop, people trash it when they are done.

 

only because they (generally) un-upgradable

 

But why not sell a laptop chassis than you can assemble your own parts in, like a PC case.

 

Some laptops can be upgraded a lot. My M18x you can add up to 3 drives, replace network cards, replace the CPU, ram and swap out the graphics cards

 

The main reason they are not modular are power, heat and battery life. Also the design and shape of the laptop, they generaly use custom size and shaped motherboards to fit into their various chassis design, there is no standardisation like there is with desktop components

 

Heat, you would have to swap out the cooling system if you add in crazy components

 

Power - the powersupply might not be able to power certain hardware

 

battery - there would be no way to ensure a certain battery life as hardware would be wildly different

 

Basically, its pretty impracticle

[TheDigitalRealm]

The internal cables in Laptops are nearly always proprietary nowadays, there aren't as many industry standard parts in the inside of a laptop.

Then there's the manufacturing cost of producing something a couple inches thick that can be easily taken completely apart to have parts swapped out. You can already do it with RAM, Storage, Optical Drives and Graphics cards in higher end laptops.

[Pidagad]

I think the hardware wouldn't be a problem at all (ignoring stuff in the MacBook Air/Ultrabook formfactor). I think the biggest cons are the smaller margin and the consumers unwilling to buy something bigger/heavier/...

 

These guys built their own laptop(case) and as you can see there would be plenty of space for additional hardware stuff

 

https://www.crowdsupply.com/kosagi/novena-open-laptop

[Phillyphries]

You'd have a tough time. If you've noticed by now, they manufacture their notebooks specifically to their own specifications. They design their heatsinks, etc to fit inside their case and provide adequate cooling.

 

You'd be asking basically for all manufacturers to build for a standard specification like desktops, but that won't happen. You see manufacturers these days trying to innovate by constantly making things fit tighter, work more efficiently. I think it would take a long time before something like a standard for things like a laptop motherboard, heatsinks, casings to be a thing

[Leonard]

Well maybe modular isn't the right word. 

 

But why not sell a laptop chassis than you can assemble your own parts in, like a PC case.

 

I mean I am 100% sure it's possible.

 

A laptop is what really? A mini ITX case with a screen and speakers and a keyboard and touchpad.

 

I'm sure it's doable and you might not even need a touchpad. Even if they are a big bigger than the normal laptop I wont care. 

This is a thing for years now. Look up Sager/Clevo.

[Blade of Grass]

You can build your own laptop, the issue is that it's abit harder and involves soldering (iirc), but you can do it.

[ShadowCaptain]

This is a thing for years now. Look up Sager/Clevo.

 

Sager/Clevo  ( I have a w110er) are custom laptops but are custom to order and are not sold barebones for off the shelf components to go into

[Leonard]

Sager/Clevo  ( I have a w110er) are custom laptops but are custom to order and are not sold barebones for off the shelf components to go into

that is due to the fact that laptop parts are not of the shelf items. You must go through a boutique to have your laptop parts installed per each package which comes with the basic stuff. Off the shelf part for a laptop would be RAM, CPU, HDD/SDD, and wireless cards and not a Mother and daughter board. This was one of he reasons i left the laptop scene. 

[ShadowCaptain]

that is due to the fact that laptop parts are not of the shelf items. You must go through a boutique to have your laptop parts installed per each package which comes with the basic stuff. Off the shelf part for a laptop would be RAM, CPU, HDD/SDD, and wireless cards and not a Mother and daughter board. This was one of he reasons i left the laptop scene. 

 

GPUs are exchangeable too. While I spend 90% of my time on my desktop I still require a gaming laptop 

 

I think the OP wanted the ability to purchase any parts like we do desktops so different boards etc swap out everything. I think there would have to be too much standardisation and we would be doing away with super thin light things too

 

Its a niche product enough as it is without making it near inacessible

[Leonard]

GPUs are exchangeable too. While I spend 90% of my time on my desktop I still require a gaming laptop 

 

I think the OP wanted the ability to purchase any parts like we do desktops so different boards etc swap out everything. I think there would have to be too much standardisation and we would be doing away with super thin light things too

 

Its a niche product enough as it is without making it near inacessible

I know about the interchangeable GPU and the SLI/Crossfire as well which brings me to the undervoltage of the mobile GPU. For me, i can do without gaming until i reach home. Laptops to me are a waste unless you are in school then it is a necessity.

[ShadowCaptain]

I know about the interchangeable GPU and the SLI/Crossfire as well which brings me to the undervoltage of the mobile GPU. For me, i can do without gaming until i reach home. Laptops to me are a waste unless you are in school then it is a necessity.

 

I travel lots, and visit friends lots, do lans and visit shows and all sorts so its necessary for me

[Syntaxvgm]

Maybe I have already designed one using desktop parts that's smaller than my m18x....