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Building a Custom Laptop to Your Specifications?

Posted by Cliff on from the isn't-it-past-time-this-was-possible dept.

swordsaintzero asks: "I am not happy with the options presented to me in the laptop market. The system that comes closest, Alienware, costs more than my last car, and still doesn't have exactly what I need! Even Google didn't seem to come across any sites detailing anyone who had built a laptop from scratch. Does someone out there know of such a site? If not, does anyone know the motherboard brand being used in the Alienware Exteme series? If I can get some decent leads, I will post the ensuing mayhem, as I attempt to build my own."

5 of 83 comments (clear)

  1. alienware by Phoenix+Dreamscape · · Score: 5, Informative

    Custom laptops? Can't help there.

    It should be noted, however, that Alienware actually buys their laptops from a company called Clevo, paints 'em green, and resells them for $600 more. You can buy identical laptops for much cheaper from other Clevo resellers, like Sager. Check pctorque.com and powernotebooks.com for "Alienware" laptops without the expensive paint. Of course, they're still ridiculously expensive.

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    Scratched Emulsion
  2. sager notebooks by JumpSuit+Boy · · Score: 5, Informative

    alienware sales sager notebooks at a 90% markup. A lot of other peolpe sell them. powernotebooks for example . Just google them.

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    Oh really?
  3. Clevo by Kris_J · · Score: 4, Informative

    I think the Alienware laptops are mostly built by Clevo (story here, brochure or press release here). I had someone come in with a Clevo quote recently. They look like capable machines.

  4. It is possible, just not online... by stoborrobots · · Score: 4, Informative

    There are places you can go to get CUSTOM BUILT laptops, they are just not online stores or common chains. You need a plane ticked to Taiwan, or somewhere else in SE Asia.

    A friend of mine picked up a custom laptop in Malaysia with 3GHz P4, with DVD burner, 1Gig Ram, and a slew of other features he wanted... for under $2500 Australian (that's ~$1700 US!!!)... The kicker is that this was back in February!

    So it can be done... You just need to be holidaying in the area at the time...

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    "Go to CNN [for a] spell-checked, fact-checked summary" -- CmdrTaco
  5. Re: CPU sockets by TitaniumFox · · Score: 4, Informative

    Excellent collection of info, btw.

    Regarding newer laptops and CPU sockets:

    I upgraded my Sony GRX570 (1.6Ghz) to a 2.0Ghz because it's a socketed P4-M platform.

    Before CPU removal.

    After CPU removal.

    The entire post is at Vaio Village for those curious. (Yes, same username)

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    -- I'd say your post was about 3 monkeys, 18 minutes.