Building a Custom Laptop to Your Specifications?

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."

Comments

Laptops...

[invisik]

...are a compromise from the start. These highly integrated and mini-sized parts are not off the shelf components. You just can't get the level of customization that you can on a desktop. Someday you might, but not today.

I'd say make the best educated decision you can about the system you choose--you can't ask for more then that.

Just bought an IBM Thinkpad X31--no idea what the mobo or options card brands are, but it sure works just fine. And the media slice is cool--can go laptop with it on or ultra-portable without it.

-m

Help us out

[The Clockwork Troll]

We need a little more information. In particular, can you tell us:

• What you're looking to spend
• What features are must-haves
• Whether your laptop will also dock and be your primary home PC
• Do you need wireless connectivity?
• Will you be doing mostly office-type work, development, or games?

There are a lot of variables here.

Once we have this information, we can then tell you to go do your own fucking research because this is not a help desk.

Customize This

[D.A. Zollinger]

I'm sorry to say, as several other posters have already pointed out, that laptops are pretty much inconfigurable beyond "Do you want DVD or CDRW with that?" The best thing you can do if you are in the market is look for a model that most closely fits what you want to do with it, and how you will most likely use (abuse) it. For example, if you know you are rough with technology, might I suggest a Panasonic ToughBook? If you are looking for style and sophistication, perhaps Apple is calling your name? If you want a gaming platform, you can go with your alienware. Several manufacturers are coming out with 17" and widescreen laptops (Apple and Dell for example), and if you want something that can keep going on batteries for several hours, perhaps you should investigate Centrino laptops.

YOU must decide what is important in your new purchase, and decide how important. If customization and configurability is really that important, perhaps you are asking the wrong question? Maybe you should be asking, "Do I really need a laptop? What would a laptop give me that a regular computer will not, and can I live without it?"

Re:Customize This

[ichimunki]

I didn't jump anywhere. And my conclusion was not the result of ridicule rather than sensibility. Obviously if you had accidents that precipitated the replacement of cases, that's not really indicative of the quality from the manufacturer (but you didn't mention that in your original post, which is why I responded).

So instead of wondering about Apple quality at this point, I'll just consider you accident prone and admire the fact that your laptop survived without any serious damage-- after all, the case is there to protect the sensitive insides. :)

Re:Can't do it.

[dago]

while you make a good point debunking the need of customizing a laptop, for

"7) CPU: AFAIK, none of the manufacturers even sell their mobile CPU's in a socketed configuration. It's probably going to be built onto a motherboard."

It's not true, all (which means AMD and Intel) sells their mobile cpu in socketed form. You can even take a mobile athlon and put it in a desktop if you want. Usually, that's the motherboard the problem ...