Build Your Own Laptop - Part I Of IV

You could build your own laptop if you are excited by DIY and the possibility of saving a couple hundred bucks.

Doing this allows you to tweak certain components which may for example, allow games to be more fun and cause certain programs to run faster and more smoothly.

But recognize that to build your own laptop is not necessarily going to be cheaper than buying a pre-built one. Depending on the tweaks you want, you may end up paying a little more for the privilege of customizing your notebook.

1. There is not much info available on how to build a laptop from the case up.

2. Parts are hard to find.

3. You have to have some dexterity in working with screws and the small confines of a portable case.

If you can somehow can look past the challenges, have a thirst for knowledge and have around $1400-$1500 to spare, you can build a custom laptop from scratch that is comparable to a more expensive pre-built notebook. We can’t provide any assistance with the $1500:), but we can provide the knowledge you need to get started.

To build your own laptop, you need to first purchase a barebones laptop or notebook. It is likely to be difficult to find this at your local computer store. You will have better luck getting it through an online computer retailer. Some of the manufacturers that provide barebones laptop pcs are Asus, Compal, MSI, OCZ and Scan and Super Talent.

A Good Barebones Laptop

If you use the ASUS C90 for example, it will cost you around $700. Virtually every component in the C90 is replaceable or upgradeable.

This notebook also supports Intel® Core™ 2 Dual Processor which gives you a fair amount of power.

The C90 also sports (optionally) extensive wireless connectivity coverage with MIMO 802.11n support via an integrated antenna and Bluetooth V2.0+EDR.

It has a nVidia Mobile PCI Express Graphics Module (MXM) slot, which provides compatibility with many graphic processors within the industry.

This graphics feature allows for the installation of a decent gaming GPU.

When you add into the mix the C90’s 15.4 inch LCD screen and 6.8 pounds weight, you have a solid, yet fairly light “brand name looking” laptop with great resolution for watching DVDs and playing games.

Parts You’ll Need For Building Your Own Laptop

This online computer retailer provides these components at very reasonable prices. For example, you can get a 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 CPU for around $220 (used for around $120) and a 160GB Seagate Momentus 7200.2 hard drive for under a $100.

For components that are hard to come by, you may want to check with the dealer from which you bought your barebones laptop to see if those less-common components are available. Before purchasing your components, please ensure that they are compatible with the motherboard and barebones case.

Tools Needed To Build Your Own Laptop

This could be cause for concern as you don’t want to start building your custom laptop only to find a few screws lying around when you thought you had fitted in all the pieces. It is best therefore to locate an assembly manual first before you proceed.

Such a manual may possibly be located on the manufacturer’s website. If you can’t get your hands on one, you must be extra vigilante in the building your laptop.

Click here to continue reading.

Part II Of Build A Laptop | Part III Of Build A Custom Laptop
Building A Laptop Part IV | Barebones Laptop

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