A milestone in laptop engineering

[Mr Buckshot]

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/laptops/asus-c90-will-be-first-user-upgradeable-lappie-249934.php


Because of the way laptops are built, most people don't upgrade their notebooks like they do their desktop. Well, Asus is trying to change that with their new C90 gaming laptop. Everything from the lappie's CPU to its high-def optical drive will be user upgradeable. Asus says you'll even be able to pop out the system's graphics card and install a new one all within minutes. Spec-wise, the C90 will be the first to include HDMI 1.3 and....
an ESATA port. Not to mention it'll be packing an upgradeable Core 2 Duo CPU and a mystery video card. Upgradeable components, HDMI, mystery video card? We're sold. The notebook is expected to debut sometime next month. http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2007/04/gusocket.jpg
The "upgradeability gap" between laptops and desktops is narrowing.

I can see many businessmen rejoicing at this. I'm hoping it extends to other notebook companies.

More pictures:
http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/21611.jpg

http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/21613.jpg

http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/21629.jpg

[paladin]

Pimp Daddy.

[DrunkenSamus]

Would be neat if I had a laptop. :/

[LlamaMaster]

Nice. This should of been done like....forever ago.

[Mr Buckshot]

Nice. This should of been done like....forever ago.

Upgradeability of the graphics was already made possible in 2004. However, it was better defined as "replaceable" as choices were severely limited. MXM (mobile pci-express module) is the standard by which laptop dedicated graphics go under nowadays.

CPU and graphics are notoriously hard to upgrade in laptops due to power and cooling requirements. For example, I can take out my laptop's Geforce Go 6600 and stick in a 7600 (quite possible), but I can't stick in the Geforce 8800M GTX (yes a mobile version launched) because the cooling fans, slot size, and power brick are inadequate for such a chipset.

Now many laptops are using desktop Conroe CPUs.

[Kornman00]

well its about goddamn fucking time, gj ppl _o/

[0m3g4Muff1n987]

This is kind of old, I saw this in like the November version of MaximumPC mag :p

[legionaire45]

From what I remember of it the laptop ran pretty hot (not surprising considering it uses a desktop CPU IIRC). My biggest concern is that I don't see how they could have truly user upgradeable graphics unless it uses MXM, which is notorious for being a standard that isn't standard (ex. the GPUs and other components themselves move around on the card and it therefore won't necessarily work in every laptop). Either that or they take the heatsink and bracket off a full sized video card and stuff it in there, at which point I laugh and grab a fire extinguisher. The only other option is that Asus makes custom MXM/similar modules for it that are designed to work with the lappy. Oh joy, being stuck with a single manufacturer that would most likely charge an arm and a leg for the initial run of GPUs and then quickly forget about the entire project if it didn't sell well, leaving the person who purchased it with a heavy, hot but "upgradeable" laptop.

It's a great concept that I completely agree with but until I find out more about how they handle the user upgradeable graphics I can't recommend it. This is a step in the right direction but might not be a big enough one considering graphics cards are the first things to become truly outdated on a laptop and are usually the thing that prompts a user to buy a new laptop.

I still want my Eee =<.

[Mr Buckshot]

Legionaire speaks the truth.

What we really need is for all the major notebook manufacturers to collaborate and agree to manufacture their laptop CPUs and video cards under a specific standard so that they're all interchangeable. A build-it-yourself laptop isn't very far away.

If I recall, Clevo and MSI sell barebones notebooks that actually let you switch the video card too.

[JDMFSeanP]

From what I remember of it the laptop ran pretty hot (not surprising considering it uses a desktop CPU IIRC). My biggest concern is that I don't see how they could have truly user upgradeable graphics unless it uses MXM, which is notorious for being a standard that isn't standard (ex. the GPUs and other components themselves move around on the card and it therefore won't necessarily work in every laptop). Either that or they take the heatsink and bracket off a full sized video card and stuff it in there, at which point I laugh and grab a fire extinguisher. The only other option is that Asus makes custom MXM/similar modules for it that are designed to work with the lappy. Oh joy, being stuck with a single manufacturer that would most likely charge an arm and a leg for the initial run of GPUs and then quickly forget about the entire project if it didn't sell well, leaving the person who purchased it with a heavy, hot but "upgradeable" laptop.

It's a great concept that I completely agree with but until I find out more about how they handle the user upgradeable graphics I can't recommend it. This is a step in the right direction but might not be a big enough one considering graphics cards are the first things to become truly outdated on a laptop and are usually the thing that prompts a user to buy a new laptop.

I still want my Eee =<.

I get my Eee this weekend! GO ME! (minus the 600 I'm spending D:)

Even if it is upgradable, how easy would it be to find parts?

[Terin]

Next up: Standarized laptop case and part sizes. :awesome:


What kind of cards could it take? Any PCI-E that fit?

[Bodzilla]

well its about goddamn fucking time, gj ppl _o/
\o_

i feel i made a difference today.

[Mr Buckshot]

Any PCI-E that fit?

I LOL'ed.

If full-size desktop PCI-e cards fit in a laptop, there'd be no more reason to buy a laptop because it'd be so god damn heavy. People sacrifice computing power when they choose a laptop over a desktop because they need a portable machine that houses a screen, keyboard, and pointing device all in one, and that is comfortable to use as a work computer.

Hey, by 2020 I bet even PDA's will have the power of today's best desktops. Laptops are ever-evolving.

[SnaFuBAR]

i'll probably be buying this.

[Reaper Man]

Didn't Intel do this a while ago with their Whitebook?

[beele]

I'm waiting for the nvidia 9 series for my laptop so I can switch it with my 8600M GT.
And I will likely be adding a new processor too (peryn series).

My laptop has replaceable : RAM (lol they all do), CPU, GPU, Turbo memory, DVD drive (I could upgrade to a hd-dvd but I'm waiting for blue ray:)), tv tuner (more like a ad-in not upgradeable).

But like already said, it's not practical to do it because of the many tricky parts involved.

So yeah we are going the right way, but still loads of work.

[Phopojijo]

Nice. This should of been done like....forever ago.Laptops kinda were modular... I guess the major problem was just setting a standard like ATX that will not just flare up and explode.

[Atty]

Hopefully its actually portable. As much as I like the idea of upgrading my Laptop I'd still like to keep it portable, I don't need a monitor and flattened MicroATX case combo, I need a light, thin, portable PC for work, school, etc, which is why I'm usually alright with underpowered Laptops.

If they can keep the weight (stock) down and its size down too I would consider getting one of these, it would be worth the investment to keep up with the times, but still, I could be happy with a game-less capable Air.

[Mr Buckshot]

The problem is that higher-end components like the Geforce 8800M GTX require cooling and power supplies that are unheard of in any laptop that's 15.4" and smaller. And in my honest opinion, 17" laptops and larger are really not worth it, due to size and weight. If you're buying such a bulky machine, you might as well save some cash and buy a desktop instead, because such laptops will rarely leave the owner's desk.

Still, I'm perfectly happy with the midrange components found in 15.4" laptops. I plan on replacing my own notebook soon (it was awesome for its time but is now a little dated) with one of these ASUS C9 models.

If the upgradeability factor improves, I might actually be able to buy a midrange Geforce 9 series card and slap it into the MXM slot of my future notebook.

[dg]

This is a great idea. I hope the replacement components aren't extremely overpriced.....