The answer to the question is simple, due to the fact that due to certain limitations, the power level of a desktop computer is not reached. What’s more, laptop parts are more expensive due to the fact that the ones that work in limited power and cooling environments long-term and without problems are much harder to come by, rarer, and therefore more expensive units. Since the vast majority of those looking to expand their PC want the highest return per dollar invested.
What is a modular laptop?
A modular laptop is one in which its components are not all soldered to the motherboard and, consequently, has the same expansion capacity as a desktop computer, but with certain technical limitations related to consumption and cooling capacity. Compared to a tower, this means several things:
- The processor in principle would be for a laptop, these are usually soldered to the motherboard and not by socket, so it would be the only part of the modular laptop that we could not change.
- It would be possible to add a socket, but this would limit the connected CPU in clock speeds and even in functions such as AVX-512 instructions or multithreading due to its higher consumption.
- The memory modules would be SO-DIMM as in the rest of the laptops and we would be limited to two sockets.
In any case, despite the fact that it is a concept that would be possible, laptop manufacturers have never opted for this type of product. The reason for this is that whoever is looking for expansion capacity is looking for a tower, due to the fact that adding it to a laptop adds weight and with it, you end up losing the ability to take it anywhere.
We could change the graphics card whenever we wanted
In a laptop we do not have enough space to place expansion cards inside, so we have to look for alternative solutions to it and go beyond conventions. That is, we have to think laterally. For example, in a tower computer, the video output is on the same expansion card. On the other hand, in a laptop this is not the case, since we cannot add more video outputs, so the graphics card for a laptop, unless it is soldered to the main PCB of the system, will lack HDMI ports, DisplayPort or USB-C.
However, the space limitation is not limited only by the width of the notebook, but by the small space of the PCB. A solution to this? Using HBM2 or 3 type memory to save space and have compact graphics cards in a small footprint while reducing video memory power consumption. A solution that we have already seen in the Apple MacBook Pro in the latest models with Intel processors.
The problem would come with the fact that we would at least need a new PCI Express x8 connector in order to be able to connect the graphics card in our modular laptop and at the same time give it enough power to work without problems. Always under two profiles: battery and connected to the mains.
And what about the rest of the components?
Since the modular laptop would have two heights for components, on one side the main PCB and on the other the expansion ports, this allows us to add a series of M.2 cards for expansion, and not just for connecting NVMe SSDs , but also other peripherals such as:
- Cards of red.
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios
- Additional USB ports.
- Sound cards.
All the expansion cards would be oriented towards the external casing, so that in the external casing we would have a series of covers that we could put on or remove at our convenience. However, all this would ruin the ability to have an ultra-thin and lightweight laptop, since it would be necessary to add a third and even fourth height, both for passive dissipation in the form of heatsinks for the different components, as well as As for the fans.
