Why is it that you can buy parts to build a desktop PC, but you cant buy parts to build your own laptop??

[BooGiMaN]

I have always wondered why this is..anyone have an answer?

 

[amcdonald]

because its all proprietary my friend.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Same reason you can't build your own Apple - proprietary parts for better raping of the consumer pocketbook.

- M4H

 

[dxkj]

Why can't you build a mac?



Answer that question and you answer the laptop question.

 

[JDub02]

Probably because there's no standard for the size and design of the components. For a PC, chances are any mobo and PSU you pick up are going to fit whatever case you have.

 

[volrath]

A very small number of places sell mac mobos and processors which you can use to build a mac.

You can customize laptops... but building them is too complicated. The ports have to fit in the laptop case, the lcd has to connect to the mobo. Basically you are stuck with a case, mobo, monitor. What else will you build? CPU in slot? Just get a custom laptop from someone.

 

[PanzerIV]

I'll stick with PCs. No way I'd want to build laptops.

 

[DT4K]

Originally posted by: JDub02
Probably because there's no standard for the size and design of the components. For a PC, chances are any mobo and PSU you pick up are going to fit whatever case you have.

Yes. And the reason for this is that size, shape, and weight are big selling points for laptops, while they really aren't for a desktop. So each company has their own idea of what the best design is and they are all designed differently.

 

[Ionizer86]

Laptops have to be specifically engineered to meet weight, power usage, heat, etc requirements. Engineering a laptop may take months even for a team of people.

Desktops can be built since all the parts are interchangeable. Get an ATX board, ATX case, PCI cards, 3.5" drives, etc and put everythihg together. No need for special ventilation, power usage engineering etc.

 

[KevinH]

A lot of laptop manufacturers offer barebones packages nowadays. Usually, the cpu, the hard drive, RAM, the optical and on rare occasions the GPU can be swapped in and out. Unfortunately, it's rather limited to pretty specific parts and are interchangeable to a very small degree.

For the most part, Ionizer86 pretty much hit the nail on the head.

 

[Dacalo]

You can build your own laptop, but you don't have the flexibility you have with desktops