Buzz
A fascinating perspective from PCWorld on the failure of modular laptop upgrades. I've summarized it here for everyone's discussion.
Whose fault is it that the PC industry has never witnessed a successful design for upgradable laptops? Perhaps it's all on us.
Laptops have never evolved into the 'mobile version of a desktop,' with limitless upgradability running until they become obsolete. Imagine a scenario where, after 5 years, users simply buy a newer CPU and mainboard for their aging laptop, or opt for a faster and larger SSD to keep up with the times. Even if the casing is worn or the screen is cracked, instead of 'buying a new laptop,' users can just replace the affected parts, minimizing resource usage and electronic waste globally.
All of this sounds fantastic, but undoubtedly, none of us can actually pull it off. So, why is that?
We won't take responsibility when we break it
We're being 'too frugal.'
Creating an upgradeable laptop is not cheap. A prime example currently is Framework's upgradeable laptop, which is pricier than a comparable Dell XPS 13 with the same CPU but even more expensive RAM, the same SSD capacity, and a higher-resolution OLED display. Ensuring very few users would pay extra for 'upgradeability,' they opt for immediate better value instead.We're too rigid in our sense of style.
A upgradeable laptop, a realm we've been touching for the past 20 years, may never triumph in any beauty contest. But does that really matter? In theory, no, but we all know design sells. A sleek, borderless laptop in a rose gold hue captivates buyers in a way 'upgradable later' versions never will or can.
It's just another facet of human nature. Like shoes, clothes, hair, or phone cases, today's laptops are a personal expression of the owner's style. Unfortunately, fashion always takes precedence over function.We care too much about slim, compact laptops.
Crafting a slim and compact laptop with upgradeable components isn't easy, as the motherboard can be minimized by soldering the SSD and memory. Framework's laptop is relatively small and thin, but ultimately falls within the average range. This might not be an issue for users who prioritize upgrades, but people are still drawn to the slim and compact type over the bulkier, upgradeable alternatives.
We care too much about performance.
While theoretically possible to create an upgradeable laptop that performs as well as one designed for a specific generation of components, this is challenging in practice. Technology, power, and heat requirements are often not fixed: a machine frame crafted for a specific chip will perform better than a frame designed to cater to the general public. For instance, soldering LPDDR4X/4266 RAM delivers significantly better power efficiency in idle mode compared to removable DDR4. While LPDDR4X also provides more memory bandwidth, and though a soldered SSD implies irreversibility, theoretically, it also promises superior performance.
We're too 'serious.'
When Alienware pushed its ambitious plan to create a gaming laptop with upgradable desktop CPUs through sockets and custom GPUs, it seemed like they found a way to avoid legal troubles. Another competitor had faced collective lawsuits for being unable to produce GPU upgrades for a laptop as initially advertised. But no.
Alienware faces a similar fate; while offering CPU and GPU upgrades for users who purchase low-tier CPUs and GPUs within the same family, they still shared a common destiny last month when accused of false advertising regarding the upgrade capabilities of the Alienware 51m R1. This gaming laptop, equipped with a 9th-gen Intel Core processor, couldn't upgrade to the 10th-gen Intel Core due to each generation using its own socket.
Technology doesn't always play out as expected. If NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel decides to make changes before a laptop manufacturer plans for it, upgrades may never materialize. The legal battles between two different gaming laptop providers attempting to deliver what people claim they want serve as a noteworthy lesson for any other company daring to try.
