A senior executive said that Intel is making laptops more modular, as part of a bid to make them more flexible and easy to repair. But only Framework appears to be really taking action from a consumer standpoint.
l’d like there to be a portable, modular PC, and I want one for myself. I’d like the ability to have a larger, replaceable battery (maybe with multiple batteries a la Toughbook that can collectively exceed 100Wh); a Synaptics-style trackpad with three physical buttons; more USB-C ports (at least Framework laptops can do this one); more memory; centered keyboard with Caps Lock and Left Control physically swapped; a desktop-style, physically-removable, larger, better-optics webcam that can be left in a small case and attached only when I want to use it; an HMD instead of standard display when we hit the point that they’re a viable display replacement; a case that doesn’t rely on a spudger to open; a case with space to put air vents somewhere other than the bottom so that using the device on a soft surface doesn’t obstruct them, and so forth.
However, I don’t think that it makes sense for all laptops to do that. Modularity does come with costs, and not everyone wants to pay them.
Physically, more size and weight. Need more space to make all these individually-structurally-sound components. I don’t care about this, as I throw my laptop into a backpack, but some people will.
More power usage to use more widely-separated chips. Phones can be light on power in part because they’re using an SoC, the opposite of modularity. I don’t care about this because I’m fine with just throwing bigger batteries at the thing, but some people will.
Easier to test and validate that a fixed number of devices work together (not a big deal for me, as I’m fine with where desktops are today).
Security issues. External bus devices have historically not been trusted, but internal bus devices have been. If I can get physical access to your laptop and I can easily replace an internal component, that might have security implications.
l’d like there to be a portable, modular PC, and I want one for myself. I’d like the ability to have a larger, replaceable battery (maybe with multiple batteries a la Toughbook that can collectively exceed 100Wh); a Synaptics-style trackpad with three physical buttons; more USB-C ports (at least Framework laptops can do this one); more memory; centered keyboard with Caps Lock and Left Control physically swapped; a desktop-style, physically-removable, larger, better-optics webcam that can be left in a small case and attached only when I want to use it; an HMD instead of standard display when we hit the point that they’re a viable display replacement; a case that doesn’t rely on a spudger to open; a case with space to put air vents somewhere other than the bottom so that using the device on a soft surface doesn’t obstruct them, and so forth.
However, I don’t think that it makes sense for all laptops to do that. Modularity does come with costs, and not everyone wants to pay them.
Physically, more size and weight. Need more space to make all these individually-structurally-sound components. I don’t care about this, as I throw my laptop into a backpack, but some people will.
More power usage to use more widely-separated chips. Phones can be light on power in part because they’re using an SoC, the opposite of modularity. I don’t care about this because I’m fine with just throwing bigger batteries at the thing, but some people will.
Easier to test and validate that a fixed number of devices work together (not a big deal for me, as I’m fine with where desktops are today).
Security issues. External bus devices have historically not been trusted, but internal bus devices have been. If I can get physical access to your laptop and I can easily replace an internal component, that might have security implications.