Comments on: Shuttle launches push for notebook motherboard standards

By: bhtooefr

bhtooefr — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:32:08 +0000

That leads into an interesting point… does this have any potential to support MXM, or some other similar technology? That would give upgradeable graphics without motherboard swaps.

Of course, the screen I love is 15.0″ 4:3, at 2048×1536. The highest resolution wide panels for laptops are 1920×1200, in 15.4″ or larger. And, I have this screen in a ThinkPad newer than it was intended for already. (Intended for the R50p, installed in a T60p. Technically, I could put a 14.1″ 4:3 T61p motherboard in my T60p, and that would be the newest possible ThinkPad that can drive this panel.)

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:32:00 +0000

That leads into an interesting point… does this have any potential to support MXM, or some other similar technology? That would give upgradeable graphics without motherboard swaps.

By: Someone

Someone — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 07:35:04 +0000

Another huge thing, would be the ability to keep the shell, i.e. the case, screen, and keyboard you love, and swap out the motherboard for a faster processor, gpu, and what not… Instead of having to throw the whole damn thing away every time you want to upgrade any one part of the machine… Hell after market GPU's for laptops would become viable… Just like in desktops…

And there will be bleed over between the two, if this takes off… Especially as cases shrink, and everything gets smaller and more power efficient on that end too… This really does have monumental possibilities… It will just take a decade to work itself out.

By: despisethesun

despisethesun — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 06:36:59 +0000

If anything, this will bring down the price of the middle-man laptops. It's not significantly cheaper to build rather than buy with desktops anymore except at the high end, the benefit of a home build is being able to build it YOUR way rather than picking a few options on an order sheet. I suspect that, long term, that will be the benefit here as well. Allowing the enthusiast to pick exactly what meets their needs, replace parts that fail or no longer cut it, etc.

I don't know if I'd bet on these guys being successful, but I have to say, I'm rooting for them. Good luck and godspeed, Shuttle.

By: ninetynine

ninetynine — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 04:21:27 +0000

I hope this becomes the standard, with standardized modular parts, you can finally build your own laptop from OEM parts and just skip the big name middle man.

By: Corinn

Corinn — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 03:29:34 +0000

This has the potential to be very cool for enthusiasts and gamers. I've always shied away from dropping $1500+ on a gaming laptop, but if the possibility of modular components becomes realized…

Very intriguing!

By: Brad Linder

Brad Linder — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:56:58 +0000

Well, to be fair, the way it was explained to me, you'll be able to take
your laptop into the shop for repair… I'm pretty sure you'll have to
really know what you're doing (and be willing to void your warranty) to do
it yourself. But yeah, it's still pretty cool.

By: Someguy

Someguy — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:19:10 +0000

This is awesome as hell. If this takes off we'll be able to repair our laptops ourselves, and possibly even upgrade them… Cost of manufacture should go through the floor, and Laptops become like desktops where primarily everything is a consumer part, and hence a commodity. Gone will be the days where you throw the whole system away just to upgrade the processor… Wow, I'm very very excited, it's WAY past time something like this happened.

This right here is the least sexy, biggest game changer in CES.