Vue normale
-
Articles on TechRepublic
- Darktrace: 96% of Phishing Attacks in 2024 Exploited Trusted Domains Including SharePoint & Zoom Docs
Darktrace: 96% of Phishing Attacks in 2024 Exploited Trusted Domains Including SharePoint & Zoom Docs
Qualcomm, Intel, and Others Form Ambient IoT Coalition
How Neudesic is Harnessing AI for Impact in Australia
iOS 18.3.1 Release Expected Within the Next Few Weeks
-
Articles on TechRepublic
- IT Teams Worry About Increasing Cost of Cyber Tools From AI Features, While Criminals Barely Use Them
IT Teams Worry About Increasing Cost of Cyber Tools From AI Features, While Criminals Barely Use Them
UK’s International AI Safety Report Shows Progress is at Breakneck Speed
You Don’t Need to Know Excel Formulas Since This AI Creates Charts for You
Modular laptops and mini PCs might be around the corner thanks to Intel
Despite laptops overtaking their towering cousins in market share, these portable computers still lack one vital trait that has kept stationary desktops still relevant today. Desktop computers are, to a very large extent, modular by design, making it easier to upgrade and replace components as needs and technologies change. Sure, some laptops have upgradable RAM and storage, but that’s pretty much all there is to them given certain limitations in design.
Those limitations include the design of the motherboard itself, an all-in-one all-or-nothing object that is pretty much the soul of a computer. Intel, however, is proposing a rather ground-breaking change that will help make these components more repairable and less wasteful. If followed by its partners, it won’t just kick off a new age of modular laptops, it could even give Intel and AMD a huge edge over their Arm-based rivals such as Qualcomm and, of now, Apple.
Designer: Intel
The difference in motherboards between desktops and laptops is like night and day. Desktops follow an industry convention that has been shaped over decades, allowing components from rival companies to be mixed and matched as the consumer desires. Laptop motherboards, on the other hand, are often designed based on brand needs and whims. More importantly, they come as a whole package, with many parts soldered onto the board, including the ones that get worn out faster than others.
Intel’s proposed guidelines try to split the laptop motherboard into three distinct parts, two of which would hold the I/O or input out components such as USB and HDMI ports. The third would be where the core silicon is located, specifically the CPU and the GPU, among others. The modularity would allow different affected parts to be replaced if broken or, if desired, even upgraded, without throwing away the rest of the motherboard.
Those guidelines also have something for mini PCs, which are like the middle child between desktops and laptops. In this matter, the CPU and motherboard are separated from the graphics card and other components, making it easier to swap out GPUs or CPUs in the future. The growing popularity of mini PCs, partially thanks to the Mac mini and Mac studio, could be the driving force behind this initiative. Ironically, Intel itself has given up on the form factor, licensing its “NUC” brand to ASUS.
Designer: Framework
These guidelines might be ideal for reducing e-waste and promoting the right to repair, but it still all depends on whether other players are willing to play ball. Laptop manufacturers might be hesitant to do the work redesigning their laptops, and Intel’s rival AMD might not be keen to cooperate either. It’s still a distant dream, but one can already have a foretaste of the future today with the Framework laptops, proving that it can indeed be done with the right design.
The post Modular laptops and mini PCs might be around the corner thanks to Intel first appeared on Yanko Design.
Operator: OpenAI’s Next Step Toward the ‘Agentic’ Future
-
Articles on TechRepublic
- GhostGPT: Uncensored Chatbot Used by Cyber Criminals for Malware Creation, Scams
GhostGPT: Uncensored Chatbot Used by Cyber Criminals for Malware Creation, Scams
Your Personal Note-Taking Assistant Is Just $39.99 for Life
Samsung Unpacked S25: Galaxy S25 Phone Goes All-In On Google AI
-
Articles on TechRepublic
- US Government, Tech Giants Launch $500 Billion AI-Driven Infrastructure Initiative
US Government, Tech Giants Launch $500 Billion AI-Driven Infrastructure Initiative
-
Articles on TechRepublic
- UK Pledges Public Sector AI Overhaul, Legacy Tech Causes £45 Billion in Missed Annual Savings