Introduction
It might be fascinating to watch the technology evolve. You might be wondering how to build a laptop full of features of your choice. Practically, it is possible to do it.
If you are not familiar with the machine’s components, it might become a difficult task for you. Nevertheless, once you get a hold of all the elements, you can surely create or develop your custom laptop just like a car, building, or any technological device.
There are several retailers available in the market that can provide you with the latest components of a laptop. Moreover, if you wish to polish your skills first, you can simply configure the parts of your older machine into the new laptop.
There is no doubt in saying that producing a personalized laptop can be somewhat tricky for anyone who is doing it for the first time. However, if you are interested in computers, have a decent knowledge in regards to computer components, and have some basic tools, trust us you can do it!
This article will highlight some key factors to consider when you’re developing your customized laptop. Furthermore, we will be discussing the entire steps of assembling a laptop, its pros and cons, and whether it’s worth it or not.
Scroll down to learn more about ‘how to build a laptop?’
Is it worth building a laptop?
People are fond of choosing a simple way for themselves. There are various brands available in the market that are manufacturing laptops with an ample number of specifications that meet the criteria of the majority of users. This simply eliminates the thought of building a laptop on its own.
Just imagine how simple it is to buy a laptop, come home, and start working on it. However, many people might not choose the straightforward process. There is a possibility that certain laptops do not meet the personalized needs of multiple users and especially gamers.
What to do in that situation?
You can develop a machine for yourself. There are high chances that it would cost you less than the laptops from famous labels. Well, this is because you are building it yourself.
Furthermore, the performance of the customized laptop is expected to be better than brand computers. Do you know why? This is because you would only include components and accessories that are necessary for you instead of adding irrelevant stuff. Hence, it proves that it’s worth it to build a laptop on your own.
There are two ways of building a laptop;
1. Ask the computer brand to customize it for you
There are multiple brands such as – Lenovo, HP, and Dell that offer you their customization service. They would simply ask you what components to include in your laptop. Nonetheless, this method is not cost-effective.
The PC labels might charge you relatively higher for the parts of the laptop. On the other hand, if you are completely unaware of the building procedure, you can opt for this method.
2. Build your machine by yourself
When we talk about performance, there are higher chances you will be able to obtain it when you work with your bare hands. Moreover, there are chances that the work can be done on a lower budget.
Nevertheless, if you are confused about the method or process of how to build a laptop, don’t worry, we are here to help you.
We will guide you about the complete procedure.
Keep on reading.
How to build a laptop?
There are two basic steps that you need to follow with professionalism for building a laptop of your choice: choosing the right components for your machine and assembling it in the right manner.
We will try to start with the primary step. First of all, we will discuss the components that are necessary for building an excellent machine for your use.
How to choose the laptop components?
Some essential components that are required to build a laptop are, a barebone laptop, RAM, a processor, a network card, hard drives, and much more.
Before you visit the market to purchase all items for the production process, it is recommended to understand your purpose for building a laptop. The motive or purpose might differ between the users. For example, usually, the high-end gamers are the ones who are interested in developing customized PCs and laptops for themselves. In this scenario, the cost is also on the higher side.
However, if you are searching for a laptop that can fulfill your fundamental needs such as – email, web browsing, and word processing, you can simply purchase an Ultrabook from any store or buy it from any online platform such as – AliBaba.com.
Let’s discuss the various components we require;
Barebones Laptop
It is recommended that you should opt for a barebones laptop, whenever you wish to build a machine for yourself. The barebone laptop is a half-assembled computer that carries a motherboard, keyboard, camera, power supply, and other significant components.
However, for some vital components, the spaces are left vacant such as – storage, memory, and CPU. You can simply install these components of your choice while seeing your needs and budget.
The barebone laptops are produced with supreme quality by the Original Design Manufacturers (ODM) such as – Inventec, Pegatron, Compal, Quanta, and Wistron. Well, if you are wondering and concerned about the standards, it is important to know these ODM companies are manufacturing laptops and personal computers for labels like Dell, HP, Acer, Mac, and many others.
Relationship between ODM and OEM brands;
- Compal – HP, Toshiba, Lenovo
- Quanta – Dell, HP, Apple
- Wistron – Acer, Lenovo, Dell
This is a clear signal that there is no significant difference between the quality of barebone laptops and branded machines. According to our research, you can purchase a barebones laptop from eBay, R&J Tech, and some other ODM official vendors.
Whenever you are buying a barebones laptop make sure to check several aspects. For example, you need to check what kind of hard disk it supports, what is the maximum storage capacity it can hold up, the screen interface, and multiple other things.
On the other hand, some users are more interested in the external features of the machine. For example, a hardcore gamer will notice the room for an external graphic card. You see, the preference might differ.
Fortunately, if the internal and external components are easily replaceable, you would be lucky enough to increase the performance of your laptop.
CPU
No intelligent person who is knowledgeable about computers and laptops would deny the importance of this component. The CPU works as a brain for the machine, it simply interprets the computer instructions and processes the data.
Whenever you are purchasing the CPU device, you need to think critically and focus on these aspects;
- Brands
Instead of saving a couple of bucks and purchasing this crucial component from a local vendor, try to opt for a branded product. AMD and Intel are the top-rated labels that have captured the majority of the computer’s CPU market.
The most common series of AMD are AMD FX, Ryzen, Sempron, and Athlon. On the other hand, the most familiar series of Intel are Pentium, Core, and Celeron. According to our research, the performance of the CPU gets affected with time and usage. It is recommended that you should opt for seasonal service and maintenance.
- Cores
There are separate processing units in the CPU which are known as Cores. It helps to program and execute the instructions passed on the computer or laptop. Most likely, whatever laptop you will find, would have dual cores. However, we recommend, you select a PC or design one with 4 cores.
If you wish to do video editing, play heavy games, or want to emphasize graphic designing, we would suggest the more cores the better it is.
- Clock rate
No one would like to own a CPU with low processor speed. The clock rate identifies or indicates the exact rate of speed generated by the processor. For example, if you are doing 3D modeling, or again playing high-intensity games, a CPU with higher clock frequency will work better for you.
RAM
Any computer or laptop would be incomplete without RAM in it. It is considered to be a pathway between the external storage and the CPU. On some occasions, due to our excessive usage, the internal memory is not sufficient to back up our data. What will you do to increase it? RAM is the appropriate answer for it.
Again, you cannot simply pick a random RAM to install into your personalized laptop. You need to pay attention to several factors before you purchase it.
Let’s discuss the important elements of a good quality RAM;
- RAM Generation
Since the development in technology, the RAM generation has evolved with time. Previously, only two generations of memory were present in the market – DDR1, and DDR2. However, currently, two more generations are added to the list – DDR3, and DDR4.
Technically, the higher the generation number, the better the performance is. Nowadays, everyone would suggest you install DDR4 on your laptop to make them perform exquisitely.
- RAM Capacity
Another very important aspect to focus upon. Generally, people who are using laptops for office purposes would not be concerned about the RAM capacity. Nevertheless, users who tend to play high-end games will surely notice this factor.
According to our research, if you wish to play high-end games, 8GB RAM would be sufficient for you. Moreover, if you are interested in building 3D models, then you should consider having at least 16GB RAM.
- RAM Frequency
The frequency of the RAM matters a lot. The RAM would work smoothly if the frequency rate is higher. However, the CPU imposes a limit on the memory frequency. Nevertheless, if that is the case, you should search for RAM with the highest frequency available in the market.
Hard Drive
Storage of our important data is necessary for us. Just imagine, you made an important presentation for your work and it disappears when you shut down your computer. How would you feel? All the efforts would go in vain.
To keep your data secure, a hard drive is a vital component of a laptop. Moreover, there are a few things which you need to consider before purchasing one.
Let’s discuss the important aspects of a hard drive;
- Storage Medium
There are two mediums that you can use to save your data. Either you can use the local storage of HDD or SSD. Firstly, the HDD works as the secondary storage for the laptop. Due to it being slow, it is not recommended for primary storage.
On the other hand, the SSD is far more reliable and fast than the HDD. You can use this local storage as a primary drive to secure your important documents.
- Capacity
According to our research, at least 500GB is necessary for your machine. You cannot go less than that. Otherwise, you will have to spend more on external memory storage and you wouldn’t like that.
Graphics Card
In some computers and laptops, the graphic card is fixed or fused into the machine and you cannot replace or move it. Well, that graphic card might not be sufficient for you. What will you do in that case? This is the reason we recommend you to check the barebones laptop carefully and check whether the graphic card is soldered or not.
Fortunately, if there is an additional slot for GPU, you can fix your favorite graphic card into it.
Let’s focus on the key factors of a good graphic card;
- Brands
You should never fall for cheap alternatives available in the market. You should avoid purchasing graphic cards other than these labels – MSI, ASUS, Gigabyte, Sapphire, and Dylan.
- Architecture
It is important to look at the frame and outlook of the graphic card. The better architecture the graphic card has, the better performance it would provide.
- Graphic chips
There are two different kinds of graphic chips: AMD and Nvidia. AMD is famous for picture and video rendering. On the other hand, if you want to play high-end games, then Nvidia is a safer option.
How to assemble your laptop?
After you have compiled all the essential components for building your laptop, now you need to place them in the right positions. There are certain steps that you need to follow for carrying out this procedure;
- Step 1
You need to turn the barebone laptop upside down and use a screwdriver to open up the CPU section. Pull up the lever on the right side of the CPU socket to install the CPU. Once it’s done, you need to put the lever back in its original position.
- Step 2
After you have placed the CPU in its right position, you need to install RAM and the wireless network card. You need to be proficient while aligning both of them; otherwise, the laptop would not respond. Moreover, if you want to put the graphics card in, you can install it with the above-mentioned components only.
- Step 3
One major aspect of assembling your laptop is the installation process of the hard drive. It is a crucial step and has to be done with precision. According to our research, before you install the hard drives, you need to learn how to install Windows or OS.
For example, after you have rightly positioned the hard drives. You can simply set up the Windows installation media to install fresh Windows on your laptop. Later, you can install all the desired applications.
- Step 4
This is the easiest step. The screwdriver will come into work again to remount the cover and then you can simply boot your laptop.
What are the PROS & CONS of building a laptop?
| Serial# | PROS | CONS |
| 1 | Can upgrade the internal hardware | You might put parts incorrectly |
| 2 | Inexpensive than branded laptops | No tech hotline to answer your queries 24/7 if there is a fault in the component you purchased |
| 3 | Individual components have warranties |
Why should you build a laptop?
Building a laptop is not a scary process. If you can take out time to do proper research, it can prove to be a great learning experience for you. To have components of your choice, you might want to build a laptop on your own.
Let’s discuss why you should build one;
- Can help you save money
- Have the option to customize everything as per your needs
- While building it, you would become knowledgeable. You don’t have to hire a professional to do the maintenance
Why shouldn’t you build a laptop?
Just imagine with the components you bought, the computer doesn’t turn on. What will happen? It is important to understand the negative aspect of building a laptop as well.
Let’s discuss why it could be a worse decision to build a laptop on your own;
- There are several step-by-step guides available on the internet. You might get confused about which one to use. It might result in failure
- Putting components incorrectly might result in malfunctioning. It would cost you extra money to replace those parts
- It takes time to build a laptop. If you are in an urgency, this is not the right idea for you.
What are the likes and dislikes of building a laptop?
| Serial# | LIKES | DISLIKES |
| 1 | Inexpensive than other branded laptops | Complicated method of choosing the right component and then assembling it |
| 2 | Add newer and faster components | Time-consuming procedure |
Customer Reviews
According to many people, it is desirable to have a personalized laptop for ourselves. However, their reviews suggest that it is more liable to get it customized from a reputable company instead of building one yourself.
Moreover, there is a set of mixed reviews from the customers. Seeing the time duration, it becomes a significant turn-off factor for them. People want to have their machines as soon as possible and the building procedure takes time.
On the other hand, especially the users from the gamers world are in favor of building a laptop by themselves. They believe that they can equip the laptop with their favorite components to have a worthwhile experience.
Conclusion
It looks like a great idea and activity to build a laptop on your own. However, you need to focus on both; positive and negative aspects of it. Surely, it can save you money and can increase the performance of your machine but can prove to be disastrous in certain situations.
Let’s hope this guide on how to build a laptop helps you if you are interested in developing a laptop for yourself.