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$39 Cooler Master case turns your old Framework Laptop parts into a tiny PC

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Re: $39 Cooler Master case turns your old Framework Laptop parts into a tiny PC

#131

Post by killerstorm »

guywithahat wrote: post #19

I know framework is a popular company on tech forums but it's always felt like a solution in search of a problem. Laptops I own that only have a CPU are rarely computationally bounded in what I'm trying to do, by the time the CPU is showing its age the battery and case are usually showing their age too. But lets say I need the most up to date CPU and can't wait, why would I now need a desktop computer with no expanda…

> why would I now need a desktop computer with no expandability based on hardware worse than my laptop?

You can sell it. There might be a bigger market for a "desktop computer" than for "laptop parts". If it's useful, somebody will pay for it.

Re: $39 Cooler Master case turns your old Framework Laptop parts into a tiny PC

#132

Post by hgsgm »

> Framework’s mainboards, which come in its 13-inch laptop and are also sold separately as of 2022, are composed of the motherboard

So now we can set up a full Framework mini-desktop, but not ITX standard?

Is Framework stuff compatible with ITX specs? Or is this a new "standard" form factor?

Re: $39 Cooler Master case turns your old Framework Laptop parts into a tiny PC

#133

Post by IshKebab »

alfor wrote: post #118
guywithahat wrote: post #19

I know framework is a popular company on tech forums but it's always felt like a solution in search of a problem. Laptops I own that only have a CPU are rarely computationally bounded in what I'm trying to do, by the time the CPU is showing its age the battery and case are usually showing their age too. But lets say I need the most up to date CPU and can't wait, why would I now need a desktop computer with no expanda…

Completely agree. It’s more wasteful than the path the we are in (full integration) Laptop will more and more look like an Iphone (glue together, with no replaceable parts) Every connector, every wire, every locking mechanism, every screw has a weight, cost and reliability problem. Making the system very integrated will decrease cost, weight and failures. Apple is leading the way with their M1/M2 everything on one ch…

The framework laptops are still very highly integrated. Yes there's a cost to connectors, screws, etc but it is very small compared to the cost of manufacturing ICs, displays, etc.

I don't think Apple really solders on RAM and storage to save money, energy or for performance. I don't think it would make any difference to energy and I doubt it makes a significant difference to performance.

The real reasons are to save space (so there's more room for the battery) and perhaps more importantly for price differentiation. You can tell that is the case because the price difference between models that only vary in disk size is far far greater than the actual extra cost of the storage.

Re: $39 Cooler Master case turns your old Framework Laptop parts into a tiny PC

#134

Post by oarsinsync »

irjustin wrote: post #22
ruytlm wrote: post #8

I really like this as a way to repurpose old hardware; I have known many laptops that end up sitting around in cupboards after their 'useful' life is over, that could probably still comfortably be serving as lightweight desktops even today.

Previously we were giving our old laptops to friends with kids. Now our kids use our old Macbook air to learn to type and other learning programs. My old MBP runs our 2010 "smart" TV via HDMI. It's not perfect because we have to get up to change the movie or skip an ad, but it works. And man, that thing still heats up like a mofo even when only running a browser, jeez.

I used something like this with my computer and xbmc back in the day. I had a wireless keyboard/mouse combo for situations where the remote control was less helpful, but this covered 99% of the requirements quite nicely.

https://www.amazon.com/HP-REMOTE-CONTROL-RECEIVER-EMITTER/dp...

Re: $39 Cooler Master case turns your old Framework Laptop parts into a tiny PC

#135

Post by pnutjam »

jareklupinski wrote: post #43
clnq wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, or servers. I've been searching for ways to convert an older Dell laptop mainboard into a simple server. It has great power consumption on account of being a laptop logic board, and enough power to run serious server workloads. Unfortunately, I do not think a universal product for reusing laptop logic boards exists. Although it might be easy enough to make. All ports on the logic board could be wired up to a bac…

Interesting... don't most older laptops have some sort of docking mechanism that exposed basically every connection? The physical interface wasn't the same for every laptop, but with a common backplane it should be possible to make a seperate docking connector daughterboard for the most popular laptops taking up cupboard space. I would love to collab on an open-source dock that turns laptops into servers :)

Interestingly, I have a Dell lattitude 5440 that has a dock, and I have the dock. I'd love to use it as a server, but 2 out of 3 of the USB ports are damaged. They seem to share a bus with the camera, so it doesn't work, and the damage seems to stop the usb-3 ports on the dock from working, the only working port is usb-2.

I also have a couple 3350's where the power port is way too loose to use them for much of anything. I need to see if that's replaceable.

Re: $39 Cooler Master case turns your old Framework Laptop parts into a tiny PC

#136

Post by fraudsyndrome »

clnq wrote: post #106
jareklupinski wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting... don't most older laptops have some sort of docking mechanism that exposed basically every connection? The physical interface wasn't the same for every laptop, but with a common backplane it should be possible to make a seperate docking connector daughterboard for the most popular laptops taking up cupboard space. I would love to collab on an open-source dock that turns laptops into servers :)

Docking, not necessarily. Laptops have ports all over the place: on the left, on the right, on the back, and sometimes even on the front (like the 3.5mm jack for headphones). You could probably use only one USB port on the laptop and integrate a hub into the case. But for ethernet, audio, and HDMI, you'd probably need cables. The nice thing about cables in the box is that adapters could be used. If a laptop comes wit…

Instead of a case, I have a couple old laptops which broken screens but everything else is okay. Could I not just detach the screen (hinge and all) and just have the base case with the default laptop keyboard? Then just plug in a hdmi cable in the port and use that as my new screen?

In this case, there would be no need for a universal case because I'm repurposing everything in the laptop "as is" except the screen.

Re: $39 Cooler Master case turns your old Framework Laptop parts into a tiny PC

#137

Post by guerrilla »

Okay this is good. I hope what we're seeing here is another revolution like the original PC "open architecture" but one that's usable for laptops and possibly other devices.

Still, the original components themselves aren't open source, right? Just the interfaces like PCs?

Re: $39 Cooler Master case turns your old Framework Laptop parts into a tiny PC

#138

Post by jimktrains2 »

lostlogin wrote: post #89
clnq wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, or servers. I've been searching for ways to convert an older Dell laptop mainboard into a simple server. It has great power consumption on account of being a laptop logic board, and enough power to run serious server workloads. Unfortunately, I do not think a universal product for reusing laptop logic boards exists. Although it might be easy enough to make. All ports on the logic board could be wired up to a bac…

Media server! It has a built in UPS if the battery works at all. Video transcoding will likely be good, low power draw, will fit on a shelf or 1U rack shelf. No need to remote into it when you can just open it.

Most, if not the vast majority , laptop and desktop HDMI ports don't support cec. For me this makes it a non-starter as a media center.

Re: $39 Cooler Master case turns your old Framework Laptop parts into a tiny PC

#139

Post by dublinben »

irjustin wrote: post #22
ruytlm wrote: post #8

I really like this as a way to repurpose old hardware; I have known many laptops that end up sitting around in cupboards after their 'useful' life is over, that could probably still comfortably be serving as lightweight desktops even today.

Previously we were giving our old laptops to friends with kids. Now our kids use our old Macbook air to learn to type and other learning programs. My old MBP runs our 2010 "smart" TV via HDMI. It's not perfect because we have to get up to change the movie or skip an ad, but it works. And man, that thing still heats up like a mofo even when only running a browser, jeez.

Treat yourself to a wireless keyboard + mouse. There’s a popular Logitech one for $30. You won’t have to get up to change the movie any more.

https://www.logitech.com/en-us/products/keyboards/k400-plus-...

Re: $39 Cooler Master case turns your old Framework Laptop parts into a tiny PC

#140

Post by pnutjam »

dublinben wrote: post #139
irjustin wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Previously we were giving our old laptops to friends with kids. Now our kids use our old Macbook air to learn to type and other learning programs. My old MBP runs our 2010 "smart" TV via HDMI. It's not perfect because we have to get up to change the movie or skip an ad, but it works. And man, that thing still heats up like a mofo even when only running a browser, jeez.

Treat yourself to a wireless keyboard + mouse. There’s a popular Logitech one for $30. You won’t have to get up to change the movie any more. https://www.logitech.com/en-us/products/keyboards/k400-plus-...

These are great, but beware if you have little kids. Those keys pull of and get lost very easily.
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