Are you not satisfied with the factory configurations provided by the laptop manufacturing companies then you might have a question that ” “Is it possible to build you a customized laptop”?. The short answer to this question is “YES”, you can build your own customized laptop but this required extensive work. You need to do your laptop requirement analysis, find the hardware suppliers, assemble the components and install your operating system along with the required drivers.
Laptop manufacturing companies offer a variety of models to choose from. These models are designed after requirement analysis which is based upon extensive research and multi-source data collection. However, as not all the use cases can be converted, several laptop manufacturers offer barebone laptops with custom configurations. These configurations can be used to build your very own customized laptop. If you are building your laptop then you need to have the required knowledge for the laptop, its components, connectivities, and their respective functionalities. If you do not have that required knowledge then you can still take help from someone to build your laptop.
The following parts of this post show how to make your very own customized build laptop. I have discussed my own experience with “Lenovo ThinkPad” components to assemble a customized laptop. The procedure for building a customized laptop is similar for all component suppliers without much tweaking.
First Thing First: Is It Worth Building Your Own Laptop?
Are you frustrated with pre-configured laptops? or do you want to learn how to make your first customized laptop?. In any case, building your laptop will require time and money. This process can be frustrating if you are building your very first customized laptop but as per my experience, it’s worth it.
Alternatively, you can also take customized laptop service from a brand like Lenovo and Dell which provide laptop customization options. So, if you do not want to build it by yourself then this shelf customization service could be another option. However, this will be a bit expensive as you have the flexibility to choose the processor, display, hard disk, RAM, and so on.
So is it worth it?. As per my experience, yes it was worth it as I learned the whole process of building, customizing and assembling, and installing by myself. This is no doubt an invaluable experience. Since the laptop is customized for specific requirements, then I can do the required computation as I want them to be.
How Do I Build A Custom Laptop
- Choose required components: How to choose the right component is tricky. Your best bet is to go to the manufacturer’s website or electronic store websites for the components.
- Assemble them to form your laptop. Ideally, use ESD protection to protect against charges. You need basic knowledge of how the assembly of a laptop works.
- Install operating system and drivers. You will find them on the manufacturer’s website.
Arrange All the Necessary Parts
One should pay attention to certain aspects of a barebone laptop while choosing laptop components. Some barebone laptops offer a system where CPU and graphics cards are replaceable. Generally, RAM and SSD are not an issue as they are not hard-wired into the laptop and are replaceable and can be upgraded if required. In any case, you need the following components to get started.
- Barebones Laptop
- CPU
- RAM
- Hard Drive
- Graphics Card
- FAN
If you are on a budget then you can choose a barebone laptop where components are easily replaceable so that you can upgrade the components as and when possible.
Assembly of parts
If you are a newbie, then you can assemble them while following youtube tutorials. Following steps are required for assembling laptops parts.
- Open Laptop Cover
- Insert RAM
- Mount Hard Drives
- Install FAN
- Remount laptop back Cover
Install Softwares
- Start Laptop (Check Battery)
- Check Memory (BIOS)
- Install Operating System
- Install Driver
Can I configure my own laptop?
Several manufactures offer laptop configurations on their website. So, if you don’t want to build it by yourself then you can configure them on their website. This is an ideal option for less techy people who just want a customized laptop.
Benefits of preconfigured vs customized laptops
Preconfigured requires less hassle and is pre-configured shipped. Alternatively, you need to configure and assemble them by yourself.
How much does it cost to build your own laptop?
It depends. Self configures High-end laptops can be cheaper than pre-manufactured.
Conclusion
Building your laptop is a rewarding experience. This gives you not only knowledge about how a laptop works but also about playing with laptop components. Pre-configured laptops are tailored for your custom professional needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a laptop from scratch?
Building a laptop is not harder than building a desktop if you have learned how to build a laptop. You need to know about important laptop components, how to assemble a laptop, and how to install all the required drivers, operating systems. This process is easy to do but can be frustrating for a newbie who is assembling his/her first laptop.
Where can I get a laptop component kit?
There are laptop manufactures (Lenovo, Dell) who sell components kits on their websites. You can get these laptop components for these websites and assembling them by yourself.
Where are bare bone notebook computers sold?
You can buy them from the manufacturer’s website as well as from the website of electronics suppliers (BestBuy, Fry’s). Since most of these bare-bones laptops are made by OEM partners, so you might find cheap components available in another hardware model. Stay curious and find replacement models to save your costs.