(Computer design) Just need some advice, and a couple points in the right direction.

[Daydrmr]

Hi,
Before I start I just want to say... I have no particular electrical experience. Other than I've opened my sony VIAO a few times to clean it and reapply thermal paste, and a few failed attempts to fix my XBOX360.

Anyways I find electronics a little interesting, though my main interest and my future career is in chemistry. I was wondering if anyone can point me in a good direction for computer design. Not classes or anything, just books and websites, even text books for the college classes will be fine.

Its for an idea I have for designing a laptop, its more like a long term goal... really. I just want to make a computer that's uniquely mine... more adaptable or upgrade-able than all those laptops out there. I.E. I've read everywhere that laptops are pretty much disposable tech., you can't switch too many cpu's, and the gpu... forget it. My goal is to make a laptop that will be compatible with a good selection of gpu's, and cpu's, and will be for few years, sort of like your desktop.

But first... I need to know undertand computers a little better. And before you start with what a daunting task that would be....cell phones at one point thought to be scifi'sh (I said it's a long term goal). Anything is possible...

Thanks for your help,
-Charles

 

[hshah8970]

Hello Charles!

Before you go ahead with your ambitious design, it would be best to first learn how things work. One useful link is: https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/how-to-tech/build-a-computer7.htm

Of course, you can find countless such URLs online that will be equally helpful.

 

[Daydrmr]

Ok so wanted to say that I appreciate your help. Not suggesting you know what to reply but just in case others may want to reply... I thought I would post a few ideas I've gathered... their inspire from the imfamous ITX laptops.
Over the course of the day... Based on your article, I learned several differences between desktop and laptop computers.
-Slots for cards (PCe, AGP), naturally they're perpendicular to the motherboard.
-Heat sink size. (very large)>1"
-Arrangement of USB (stacks in 2's or 3's, sometimes Ethernet is at the very top)

Fixes *some very plausible, some are a steep dream*
-The cards I figured could be fixed by using ribbons. AGP and PCe...
-Heat I plan to make more of a non-issue (as i'll try for a micro-atex/mini-itex with mobile processor support... so I could easily flatten the heatsink and rig the fan off to the side like a laptop.)
-I need to find a way to fix the jacks and ports so their not stacked and more spaced side by side -- or find and ITX like this. Even if it means simply rolling them on their side.

Over all my goal is to make a 1.5" flat notebook... with out screen. Maybe 2" over all. I'm not trying to really miniaturize it, just trying to make it to where the laptop has more adaptability.