Any possibility of someone custom-making an aluminum bottom panel for the XPS 16?

Hey all,

I ask this because it's semi-common on enthusiast cars with weak points: Would anyone be interested in making a custom, aluminum bottom panel for the XPS 16 with air holes and screw holes pre-drilled?

I imagine it would maintain/add rigidity while providing greater heat dissipation (especially with an aluminum cooler underneath) and provide greater air flow around the hot under-touchpad side.

I ask because I imagine this would be a fairly simple thing to create, since it's a single sheet of aluminum with hole drilled at precise areas, vs. some of the more exotic individually-made parts I've seen.

Any thoughts?

Joe

 

Please provide photo of this bottom panel your on about..
It be easier for others to relate to..

 

Alrighty, from NBR:



A single plastic panel covers the entire bottom of the XPS 16 and it has SOME air holes in it to provide heat dissipation/air flow.

But in some areas, such as under the touchpad, I don't believe there are any air holes.

Now, maybe air holes aren't ideal in that area. I don't know, but that'd be fine. I think simply replacing the bottom plate with aluminum (a transducer of heat) vs. plastic (an insulator) would greatly enhance the ability of the laptop to dispel heat. It would also GREATLY help the laptop disperse heat when combined with an aluminum laptop cooler.

There are even places online where you can simply build things out of aluminum by giving in the measurements of what you want (precise), where you want holes punched, how thick you want the aluminum, how you want the edges made...etc....and then it's automatically produced via machine and shipped to you.

Just trying to stimulate ideas and business opportunities for those so enabled by their own knowledge/skill/time.

I'd pay $50 for an aluminum plate that would successfully dispel heat and add rigidity.

Joe

 

not a 100% sure but I think it already is metal so you might not be buying much in changing it out.

 

im sure if you caould make a cad drawing any machine shop with a plasma or waterjet cutter could make you one. I have plates custom made for Toughbook 18's made occasionally for direct vehicle mounts so this should not be an issue

 

If it's metal, it's the best plastic-imitating metal I've seen

I won't put it past me to miss that, but damn if it doesn't feel like plastic to me.

As Crazy-Canuk said, a straightforward replacement panel from a CAD drawing would be great if it could provide meaningful, permanent cooling.

 

Yea, Ive taken the bottom apart. It is indeed metal. I do wish the palm-rest area would be made of aluminum instead of glossy plastic though, like the older M1330.

 

My only concern with the aluminum palm rest would be heat...seems like a lot of people get a lot of heat right around the touch pad, if it is aluminum it might become too hot???

 

The heat isnt too terribly bad, but I suspect having an aluminum palm rest would feel hotter. But that would be a good sign that heat is being dissipated more efficiently. I still think it would be worth it though, considering the glossy surface is a pain to maintain.

 

the m1330/m1530 series has an aluminum palm rest, some people complain it's a little too warm, i use BestSkinsEver for protection on the palm rest, so i don't really feel the heat

 

Al isn't the easiest to maintain either. Body oils and salts will discolor it and if you have it anodized you can still get discoloration if you go with a light color. I know because we have a few anodized parts at work that we oil as soon as they come in to protect them. If we don't water will leave marks but it is clear anodized.