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    what exactly on a mobo is "stuck" and what is removable?

    Discussion in 'Dell XPS and Studio XPS' started by RedBaronK, Jan 19, 2009.

  1. RedBaronK

    RedBaronK Notebook Consultant

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    I dont have much experience with laptop components, so I was curious as to what components on a laptop cannot be removed.... is a cpu soldered on to the board or is it removable?

    iam gettng my mobo replaced tommorow, so I was wondering if they will be reusing the same heatsink and fan, or if the new mobo will come with everything brand new... i figured if the heatsink and fan will be removed, maybe i can ask hem to use my antec silver compound instead of the thermal pad?
     
    RedBaronK, Jan 19, 2009
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  2. Commander Wolf

    Commander Wolf can i haz broadwell?

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    It really depends on the machine.

    For the three big standard components:

    The processor is usually removable on most mainstream and large notebooks. ULV and LV chips found in ultraportables and netbooks are usually soldered. Memory is almost always removable, but even now there are machines that will have a bank of permanent memory soldered to the motherboard. On the other hand, the GPU is almost always NOT removable, with very few exceptions.

    Peripheral components like fans and heatsinks are almost always removable as well. Oftentimes you'll also have removable daughter boards for extra ports or expansions slots. Nonetheless, sometimes companies will designate the motherboard and select peripheral components as a single "unit" and replace it all at once.
     
    Commander Wolf, Jan 19, 2009
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  3. PhoenixFx

    PhoenixFx Notebook Virtuoso

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    Usually CPU is removable and sometimes discrete graphics adapters too. Wireless and Bluetooth adapters along with RAM and other peripherals like Hard disk, CD ROM are also removable.

    Heat sink of a notebook different compared to a desktop, because it is usually a single unit covering CPU, GPU and sometimes the chipset, therefore a motherboard replacement doesn’t mean a new heat sink (unless there is a problem with it).

    Depending on how thermal pads are used in your notebook, you might not be able to use a thermal compound like Arctic silver. For example in M1330 and M1530 thermal pads are few millimeters thick, in those computers you cannot use arctic silver because for one, Arctic silver is not solid, and it is not meant to be used in large quantities.
     
    PhoenixFx, Jan 19, 2009
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