Why are laptops so poorly designed?

[Rigby]

Laptops have been around for a long time now and we all know what happens to them. The intake on the bottom pulls in dust and lint and soon the heat sink is completely blocked, just like the lint filter in your dryer. Yet we have to take the laptop completely apart, even remove the motherboard, just to get to it and clean it. Now there are doors on the bottom to get to the RAM and hard drive. How hard would it be to put a door to access the heat sink and clean it? At least put a removable filter over the intake. It just baffles me that these companies won't do something about this.

Then there is the terrible job they do applying thermal paste to the CPU and GPU chips. The last one I cleaned it was all squished out around the chip and there was none at all on the chip itself. Funny how they had used enough to do a dozen chips and still manged to completely botch it. The flimsy power connectors that break off inside the case are annoying too. It seems like they design these things to last six months and then be thrown away and replaced by a new one.

[Wakers]

Laptops are not upgradable like desktops. Therefore, I honestly think that they don't design for them to be easily cleaned because by the time that they become clogged with dust enough to cause crashes they want the user to purchase a new model anyway.

I can't really think of another explanation as to why such a simple thing hasn't been implement, even if it sounds extremely cynical.

Also, there was a time when named desktops couldn't be opened unless you knew how to take rivets out! There are still some (hello HP) that won't let you change a simple hard drive without removing every component and a complicated inner frame from the case.

[remixedcat]

This is why I'd rather have a tablet. I am going to get a windows 8 tablet. I'm allready saving up for one...

[Mr. Gibs]

Compressed air? :/

[ILikeTobacco]

They were designed perfectly for what they are suppose to be. The difference is that consumers forget that these products are not designed for what consumers expect. We expect the products to last as long as possible and be designed for that. Business expect and design their products to make money. Forcing uninformed consumers to replace their laptops because they fry themselves with bad air management is good design for that singular purpose, the purpose of making money for the business. Light bulbs come to mind as the best example. Light bulbs that burn for 100 years have been invented. The light bulbs we currently have are designed to fail so we will keep coming back for more.

[Rigby]

Compressed air? :/

Doesn't work unless you use it on a regular basis. Once that thick carpet of lint builds up there is no way to blow it off; you have to take it apart.

They were designed perfectly for what they are suppose to be.

Not really, it would be amazingly simple to design them in a way that the cooling system could be maintained instead of having it completely inaccessible. Certainly they want to sell you new laptops but doing it by having their products fail is a bad business strategy in my opinion.

[kInG aLeXo]

I don't think Macbooks suffer from those problems ?

Also, even for desktops, they are not built to be maintained by "normal" users.

[Admiral Gilgamesh]

Designed it the most cost effective way possible to mark it up by a few hundred percent.

[Mr. Gibs]

Doesn't work unless you use it on a regular basis. Once that thick carpet of lint builds up there is no way to blow it off; you have to take it apart.

Eh that's true but I've never gotten it that bad.

The new Dell XPS line of laptops (mines just over a year old) have a little filter over all the air intakes. You can't really remove it without opening the laptop but it does block some of the dust from getting through and you can just clean it off with like a toothbrush. Downside though is that air flow is reduced.

[Descartes]

To make them affordable and appealing to the average customer (read: has to be cheap and shiny)

If you want a reliable notebook, you'll probably want to go for an IBM ThinkPad.

[ILikeTobacco]

Not really, it would be amazingly simple to design them in a way that the cooling system could be maintained instead of having it completely inaccessible. Certainly they want to sell you new laptops but doing it by having their products fail is a bad business strategy in my opinion.

You ignored what I said. They are designed to not last forever. That is what they want. They were designed to be that way and are doing their job perfectly. It isn't a bad business strategy. It is working perfectly for the companies.

[justmike]

You ignored what I said. They are designed to not last forever. That is what they want. They were designed to be that way and are doing their job perfectly. It isn't a bad business strategy. It is working perfectly for the companies.

This. It also saves money on the design. The same reason that some manufactures complained about the BTX form factor for the PC. They have to change processes for any change. Not much different than an Xbox or Playstation. As power goes up, heat goes up. Placement of everything counts. Things like heat, static, interference, and the type of HDD's also count, and count for or against the end cost.

[Arceles]

To make them affordable and appealing to the average customer (read: has to be cheap and shiny) If you want a reliable notebook, you'll probably want to go for an IBM ThinkPad.

I honestly think that cleaning my HP Dv6 is really a pain in the ass, but I've saw a fair a mount of computers that have a direct access to the fan and other components as it should be. Clem... something can remember well now comes to mind.

[OOOOOOOO]

I don't have these issues you speak of on my Macbook Pro... no bottom air intakes ... cool enough running to use it on my lap ... Dunno what the issue is :p

But you know why these other manufacturers make them that way? Cost.

End.

I don't think Macbooks suffer from those problems ?

Also, even for desktops, they are not built to be maintained by "normal" users.

True they don't ... but they cost a bit more than your average pile of crap HP, Dell, Acer etc.

[Rigby]

I don't see how not having an access door (or making the door for the hard drive also include the cooling fan) saves that much money. :)

[OOOOOOOO]

I don't see how not having an access door (or making the door for the hard drive also include the cooling fan) saves that much money. :)

Because if you open a Macbook Pro up , and open up a Dell ... or Acer etc. You will see a MASSIVE difference in the design of the inside of the machine. The Macbook Pro slots together inside like a piece of engineering art ... the others don't. So they're often forced to put air holes where the hardware inside dictates.

Apple design the inside of the hardware with as much if not more effort as the outside. Again ... these are costly measures that most manufacturers aren't willing to spend out on. Do a bit of engineering design research on Apple's stuff from iMac to iPhone and you'll be impressed... love or hate Apple, they are strict as hell with the internals.

[Aergan]

I find that the brush hose attachment on a Dyson vacuum cleaner works well but yeah, cleaning laptops are usually a pain in the arse.

HP business models are not too bad (NC8430, 6710b, 6730b) because the heatsink / fan are under the keyboard (3 screws / 4 slider clips). Sony, Dell etc are not so forthcoming.

[Mr. Gibs]

Because if you open a Macbook Pro up , and open up a Dell ... or Acer etc. You will see a MASSIVE difference in the design of the inside of the machine. The Macbook Pro slots together inside like a piece of engineering art ... the others don't. So they're often forced to put air holes where the hardware inside dictates.

Apple design the inside of the hardware with as much if not more effort as the outside. Again ... these are costly measures that most manufacturers aren't willing to spend out on. Do a bit of engineering design research on Apple's stuff from iMac to iPhone and you'll be impressed... love or hate Apple, they are strict as hell with the internals.

The same Apple engineers that designed a laptop fully out of metal before realizing that it would destroy the WiFi signal? The same Apple that designed an uncoated phone antenna on the outside that could be shorted by one finger, destroying the signal?

And what do you mean air holes where the hardware dictates? I really don't care what the bottom of my laptop looks like because wait for it...I don't spend all my day staring at it. Not to mention I'm pretty sure my laptop runs cooler than your macbook pro even though it has 1 fan (compared to the macbook pro's 2).

[YeoWorks]

Tablets are the future and will replace laptops in a matter of time. Apple to me knows how to design right and PC manufactures just can't get it right sometimes. My next laptop will more than likely be an Apple Macbook Pro. I love the look and feel of the laptop. Also, Apple's OS is just amazing and works. If I had to choose a PC laptop, it would probably be a System 76 with Ubuntu :) or Dell with Ubuntu. Either way I will have a Unix/Linux laptop.

[OOOOOOOO]

The same Apple engineers that designed a laptop fully out of metal before realizing that it would destroy the WiFi signal? The same Apple that designed an uncoated phone antenna on the outside that could be shorted by one finger, destroying the signal?

And what do you mean air holes where the hardware dictates? I really don't care what the bottom of my laptop looks like because wait for it...I don't spend all my day staring at it. Not to mention I'm pretty sure my laptop runs cooler than your macbook pro even though it has 1 fan (compared to the macbook pro's 2).

Hang on ... you're actually arguing for arguments sake aren't you? 1) My wifi has no problems. 2) My Macbook Pro is cool enough to to work with it on my lap. I don't care how cool your laptop gets. 3) My fan comments were about the efficiency of it. Your fans on the bottom are in a terrible place because on a soft surface that blocks them. Sorry, you may love your laptop, but you've tried to argue with me so badly that you actually started arguing about how cool your laptop is compared to mine ... when I didn't even make comparison! Fool.

Btw, Dell XPS's are a piece of crap. No offence , been there done that, never again.

[Mr. Gibs]

Hang on ... you're actually arguing for arguments sake aren't you? 1) My wifi has no problems. 2) My Macbook Pro is cool enough to to work with it on my lap. I don't care how cool your laptop gets. 3) My fan comments were about the efficiency of it. Your fans on the bottom are in a terrible place because on a soft surface that blocks them. Sorry, you may love your laptop, but you've tried to argue with me so badly that you actually started arguing about how cool your laptop is compared to mine ... when I didn't even make comparison! Fool.

Btw, Dell XPS's are a piece of crap. No offence , been there done that, never again.

1) Thats because they fixed it a while back, go look it up.

2 and 3) No how cool your laptop runs is important because guess what I don't want a 100C piece of metal on my laptop. So yeah designing a laptop that runs cool is an important part of the design :rolleyes: And I can stress my laptop to its maximum without it burning the **** out of my pants (which I think you'll find is a soft material), try doing that on yours and report back what happens. And before you try claiming otherwise my roommate has a 2010 Macbook Pro 17 and his constant problem is just how hot it gets when playing games. I don't seem to have that problem at all even though 90%+ of the time my laptop is on my lap not a desk.

4) You started talking about how macbooks are an engineering art form and how they don't need air holes blah blah. I pointed out that they keep a laptop running cool. So yeah still quite relevant to what you were talking about.

[OOOOOOOO]

1) Thats because they fixed it a while back, go look it up.

2 and 3) No how cool your laptop runs is important because guess what I don't want a 100C piece of metal on my laptop. So yeah designing a laptop that runs cool is an important part of the design :rolleyes: And I can stress my laptop to its maximum without it burning the **** out of my pants (which I think you'll find is a soft material), try doing that on yours and report back what happens. And before you try claiming otherwise my roommate has a 2010 Macbook Pro 17 and his constant problem is just how hot it gets when playing games. I don't seem to have that problem at all even though 90%+ of the time my laptop is on my lap not a desk.

Well, maybe he should get it looked at. I have zero problems with mine. I use it for design work 14 hours a day every day. No problems whenever I wanna work in the living room of an evening with it on my lap. So, I don't care what your room mate says. I have a 2011 Macbook Pro and it's perfectly comfortable. You seriously feel passionate about your little Dell don't you ? :p Awww. Cute. :)

[Mando]

Eh that's true but I've never gotten it that bad.

The new Dell XPS line of laptops (mines just over a year old) have a little filter over all the air intakes. You can't really remove it without opening the laptop but it does block some of the dust from getting through and you can just clean it off with like a toothbrush. Downside though is that air flow is reduced.

my dell xps M1330 has a hatch I can open to get at the cpu/gpu heatsink and my work lenevo has the intakes at the back and exhaust vent at the side, again fully accessible. Granted both models were top of the range ones, most dells are fairly easy to clean the heatsinks.

[Mr. Gibs]

Ah, classic nothing to say reply ... good one. Unfortunately, it's a common trick around here on Neowin, and it never worked, since right above it my post still resides. You're a little late for that kind of comeback... there there, you'll be ok. :p

I already said what I had to, that air holes keep a laptop running cool and since they're generally on the bottom they don't really spoil the look of anything. You made it personal, not me ;)

Also, I'm not the one gloating here about Apple (or Dell for that matter). You somehow took my post as some sort of personal insult just because I said Apple has made some terrible design decisions in the past (and so has every other company for that matter) and non-Apple laptops run cooler than Apple one's :rolleyes:

]my dell xps M1330 has a hatch I can open to get at the cpu/gpu heatsink and my work lenevo has the intakes at the back and exhaust vent at the side, again fully accessible. Granted both models were top of the range ones, most dells are fairly easy to clean the heatsinks.

The new XPSs aren't like that. You have to open the entire laptop to get to fan and heatsinks =( But the small filters do help with keeping dust out and like I said they're easily cleaned so it's a tradeoff.

[dangerouseddy]

well most stuff nowadays is built to last just as long as the warranty does, theyd be wasting money making it any more reliable unless thats a selling feature imho.

still my 2 toshiba laptops lasted quiet a while but im not holding out much hope with my dell laptop esp since it has a fairly good gfx card in it and gets quiet hot.