[tahamanap]

I am shopping for a new laptop. Would some of you list what 2010/2011 laptop brands or models allow the user access to the components like; hard drives, ram, dvd...etc? Thanks for your help - Wy.

[mjd420nova]

Most all laptops have readily easy access to those three elements, hard drive, RAM and DVD drives. WIFI cards are most often easy to locate, replace or upgrade. Modular isn't really a term one would use for describing a laptop, they are just built in such a manner to allow easy replacement. It is also the items that must be removed first before doing any service on the system boards. I service many units for clients that use a docking station and many more that have three and four accessories on USB ports.

[smax013]

tahamanap, on 14 February 2011 - 07:13 AM, said:

I am shopping for a new laptop. Would some of you list what 2010/2011 laptop brands or models allow the user access to the components like; hard drives, ram, dvd...etc? Thanks for your help - Wy.

As noted by another, most laptops will have access panels that allow you to easily upgrade/replace the memory and/or the hard drive.

Replacing other components (such as optical drives and WiFi cards) are usually not as easy as either memory or hard drives, but they still can be relatively easy to replace in many laptops.

[crazy4laptops]

tahamanap, on 14 February 2011 - 07:13 AM, said:

I am shopping for a new laptop. Would some of you list what 2010/2011 laptop brands or models allow the user access to the components like; hard drives, ram, dvd...etc? Thanks for your help - Wy.

The Asus P50IJ-X1 is not user serviceable/modular. I can't even get to the hard drive. The only modular component is the battery. So stay away!

Hp makes laptops with user friendly access panels.

I have the HP dv5z and Compaq Cq60z, I can upgrade the RAM, HDD, Wifi, DVD, and even replace the BIOS battery.

This goes for any laptop, dusty environments (beds, carpet, couch, flour mill, car paint shop) will shorten the lifespan of the laptop if not periodically blasted with compressed air to remove collected dust.

[LiveBrianD]

crazy4laptops, on 16 February 2011 - 08:53 PM, said:

tahamanap, on 14 February 2011 - 07:13 AM, said:

I am shopping for a new laptop. Would some of you list what 2010/2011 laptop brands or models allow the user access to the components like; hard drives, ram, dvd...etc? Thanks for your help - Wy.

The Asus P50IJ-X1 is not user serviceable/modular. I can't even get to the hard drive. The only modular component is the battery. So stay away!

Hp makes laptops with user friendly access panels.

I have the HP dv5z and Compaq Cq60z, I can upgrade the RAM, HDD, Wifi, DVD, and even replace the BIOS battery.

This goes for any laptop, dusty environments (beds, carpet, couch, flour mill, car paint shop) will shorten the lifespan of the laptop if not periodically blasted with compressed air to remove collected dust.

I've been looking at the HP Dm1z, and you can simply remove the battery, then pull the battery latches to remove the whole bottom cover for upgrades. That type of cover isn't typical though. Seriously, the ASUS won't even let you get to the HD? That'll be a problem in several years if it crashes.

[smax013]

crazy4laptops, on 16 February 2011 - 08:53 PM, said:

The Asus P50IJ-X1 is not user serviceable/modular. I can't even get to the hard drive. The only modular component is the battery. So stay away!

That doesn't necessarily mean that you cannot still do it...just a bit more work and higher chance that you might kill something and the manufacturer claiming you violated the warranty (if it still under warranty).

My original MacBook Pro was only "user serviceable" for the battery and RAM, but I upgraded the hard drive a couple of times and upgraded the WiFi card. I also actually replaced a fan that was dying. Such stuff is certainly not for the faint of heart (if you are the type who stresses out about opening up a desktop, then you DEFINITELY would not want to do this). And you need to accept the idea that you might kill it in the process...I fully accepted that I was running a risk of killing my MacBook Pro (there was not all that much risk with the hard drive or even the WiFi card...the fan replacement was a little bit more tricky).

Now, I am not necessarily recommending this type of repair/upgrade, but just noting that it can be done if you really want.

[LiveBrianD]

smax013, on 21 February 2011 - 08:42 AM, said:

crazy4laptops, on 16 February 2011 - 08:53 PM, said:

The Asus P50IJ-X1 is not user serviceable/modular. I can't even get to the hard drive. The only modular component is the battery. So stay away!

That doesn't necessarily mean that you cannot still do it...just a bit more work and higher chance that you might kill something and the manufacturer claiming you violated the warranty (if it still under warranty).

My original MacBook Pro was only "user serviceable" for the battery and RAM, but I upgraded the hard drive a couple of times and upgraded the WiFi card. I also actually replaced a fan that was dying. Such stuff is certainly not for the faint of heart (if you are the type who stresses out about opening up a desktop, then you DEFINITELY would not want to do this). And you need to accept the idea that you might kill it in the process...I fully accepted that I was running a risk of killing my MacBook Pro (there was not all that much risk with the hard drive or even the WiFi card...the fan replacement was a little bit more tricky).

Now, I am not necessarily recommending this type of repair/upgrade, but just noting that it can be done if you really want.

If you plan to keep the laptop for many years, you'll have to. HDs fail and fans wear out. With my previous desktop, which I kept for 7 years, I had to replace the fans once and the HD once (by the time I replaced it, the HD wasn't in too great health, so if I'd kept it that would've meant 2 total HD replacements). Laptops are the same, except that they are harder to upgrade and parts tend to be proprietary more of the time.