A Chinese modder has created a DIY laptop that pushes the boundaries of portable computing power by incorporating a full-size desktop Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card. This ambitious project showcases both the potential and limitations of cramming high-end desktop components into a laptop form factor.
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| A high-performance graphics card representing the powerful components integrated into DIY laptops |
A Desktop Powerhouse in Laptop Clothing
The DIY laptop boasts impressive specifications that rival or exceed many high-end desktop gaming PCs:
- Full-size Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU (450W TDP version)
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPU
- 64GB SK Hynix DDR5-6800 RAM
- Intel Optane P5800X NVMe SSD
These components are housed in a custom-built laptop shell with a hinged display, integrated keyboard, and enough space to accommodate the desktop-grade hardware. The creator claims the laptop achieved a 3DMark Time Spy score of 28,490, indicating performance on par with top-tier gaming desktops.
Practical Considerations and Limitations
While the technical achievement is impressive, several factors make this DIY laptop impractical for most users:
- Weight: At 17.63 pounds (8kg) including the external power supply, it's far heavier than conventional laptops.
- Thickness: Measuring 2.75 inches (7cm) thick, it dwarfs even the bulkiest gaming laptops.
- Power requirements: The desktop RTX 4090 alone has a 450W TDP, necessitating a hefty external power supply.
- Cooling challenges: Dissipating heat from high-performance desktop components in a confined space is extremely difficult.
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| The design and port configuration of a high-performance gaming laptop highlighting cooling and connectivity aspects |
The Gap Between Desktop and Laptop GPUs
This project highlights the significant performance disparity between desktop and laptop GPUs, even when they share the same name. As noted in the first article, the laptop version of the RTX 4090 performs closer to a desktop RTX 3090 or 4070 Ti, despite carrying the flagship 4090 branding.
Considerations When Buying a Laptop GPU
For those seeking a more practical high-performance laptop, it's crucial to look beyond GPU names and consider factors such as:
- Benchmark results for the specific laptop model
- Thermal Design Power (TDP) allocation for the GPU
- Presence of a MUX switch for direct GPU output
- Display resolution and its impact on performance
Conclusion
While this DIY laptop with a desktop RTX 4090 is an impressive technical feat, it serves more as a proof of concept than a practical computing solution. It demonstrates the extreme measures required to achieve desktop-class performance in a nominally portable form factor. For most users, carefully researching conventional gaming laptops and understanding the true capabilities of mobile GPUs will lead to a more balanced and usable high-performance portable system.