Transferring laptop parts to desktop

[skern49]

Hi all. I'm planning on building a desktop and scrapping my laptop, and I'm wondering if I can use the reuse the motherboard and/or CPU. The laptop is a Dell Inspiron 5520 with Intel Core i7 3612QM @ 2.10GHz and Dell 04G65K (U3E1) motherboard.

I think I cannot disconnect the CPU from the motherboard which means I'm forced to keep the motherboard. But my main reason for this project is to get a good video card (looking at the GeForce GTX 780 Ti). But then how will I be able to hook up the vcard if the motherboard cannot take it? Can I buy a cheap, second motherboard just for the vcard? That way, I'd also be able to keep using the laptop ram hooked up the old motherboard.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[James Mason]

no you can't do what you want.
Laptop parts don't it in a desktop case, and desktop parts won't fit into laptop parts.

 

[skern49]

no you can't do what you want.
Laptop parts don't it in a desktop case, and desktop parts won't fit into laptop parts.

That's too bad. As a plan B, I'm thinking of hooking up an eGPU. I researched this in the past with no luck, but maybe some new tech has appeared. My computer doesn't have a Thunderbolt slot or Express Card slot. I think perhaps there are mini PCIe slots in the CPU that are currently being used for WAN and/or LAN (did any of that make sense), and that I can access them by opening up the back, but the screws are stripped so I can't check right now. Would it be possible if I used something like this along with a suitable GPU and PSU?

 

[James Mason]

That's too bad. As a plan B, I'm thinking of hooking up an eGPU. I researched this in the past with no luck, but maybe some new tech has appeared. My computer doesn't have a Thunderbolt slot or Express Card slot. I think perhaps there are mini PCIe slots in the CPU that are currently being used for WAN and/or LAN (did any of that make sense), and that I can access them by opening up the back, but the screws are stripped so I can't check right now. Would it be possible if I used something like this along with a suitable GPU and PSU?

That... may work...
But you'll lose the wifi on your laptop most likely.
also a mini PCIe isn't really the same as a full PCIe lane so... i'm sure you lose some power....
Also you'll have to buy a regular desktop PSU and just kinda... leave it out on the desk.

Also the GPU you put in that thing will be "unsuppported," nothing really holding it upright to prevent it from falling over.

You're trying to put together a real jank setup.

A 780ti isn't really a good GPU anymore.

 

[hang-the-9]

Why not simply sell the laptop instead of tear it apart? If it's in good shape you should be able to get well over $100 for with a Core i7 CPU. Probably around $200. Then use that extra money on a real motherboard.

 

[skern49]

Why not simply sell the laptop instead of tear it apart? If it's in good shape you should be able to get well over $100 for with a Core i7 CPU. Probably around $200. Then use that extra money on a real motherboard.

Yeah that's what I'm leaning towards now. I want to keep the SSD and DVD drive though, so I think I'll just extract the CPU and RAM and sell those. I checked ebay and the entire laptop (HD included) wasn't selling for much more than the i7 alone.