Intel pitches modular PC designs to make repairs less painful – The Register

Intel claims a more modular approach to PC design could make systems easier to repair and reduce electronic waste – and it has some proposals for you.In a blog posting authored by a trio of Intel execs, the x86 behemoth makes the case that the current monolithic approach to building devices leads to premature disposal, typically because a component becomes obsolete or fails. It suggests that a modular PC architecture could address this issue by making it easier to replace parts, rather than discarding entire systems.This idea aligns with the goals of the growing right-to-repair movement, which advocates for designs that prioritize repairability and upgradeability. By enabling users to swap out components with ease, modular architectures are seen as a way to reduce e-waste and extend the usable life of devices, Intel says.The chipmaker has called the modular PC architecture “an innovative approach.” But hold on a moment – this writer (along with plenty of Reg readers, no doubt) recalls putting together their first ever PC from components sourced from numerous places in the days when disk controllers, I/O, and even the display circuitry all came on separate plug-in cards.Why is this relevant today? Well, the authors point to figures indicating that over 60 million tons of e-waste is generated each year, with less than 25 percent of it collected and less than 12 percent recycled, with computers claimed to make up almost 70 percent of said e-waste.This has been covered before by The Register. A United Nations report last year found that the world is creating e-waste almost five times faster than it is being recycled using documented methods, with the estimated annual economic monetary cost of e-waste reaching $37 billion.Also last year, a group of electronics companies was advocating for the UK to remove VAT on electronic spare parts, repairs, and labor, in the hope this would encourage users to get hardware repaired instead of replacing it.It should also be noted that at least one company, Framework Computer, already offers modular laptop models that allow users to customize and replace parts.Intel’s approach to the problem is to draft three proposals targeting different market segments, saying that a one-size-fits-all approach would not be able to address the nuanced demands of these varied segments.Those three segments comprise “Premium Modular PC” (actually a laptop design); “Entry/Mainstream Modular PC” (another laptop); and “Desktop Modular PC.”The first envisages a three-board system, comprising a core motherboard plus universal left and right I/O boards, the latter engineered to be common across fan-less Thin & Light designs with a 10W power envelope, and premium fanned designs for up to 20W or 30W.The Entry/Mainstream Modular PC is similar, with a core motherboard and left and right I/O boards, although in this segment, Intel says these can be redesigned to allow multiple SKUs of the design. The circuit boards are also cost-optimized here to cater to the mainstream segment, it says.The Desktop Modular PC design appears from Intel’s diagram to use a midplane that has the Platform Controller Hub (PCH) silicon, with other modules connecting to this. These include CPU, memory, and GPU modules, removable using slide rails, along with hot-swappable storage, all designed to fit inside a 5 liter desktop chassis.Intel also said it is introducing subsystem-level replaceable modules. In practice, this means something like a Type-C connector on a flexible printed circuit (FPC) or an M.2 circuit board. The idea is that the module can easily be swapped out if the port or connector is damaged.The blog authors argue these designs, which enable easy upgrades and component replacements, could extend device lifespans and reduce e-waste.According to Intel, it is working closely with customers and partners on this – though there is no certainty anything like these designs will ever be adopted by vendors, especially if it turns out they add to the system cost. ®Send us newsThe Register Biting the hand that feeds IT
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Source: https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/23/intel_modular_pc_designs/