Build your own performance laptop - courtesy of SCAN

[HEXUS]

Bored of mass-produced laptops that aren't easy to upgrade? SCAN reckons it may have the answer with some tasty-looking barebone units.

Read more.

[this_is_gav]

Massively expensive I'd say. From what I've just specced, the cheapest system you can build, (other than 1gb RAM rather than 512mb) is £783 + delivery (obviously free to most of us). C2D mobile T7100, 1.8GHz, Corsair 1gb DDR2 Sodimm, cheapest DVDRW, 40gb 2.5" SATA hard drive. If you're intending to use Windows, add another £50-60, making it well over £800.

The equivalent Vostro, with a 8600M GT, same RAM and CPU, and a hard drive 3 times the size is only £646.32 delivered, and you'll be able to haggle them down another £30 or so if you do it over the phone.

I'm struggling to understand why anyone would go for one of these systems to be honest.

[usxhe190]

agree with this_is_gav...too expensive...no brand reputation...unforunately not for me.

[pollaxe]

Good concept but as this_is_gav says it seems an expensive option (but then that's usually a drawback with custom builds, I suppose!)

[Carlh]

Guys,

I can see the point on the price as obviously you could buy cheaper, however the laptops have all custom artwork similar to the Isotope branded PC's we stock and that the chasis are built by the same manufacturer that build Rock laptops... - when all this is taken into consideration the price is reasonable

[DR]

It is the cheaper end of the bespoke Laptop price range - they could charge more

All depends what you want a notebook for right?

[neonplanet40]

All you need to do now Carlh is mod a watercooling set-up into it and a Q6600 and im sold

[Zak33]

how would I shut the lid on it, with an NH-U12 bolted to the cpu?

Seriously though....lovely case, and to be able to choose hard drive is a bloody superb idea, as lots of laptops have realy bad/slow drives in them.

Fair play for offering people a DIY choice

[charleski]

I'd love to know what corners Dell are cutting to get the price of the Vostro line down so low.

Take a look at one of Dell's business laptops, like the Precision M4300, for instance:
M4300: £1054
Isotope configured to same spec (inc XP pro): £931.53

So not that costly.

[Edit] BTW: I see the tech specs mention a wireless antenna jack. Does that mean you need to buy the wireless card separately? These are normally mini-PCIe cards in most notebooks, so it would make sense. Unfortunately Scan doesn't seem to stock mini-PCIe WLAN cards, so it might be an idea to get a model that would fit this machine rather than forcing people to use up the expresscard slot

[DR]

Quality of internal components?

[usxhe190]

I'd love to know what corners Dell are cutting to get the price of the Vostro line down so low.

Take a look at one of Dell's business laptops, like the Precision M4300, for instance:
M4300: £1054
Isotope configured to same spec (inc XP pro): £931.53

So not that costly.

whatever it is, dell did a good job with the vostro line (heavy but mag alloy body, good specs, etc). Also I don't think you can compare dell business laptops to these isotope barebones...these barebones are definitely for gaming/custom guys

Carlh is right though - those isotope barebones are expensive because of the artwork.

I wouldn't pay extra for artwork, but each to their own.

[James Thorburn]

Is this range likely to be expanded, would be nice to see some based on the Santa Rosa generation chipset and socket in the future

[Saracen]

Guys,

I can see the point on the price as obviously you could buy cheaper, however the laptops have all custom artwork similar to the Isotope branded PC's we stock and that the chasis are built by the same manufacturer that build Rock laptops... - when all this is taken into consideration the price is reasonable

Perhaps so .... if the customer places any value on custom artwork. And likes those options that are available.

I'm obviously not in the target customer group, because any of the designs I've seen so far would stop me buying one of these, simply because I'm wouldn't be prepared to be seen carrying one. But then, I'm a believer in the functional school of design and such customisation is, to me, utterly irrelevant to the function of a laptop .... not to mention giving me a serious credibility problem in many business meetings.

No doubt some people will love it. Not me, I'm afraid. But then, you can't win 'em all.

[Guy]

Im all for being able to actually have a custom laptop, and I love the designs, but imo thats alot of money for what is basically just a chasis.

Also a few more pictures would be nice its quite hard to see it properly on the site.

[MadduckUK]

is anyone thats up to building up a comp going to believe that a 7400 is a performance component?

[greenalien]

No Manufacturer or Warranty info on Scan's site. I wouldn't consider any laptop/notebook that didn't have at least a 3-year warranty.