Microsoft Patents Modular PC With Stackable Components

Following Razer’s Project Christine, Microsoft envisions their own concept of a modular computing device that would allow the novel concept of letting people “put together the exact PC components they want, allowing for replacement of certain parts rather than forcing people to buy entire new computers.”

…it is modular in the sense that you can add or remove components, but it’s not very sleek. The device depicted in this patent does look pretty dang cool, and even accessible. Interestingly, a display is included in the hardware design (unlike the Acer product). The stackable hardware connected to the display using a hinge can contain a removable battery, a processor, a graphics card, memory, storage, speakers, and a wireless communication element. There could even be a gesture recognition component or a holographic projection unit (hello, HoloLens!).

So it's a streamlined computer meant for people who don't know how to open up a computer? I didn't read the article, only saw the pic.

Similarly, video game consoles did this decades ago.

I had one like that once. What was it? Oh yes, an Apple IIe.

And more recently the Acer Revo or Razer's Project Christine. Thanks for reminding us how broken our patent system is Microsoft.

Aren't computers really "modular" already? So Microsoft's big idea is to take what has been done already for decades and put each piece inside a (presumably plastic) box so people don't get scared off looking at circuit boards? Good job Microsoft "engineers"! Take a cookie out of petty cash.

Seems like heat would be an issue from the graphics card. But I guess this would all be low end stuff that creates small amount of heat.

Galvin said:

Seems like heat would be an issue from the graphics card. But I guess this would all be low end stuff that creates small amount of heat.

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Correct, not for enthusiasts or power users. I wish consoles could be upgraded, but can see how that would get hectic if game developers had to worry about different hardware specs. Many are lazy enough as it is right now.

There is an opportunity here, because the bus protocol will have to be layed out, and it will need to be a good bus.

Distance = Latency.

I do like this idea, but the reality is that we are moving to System On Chip's where everything is being crammed into as few chips as possible. Personally I like this path.

There's less solder connections, less interfaces. And if the fab process is really good, the chances of failure are extremely low.

I would think (hope!) that anyone would have a really hard time enforcing this concept in court. There are many variations to this idea that have been done. And it fact, them putting the monitor on there could be a fatal flaw.

Dwango said:

Aren't computers really "modular" already? So Microsoft's big idea is to take what has been done already for decades and put each piece inside a (presumably plastic) box so people don't get scared off looking at circuit boards? Good job Microsoft "engineers"! Take a cookie out of petty cash.

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They have cookies in the petty cash stash? That's a terrible place to put them, so much germs from the mooonay.

Dwango said:

Aren't computers really "modular" already? So Microsoft's big idea is to take what has been done already for decades and put each piece inside a (presumably plastic) box so people don't get scared off looking at circuit boards? Good job Microsoft "engineers"! Take a cookie out of petty cash.

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They are modular, to an extent. A CPU socket changing every couple of years, or even if the socket stays the same a required mobo chipset upgrade requiring a mobo swap isn't really "modular" in the sense of being able to upgrade anything.

Then consider that the general public that is computer dumb, can still barely handle USB device connectivity. Ever had someone ask you what they can do to upgrade their old computer to "make it faster" and they balk at the idea of buying a whole new system(even though they clearly need to)? Those people want a computer that's modular like legos. Idiot proof so it can't be assembled incorrectly, no fragile components/connectors, turn it off snap it in turn back on and they have an upgrade without messing with settings/software/firmware/etc.

Yea... but at this point. Do you really need the newer cpus? I mean, I'm running a 930 i7, and I still don't feel the need to upgrade. If I get a whole new computer, sure, but otherwise, a 930 is more than enough. Not to mention, Intel has recently announced that they aren't planning on making more powerful cpus, right? And instead, making them more efficient. So, if anything else, CPU changes won't really be needed in the near future.

Merc1138 said:

Then consider that the general public that is computer dumb, can still barely handle USB device connectivity.

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westrock2000 said:

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Not enough 32X's plugged in. Needs about three more.

westrock2000 said:

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Holy shit. Is that for real? or is it a joke pic?

pothb said:

Yea... but at this point. Do you really need the newer cpus? I mean, I'm running a 930 i7, and I still don't feel the need to upgrade. If I get a whole new computer, sure, but otherwise, a 930 is more than enough. Not to mention, Intel has recently announced that they aren't planning on making more powerful cpus, right? And instead, making them more efficient. So, if anything else, CPU changes won't really be needed in the near future.

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Again, general public. We're talking about the people who buy I3's and celerons, not people on hardocp who buy I5's and I7's. CPU power aside, you're forgetting RAM, storage, display adapters, whatever new USB standard comes out in the future. The regular Joe Schmoe who possibly buys his computer at walmart and wants USB 5.3 or whatever a few years down the road, is not going to be able to handle the concept of opening up his computer, inserting a PCI-E card without breaking anything, and then deal with drivers on top of that. The same guy who fills his only HDD to the brim, can't figure out why his OS runs like crap, and wants to add more storage space, cannot handle installing a SATA HDD into a drive cage, connecting it, formatting and partitioning(these are the kind of people, again general public, who can barely handle having multiple HDD's with different drive letters for partitions in the first place).

It may be difficult for someone on hardocp to understand just how bad the public is with computers, but it's the truth.

Hell, cars have been around decades longer than computers. There are still tons of people who have no idea how to fill the wiper fluid in their car, or do an oil change(people who would simply rather pay someone else to do it is a bit different than being totally incapable), hear that they've hit the wear indicators on their brake pads and the squealing isn't normal, understand that tires should be rotated, it just goes on and on. They're people who cannot handle simple concepts that may involve a wrench, and they're not going to handle upgrading a computer like the average hardocp user can likely do blindfolded.

Try to teach them? They'll ignore you.
Force them into a scenario where they have to learn? They'll ignore it or just throw money at the problem till it goes away(why do you think Geek Squad can still make money "installing" wireless routers?).

The only way to sell the concept of "upgrading" to those people, is with something that cannot under any circumstances be installed "wrong". No configuration, no drivers/updates, no compatibility concerns, nothing.

This design has been tried before.

IBM called it the PC Jr.
It had expansion modules that stacked together on the side. They even had a power module that you needed to power additional expansion units. One of the biggest problems was the price. A simple 128kb memory expansion cost several times the cost of adding 128kb on a standard PC.

nutzo said:

This design has been tried before.

IBM called it the PC Jr.
It had expansion modules that stacked together on the side. They even had a power module that you needed to power additional expansion units. One of the biggest problems was the price. A simple 128kb memory expansion cost several times the cost of adding 128kb on a standard PC.

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While true(and I would expect anything modular like this to be more expensive than the components), IBM didn't have the mass market at the time. Global computer sales for home users in the early 80's was what, tens of thousands per year worldwide? It's probably close to an order of magnitude higher these days. Economy of scale matters.

The problem with modular designs is that the non savvy people whom would use this now days are pretty much all buying laptops. And since laptops have largely shed the optical drive, ram has become very stagnant, the only really modular component left is drives. And right now SSDs are shifting so fast standards cant keep up.

The reality is that PCs are becoming appliances.

The 2 things I feel the average person could benefit from would be the entire guts IE mobo + cpu, then you buy a laptop with whatever screen, and layout you desire and keep upgrading the internals. But right now its just cheaper to mass produce whole laptops.

Everything is becoming integrated to get it smaller and cheaper. Make accessible NVME slots and you are good to go.

so microsoft invented PC104?

Sadly, I think Microsoft's concept(?, assuming you can refer to that terrible drawing as a concept), has more legs that Razer's Christine. If they stick with the stackable aesthetic, it would make even the most technically challenged capable of upgrading their hardware. Christine's design still requires you to know that a round peg goes in a round hole.

Let me leave this here: