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Can Laptop Parts Be Used In Desktop? (Explained)

    ✅ Fact Checked
    Updated on January 1, 2023
    John Chad, Bachelor Computer Science Degree & Computer Engineering.
    Written by
    John Chad, Bachelor Degree in Computer Science & Computer Engineering.
    Russel Collins
    Fact Checked by
    Russel Collins
    John is a certified IT & Computer Engineer with a Bachelors Degree. He has worked for a International Insurance Company in the IT department before deciding to become a full time blogger to help his readers. Holds a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science from Stanford University.
    ⌚️ Only have 60 seconds?
    Typically no. Laptops have a different style motherboard than PCs, so you’ll need adapters to be able to swap parts. However, you can certainly use a laptop CPU in a PC, and hard drive adapters are also available.

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    Related Questions

    1Is laptop parts the same as PC parts?

    Overall, laptop and desktop computers are very similar. They all have common hardware, applications, and operating systems. The key difference is how their parts fit together. In a large case, a desktop computer includes a motherboard, video card, hard drive, and other parts.

    ­ The monitor, keyboard, and other peripherals can be connected wirelessly or with cables. Whether the case is vertically or horizontally, it has a lot of room for add-in cards, cables, and air circulation.

    However, a notebook is much smaller and lighter than even the most compact PC tower. The unit’s screen, as well as its keyboard, are integrated into the unit. A laptop instead of a large case with lots of air circulation, a laptop uses a small, flat style in which all the pieces fit together tightly.

    Because of this fundamental design variation and a laptop’s inherent portability, components must: Fit into a small space Conserve electricity Produce less heat than desktop components Commonly, these differences can raise laptop prices.

    2What can I do with laptop parts?

    What Can You Salvage From Your Broken Laptop?.
    – Turn Laptop HDDs and SSDs Into External/Internal Drives.
    – Make Laptop Speakers Into Wireless Bluetooth Speakers.
    – Reuse Broken Laptop Screens.
    – Turn a Broken Laptop Into a PC/All-in-One.
    – Make a Battery Bank Out of Laptop Batteries.
    – Fix One Broken Laptop With Another.

    3Can I put a laptop motherboard in a desktop?

    No, you cannot do that without making changes to your desktop’s cabinet, since they are both of a different shape. And if you’re going to move your motherboard to a desktop, it’s still a good thing. Only the hard drive and all other laptop parts will be used.

    4Are laptop CPUs the same as desktop?

    Differences. Although you have basically the same CPU in both laptop and desktop computers, the CPU’s hardware that supports it can be very different.

    5What is the difference between laptop motherboard and desktop motherboard?

    Laptop motherboards are generally made to fit the notebook they’re used in. Desktop PC motherboards are usually less specific because they will need to work with a variety of different PCs and components.

    6How can I reuse my broken laptop?

    Repurpose And Reuse Your Old Laptop.
    – Use It As An Additional Monitor.
    – Convert It Into A Game Server.
    – Use It As A Streaming Device.
    – Back Up Your Files.
    – Create A Wi-Fi Hotspot.
    – Make A Chromebook.
    – Turn It Into A Digital Photo Frame.
    – Fix It Or Repurpose Your Old Laptop In Warsaw.

    7What can I do with my old broken laptop?

    What to Do with Old Broken Computers and Laptops.
    – Use dual monitors if the display works.
    – Turn an old hard drive into an external hard drive.
    – Donate to the local school’s computer science teacher.
    – Try selling parts to a computer repair or rebuild shop.
    – Sell it for cash online.
    – Find a good e-cycling location near you.

    8Can you make a PC out of a laptop?

    Yes, you can. Just take out your HDMI cable and plug one end to the notebook. As long as your monitor has a HDMI port, you can connect the other end to a monitor. If it doesn’t, try converting a VGA or DVI port to HDMI.

    9Is PC and laptop RAM the same?

    No. Desktop memory is of a different size and shape, and will not fit in a notebook. A 204-pin SODIMM (small-outline DIMM) is what you need.

    I’m trying to upgrade my Acer laptop, and a max of 1x2GB module of DDR3 running at 16000 MHz is available from what I’ve found. I’ve found a listing on Amazon for the exact same module, but the product states it is a Desktop RAM. Is it safe to use Desktop RAM in laptop RAM?

    10Can I use laptop RAM in desktop?

    Can a laptop RAM be used in a desktop? For practical purposes, no. Laptops can be purchased or soldered memory, while desktops generally use DiMM, which is ignoring incompatibilities beyond the physical dimensions of the components.

    11Can laptop HDD be used in desktop?

    In fact, I strongly recommend using a laptop HDD in a desktop to all my customers! The two biggest advantages are low power consumption and sturdiness – laptop hard drives are designed to be sturdy and moved around a lot while inside the laptop, and they use very little power.

    12Is i5 desktop faster than i5 laptop?

    An i5 processor on a notebook is the same as an i5 processor on a desktop, as long as they have the same clock speed, since the same processor can have different clock speeds. So, to answer your question, no, they are not the same.

    13Is a i7 better than an i5?

    Intel Core i7 processors are often faster and more reliable than Core i5 CPUs. The new i7 chips have up to six cores and 12 threads, making them more suitable for advanced multitasking.

    Core i7 processors are regarded as ideal for multimedia consumption, high-end gaming, demanding applications such as Adobe’s Creative Suite, and scientific research.

    14Do laptops have CPU or GPU?

    Laptops nowadays have at least one integrated GPU, and if it’s a higher-end product, such as gaming or a creator laptop, there will be additional discrete graphics embedded. Since integrated graphics are embedded within the CPU, the key providers of them are the same as CPU manufacturers: Intel and AMD.

    15Can I use any motherboard for my desktop?

    The CPU is the heart of your PC, and it follows that you will need to choose a motherboard that is compatible with your CPU, whether it be Intel or AMD. Make sure the motherboard you selected is compatible with your current (or new) processor. Both companies have multiple processor sockets for their chips.