Asus unveils impressive modular gaming PC
Asus has revealed Project Avalon, a cable-free modular gaming PC that makes upgrading easy.
Asus unveils impressive modular gaming PC
Asus unveils impressive modular gaming PC
Asus has revealed Project Avalon, a cable-free modular gaming PC that makes upgrading easy.
Nope, my PC is "modular" enough as is.
I thought all pc's were modular....compared to consoles anyway
Originally Posted by PsychoFish
Indeed, I can unplug my keyboard and mouse modules easily and simply.I thought all pc's were modular....compared to consoles anyway
I don't see why plugging in a cable is such a big deal
Of course all you IT nerds would not see a point in this project (this has been said with a big IT tongue in cheek). This product is not aimed at you.
Most people in the know of all things IT and computers don't have a problem is working with separate components in building their monster machines. Its a fun activity, one that can be therapeutic in some ways.
But, IT people like that are by far the the minority of PC users around the world, and most people freak out just thinking about looking into their PC's let alone upgrading it. So they pay people like us to do the upgrading for them, which they then blame on IT people when anything small or insignificant goes wrong, because IT people are the ones that ought to know.
Now, with a more modular case design, you don't need to know all the things about computers to upgrade and keep your current system up to date. It's no secret that the overall fully built PC sales numbers have declined in recent times drastically, and there are many reasons why; economic pressure, popularity of laptops and tablets etc. So, as a company that focuses on making computer components, how do you appeal to the masses and get them to buy your products again? By demystifying PC upgrading and making your PCs more modular. Now Mr Jockstrap from the gym doesn't need to get bamboozled by an IT nerd into buying something he has no idea about. If he wants better components, he can just buy the individual module, plug it onto the case, and there you go.
Now true, that last part is EXACTLY how PC upgrading happens right now, but not from the eyes of a layman. Non IT people would look at a stick of RAM and not have the slightest idea what to do with it, or where it would go. It can be intimidating to work with bare naked electronic equipment like that. So all Asus is doing is putting a nice and friendly plastic/metal case around the component, and stick a big red arrow on the box saying "PUT ME HERE". Even the most technologically challenged person would be able to do that.
So, in conclusion, I like the idea they are working towards. It's a novel idea that would open up upgrading and building PCs to non technical people.
IMHO
Agreed, the problem is two-fold though. The "sales morons" and "technical" staff at most PC stores are absolutely useless, but you cannot blame them their objectives are to ensure a steady cash flow to the business owner. Also, the average Joe seems to be terrified of anything that works with this magical thing called electricity. We do need to find a middle ground somewhere.
I don't think going full retard modular is the right way, but there are some techniques that we can employ from the enterprise world that will be a comfortable middle ground. Servers and Enterprise SAN/NAS products for years now have hot swappable hard drive bays. Like this wonderful Dell example:
I believe that a few simple "modifications" to existing slot/port designs and a couple of new standards will make things easier. However I still believe that there are a few things that should remain in the realm of "the professionals"
if we can get to the point where the case only needs to be opened up to replace a motherboard, CPU and PSU. Everything else can quite easily be insertable through an opening of sorts. You will however STILL have the odd person that calls technical support to assist with inserting a USB flash drive into a USB port.
And it is exactly because the average Joe is so terrified of electronic things that, if a company like Asus wants to broaden their market to include these terrified people Asus need to....
...go full retard modular. The realm of servers does indeed prove to us that this is something that can be done, and I am really perplexed as to why modular design hasn't already entered the normal PC marked already. If PC component upgrading is to be appealing to the uneducated masses, it has to be aimed as the most simplest and dumbass proof way possible. Hence why I would say going full retard modular is the right way to go.
The professionals should not be needed for a mundane system that sits in someone's study or bedroom. It should be a matter of simply taking your modular component, and stick it into the case. Done. No cables. No professionals. No hassle. No issues. Only then would something like PC upgrading become more widespread, increasing sales of components, making more money for Asus and other companies, and getting people to get back into PCs, away from laptops, away from tablets and away from consoles.
Correction, you will assist them inserting their USB flash drives into HDMI ports, because it looks like it would fit, therefor it must....(heh)
In your example here, Imagine buying a bare-bones case, suck as stated here, for a fraction of the cost. The CPU is set and cannot be changed, same goes for the PSU and mobo, but everything else can and must be added separately. Almost like a game selling cheaply with microtransactions or DLC. It is somewhat the same business model, one that would be totally different from the normal traditional PC business model, one that more retarded non technical people can get into, and pull them away from their laptops to some extent. I can actually see that working well
Challenge accepted! I will find you someone that can't do even that.
Yeah, my favourite is the client going "pc cant see printer" coz they've set up the rj45 into the printer plug, or the printer/usb plug into the ethernet port on the printer. coz it "fits" quite easiliy. had that happen more than i'm comfortable with (to clients, not me)
Well, technically the PSU can also go modular. Enterprise grade equipment have been using modular redundant PSUs for years now. I think the biggest roadblock is standardization. If the manufacturers can start agreeing on a standard things can go easier. The last thing I want is to be tied to a manufacturer simply because I have no alternative.
Check this example, below are a couple of examples of silly "standards"
Dell R210 PSU :
Dell R710 PSU :
HP DL 360 G5 PSU :
Even though the HP and R210 PSU is similar in size the connectors are different and they are NOT interchangable. The R710 PSU will work on a range of servers from Dell. It's funny how we can decide on some standards, but not on others.
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