Intel pitches modular PC designs to make repairs less painful
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.
