Computer giant Dell has revealed its new Concept Luna, a proof-of-concept laptop that aims to reduce its impact on the environment with a focus on repairability and sustainability. The goal of the company is to reduce its carbon footprint by an estimated 50%. The company’s motto goes as “Use, reuse multiple times, and then recycle”.
Concept Luna seeks to simplify disassembly and make repairing easy to prolong its lifespan. Instead of using screws to fit different components, Dell has reduced the number of screws needed to access internal components to just four. In fact, the company claims this reduces the time for repair by around 1.5 hours. Everything, including the keyboard and the display, can be taken out without the need of using the tools, but this isn’t the only major change the laptop introduces. It’s also fitted with a smaller, advanced ‘deep-cycle’ cell battery with a long charge that can be maintained across many years.
A motherboard with a 75% total area reduction is also estimated to reduce the laptop’s carbon footprint by 50%. These smaller components let Dell change the overall layout, allowing for better passive heat distribution that “could totally eliminate the need for a fan”, the company stated. Dell also pointed out that adhesives need not be used, as they are relying on a new bio-based printed circuit board (PCB) with a flax fiber in the base and a water-soluble polymer, which acts as glue. The latter can be dissolved, thereby separating the components when repairing.
The changes in these structures make it a lot easier when considering replacement. “This concept, and future iterations and others that follow, are how we will build on the existing circular economy leadership you see across our product portfolio today to examine, re-examine and reconsider every step of the product life cycle,” the company iterated.
There are quite a few laptop manufacturers, who are actively contributing towards an eco-friendly technology world. Prominent examples include Acer Aspire Vero and Framework Laptop, which are already offering flexibility, repairability, and upgradable performance. Dell’s Concept Luna is still in its early stages for the consumer market, but it will already be up against the fierce competition in the sustainable laptop department. The move, the company believes, is going to change what sustainable and eco-friendly technology should look like in the future.
