[Hardware] Why are computers mainly made of aluminum or plastic?

[FNX Magokiler]

Most laptops are made of plastic and some are made of aluminum. On the other hand, PC towers are made of aluminum, although they have some elements made of plastic. It is possible that you have ever wondered the reasons why plastic or aluminum are used, and not others available.

There is a huge amount of materials that could be used to make a laptop or tower PC. We have ever seen PC towers made of wood, also some "mods" in which a PC is placed in a cardboard box. There are many options, some crazy, but in the end, they are user creations.
A simple and, above all, economical solution
When you buy a laptop or a new PC tower you don't usually look at the materials. We have assumed that normally laptops are made of plastic, except in some cases that are made of aluminum or, at most, anodized steel. Meanwhile, PC towers are mostly made of aluminum and some minimal parts (usually) are made of plastic.

Mainly, there are three reasons why these materials are used. The first is that they are extremely abundant materials. Second, they are quite easy to mani[CENSORED]te and use to create different designs. But, without a doubt, the most important thing is the price of these materials, which is quite low.

 

 

Undoubtedly the best material for making hardware containers is aluminum. This is a very resistant material and, at the same time, offers lightness compared to other materials. We have seen plastic computer cases, but they are the fewest and we have limits in terms of components to install. We have seen some in wood, but of course, combining electricity and wood is not a very good idea.

Plastic has negative elements, the main negative being that it is bad for the environment. Currently, we are already beginning to see laptops (and some peripherals) that are made in part with recycled plastic. We must also emphasize that it is a fragile material, not very resistant to blows.

In the end, as is normal, all materials have positive and negative elements. Aluminum is more expensive than plastic and its handling is somewhat more complex. While plastic is very cheap and easy to handle, but less resistant than aluminum.

Is there an alternative to plastic?
The truth is that plastic is a material that has gained a bad reputation due to its uncontrolled use. It is a very cheap material that brings many positive things, but there are also negative things. Environmentally it has become a problem, so we should look for alternatives.

For laptops, which is where it is often used, there is no better material. It reduces the cost of the final product and also allows you to adjust the weight very well. Certainly there is not such a good alternative, the most similar would be aluminum. But, using aluminum means increasing the manufacturing cost and also increasing the weight.

Without a doubt, the best possible alternative is that they are based on recycled plastic. We are starting to see laptops that are made partly from recycled plastic, usually between 20-35%.

 

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