The big picture: Laptops often make compromises in terms of power compared to desktops, but it doesn't always have to be that way. A Kickstarter campaign is aiming to break all the rules with a hybrid design that incorporates a built-in liquid cooling system to support desktop-grade hardware.
It's called the UHPILCL (Ultra High-Performance Integration Liquid-Cooled Laptop), and it's no joke. The UHPILCL supports full-sized ITX motherboards and can accommodate virtually every high-end CPU and GPU you can throw at it. On the processor side, it supports AMD's entire AM5 lineup, including the beastly new Ryzen 9 9950X3D. For Team Blue, it handles Intel's 12th, 13th, and 14th gen processors, as well as the Core Ultra chips.
As for graphics, you can install any desktop GPU you want, up to 230mm long, after removing the air cooler. That means liquid-cooled power from cards like the monstrous RTX 5090. The CPU and GPU are kept frosty by an 18W water cooling pump with a 7-meter lift and a flow rate of 900L/h. That's fairly powerful for a laptop – and yet, it manages to keep noise levels below 25dB.
However, the uniqueness doesn't end there. This hybrid design actually splits into two modes – a full desktop PC mode and a lower-power mobile setup that can run for up to three hours on battery.
The specs list reads like a premium gaming rig. You get options for up to 48GB of DDR5 RAM, up to 32TB of SSD storage spread across multiple M.2 and SATA slots, and high-end features like Wi-Fi 7, Thunderbolt 4, and a 17.3-inch 3K 120Hz display with a 21:10 aspect ratio.
There are two models – the standard T1000 and the beefier T1000 Super, with the latter capable of handling up to a whopping 735W of power between the CPU and GPU. Unsurprisingly, the Super version is also noticeably thicker at 5.2kg, while the standard version comes in a smidge lighter at 4.8kg.
Last but not least, you get an RGB mechanical keyboard, a touchpad, four sets of 5W mid-bass speakers paired with two sets of 5W tweeters, and even a 4K webcam.
Now, for the elephant in the room – price. Currently, the UHPILCL is still just a concept, and the crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter hasn't even started yet, so final specs, pricing, and availability remain unknown. Crowdfunding is always a bit of a gamble, especially for such an ambitious product, so we certainly do not recommend splurging on it unless you're flush with disposable income.
Watercooled gaming laptop is 5kg hefty but can handle Ryzen 9950X3D CPU, RTX 5090 graphics card
