Scrapping a Laptop, building a desktop?

[Melk_Man]

Hey everyone
I'm not certain if this is the right forum or if it should be in the Laptop forum. Anyway...
I have a decent/good (spec-wise) laptop from dell - an XPS M1530. The problem is that this laptop is kind of a lemon. Some of these problems are not my fault (it's fried a few power cords, and the keyboard has problems even after replacement - sounds like battery and motherboard, but I really have no idea. Some of these problems certainly my fault (the screen is cracked because I stepped on it.)
I'm wondering if I can use some of the better parts in here for a desktop. I know next to nothing about building computers, but I've heard a significant part of the costs are the memory and video cards, and mine have been sufficient for me so far. I'm not sure how interchangeable different parts are in different systems, especially between the desktop/laptop barrier. Could some of you help me see if they would be interchangeable and if these parts are sufficient for a mid-range machine for the near future? A screenshot of (some of) my laptop's specs are here .

On an aside, approx. how much does it cost to build a mid-range machine (ie, can play starcraft 2 ) from scratch?

 

[hmammen]

The parts you could technically re-use on a desktop are the ram and the hdd.
But that being said, The ram is only 667 ddr2(not up to todays standards and usually supported on older motherboards) you wouldnt want to re-use it for your new desktop.

The hdd could be fine, but its only 5400rpm being a notebook drive, although it is sata. regular desktop drives are usually 7200rpm or faster. You could though use that drive paired along with a faster one. The 5400rpm could have music and photos and videos etc on it. Things that dont need low latency drives to operate at fast. I would pair it with another sata hdd and put your OS installation and all your apps and program files on that one, so your boot and load times are fast.
You cant use the 8600m in a desktop, it is designed as a mobile gpu.

Instead of building you a decent rig from my knowledge, you need to give a roundabout price range for your new rig, that would be much easier.

 

[Fat.Clown]

I believe most laptops use so-dimm memory. 200 pin compared to desktops 240 pin. So most likely only thing you can salvage is the hard drive.

 

[hmammen]

I believe most laptops use so-dimm memory. 200 pin compared to desktops 240 pin. So most likely only thing you can salvage is the hard drive.

i believe i stand corrected, although some notebooks use 240, i double checked his model specifics and its the standard 200pin.

 

[Fat.Clown]

I didn't check. That's why I said "most"

getting so lazy sometimes lol

 

[hmammen]

no you were right, and yes i have gotten so lazy with searching lately.....