I recently stepped on my framework laptop and crunched the LCD screen. Luckily I was able to purchase a new lid (got an improved lighter and stiffer lid!) And new screen (unfortunately the matte option was out of stock).
45 minutes later I had my old lid and screen removed and my new one installed with no tools beyond their provided torx screwdriver. It was amazing to be able to do that and not need to replace the entire laptop or mail it in for service! While I had it open I installed another 16gb stick of RAM to bump up to 32gb total.
I'm debating getting the upgraded motherboard... I may wait another year or two when the performance gap is larger and I find another purpose for the old motherboard. I could 3d print a case for it and use it as a home server, gitlab build runner or bench PC. It's really cool how flexible it is!
The raw specs are not the best, the battery life could be better, but I appreciate the mod ability.
While I don't doubt that "notebookcheck.net" does a better laptop review than The Guardian, I do consider the fact that The Guardian is reviewing this upstart laptop vendor to be independently notable.
I just bought a MacBook Air with M2 yesterday after careful evaluation of Framework 13 for my needs.
The tinkerer/engineer in me loves most things about Framework against the MacBook Air.
However, a big con was the lack of s2idle sleep and its impact on battery life. I use a Mac for work, and have been spoilt with a machine that lasts longer than a day, and reliably and fastly come back to life when I open the lid. Intel and AMD have crippled their CPUs to disable deep sleep states to prevent such bliss. I don’t want my laptop to lose power while it sits in my backpack and supposed to be doing nothing.
It’s a shame because it appears atleast the Ryzen CPU listed by framework claims to have almost caught up with the base M2. May be the younger version of me that had enough spare time to deal with unreliable sleep/resume troubles would have chosen Framework over the MacBook Air.
>It’s a shame because it appears atleast the Ryzen CPU listed by framework claims to have almost caught up with the base M2.
It really hasn't. Check idle watts, package watts under load, performance when unplugged, battery life, laptop chassis temperature. AMD's solutions do not come close.
"Very Loud Under Heavy Loads" ... I wonder how hard it is to tune that away. There is no particular need to let these CPUs ramp up to 60W. If it were up to me I would offer a U-series CPU option that can be configured down to 12W.
For earlier versions there was more commentary and information about Linux support. If we're comparing this with other consumer hardware, then it's just okay and I don't think it really stands out.
When I upgrade my current Framework, I'll still be looking for top of the line build quality and performance, running Linux out of the box. Right now Linux is a DIY option, and power management is frequently discussed in the community. There are also display quirks that I simply choose to overlook. To be considered successful, I'd expect to get it added as a laptop option at work. Not sure we're there yet.
We provide official technical support for Ubuntu LTS and Fedora. Since architecturally, 13th Gen and 12th Gen processors are quite similar, and 12th Gen is now fairly mature, 13th Gen functionality is already stable. The power improvements span both Windows and Linux (61Wh battery with i7 configs, 13th Gen being more efficient, and firmware improvements on the system and Expansion Cards to reduce retimer power consumption).
> I wonder if I can get the 16" laptop without a mainboard?
I don’t think so. But will probably be able to swap its mainboard, too, and sell the original one. (That is at least when there is a second one available for the 16“. I don’t think the 13“ mainboard will work there and vice versa bc of the GPU module connector.)
Eventually they will come up with this. You have to consider Framework being a startup and, hence, not being HP or Lenovo in their production and shipping capacities.
In the mean time, go for a US keyboard and swap it for Scandinavian one when available.
Scandinavian layout (often called "ISO-nordic") is the exact same ISO/IEC 9995 standard as all other ISO keyboards. Same physical layout. Just a few keys/legends mapped differently.
That's nice to hear, but 16" is awfully big. I know, I'm hard to satisfy... So I'll probably just continue to buy old Thinkpads, as they are my "Frameworks" as they are also incredibly serviceable. But well, they are starting to get pretty slow...
The Framework Laptop 13 uses the integrated graphics in the processor. 13th Gen's integrated Intel Xe is passable for lighter titles like GTA V or CS:GO. Beyond that, it supports Thunderbolt eGPUs. We also have the Framework Laptop 16 shipping late this year that has an optional dGPU.
Thanks for the timeline. I am a big fan of Framework and I am really impressed with what you guys are doing, but I have certain requirements and need a laptop with a dedicated GPU.
Like the Intel models, the AMD versions will come with an eGPU (the Zen 4 chiplet being the more powerful one). In both cases, it is possible to attach an external GPU via thunderbolt / USB4 if you need it.
This would make sense if all Raptor Lake CPUs were renumbered like this but most seem to use the familiar 13nnn numbering scheme - it's just "Raptor Lake-P" that has lost a digit!
I'm not sure how I would do it otherwise, do you have an idea? The concept is that you can swap for the port you like, if that's USB-C then you have to choose between leaving the adapter slot empty (which you can I guess, even though it's probably awkward to use then), or using said "identity function".
Isn’t your extension cord the epitome of an identity function?
Theirs is exactly that.
You could spare it if you really want and plug your usbc directly in the recessed port, but the function is not mere identity, it actually provides an extension (as in: extends the reach of the usb port) function as well.
Yes, but the recess is also part of the design. My criticism is of the thing as a whole.
Frankly, an actual extension cable would be much more useful.
It's also advertised as if the extended port is the only viable option. It's explicitly recommended to get one for a charging port! Does the charger really not fit in the recessed port?
Again, this is all for a laptop that's explicitly advertised as minimizing e-waste.
45 minutes later I had my old lid and screen removed and my new one installed with no tools beyond their provided torx screwdriver. It was amazing to be able to do that and not need to replace the entire laptop or mail it in for service! While I had it open I installed another 16gb stick of RAM to bump up to 32gb total.
I'm debating getting the upgraded motherboard... I may wait another year or two when the performance gap is larger and I find another purpose for the old motherboard. I could 3d print a case for it and use it as a home server, gitlab build runner or bench PC. It's really cool how flexible it is!
The raw specs are not the best, the battery life could be better, but I appreciate the mod ability.