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Framework Laptop 13 Pro Is a Major Overhaul For the Modular, Upgradeable Laptop (arstechnica.com) 41

Posted by BeauHD from the new-and-improved dept.
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Framework has been selling and shipping its modular, repairable, upgradable Laptop 13 for five years now, and in that time, it has released six distinct versions of its system board, each using fresh versions of Intel and AMD processors (seven versions, if you count this RISC-V one). The laptop around those components has gradually gotten better, too. Over the years, Framework has added higher-resolution screens in both matte and glossy finishes, a slightly larger battery, and other tweaked components that refine the original design. But so far, all of those parts have been totally interchangeable, and the fundamentals of the Laptop 13 design haven't changed much.

That changes today with the Framework Laptop 13 Pro, which, despite its name, is less an offshoot of the original Laptop 13 and closer to a ground-up redesign. It includes new Core Ultra Series 3 chips (codenamed Panther Lake), Framework's first touchscreen, a new black aluminum color option, a larger battery, and other significant changes. And while it sacrifices some component compatibility with the original Laptop 13, displays and motherboards remain interchangeable, so Framework Laptop owners can buy the new Core Ultra board and owners of older Framework Laptop boards can pop one into a Pro to benefit from the new battery and screen. At 1.4kg (about 3 pounds), the Laptop 13 Pro is slightly heavier than the Laptop 13's 1.3kg, but it still stacks up well against the 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro (1.55kg, or 3.4 pounds).

The Framework Laptop Pro will start at $1,199 for a DIY edition with a Core Ultra 5 325 processor, and no RAM, SSD, or operating system. A prebuilt version with Ubuntu Linux installed will start at $1,499, and Windows 11 will cost another $100 on top of that. A Core Ultra X7 358H version starts at $1,599 for a DIY edition, and a "limited batch" Core Ultra X9 388H version starts at $1,799. A bare motherboard with the Core Ultra 5 325 starts at $449, while a Core Ultra X7 358H board will cost $799. Pre-orders are available now, and begin shipping in June.

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Framework Laptop 13 Pro Is a Major Overhaul For the Modular, Upgradeable Laptop

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  • All their photos show only ASCII character art or computer code on the screen. Is it not capable of displaying images, graphics, etc?

  • I beat my laptops up. Is their chassis going to withstand such behavior?

    • I beat my laptops up. Is their chassis going to withstand such behavior?

      I do as well. Part of why I get laptops with metal cases. They still get beat up. With keeping laptops around 3 years, when I'm done, they look like hell.

      I don have issues with the repairable - actually replaceable- parts concept, but anything I'm making money with I need to be without the "build your own computer" concept, which this is very similar to.

  • Woo! "socketed" LPDDR5X nice! (well... assuming the RAM market becomes sane sometime soon).
    (it's low power but also reasonably fast which is good for graphics and AI work.)

    Their last AMD board and their little desktop both are soldered because AMD wouldn't support them in doing an LPCAMM2 set-up. (ok, AMD claimed "it wasn't possible" but i still think they just didn't really try. )

    i don't need an upgrade yet, but i'd actually consider the Intel this time around. (i have the 1 gen back AMD with the

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Their last AMD board ...

      Wrong. The AMD board for the Framework 13 uses standard DDR5 SODIMMs. I using one right now to type this reply.

      (ok, AMD claimed "it wasn't possible" but i still think they just didn't really try. )

      Wrong again. AMD and Framework spent a very long time trying to do it, but they couldn't hit the performance targets they wanted. They decided that if they either have to sacrifice performance or modularity, they'd rather have the performance. Clearly controversial decision, but also something that might change when it's time for the next version...

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by rta ( 559125 )

        Their last AMD board ...

        Wrong. The AMD board for the Framework 13 uses standard DDR5 SODIMMs. I using one right now to type this reply.

        You're right. My mistake. It's only the mini desktop that has the soldered LPDDR5X ...

        (ok, AMD claimed "it wasn't possible" but i still think they just didn't really try. )

        Wrong again. AMD and Framework spent a very long time trying to do it, but they couldn't hit the performance targets they wanted. They decided that if they either have to sacrifice performance or modularity, they'd rather have the performance. Clearly controversial decision, but also something that might change when it's time for the next version...

        We don't know that they spent "a very long time trying to do it". The CEO claims they spent some months on it and that someone did some simulations. So whatever effort it was it didn't even include physical prototypes. And yes, i know Framework is a small company and doesn't have much clout with the chipmakers. And yes it's also reasonable that if the simulations were far from the target there would be no point to

  • I'm glad that they have 2 RISC options - one RISC-V whose motherboard was made for them by a third party, and more recently, and Arm which too was. Both were tested by Jeff Geerling, and turns out that both are underpowered. They would do well as development platforms for people writing software for Linux (or BSD, RISC-OS or anything else). Hopefully, there will be more powerful Arm and RISC-V CPUs in future

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by Misagon ( 1135 )

      There will soon be a mainbord with SpacemiT K3 [deepcomputing.io].

      The K3 is not super-fast, but it is the fastest RISC-V CPU so far that anyone has used and been allowed to speak about. The latest Ubuntu runs on it. The 8 AI cores can also be used as slower CPU cores, but that requires a custom kernel.

      Other faster RISC-V CPUs are expected later this year, but this is so far the only new RISC-V mainboard for the Framework 13 this year.

  • I'm still typing this on my Lenovo Thinkpad T25 because it is the last laptop ever released with a proper 7-row keyboard.

    There have been some concepts on frame.work's forums. I have always used cursor keys and the "Ins/del/Home/End/Pgup/Pgdown" set as a nice 3x2 array.

    And trackpoint. Don't forget the trackpoint.

  • As an owner of a Framework 16, I honestly don't know how people are using a 13" screen in this day and age.

    I'm the last to care about 4K resolutions, etc. and in fact am always moaning about such things because I'm an old fogey apparently, because I can't SEE that damn resolution.

    But 13" is pathetic. I can cope with 16". My last laptop before this was 19".

    I just hope this doesn't mean that we're going to end up with all kinds of "variations" of the laptop that it becomes a bark to find replacement parts f

    • I use my laptop exclusively at home and in the office with multiple external screens.
      The size of the laptop's own screen is almost irrelevant.
      And a 16" laptop is a big thing to lug around on the commute.

      "A bark" ?

      • I use my laptop exclusively at home and in the office with multiple external screens. The size of the laptop's own screen is almost irrelevant. And a 16" laptop is a big thing to lug around on the commute.

        I do as well, 43 inch, 27 inc, and yeah, my laptop is 19 or thereabouts. Using all three. But I'm not always at the office, so I need some real estate to see what I'm running. My use case makes a 13 inch screen pretty useless.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Bert64 ( 520050 )

        You don't need a laptop, a minipc would suffice which can be plugged in at either location, or even just a thunderbolt SSD with your data that could be attached to a desktop located at the two locations.
        The purpose of a laptop with battery and screen is so you can use it when you're *not* at home or in the office.

        • The thought of something like that has crossed my mind. If I'm only using a laptop at my desk in the office or my at desk at home, both places with an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse then I'm lugging around an unnecessary screen and keyboard, not to mention a battery that's far larger than it needs to be (all I'm really asking of the battery is to hold the sleep state for perhaps a few hours at most, otherwise the laptop is on wall power the rest of the time).

          The mini PC is an interesting option, tho

    • I honestly don't know how you think it's comfortable to lug around a laptop with a 16" screen. That thing is big. I use a laptop as a secondary device on the go, and I want that thing to be portable

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by ledow ( 319597 )

        "Lug around"?

        It goes into a rucksack.

        Like I say, I used to carry a 19". That also went into the same rucksack.

        And I don't mean a huge "hiking" thing, I mean... literally just a small bag that every commuter is carrying, the kind of thing you have your kids put their books into to take to school.

        I've used it on planes, I've taken it abroad, I've taken it to people's houses... it's not big at all. This is precisely my point. 13" is the kind of thing that, working IT in a school, I give to the kids to take

        • "Lug around"?

          It goes into a rucksack.

          Like I say, I used to carry a 19". That also went into the same rucksack.

          And I don't mean a huge "hiking" thing, I mean... literally just a small bag that every commuter is carrying, the kind of thing you have your kids put their books into to take to school.

          I have a little cart to "lug" mine around. I need real estate to work quickly. At home I have 3 monitors, from a 43 inch to 27 to the laptop. So a tiny (yes 13 inches is tiny) laptop screen is going to force me to switch screens on the laptop, and magnify them as well. Real time killers, and no fun.

  • While I get that it's cool to be able to chose if you want USB-C or HDMI with swappable modules, I don't think it's a good idea. For the same price and volume usage they could have included much more ports if they were not modules. For example my Lenovo T14 has 2x USB-C, Ethernet, HDMI and 2x USB-A, for a total of 6 ports (not counting 3.5mm audio which the framework also have). And I consider they are all useful.
    Having 4 modules is more like 3 anyways, because you need to pick at least one USB-C for chargi

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Guspaz ( 556486 )

      There's more than just USB-C and HDMI and ethernet, though. There's SD card slots, microSD card slots, SSDs, USB-C cards (technically also thunderbolt), USB-A cards, audio cards, DisplayPort cards, HDMI cards, GigE cards, and 10GigE cards. I believe there's also a wireless mouse dongle garage card coming. The whole point of these is so that you don't need to carry any dongles, and for most people on the go (because if you're at home, use a dock), they're unlikely to need to plug in more than four things to

      • I know that, but they all add to the cost. That's great for all 4 people who wants a built-in proprietary USB-C SSD, but I personally prefer a cheaper laptop with 6 fixed ports rather than 4 modular ones. Each of these module is expensive, and the bare laptop already is (the possibility to get your own RAM and SSD is nice to keep costs down though).
        Who is seriously going to take out the USB-C module and lose the ability to charge the laptop anyways?

        I don't need to carry dongles with my T14 either because I

  • I believe Framework is mostly Quanta's work

  • These are awesome and I would absolutely embrace the upgradeability and open standards fully if they had the devices I use: a rugged laptop (rain, snow, drop, etc proof, covered ports, washable like my Getacs) with upgradable, fully Linux compatible hardware would be awesome. My trackpad and touch screen are both generic mice according to Linux.

    Then, pls, make a phablet with optional LTE/baseband (or none, not a phone at all). Short range radios, but zero base band, otherwise a rugged, reliable, durable,

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