Framework 2023 - Amazing Announcements

 When I first bought my Framework laptop, it was more because I wanted to support their mission more than anything else.  I had also just had a very bad experience, where I ahd to pay $800 to get my 2019 Macbook Pro repaired because the memory had died.  I knew that had I been able to replace a stick of RAM, the repair cost would have been more like $200.  

The excuse often used by Apple and others is that thin-and-light notebooks need to be soldered and glued together in order to keep them thin and light.  This was not a Macbook air, though, but a Macbook Pro.  It didn't sit right with me that a "professional" machine couldn't be upgraded in any way, shape, or form after purchase.  

I didn't know if Framework would be able to actually make good on their promises, but I knew they needed customers if they were to have a fighting chance.  

At the outset, things were already very positive:

• I knew it would be possible to upgrade the mainboard from an i5 to an i7 if I wanted.  
• I knew I wouldn't be paying the Windows tax even though I wanted to run Linux
• I knew it would be possible to buy the memory I wanted at the best possible price, and upgrade the memory later.  
• I knew it would be possible to buy the SSD I wanted at the best possible price, and upgrade the SSD later.  
• I knew the screen could be replaced for a reasonable price if it got damaged.
• I knew that the ports were customizable, supporting USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, Display Port, and Micro SD. I sldo knew that framework offered USB-C SSD modules, which could allow storage expandability in addition to the ability to swap out the M.2 SSD.  
• I knew that the keyboard could be replaced if need be.
• I knew that Framework offered some customization options like different colored bezel
• I knew that the WiFi board could be swapped out if need be, though that seemed unlikely to me.  
• I knew that the battery could easily be replaced when needed.  

There were a few (potentially) negative things:

• Framework wasn't shipping to Japan, and it was unclear when they would.  
• Although a Japanese kayboard had been announced at launch, it was not available.
• There was no matte screen, OLED screen, or touch screen.
• There was no discrete GPU or any realistic expectation that there would be one.
• They decided to go with Intel, so for AMD fans this was a negative.
• They decided to go for the slim-and-light 13 inch notebook market, which is understandable, but that meant that ultra small laptops (i.e. 10 inch models) and large laptops (i.e. 16 inch models) were not to be found.  
• Like almost all laptop brands, there was no trackpoint support.  
• The battery was replacable, but not hot-swappable.  
• The laptop was not the cheapest machine for the specs offered.  

The point is that there were some limitations and trade-offs.  This is unabvoidable, and to me not a big sticking point.  A fledgling company needs to focus on one thing and do it well in order to succeed and grow.  Trying to please everyone will likely result in pleasing nobody.  

Once I and others received our laptops, some common criticisms emerged:

1. The battery life was too short

2. The speakers weren't very good

3. The cord on the power adaptor frayed too easily with use

4. Some people said the hinges were too wobbly.  

Actually that's about it.  I have never had a PC with a battery life of more than a few hours under load, excluding the M1 Macs, and I don't generally expect speakers to be fantastic unless the manufacturer goes out of their way to talk about how great they are.  The only machine I have had with what I would consider to be good speakers was the Macbook Pro 16 inch, which is... 16 inches.  (So obviously it has space for speakers).  Also, I don't have the official Framework power  adaptor, but I do have a box full of frayed Apple USB C cables, so it didn't surprise me at all.  I don't have any issue with my hinges.  

In other words, the complaints might be somehwat valid, but none of them seemed out of the ordinary for your average notebook PC to me.  

One thing to note about the Framework is that the processor is soldered onto the motherboard just like any other laptop machine.  This is mainly because the processors used on laptop motherboard don't generally come in the socketed variety at all.  Using a socketed desktop processor in a laptop is possible, but it is much more expensive, consumes much more power, and takes up much more space.  The expense and power usage aren't because they are socketed, but mainly just because the low  power chips aren't available in socketed versions - likely due to the space constraints.  

What this means is that if you want to upgrade the processor, you need to swap out the motherboard.  This is less of a loss than it would be with a modern Mac or many PC laptops, since the WiFi, SSD, and memory are socketed.  The fact that the motherboard can easily be reused outside the laptop is also a major boon.  

Still, the only mainboard upgrades available at the start were from an 11th gen i5 to an 11th gen i7, or from the less powerful i7 to the more powerful one.  If you bought the top of the line i7 to start with, there was no upgrade path at the time, and no certainty that there ever would be one.  

It seemed like Framework was still an experiment.  There was a possiblity that new processors would never be supported.  Even in that case, the ability to upgrade the RAM and SSD, customize the ports, and exsily repair/replace everything was already enough to seal the deal with me.  

Then it happened!  Framework released a new Intel 12th generation model using the same chasis as the original 11th gen model.  They also released the 12th gen model mainboard as a part for upgrading existing laptops, and even a 3D printed case to allow use of the old mainboard outside of the case.  

From all accounts, the 12th gen processors actually resulted in worse battery life in some cases, but at least the performance was increased.  

In addition to that, they released stronger hinges, better speakers, an Ethernet add-in card, and a stronger display back over the last year.  

Then there was last week's announcement:

• Now 13th generation intel processors are supported - in the same chassis
• Now AMD processors are also supported - in the same chassis
• There is a new battery 61wh which has a higher capacity in the same physical size
• There is now a matte screen
• A new external case you can buy pre-built to allow you to re-use your old motherboard
• Four new keyboard languages announced (but.. where are the Japanese layout keyboards announced so long ago?)
• Plans for an external mobile battery to allow you to re-use your old 55wh battery

All of those things are absolutely cool.  

Firstly, the 13th generation options prove that the mainboard upgradability from 11th to 12th generation wasn't just a fluke.  If it's that possible, I am surprised that more companies don't do it for selfish reasons.  Designing a whole new chassis every year has to cost money.  The 13th generation Intel chips also reportedly use less power, so that should mean more batter life.  Combining that with a new more powerful battery results in claims of 20-30% more battery life.  

If you think about it, if you were to move from the 11th generation i5 to the 13th generation high end i7, you could get a huge performance increase while using the same RAM and SSD, by only swapping out the motherboard.  

Supporting AMD mainly means that the people who always come out of the woodwork to claim "I would buy a Framework, if only they had an AMD model..." will have to buy one now, or at least move onto another excuse like the glossy screens - oh wait, they have matte screens now too.  

The only downside I can see for the AMD mainboard is the lack of DDR4 support.  Still, this won't be an issue for new computers, only if you will be upgrading to an AMD mainboard from an Intel - in which case, you will want to sell or reuse your old Intel motherboard.

And speaking of re-using the old motherboard, you will need RAM for it if you want to do that.  The new case makes that much easier.  I can tell you that if I wanted to upgrade my mainboard tomorrow, I would probably buy that case instead of using the 3D printed version - and I have a 3D printer!  3D printing is infinately cool, but it is finicky and takes time.  

Replacing your battery with a new higher capacity results in the same "but what to I do with the old one?" issue, but given the planned external battery case, that seems like a non-issue too - assuming they actually release it.  

And then there is the announcement of the new 16 inch model.  We don't know much about it yet, but since the graphics card will be modular, and possible to use as an eGPU, it means that you can even use it with the Framework 13!  

It would seem that the days of spending an excessive amount of money on a new laptop every 2 years just to have the latest processor with decent RAM and Storage are over.  Not you can upgrade your mainboard while keeping the SSD, chassis, and in most cases, memory - but you can re-use the old parts,  and will even be able to upgrade the GPU on the new model.  

As SNK would say, "the future is now".  

The only sad thing is that a lot of people won't know how great the Framework is, don't understand why it is better, or what value that has.  People who haven't cracked a screen don't realize how much they are going to end up being charged for a new one.  People who haven't run out of memory or SSD don't realize they might need to upgrade, or if they have, they may just be used to the idea of "Well, I guess I need a new PC".  

Framework is currently the talk of the town among tech enthusiasts, but we as a community need to do more to spread the news.  We need to tell everyone we can that these are the best overall laptops.  These are the laptops that you can fix when they break, and that you don't need to tolerate slowing down as software gets heavier over time, or spend a fortune to replace with an entirely new one when the time comes to get something newer.  We need to educate and recommend these to our family and friends, even if they are not going to be fixing them or upgrading them themselves - because we can help them with that.