Framework Laptop 13 Five Years on

 I bought the very first Framework Laptop, the Framework 13 pretty much the moment it came out.  

Concept

After seeing other laptops becoming increasingly locked down in the sense that RAM, SSD, etc. is soldered on and nothing can be upgraded, Framework seemed like a dream come true.  

Further, although I am familiar with Windows and OS X, if I am going to be using PC compatible hardware, I would prefer run Linux.  Some vendors support this on some models, but Framework supports it on all of their models, and doesn't make you pay for Windows if you aren't planning on using it.  

Experience

I ordered the "DIY Model", which means it came without memory or storage, and added those myself from items I purchased locally in Japan.  This was partly to reduce the value of an item I was importing and would need to pay import tax on, and partly because I could get better prices locally anyway.  

I purchased and installed a 512GB WD Black SSD and 32GB of Crucial brand memory.  

I had purchased the lowest end model of the first generation machine from Framework.  I was pleasantly surprised when this i5 laptop was faster than a few year old i7 laptop I had.

Many people had adopted a "wait and see" attitude, but I knew that even if future motherboards were never released, I would at least be able to upgrade to an i7 in the future, as well as upgrading my SSD and memory.

People seem to consistantly have the same gripes and praises with respect to Framework laptops.

Keyboard - Most people seem to think it's great.  I also love it - except that Japanese wasn't available when I purchased mine.  It became available later.

Battery Life - Many people complain about this.  My experience with other laptops that are a few years old indicates that they only last for an hour or so doing things like screen sharing, and the Framework wasn't a while lot better.  Yes, that may be because those laptops were older, and the batteries had been losing capacity, but at least with Framework I know I could replace the battery.  Also I was comparing Windows against Linux, and Linux is known for not always having the best battery life.

    Later, it was discovered that certain of the expansion cards (f.e. HDMI) drew a fair amount of power.  If I was concerned about battery life, I could always remove those.  They are only likely to be needed when I could plug the laptop in anyway.

    Framework has also released a new, larger capacity battery.  This does require a BIOS update to work, but wasn't something I figured I would ever be able to upgrade.  

Speakers - The speakers aren't great - but then I didn't expect them to be.  They're laptop speakers.  Yes, I have had 16 inch Macbook Pros with awesome sound - but even then, it's just awesome for a laptop, not truely awesome.  

    To me, laptop speakers don't need to be fantastic.  I have a desktop with much better speakers than any laptop, and I use that when I am at home.  If I need to listen while on the go or outside, I'm probably going to use headphones, right?  Even if I use the laptop at home, I would dock it with speakers, a monitor, a kayboard, and mouse.  So when do I need to use the built-in speakers in my laptop to listen to audio for movies or music? Almost never.  

    Still, I think the Framework speakers are "fine".  I mean I can hear the audio form something like VideoLAN or Lollypop just fine if I wanted to watch a movie in bed.  It isn't much better or worse than my Thinkpad in the Audio department.  

    Enough people complained about the speakers that Framework did release new ones that are louder.  Even with these louder speakers, though, I wonder how much better they will be, since the design of the case has the audio firing mostly downwards.  I don't think I would be able to hear the laptop audio much at all if I placed it on a soft surface like a pillow - but then that would cause cooling issues anyway.

Hinges - People complain that the hinges are wobbly - but then people will complain about damned near anything.  I put the laptop on my desk and use it like a normal person, and the screen doesn't bounce or wobble.

    Again, Framework apparently got tired of hearing these complaints, and so they came out with a stronger ser of hinges.  Note that these aren't necessarily "better".  The decision to make the original hinges not super string was to allow one-handed opening of the laptop.  To open the screen with the original hinges, you can grab the top half (the screen part) of the laptop with your thumb and pull up.  With stonger hinges, you might have to use your other hand to hold the base of the laptop down.  

Touch Pad - The touch pad in the original Framework 13 laptop is fine.  It's better than ones in laptops I have used from Lenovo, HP, Panasonic, Fujitsu, and others.  It's significantly behind the touchpad in the Macbook Pro - but then what did you expect?

    I had two "problems" with the touch pad.  The first is that you need to disable the legacy mouse emulation in the BIOS, or when you wake up from sleep mode, the touch pad can turn into a mouse as far as Linux is concerned.  It will still work, but mice don't support multi-finger gestures like swiping to change workspaces.  

    The second "problem" is that if you use the physical "click", then you have to press until the pad physically depresses.  It's on a hinge (at the top?) which means the force you have to apply is higher at the top than at the bottom of the touch pad.  Many people might not even notice, but i didn't love it.  Then again, I don't love pressing hard on the touch pad to click, I just want to tap lightly.  Luckily, you can enable that, and so the problem of uneven force goes away.

    Some people complain that they want the annoying extra buttons above the touch pad, because they like to use those for clicking.  Those are very much a legacy thing, and very much annoying to most people - I don't think there is any chance Framework would add those - and I think that is a good thing since most people would dislike it.

    The great thing about framework, though, is that if enough people really do want something like that, they could crowd-source the manufacturing of it and swap out the part.

    People also complain about the lack of a TrackPoint device.  These are really only used on Lenovo devices at this point, and even then: most people I know who have Lenovo laptops don't use the TrackPoint.  Most people simply plug in a mouse because the touch pad on most Lanovo laptops isn't great and using the TrackPoint is an excercise in self punishment.  I especially like when it starts moving to one corner of the screen when you're not even touching it.  

    Again, though, if enough people really want this, I am sure someone other than Framework will build one.  

    I really like larger touch pads, and I like Apple's haptic touch pad, but I assumed that Framework hadn't gone down that route for patent reasons or similar.  Apparently I was wrong, because these are available on newer machines - more about that later.

Sturdiness /Durability - I sometimes see tech reviewers check "sturdiness" by trying to flex the screen, etc.  I always think "Who does that?"  It's true, though that the original Framework 13 laptop seems flimsier than, for example, a 13 inch Macbook Pro - It's also not held together by glue that makes it nearly impossible to disassemble.  

    I have read about people who put their Famework laptop into a bag with other stuff and then have the screen break.  I am not saying it's impossible - I just wonder how much heavy stuff they put in the bag and how they treated it.  I mean, if you fill a bag with books and then plop it around, I can see the screen flexing enough to break.  

    I don' t think this is a "build quality" issue so much as a a design choice.  The original Framework is made from thin folded sheet metal.  I had a Sharp Muramasa laptop that was manufactured much the same way.  It's a way to have a nice metal body at a cheap price and with light weight.  

    You can use CMC machined metal instead, but it will probably be bigger, possibly heavier, and certainly cost more.  

    Still, this too is something that has been upgraded in the years since the original release.

Screen - I like the aspect ratio, and I think the resolution is "fine".  Apparently the color is great for an LCD - but every other machine I use on a regular basis has an OLED screen, so the main thing I notice is the not-so-black blacks.

    Some people complain about lack of a touch screen.  I seriously wanter about those people, but hey, some of the newer laptops have a touch screen.

    The main issue I have with the screen is that it's glossy and super reflective if I try to use it in some offices, etc., the ceiling lights are being reflected into my face.  I constantly need to adjust the angle to keep lights from shining into my eyes.  I know Apple does the same - but that doesn't make it okay.

Web Cam - Again, the web cam is "fine".  I would love 4k 60fps with decent color and low light sensitivity - but given the typical use is internet meetings, I am pretty sure that's not going to happen any time soon.  

So... the above is all basically my oriignal impression, and things have not really changed there in the serveral years that I have owned the thing.

In summary, I don't like the glossy screen.  The battery life and speaker wuality are indeed not the best, but on par with other name brand machines I have, so I think people expect too much.  

Since then, I have had 2 "problems":

1. The CMOS battery died, and the laptop wouldn't turn on after leaving it  unplugged and powered off for a few weeks.  That sucks, but I was able to get it working by following the guide online.

The nest time it happened again, I searched online, bought a replacement battery and... replaced it.  It works fine now.  

Yes, Framework have released a guide on how to modify the machine to not need this CMOS battery anymore, but swapping it out is easy enough.  

It's a consumable, so you expect to need to replace it eventually.  That's why it's in a socket, right?

Truth be told, this is a relatively benign issue for a 1st gen product.  My 1st gen Macbook Air had issues with the hinge that destroyed the motherboard!  

2. BIOS Updates have been a pain.  I know, most normal people never update their BIOS, or even their system for that matter.  People who buy Framework laptops are probably the type to do so, however - and many features require you to update the BIOS.  My main issue was the fact that some updates couldn't be done from the OS, but needed to be done by rebooting and applying the updates outside of the OS.  I mean, don't get me wrong, it worked fine - but a less technical user would have been scared.  

On the other hand, I have made thee upgrades:

1. I upgraded the SSD from the WD Black 512GB SSD to a Kioxia 1TB SSD.  This took about 5 minutes all said and done, but I did have to reinstall the OS (Pop OS) after that.  

2. I added PVC skins (The framework 13 X-ray skins from DBrand).  I had to order these from overseas, so they took a while to arrive.  Applying them was easy, but it too longer than swapping out the SSD.  

3. I swapped out the original US keyboard for a Japanese one.  I bought this in Japan, but I know it would be a bit of work to swap out.  When I scanned the QR Code, the service page listed the difficulty level as "Difficult".  I don't think that's right, it's not difficult per say, it's just time consuming and tedious.  

    In order to swap out the keyboard, you need to remove about 80 very small screws.  Then, once you are done, you need to screw them back in.  This takes a fair amount of patience and a steady hand.  You also need to remove and replace some of the cables.  I did this in about 30 minutes, but then again I am someone who is used to taking stuff apart.  Let's just say it's not for everyone.  

What's changed since the original framework?  Well, almost everything!

- They have released  *numerous* motherboard upgrades, including multiple generations of Intel and AMP CPUs as well as Risk V.  (And the CMOS RTC battery isn't needed on newer models).  Most of these have better battery life than the original 11th gen boards.

- They have released new (lower power drain) versions of the USB dongles, and alltogether new USB dongles (like eithernet).  They have also released them in other colors

- They have released a new, higher capacity 61wh battery

- They have released a new matte screen and higher resolution 2.8k 120hz screen

- They have released a new 2nd gen web cam

- They released the Japanese keyboard finally

- They released new stronger (4kg vs 3.3kg) hinges, also improved 3.5kg hinges.  

- They released new louder speakers

- They released a CNC machined top (screen back) to make the whole machine srurdier

- They have released additional bezel colors

- Of course the new machines  have newer WiFi chips as well, these are usually paired with the motherboard despite being physically separate.  

So for people worried about whether or not new motherboard would be released.... they have released 5 generations of motherboards, with multiple models each time.  At present, you can get the Intel's Core Ultra 3 for amazing battery life that can compete with Apple's M series Macbooks, or you can opt for AMD's Ryzen AI 300 for top performance.  You can slso opt for an older Ryzen or Intel chip to save on cash or maintain compatibility with DDR4.  

In fact, if you bought an original 11th gen Framework 13 laptop, the only thing that is not compatible with the latest and greatest is that if you install one of the very newest motherboards, you will have to upgrade your RAM as well.  That's not even Framework's fault: The newer processers simply require DDR5, so you can't re-use your DDR4.

Even in that case, though, framework has you covered - because if you are going to upgrade your motherboard then now you will have a left over old motherboard.  What do do?  Oh,  perhaps you can just put it in their external enclosure they sell.  In  that case, you can keep the DDR4 memory installed in it and use it as a server, a set top box, etc.  

Other products...

In the meantime, Framework has released...

1. A 16 inch laptop with discrete graphics

2. A 12 inch laptop targeting the educational market

3. A desltop

4. A keyboard

Better yet, all of this was before they released their newest product: The Framework Laptop 13 Pro

So.. what makes it Pro, and how is it different from the normal Framework Laptop 13?

It's essentially just a different case design, with the speakers facking left and right instead of down, a haptic touchpad and CNC machines parts included by default, and some other changes.  

Still, most of the parts, including the motherboard, etc. are interchangible with the "normal" Framework Laptop 13.  That means, if you are happy with the original case and just want to upgrade your motherboard, you don't have to buy a new case.

On the other hand, if you are happy with your motherboard but dig the new case, you can just upgrade the case if you like.  

Conclusion

I am happy that the company is surviving and producing new products.  I am happy that they are releasing CAD files, specifications, and selling replacement parts and upgrades.

I am happy that they are financially successful and able to continue to grow.

I am less happy that they seem to have continuing quality and customer service issues.  I don't know any of this first hand, as I have never had a reason to contact customer support.

Most of all, I am not happy that they still don't officially sell in or ship to Japan.  If smaller companies like SparkFun and Raspberry Pi can manage it, I think Framework can too.