Review: Framework's latest modular laptop is one I could stay with for years
Framework has been expanding their footprint on the laptop scene over the past few years, and we thought it was time to take a look at one of their laptops modular laptops. This latest generation is good enough that I think it could be my daily driver, the port swapping system is simple enough for a kid to use, and if you don't mind continuing to be part of the enterprise ecosystem, you have upgrades for years without having to throw away more than the bare minimum.
If you're unfamiliar with Framework, the company manufactures laptops and parts with two goals in mind: durability and repairability.
Repairability is a breath of fresh air for someone like me who has exclusively used Apple laptops for the past 10 years - good devices, sure, but forget to repair or upgrade them. level. Framework templates are built from the ground up to be fixed, whether it's swapping out faulty RAM, replacing the keyboard, or adding a port (new or old).
This helps with durability, because instead of buying a brand new laptop every few years, you keep the old one and just swap out the part that needs to go. Less e-waste, less waste of money.
Latest Laptop Framework includes the following standard:
13.5″ 2256×1504 display (3:2 ratio) 55Wh battery 1080p webcam fingerprint reader 1.3kg, 16mm thick 3.5mm headphone jackYou can specify storage, RAM and of course CPU, from an i5-1240P to an i7-1280P, with integrated graphics.
Out of the box, the laptop looks pretty plain, which is a compliment I think. The soft gray brushed aluminum (50% recycled) and gear logo are tasteful, and the overall shape is inoffensive and familiar, though it lacks the "premium" feel of a MacBook Pro ( much of which comes from the monocoque construction of the MBP which prevents easy repair).
Open it up and you have the now familiar black bezel and black-on-silver keys, the now default style for mid-range and high-end laptops.
But you notice right away that above the screen are small switches next to the camera and microphone. These privacy switches completely remove the device from your system's awareness - they're not just blankets. This is the kind of kill switch I've always wanted in my devices, and here it's very well implemented.
Image credits: Framework
Turning them on and off actually unregisters them in the OS (in my case, Windows 11), and they reappear as soon as you click them again. It's like plugging and unplugging a USB device (which is probably more or less how it works inside the box). My only caveat is that the switch is a little hard to flip back and forth, which is probably best since it would be annoying to accidentally hit it all the time.
The rest of the laptop's basics are as expected: the screen is good, if a rather unusual resolution, and the whole bezel can be swapped out for different colors if you want to fly your weird flag (or just an orange). The fingerprint reader, which doubles as the power button, worked perfectly for me.
Framework has been expanding their footprint on the laptop scene over the past few years, and we thought it was time to take a look at one of their laptops modular laptops. This latest generation is good enough that I think it could be my daily driver, the port swapping system is simple enough for a kid to use, and if you don't mind continuing to be part of the enterprise ecosystem, you have upgrades for years without having to throw away more than the bare minimum.
If you're unfamiliar with Framework, the company manufactures laptops and parts with two goals in mind: durability and repairability.
Repairability is a breath of fresh air for someone like me who has exclusively used Apple laptops for the past 10 years - good devices, sure, but forget to repair or upgrade them. level. Framework templates are built from the ground up to be fixed, whether it's swapping out faulty RAM, replacing the keyboard, or adding a port (new or old).
This helps with durability, because instead of buying a brand new laptop every few years, you keep the old one and just swap out the part that needs to go. Less e-waste, less waste of money.
Latest Laptop Framework includes the following standard:
13.5″ 2256×1504 display (3:2 ratio) 55Wh battery 1080p webcam fingerprint reader 1.3kg, 16mm thick 3.5mm headphone jackYou can specify storage, RAM and of course CPU, from an i5-1240P to an i7-1280P, with integrated graphics.
Out of the box, the laptop looks pretty plain, which is a compliment I think. The soft gray brushed aluminum (50% recycled) and gear logo are tasteful, and the overall shape is inoffensive and familiar, though it lacks the "premium" feel of a MacBook Pro ( much of which comes from the monocoque construction of the MBP which prevents easy repair).
Open it up and you have the now familiar black bezel and black-on-silver keys, the now default style for mid-range and high-end laptops.
But you notice right away that above the screen are small switches next to the camera and microphone. These privacy switches completely remove the device from your system's awareness - they're not just blankets. This is the kind of kill switch I've always wanted in my devices, and here it's very well implemented.
Image credits: Framework
Turning them on and off actually unregisters them in the OS (in my case, Windows 11), and they reappear as soon as you click them again. It's like plugging and unplugging a USB device (which is probably more or less how it works inside the box). My only caveat is that the switch is a little hard to flip back and forth, which is probably best since it would be annoying to accidentally hit it all the time.
The rest of the laptop's basics are as expected: the screen is good, if a rather unusual resolution, and the whole bezel can be swapped out for different colors if you want to fly your weird flag (or just an orange). The fingerprint reader, which doubles as the power button, worked perfectly for me.
What's Your Reaction?
