A new startup called Framework is working on an interesting project that takes modular technology to a new level. The Laptop Framework is a lightweight machine concept that will be unlike any laptop you’ve ever seen on the market. The modular laptop allows users to update, customize and repair parts themselves.
The initial concept of the product shows a design very inspired by the Apple MacBook, which shouldn’t be surprising, since the co-founder, Nirav Patel, is a former Apple employee. According to him, “As a consumer electronics company, its business model effectively depends on producing constant tons of hardware and placing it in channels, on the market and in the hands of consumers, and then abandoning it and letting it exist. This encourages waste and inefficiency and, ultimately, environmental damage. ” He also says that it is more than a product, but an ecosystem.
The laptop is planned to come with an aluminum chassis with a 13.5-inch 2K (2256 x 1504 pixels) screen and 11th generation Intel processor with up to 64 GB of DDR4 RAM and NVMe PCIe Gen 4 storage of up to 4 TB or most . The laptop is also planned to feature a 1080p 60fps webcam and a 55Whr battery. When it comes to upgrading possibilities, it is said that you will be able to exchange the internal components, including memory, storage. Wi-Fi card and battery. The Laptop Framework also brings the ability to update external components, including the keyboard, the I / O ports via an expansion card system, and the display along with the magnetically detachable bezels. The company also hopes to address the concerns of users who don’t like to carry dongles or adapters with its variety of replaceable port options. Expect them to come in USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, DisplayPort, microSD, high-speed storage and even a headphone amplifier.
The Framework also plans to sell the modules through a centralized online market that will be open for partners to create and sell compatible modules. This would help potential customers easily find compatible replacements or updates, without having to search. The company aims to reduce electronic waste with its efforts, making its products last longer. The laptop will be made of 50% post-consumer recycled aluminum (PCR) and an average of 30% PCR plastic. Finally, the company will also present the Laptop DIY Edition Framework, for those who wish to assemble the laptop entirely on their own and move around. The DIY version also offers the flexibility to install the operating system of your choice, be it Linux, Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro.
The concept of ‘modular technology’ does not seem to work for any of the major technology brands. We saw Google try their luck on a modular smartphone with the ARA Project in 2014. However, in 2016, the project was canceled and all we got were some conceptual videos that never materialized. In 2015, we heard about a ‘Blocks’ modular smartwatch concept, which was an attempt to create a modular smartwatch with replaceable modules. So far, we haven’t seen any modular smartwatch hit the market. Likewise, Motorola launched the Moto Z in 2016, which brought the Moto Mods ecosystem, which got off to a decent start but ended up generating a lot of money for research and development. Let’s hope that the Framework has a more solid approach and can really make this concept a reality.