Structure
A common complaint about modern laptops is that they are essentially sealed cases, with no internal parts that can be repaired by the user. A new technology startup, Framework, wants to bring the DIY vibe back to portable PCs with laptops that encourage tweaking and upgrades.
Laptops used to come with removable batteries, at least, and sometimes they had upgradeable RAM, storage or even GPUs. Today, this is the rare exception to the rule, especially with companies like Apple integrating batteries firmly into the design – MacBooks are essentially laptop-shaped batteries with small pieces of computer wrapped around them. Many manufacturers now also sold RAM and storage directly on the motherboard.
Expansion compartments allow interchangeable doors.
Structure
The Laptop Framework is a 13.5-inch system that the company says was designed to “empower you with excellent products that can be easily customized, updated and repaired, increasing longevity and reducing electronic waste in the process”.
In this case, this means an expansion card system, socket and RAM storage and a (hypothetically) replaceable main board and central processing unit. In addition, “high-use parts such as battery, screen, keyboard and magnetic fastening frame with customizable colors are easy to replace, with spare parts available directly from our web store”
It looks like a great idea, at least on paper, and the four accessory bays can choose from case inserts for USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, DisplayPort, MicroSD, extra storage or even a dedicated headphone amplifier.
The basic system will weigh just under 3 pounds and will be 15.9 mm thick. Other important specifications include:
- 13.5 inch screen, 3: 2 aspect ratio 2256 x 1504
- 1080p webcam 60 fps
- 57Wh replaceable battery
- 11th generation Intel Core processors
- Wi-Fi 6
- Up to 64 GB of DDR4 memory and 4 TB of storage
The Framework company was founded by Nirav Patel, one of the first members of the Oculus team since his Kickstarter days, and later the company’s head of hardware. Pricing, exact specifications and availability details for the Framework notebook line will be available, scheduled to launch this summer. Three basic models will ship with Windows 10 Home or Pro, and a DIY edition will allow you to install the operating system of your choice – yes, even Linux.