It choose a lot to stand out among the legion of lightweight laptop , but Framework has never really had that problem . The company has been making customizable , ultra - repairable mobile machine for the last several long time and it has really honed in on its modular design . TheFramework 13is in a blank space where it can beam as more than an idealistic novelty . It ’s a good laptop computer , but more than that it ’s a fun laptop , a Build - a - Bear gimmick that feel all the more personal to me because I know what ’s inside it .
Framework ’s build quality has improved sinceits original laptop computer . you could buy one put together already , but I opt for the DIY outfit which comes with a laptop computer chassis with barrage , CPU , and cooling unit pre - installed . The memory , storage , keyboard , screen bezel , and case-by-case expansion cards to diverge up your port selection will necessitate to be establish . Even taking my fourth dimension to make indisputable the RAM and SSD were slot in correctly , the building mental process took me less sentence than it took to unbox every component . The bezels and keyboard lose it onto the physique with magnet , rather than any adhesive . After I had my laptop computer finished with Windows 11 installed I had a gimmick that feel more “ mine ” than most other laptop could lay claim to be .
model 13
© Kyle Barr / Gizmodo
The Framework 13 be a lot for the components you get , but its modularity does n’t decrease how nice it feels in - hand .
Pros
Cons
© Kyle Barr / Gizmodo
Framework 13 feels like more than the ( comparatively pricey ) sum of its ( many ) parts , because there ’s a common sense of ownership that is more than just the receipt you take home with it . There ’s a tangibleness to the Framework 13 . The more you arrive to sympathise an physical object , the more you form it and personalise it , the more it becomes a part of you . It ’s like a Lego set . You could buy a prebuilt model on eBay , but it has utterly no personal connection to you since you have no thought what went into building it .
Just as Lego prices never seem to recoil , customizability will necessitate spending more than you normally would on a laptop computer of this size of it and ability . My “ DIY Kit ” configuration sent to me for reappraisal included a 2.8 K showing , an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 CPU , two 8 GB sticks of DDR5 storage , and a 1 TB M.2 2280 SSD . Take into story the expansion card and a baron adapter and my unit would cost around $ 1,680 . If you go for the top - end AMD Ryzen AI 300 serial micro chip , the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 , that same frame-up would be closer to $ 2,000 . That monetary value is also ignoring the Windows permit , which will go down you back another $ 140 . But if you feel Windows has become overloaded with reflexive AI - enable software , you could disregard the sticker price and finally try Linux . Framework recommends Fedora 41 .
There ’s one caution to this customizability . You simply ca n’t expect the same functioning for the price as you would for other laptops . The Framework with a Ryzen AI 7 350 beats a2024 Dell XPS 13with an Intel Core Ultra 7 256 fin in our central processor benchmarks , but it could n’t come nigh to Apple ’s $ 1,000MacBook Air M4 , which stay the king of the benchmarks for this sizing and is stillrated only marginally repairableby the experts at iFixit . But the performance is n’t enough that I would advise artists or 3D modelers to get this gimmick , at least not without the Ryzen Ai 8 HX 370 . Besides , at $ 1,600 , you could grab a gadget with a distinct GPU . If tariff were n’t break up both prices and supply , I would suggest such gadget as the 2024 edition of theAsus TUF Gaming A14or theROG Zephyrus G14 . Both those laptop have RAM solder on , so the choice is between open operation or upgradability . I ca n’t blame anybody who choose for more succus .
© Kyle Barr / Gizmodo
The unvoiced part about a modular laptop computer is it has to look and feel — at the very least — as full to apply as a non - modular gimmick from any phone number of brand . Sometimes , a keyboard and trackpad make all the difference . Even though the input cover on the Framework 13 calculate very , very closemouthed to your typical honest-to-goodness - school Dell XPS ( or whatever Pro or Pro Max they ’re calling it nowadays ) . The Framework 13 ’s 1.5 mm depth and sturdy key fruit offered an excellent typewriting experience . The unruffled trackpad offered just enough resistance that I did n’t feel like I was go my thumb over a sheet of ice .
Framework has also done more work to the system ’s thermals this go around . Even when connected to an electric receptacle and track benchmarks , the fans never became so tacky they were distract . It ’s a comfortable enough laptop computer to in reality use on your lap covering , though its bottom gore tends to get warm with any minor study . It even got toasty when using a individual web internet browser with a 12 tabs .
There are other aspect to this laptop computer that are just average . The dual stereophonic system 2W speaker system will be good enough for YouTube showing but it ’s not what I prefer for watching a full - duration flick . Its built - in webcam offers grainy , low - res video specially in low light . The screen ’s brightness is good enough for indoor preferences , but even at its high brightness preferences it ’s not a in effect contender for working from your porch in verbatim sunshine .
© Kyle Barr / Gizmodo
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If this were any other laptop computer , I would say the terms is way too high for what you get . However , the modularity and customizability more than make up for it . It ’s enough I wish Framework went further with it and offered more flaky colouration options . I ’m smitten with the see - through plastic bezel , but Framework did n’t ship me any of its raw light plastic expansion scorecard . That ’s a shame because now all I want is a gadget full of translucent components . The fact that I can easily replace my keyboard with clear credit card keys utter volumes to the joy of a modular intention .
It ’s enough to make me inquire why Framework does n’t have more frame color pick for its 13 - column inch and16 - inch fashion model . fabric ’s devices seem the perfect place to promote ostentatious color choices and materials you plainly ca n’t get elsewhere . That ’s why I’mintrigued by the Framework 12 2 - in-1 laptopwith its touchscreen and cool pastel colors . It will be a low - power gimmick , and it will cost more than alike frame-up with those dispirited - index Intel i3 and i5 chips . After apply back U.S. preorders due to the encroachment of tariffs , those devices areavailable for preorderand now start at $ 550 , more than similar entry - level Windows devices . But that ’s the price you bear for modularity .
© Kyle Barr / Gizmodo
And Framework ’s modular intention has had an impact . More laptops like theAsus ROG Strix Scar for 2025now sport tool - less carapaces to let you access battery and RAM . I ’ve heard from Intel ’s VP of Client Computing , Gokul Subramaniam , and now I can evidence Intel is on the ballyhoo train formodular laptopsas well . Even if Framework ’s devices are too expensive , it ’s a well affair the company exists in the first place . Building your own laptop is a legitimately fun experience , and I sense more affiliated with my technical school because of it .
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