New Framework Laptop Fights For Right to Repair

But the interesting thing about the Framework Laptop is not how it resembles other laptops, but how it differs from them. The Framework Laptop is designed to be fully user-configurable, repairable, and upgradeable. In an era where some electronics products don’t even ship with a charger, the Framework Laptop includes a screwdriver right in the box.

Everything about the Framework Laptop can be replaced or upgraded, including the display, keyboard, battery, storage, memory, CPU, and even motherboard. QR codes on all the components direct users to guides and options in the Framework web store.

The processors currently available for the Framework Laptop are the 11^th-gen Intel i5-1135G7, i7-1165G7, and i7-1185G7 CPUs. There is no discrete GPU option available. There are two SO-DIMM slots for memory up to 64GB and an NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 2280 slot for up to 4TB of SSD storage. The swappable battery provides 55Wh of capacity.

The Framework Laptop has a 13.5” display with a 2256x1504 resolution, which results in a 3:2 aspect ratio. This is an interesting ratio that I personally like, as it gives more screen height than the typical 16:9 (the 3:2 aspect ration is also a well known characteristic of the Microsoft Surface lineup; give Framework credit for cribbing design ideas from more than just Apple). Framework claims the display covers 100% of the sRGB color space and hits over 400 nits of peak luminance.

Framework Expansion Cards

I review a lot of laptops, and I often complain about a lack of I/O port diversity—nobody likes fumbling around for dongles and adaptors. There are, however, a wide range of port types and only so much space on a laptop. Design tradeoffs have to be made somewhere.

The Framework Laptop takes a unique approach by letting users make these tradeoffs for themselves. The laptop’s chassis includes four slots, two per side, that each accommodate a Framework Expansion Card. An Expansion Card includes one I/O port, with options for USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, DisplayPort, and MicroSD, with more in development. There’s even an Expansion Card for adding an extra 250GB or 1TB of storage (though at that point, it’s basically just a flash drive.)

I fully support the idea behind the Framework Laptop. The anti-consumerism of modern consumer electronics has reached an absurd level, and the ability to repair and upgrade one’s own property over time is sure to entice some customers to Framework’s new laptop.

However, there are still some problems to overcome. For one thing, Framework hasn’t released any details on pricing. Repairability is great, but the cost can’t be too far above the alternatives or it simply won’t reach enough users to make a difference. It’s not unprecedented to see niche tech products that ultimately fail—or worse, sell out—for that very reason. To its credit, Framework admits as much.

“We know… consumer electronics is littered with the graves of companies with grand ideas and failed executions. The proof is going to be in the products,” reads Framework's self-profile.

Even if the price and product end up being great, the Framework Laptop is a pretty lightweight device. Most engineers, who may very well applaud the repairable design, will nonetheless need more powerful specs for their own work. Framework does hint that it’s working on other products, so perhaps a professional version of the Framework Laptop—at least something with a discrete GPU—is in the pipeline.

The Framework Laptop is expected to start shipping this summer. If it’s successful, the repairable laptop may be just the thing to repair the mindset of other electronics providers.

“It’s time for long-lasting products that respect your right to repair and upgrade,” proclaimed Framework founder Nirav Patel.