A laptop startup has opened pre-orders for its modular laptop design. The Framework Laptop promises to deliver an upgradeable, customizable, repairable portable that still manages to be stylish, and appeal to those looking for a thin, light, and high-performance device which doesn't break the bank.
Framework is making its eponymous laptop available in both DIY and pre-made base versions, with quite a few choices for customers in the CPU, RAM, and storage departments. Moreover, it is introducing a natty Expansion Card system, which lets you choose the ports you want, and which side of the machine you want them. Things are customisable on the surface too, with magnetic attaching bezels, and custom keyboard decks.
While there are pre-configured pre-order systems listed by Framework already, they all share a common chassis, battery, screen, and webcam. The key qualities of every Framework Laptop model are bullet pointed below:
- Durable 50 per cent recycled aluminium chassis which is 15.85mm thick
- Modular ports system, choose four from: USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, DisplayPort, MicroSD, plus ultra-fast 250GB, and 1TB storage expansions
- Motherboard is replaceable for inter-generational upgrades
- 13.5-inch 3:2 aspect ratio display with 2256x1504 pixels
- 1080p 60fps webcam with hardware privacy shutter
- Keyboard with 1.5 mm of key travel
- Large Windows Precision touchpad
- Dedicated fingerprint reader (right far corner of keyboard deck)
- Total system weight will be approx 1.3kg
- Windows 10
In other specs, the Framework Laptop will come with one of the latest Intel 11th Gen Core i5 or i7 Processors and upgradeability to Wi-Fi 6E, up to 64GB of DDR4 memory, and 4TB or more of Gen4 NVMe storage. The 3 models available for pre-order have their differing specs outlined below. Remember there is a DIY version of the base available too at a reduced price of $749.
Base (starting at $999 USD).
Powerful and upgradeable performance out of the box.
- i5-1135G7 processor (8M Cache, up to 4.20GHz)
- 8GB DDR4, 256GB NVMe SSD, Wi-Fi 6
- Windows 10 Home
Performance (starting at $1399 USD).
Twice the memory and storage and a faster CPU for heavy-duty multitasking.
- i7-1165G7 (12M Cache, up to 4.70GHz)
- 16GB DDR4, 512GB NVMe SSD, Wi-Fi 6
- Windows 10 Home
Professional (starting at $1999 USD)
Even more memory and storage, plus enterprise management functionality.
- i7-1185G7 (12M Cache, up to 4.80GHz)
- 32GB DDR4, 1TB NVMe SSD, Wi-Fi 6 vPro
- Windows 10 Pro
Framework is asking those interested in its laptops for a $100 fully refundable deposit. Shipping will begin this summer, says the startup. As is always the case with such things, it might be worth waiting for the company to have machines in stock, and reviews of the first shipping products to be published before splashing any cash.
