I wonder if you guys have paid attention to the modular laptop.
In 2021, a startup team in San Francisco launched the brand Framework and released their first product Framework Laptop 13. — This is a modular laptop where the motherboard, keyboard, touchpad, screen, ports, memory, and hard drive can be freely replaced, and the DIY capability is comparable to that of a desktop PC…
Moreover, one of Framework’s investors is someone we are all very familiar with — Linus ( @LinusTechTips ). With the endorsement of this YouTube hardware influencer with millions of fans, Framework 13 gained some popularity in the hardware community.
At that time, I was already paying attention to this product, thinking it really fits the DIY spirit of the hardware community — those laptops that don’t even allow for memory or hard drive upgrades are just junk, yes, I’m talking about you… Apple…
For this anti-Apple product, filled with DIY spirit, I have high expectations.
Just a few days ago, Linus released a video experience of the new Framework product, and I went to check it out, and I was blown away…
This time, the Framework 16 upgraded the screen to 16 inches, and with the increased size, the possibilities have expanded.
For example, it has made the keyboard area quite interesting…
The left and right sides of the keyboard can be replaced with different modules, besides a dot matrix screen, they can also be changed to wood grain or carbon fiber decorations.
If it were only about aesthetics, that wouldn’t be remarkable, but it’s incredible that it also achieves practicality…
After removing the keyboard side modules, you can shift the keyboard body to the left or right to add a small keyboard, and this small keyboard can be placed on either side — this is super friendly for those who often need a numeric keypad!
If you don’t need a numeric keypad, you can replace the small keyboard module with a screen module to display CPU and memory usage.
It’s somewhat similar to those mechanical keyboards with built-in screens, but compared to them, this screen is larger and more practical…
Just when I was thinking, “ Since the keyboard can be swapped, can the touchpad be swapped too? ”, Linus’s next move shocked me again.
That’s right, the touchpad can also be repositioned according to your usage habits — this is simply the light of laptops, it even considers everyone’s touchpad usage habits…
Another small detail is that when Linus was disassembling and assembling the keyboard and touchpad modules, the laptop did not power off, which means these modules support hot-swapping, which is a great feature.
One regret I had with the Framework 13 was that it didn’t offer a discrete graphics module; it was fine for typing, but when it came to gaming or heavy tasks like video editing or 3D modeling, it was basically useless…
This time, the biggest feature of the Framework 16 is that it has a removable dedicated graphics module — now, the GPU performance of the Framework 16 has improved.
Being able to replace the graphics card was something only desktops could do in the past; who would have thought that laptops can do this now…
What surprised me even more is that this dedicated graphics module can not only be used for graphics cards but can also serve as a docking station, for example, it can house solid-state drives, AI accelerators, or easily removable batteries — but these are just ideas Linus has mentioned, and no samples are available yet…
But I’m quite willing to embrace this idea because Framework is really fulfilling its commitment to users; they promised to provide a 12th generation Core upgrade package, and they did it.
I’m also very interested in the easily removable battery module mentioned by Linus.
You might have forgotten one thing — previously, laptop batteries were basically removable, but later, laptop manufacturers abandoned this design in pursuit of a unified design and high integration…
This time, the Framework 16 not only brings this design back but also adds hot-swappable functionality, which is quite impressive.
For example, when we are using it at home, we can plug in the dedicated graphics module for gaming or heavy tasks; when going out, we can replace the dedicated graphics module with the battery module to ensure battery life.
Then Framework also plans to launch a portable external battery module, so when you run out of power while out, you can simply swap the battery instead of frantically searching for a socket.
I have to say, this kind of gameplay really puts it several versions ahead of other manufacturers, and the Framework 16 can do even more.
Its interface module has been upgraded to 6, and you can completely choose the interfaces based on your preferences and needs — if you want, you can even turn all 6 interfaces into 3.5mm jacks…
Additionally, besides providing an upgrade motherboard for Intel’s 13th generation Core, Framework has also launched a motherboard for AMD Ryzen 7000 series, which is excellent news for AMD fans.
Although Intel is strong on the desktop side now, AMD is still competitive on the mobile side, especially with its good energy efficiency.
More importantly, the upgraded Intel and AMD motherboards can be swapped into the previous Framework 13, which is much more conscientious than those manufacturers who shout about environmental protection but don’t provide hardware upgrades and promote planned obsolescence…
And speaking of environmental protection, I believe Framework’s environmental philosophy is true environmentalism.
Not only can old machines receive hardware upgrades, but retired hardware can also be reused.
Framework has partnered with Cooler Master to create a motherboard case, allowing retired motherboards to be installed inside and used as a desktop computer.
As for old graphics cards, Linus mentioned that Framework plans to develop a dock for old graphics card modules, and samples are already available, so old graphics cards can continue to be used after being removed.
Of course, if you really don’t want to reuse old hardware, you can choose to sell it on the second-hand market, and the Framework official trading market will eventually open up to individuals, allowing everyone to trade old hardware modules freely.
No matter which way, the long-lost DIY spirit, product philosophy, and industrial design of the Framework 16 all align with my imagination of a modular laptop.
In recent years, due to rising graphics card prices and other factors, there has been a narrative in the hardware community that PC DIY is dead.
But no one expected that the spirit of PC DIY not only hasn’t died but has also appeared in a new form in a modular laptop.
Tony feels that this product has great prospects; as long as it sells well and the costs can come down, it might revolutionize the entire PC market.
Perhaps in the future, we will transition from assembling PC parts to assembling modules for laptops?
@LinusTechTips, Framework, zFrontier, arstechnica.com
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