So I bought a Framework laptop

LockeCJ · October 4, 2024, 5:36am

…which means I now feel obligated to write about Framework laptops.

First, some backstory/context: Most of my laptops over the years have tended to be in the 15-17" range. I’ve never owned anything that would reasonably be considered a gaming laptop, but they’ve been reasonably powerful desktop replacements for their time. I mostly stuck to brands and models that I could at least customize, and some even had upgrade-able components like RAM and storage. My last laptop of this style (a Toshiba) actually had 20GiB of RAM because I ordered from the factory with 4GiB intending to replace it only to find out that the motherboard had two SODIMM slots on opposite sides of the board. They had installed the 4GiB module on the side that was facing the underside of the keyboard, making it extremely difficult to replace, so I just ended up adding a 16GiB module. I guess I’m trying to illustrate that Laptops aren’t generally built with serviceability in mind. As far as I know, those kind of Laptops are much harder to find, with larger models being relegated to gaming focused lines and most mainstream models being in the 13-14" range with less configurability and even worse upgrade-ability.

When my Toshiba was getting a bit long in the tooth, and near the beginning of the Pandemic, I decided to try something different. I happened upon a good deal for a Microsoft Surface 7 Pro, and though I’d give it a chance. I had always liked the idea of the tablet PC and the Surface line seemed neat. I also assumed that buying hardware from the maker of the OS would result in an overall improved experience. I made several mistakes with this purchase, most of which weren’t correctable. The first was not buying an official type cover. I opted for a third-party option that connected over Bluetooth instead of the pogo pins on the main unit. This meant that it could be used separated from the tablet. In practice I never used the feature, and instead ended up with a keyboard (and touchpad) that would randomly disconnect. It had a color-selectable backlight, which was nice, but I just changed it to green and left it that way, so that’s more of a neutral. It also had probably the worst space bar I’ve ever used. It lacked anything resembling an effective stabilizer, so I had to get used to pressing it just so. That was easily fixed by just buying the overpriced official type cover, but that was really the least of my problems. My second and third mistakes were in my choices for RAM and storage. By taking advantage of a deal, I compromised and ended up with only 8GiB of memory and 128GiB of storage. While it was by no means unusable, it was absolutely not a good fit for the way that I use a computer. My browser usage was constantly struggling to fit in those memory constraints, making so I felt like I was constantly juggling applications to try and free up enough to be able to do what I wanted. Similarly, I kept encountering slowdowns as The OS and applications pushed near the limits of the storage. I installed an SD card, which helped alleviate some of the issues, but that was just another thing to juggle. Newer models of the Surface do have user-replaceable storage, so they are making progress on this front. On the matter of using a device designed and built by the OS maker, it’s been a pretty mixed bag. It has a Windows Hello capable camera, but it has a success rate of probably 30% or less, and even when it works it’s usually slower than just typing in a PIN. That’s when the camera is even working, which isn’t often. It frequently gets stuck after resuming from sleep and is completely unusable until I reboot. Other than that, I guess the hardware is fine. Probably my biggest mistake, however, is that I bought a Surface in the first place. I like the idea of the device, but I haven’t really liked using it over the past few years. The core problem for me, I think, is that I want to be able to use it as a laptop most of the time, and there’s no configuration that is sufficiently laptop-like that succeeds on any measure that matters. The closest it has is where the tablet has the type cover attached, and is propped up by a kickstand. It works reasonably well on a table or desk, but utterly fails on an actual lap. Since most of the mass is in the tablet itself, and the type cover is a fraction of that, almost all of the weight is at the back of the assembly. Also, because the kickstand has to be deployed, that extends the overall footprint past where the boundary of my lap ends. That creates a situation where trying to use it as a laptop becomes a precarious balancing act. It has fallen off of my lap or the couch more times than I can count. It’s never suffered any apparent damage, so that’s a point in its favor I suppose. In contrast, the number of times I used this multi-function device in any other configuration (like a tablet, for example) may as well be zero. I still think it’s a neat concept, but my usage pattern does not suggest I should ever get another one.

Well, that really turned into a rant about my Surface, didn’t it? I guess I should actually get to the point, but this seems like a pretty good place to take a break…

LockeCJ · October 4, 2024, 7:43am

…when leads me to the Framework Laptop. The one thing that I really actually liked about my Surface was the size and weight of the whole thing. Even with a case, it was still small and light enough to easily pick up and take just about anywhere. My earlier laptops were all so bulky that I sometimes would just leave it behind rather than lug it around.

With that in mind, the Framework 13 seemed like it might be a good solution. I’m not sure exactly when I first heard about Framework the company and their first product, but it was early enough that they hadn’t really proved out the concept yet. To explain for the uninitiated, Framework makes laptops that are explicitly designed to be configurable, repairable, and upgrade-able, while still being competitive in terms of design and size/weight. The Framework 13 is a (surprise) 13" laptop with a wide variety of interchangeable components, ranging from the storage and memory to the main board and even the screen. When they initially released the 13, there were multiple options for several of the components, like a main board with an i5 or an i7, so you could conceivably upgrade to a faster processor. That proved that it could work within a single processor generation, but what would happen when a new generation was released, and would Framework even last that long? The answers to both of those questions were that upgrades to new generations were totally possible, and even to entirely different manufacturers, as they now offer AMD main boards as well as Intel, and you can switch between them in the same chassis. They’ve gone through this cycle enough times now successfully that I think they’ve proven this is a working solution, and they’ve made other improvements along the way that are available to anyone who has ever bought their product. For example, they started shipping an improved hinge on newer models, but also sold the same hinge to their existing customers if they wanted that improvement. Here’s where I would make some sort of comparison to the ship of Theseus, but it’s probably enough that I mention it.

With that all in mind, I did decide to take the plunge and ordered one last month. It arrived this week because I actually ended up buying their newest configuration, so there was a bit of a pre-order lead time. I had looked into some of their lower-specced and older configurations, but every time I started customizing it a bit, I ended up getting close enough to the newer configs that I just took it to it’s logical conclusion. I didn’t buy their absolute top-of-the-line configuration, but I did end up spending more on this than any laptop I’d ever purchased before, although not by a huge margin (10-15%, I’d say.) I justified this in part because the next time I’m looking to upgrade, I shouldn’t need to buy everything again, so it should save me money in the long term.

That’s probably enough of the why, let’s get to the how of it all. What’s it like to actually purchase and assemble a Framework 13 laptop? (with pictures).

Keep in mind that I ordered the DIY version. It’s slightly cheaper, but it requires more assembly. I also opted to buy some components separately to save over ordering them directly from Framework. This is definitely another one of their advantages, but I understand that it’s not for everyone.

Let’s go through the unboxing and assembly, shall we?

This is pretty much what it looks like when you first open the box. Everything is neatly organized into cardboard boxes, and there’s almost no plastic packaging. In this picture you can see the boxes for the bezel, the power adapter (totally optional, you can use any USB-C supply with enough power), and the vertical boxes in the lower right are the expansion cards, which is one of the more unique and clever features of the Framework concept.

In the next layer is the the Input Cover Kit (as clearly labeled). This is just the keyboard and touchpad, but because of the modular nature you have choices. I opted for the International English version. Not because I wanted to be able to easily type the euro symbol, but because I wanted a non-windows keyboard. (More on that later) This substitutes a super key instead of a windows key, and an alt gr key instead of a menu key. I would have preferred a symbol on the super key instead of the literal word, and I would have preferred full-size up/down arrow keys. If they ever make one, I can upgrade to it. The power button in the upper right also doubles as a fingerprint reader. I’m not thrilled that the power button is inside the clamshell, since it makes using this closed and attached to a dock more difficult, but I accept that it’s a design choice.

Next up is the chassis/laptop. It ships in an almost butcher-paper like envelope, with some helpful QR codes printed on it.

Here’s a closer look at the expansion card boxes. Each one provides I/O to the sides of the laptop. I chose two USB-C, one USB-A, and one HDMI. Only four of them can be used at one time, but you can absolutely buy more and swap them out in almost any configuration you want. There are some caveats for certain types, but overall it’s pretty flexible.

The box on the left contains the only tool you’ll need. It’s a screwdriver with a dual torx and phillips bit on one end, and a plastic separator tip on the other end. It would also contain the SSD, RAM, and additional expansion modules, but in my case it was just the tool.

This is a slightly more detailed look at the envelope that the chassis comes in. It also has the main specs for my specific device printed on it. I chose the Intel Core Ultra Series 1 main board with an Ultra 5 125H processor, and the 2.8k screen. I’ve placed a black box over the QR code on the envelope in case it has any data unique to this laptop, like a serial number.

Here’s the underside of the chassis/laptop. You can see the exposed hinge up top, and the slots for the expansion cards. It’s notable that there are only five (torx) screws on the bottom in order to open the main compartment, and that they are all captive so there’s nothing to lose.

Here’s the top side of the chassis/laptop. It’s pretty understated, and more or less standard in a post-macbook world. I like that the logo is embossed, but that’s not exactly unusual either.

Here’s the chassis/laptop opened up. As you can see, the input cover hasn’t been installed yet, and neither has the bezel. This makes every component easily accessible. Everything is neatly labeled and has a QR code that leads directly to a guide about that specific part. Less clear in this photo is that there’s one of the only plastic packing materials, a tray that sits on top of the lower chamber and protects it and the screen from making contact.

Here’s a better look at the contents of the lower chamber. The main board takes up most of the upper portion, with locations for the memory modules and the storage. In the middle right, you can see the Wifi/Bluetooth module, which is removable and upgradeable. The lower portion is mostly dominated by the battery, which, like everything else, is replaceable and upgradeable.

Here’s a closer look at the bezel-less screen. As you can see, it’s matte and sufficiently (I hope) obscures my identity. Bonus points for anyone who can identify the shirt.

Here’s a close-up of the credits insert. It’s a nice personal touch to acknowledge the people who worked on this, and gives you an idea of just how small this company is. Also visible in this photos is the pull tabs on internal cables to make disconnecting them easier.

Here’s the contents of the box from earlier. Again, this would have had more in it if I had purchased storage and memory from them, or more expansion modules.

This is the little welcome packet that was in an earlier picture, opened up. It contains stickers and QR codes to various information and guides.

It wasn’t as clear in the other photo, but I liked this “This isn’t our laptop, it’s yours.” It’s a pretty good statement of intention, and contrary to how much electronics is sold these days.

Here’s what the power adapter looks like. It’s a good length, both in the receptacle-to-brick portion, as well as the brick-to-laptop portion. The USB-C end is a right-angle plug, making it easy to connect to the laptop.

The bezel comes in a similar paper envelope. I opted for green, but there are a variety of colors available for a small premium over the standard matching grey.

The Input Cover kit also comes in a paper envelope. It’s backlit, which isn’t evident in the picture but is indicated by the glyph on the space bar. You can also see the super and alt gr keys.

Here’s a shot of all four of the expansion cards. They’re pretty much compact USB-C adapters, and slide into the cavities on the sides of the chassis, which you can see two in the upper-right of the shot. You can also see the headphone jack.

Here’s the storage and memory that I purchased separately. The savings were significant enough that I was able to double the capacity that I would have otherwise purchased directly for a fairly minor premium.

This is what it looks like to install the memory modules. You lift the plastic flap, align the module, and snap it in.

This is after the storage is installed. This is the only non-captive screw that you have to deal with, and it’s tiny. Modern SSDs are so much easier to deal with.

This is the underside of the Input Cover. The curvy ribbon cable approximately in the middle is the only part that has to connect to the main board. The rest is held in place with magnets until the screws on the bottom are fastened.

This is what it looks like with the Input Cover attached. It’s almost finished.

And this is what it looks like with the bezel installed. This includes physical switches to disable both the camera and microphone, independently.

This is the underside again, ready to be fastened together and have the expansion cards installed. You may also notice that the bezel wraps around and covers the previously exposed hinge. You actually open the screen to a full 180 degrees (completely flat) in order to install the bezel.

This is what it looks like with all four expansion cards installed. Those aren’t gaps, but indentations that are used to more easily remove them, along with the button in the middle to release the latch.

Here it is booting for the first time.

Here it is with a mostly default install of Ubuntu 24.04.

Speaking of Ubuntu, here’s the obligatory fastfetch screenshot:

I’d like to cover a little more on Linux in the next installment. In the meantime, feel free to ask me anything about all of this.

ChickieD · October 4, 2024, 4:49pm

Wow, this is so cool. It reminds me of those, I think it was Google, phones that were combined of different upgradeable parts. I love this.

LockeCJ · October 4, 2024, 5:11pm

That was project ARA:

It was Google, and unfortunately it was shelved indefinitely.

There is actually a phone manufacturer that is making sustainability and repair-ability a priority:

They also have headphones and earbuds. I like the work that they’re doing, but I think there are a few too many compromises with their current offerings, and apparently their better hardware isn’t available in the US at this point.

RAvery · October 4, 2024, 5:49pm

I had not heard of this company. Interesting. Let us know how it goes over time.

ChickieD · October 7, 2024, 5:15pm

I wish that there was more legislation around sustainability and repairability. It’s terrible how much waste there is, and it’s so unncessary.

MarjaE · October 7, 2024, 7:54pm

They only seem to offer 2 screen options for the 13-inch, and they only list the maximum brightness for each, not the minimum.

LockeCJ · October 7, 2024, 10:04pm

I don’t have any way to measure the brightness of the screen at any level, let alone its dimmest, so I’m afraid I can’t help there. I tested turning it all the way down with the keyboard controls, and it’s still quite usable, but I suspect that’s not the reason you’re asking. I thought about taking a picture, but my phone would probably correct it anyway, so that’s unlikely to be helpful either.

Since Framework is sourcing their own parts rather than just re-badging OEM laptops, they’re much more likely to be able to give you an answer to that question. I’d recommend reaching out to them, or checking out their community and trying there.

LockeCJ · October 7, 2024, 10:11pm

There’s some progress being made, at least with regards to repairability. iFixit has a good overview and links to other resources:

Also, to tie it all back, the Framework 13 gets a 10/10 repairability rating from iFixit. That was one of the resources I consulted in my decision.

politeruin · November 2, 2024, 12:52am

Enjoyed reading your experiences of using this. I have been aware of them since they started and it’s good to see it’s a viable business, shows that people want repairable tech, but i just wish i could bloody afford one and i’d be all over it. Cory often talks about his experiences of the one he owns and seems very enamoured with it - Pluralistic: 13 Nov 2022 The Framework is the most exciting laptop I’ve ever broken – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow

FGD135 · November 8, 2024, 1:41pm

Oh, there is a numpad for the model 16!

FGD135 · November 18, 2024, 5:08pm

Framework laptops get modular makeover with RISC-V main board

LockeCJ · November 25, 2024, 9:09pm

I have a draft that’s been sitting unfinished for several weeks now, about how actually Linux is mostly great now, but I wanted to share a quick anecdote that disproves my thesis.

I got a notification the other day that there was a firmware update for my laptop. I went ahead and installed it, but chose not to reboot at the time. Later, I got a notification about software updates, and I was wrapping up for the day, so I went ahead and installed them and rebooted. Everything seemed to go smoothly, and then on reboot I saw the boot log up until gdm, and then it just stopped. No error, just stopped. I could switch to other virtual terminals, but no GUI. Thinking something had gone wrong with the update, I rebooted again. This time, I couldn’t get the display to come up at all, even after a hard reboot. I probably spent at least an hour trying to troubleshoot this, and then finally gave up for the night. The next day, after a few more reboots and some patience, I was able to get back to the boot log stopped at the same place. Searching around online, I stumbled upon a slightly related StackExchange question, and there it was. Someone mentioned that they had exactly the same problem, and it was all caused by them installing the FUSE package, which forced uninstall of gnome-session, breaking GNOME in the process, but only after a reboot. That’s when it clicked. I had installed FUSE in the last week or so, although I can’t remember why any more. I must’ve missed or ignored the list of packages it said would be removed when I did so. I switched back to a virtual terminal, uninstalled FUSE, reinstalled gnome-session, and rebooted back into a working GUI. An easy fix, for sure, but the effect of the mistake was so delayed as to make it entirely counterintuitive.

To recap: Linux is great, except for the exact moments when it is absolutely not. This is not at all dissimilar from Windows. Also, don’t install FUSE. You probably already have FUSE3 installed anyway.

Tall_Simon · November 25, 2024, 9:42pm

I keep going back and forth between dropping the not inconsiderable on a Framework, or going with something like a Pine64 Pinebook Pro for 1/10 the price and just using it SSH’d to my servers. I do love everything about the Framework.

Linux (or occasionally OpenBSD) have been the only O/S’s I’ve used on machines I’ve owned since ~1998. That’s probably also why ThinkPads have been my go-to laptops for a while; fewer surprises. But the last couple have been harder to fix.

The upside of the Pinebook is that if I cross the wrong border with it, I can biff it. The downside of the Pinebook is it comes from , so I don’t trust it to start with (I’m in the business of not trusting things) and don’t have the time to vet it.

If anyone knows a “something like a Pinebook Pro” from somewhere other than mainland autocratistan, I’d love to hear about it.

womanhood_deferred · November 25, 2024, 9:53pm

That was my experience when I used Linux daily. Most of the times I had no problems, then an update broke the LUKS login and I had to boot off of a flash drive to recover the files I wanted and re-install the OS from the stable branch.

politeruin · November 25, 2024, 9:54pm

Yeah, i’ve read many examples of some update somewhere breaking things like the microphone or bluetooth and having to delve into seemingly endless forum threads of arcane Linux knowledge from 2008 to find that one command line to fix the damn thing. Once upon a time you could rely on Windows updates not to brick anything but those days are long gone after they got rid of their QA testers and barely a month goes by without another update borking something.

Cory talks about this, those were his Go To machines for Linux for years but they have become increasingly locked down and difficult to do anything non-spec. So i really, genuinely hope the Framework is long term and others take up the baton.

Bonivus_elderheart · November 27, 2024, 4:29pm

Can confirm: the current work-issued Thinkpad T16 has clips holding it together, and you will need a spudger to get into the thing before breaking out the tiny screwdriver kit. Same with the T460 I acquired from work from the asset recovery pile.

By way of comparison, the ancient T410 that I have for a drive testing laptop is exceptionally easy to open up and work on.