Framework announced the Framework 13 Pro including full Linux support right from the beginning.
Some quick information about the Device:
- will use Intel Core Ultra 300 (Panther-Lake)
- updated Battery Design with (up to) 20h Battery life
- custom designed Display Panel with Touch support (keeping the 3:2 aspect ratio)
- LPCAMM2 for upgradable/replacable RAM without compromising on Speed/Low Power of LPDDR5X
- milled Aluminium Unibody chassis
- Full Linux support right from the start (including Firmware update via LVFS, Fingerprint Reader, etc.)
- Haptic Touchpad
- and all the repairability features Framework is known for
You can watch their YouTube Video for a quick summary:
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnOpIQJnYWU
- Invidious: https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?__goaway_challenge=js-refresh&__goaway_id=5a21ef489cbc0e9e48ccded2c92f2b68&__goaway_referer=https%3A%2F%2Finv.nadeko.net%2F&v=GnOpIQJnYWU
I was looking for a new laptop to replace my old Lenovo Yoga 370 and initially disregarded the Framework 13 because of some downsides (low Battery Life, bad Camera, etc.) and was looking to go with one of the following devices:
- HP Elitebook X g1a
- the new Dell XPS 14
- Asus Expertbook PM5 G2
or also a MacBook pro. I am using Linux since more then 10 years and never touched MacOS at all. So I was not sure if MacOS would work for me. But this announcement made it easy: It will be a Framework 13 Pro with Intel X7 358H!
yes, they were consequential months and i disappointed myself just now because i had thought that i lucked out buying my laptop right before the AI RAM crunch hit; but i did an apples to apples comparison on laptops between framework 16 ai 7 350 based model and whatever laptop i could find with the same specs on amazon just now and found that the price delta is still roughly double.
i can understand paying extra for a laptop since i’ve been doing that since 2014 with buying linux first laptops and i felt it was worth it because i was getting something out of the price delta with battery/power management that rivaled windows and support that rivaled macs; so i can also understand how anyone could feel like the framework price delta is worth it also if repairability or quality mattered to them.
however the framework delta is so much larger than most of the linux first deltas so repairability and quality has to matter A LOT more than i’m understanding and that’s i why made my comment about the price keeping me away from framework.