Framework launched last year with the promise of creating laptops you could upgrade yourself with little more than a screwdriver and a little patience. Now, 12 months after its debut, the company is shipping its first round of upgrade kits to keep these machines up to date. It’s a good start as the team delivers on their promises to make a modular, repairable machine and bring existing users along with all future system tweaks. After almost flipping a first-gen motherboard to replace it, I can say we’re approaching a whole new era for computing.
To show how easy it is to upgrade, Framework shipped its 2021 model, which is powered by an 11th-generation Intel Core chip. In the package, but in a separate box, was a brand new 12th generation Intel Core chip (Alder Lake) attached to a motherboard. The idea, simply put, is that you can remove the motherboard that holds the CPU and I/O while keeping almost everything else. The existing RAM, SSD, WiFi card, battery, audio equipment, screen, etc. can all be reused until they fail or otherwise need an upgrade.
Upgrading or replacing any component in the Framework chassis requires you to use a Torx T5 screwdriver (included in the box). Naturally, replacing the motherboard is the most complicated upgrade you can do, as it requires you to disassemble everything else to access it. Fortunately, Framework creates iFixit-style guides for you to follow, and each component is color-coded or labeled. And there are QR codes on each unit that link to instructional videos and support pages to help you get where you need to go.
The company announced earlier this year that it will offer three new motherboard options for different budgets. $499 gets you a 12th gen i5-1240P, while $699 gets you an i7-1260P. If you’re eager to live on the latest all the time and have the cash to spare, you can go for the Core i7-1280P for $1049. That’s steep, but the argument is that buying an entirely new laptop will cost you more. However, I don’t expect users to go crazy for these annual upgrades, but more likely to look for a new motherboard every two or three years to keep them updated.
As for the upgrade process, I have, not necessarily complaints, but a few things worth noting. If you are coming to this as a beginner, it will take you much longer than the 15 minutes promised in the instruction manual. You’ll get faster with practice, but I think these guides should be a little more amateur friendly. Likewise, I’m not a big fan of ZIF connectors, which require you to carefully slide a ribbon cable no bigger than your fingernail into the required fixture. Especially since they’re small and I’d be worried that one mistimed sneeze would cost you $699 of your own money.
Daniel Cooper
At the same time, Framework is launching two other products that show its commitment to listening to its users and making sure OG buyers aren’t left behind. The first is that the company is releasing its first new expansion card, which is a 2.5-gigabit Ethernet adapter. It’s, in a word, pretty cool, ditching the standard all-metal body for a clear plastic shell that makes it look like one of those special edition Game Boys from the 90s. The cyberpunk aesthetic also helps disguise the fact that to accommodate the Ethernet port itself, it’s considerably larger than other expansion cards – it sticks out the side of your laptop, but in a cool way.
This came in pretty handy during my install as a missing WiFi driver (thanks Microsoft) meant I couldn’t connect to the internet after my initial upgrade. (This has since been resolved, but one of the pitfalls of testing hardware long before it reaches the public). Being able to plug in an ethernet port and connect it to my network to solve the problem was a godsend. Not to mention, like all replacement expansion cards the company offers, it’s another step toward turning the laptop into more of a Swiss army knife.
And then there’s the top cover. Now, I didn’t have many complaints about the amount of flexibility in the machine when it launched last year. But Framework engineers weren’t satisfied and redesigned the display housing to be CNC milled from a solid block of aluminum. It adds a bit of extra strength to the frame and comes as standard on all new Framework laptops sold in the future, as well as a motherboard replacement kit. But then again, instead of leaving existing customers who don’t want a new processor, you can also buy a standalone top cover for $89, and if the company can keep that commitment to always attract existing buyers, then it’s going to gain a dedicated and loving fanbase.
Finally, with the upgrade complete, there’s the small matter of what users will do with the now discarded motherboard. Framework offers users open-source plans to build desktop-style enclosures for the boards to encourage reuse, and hobbyists are already using them as the basis of their own super cool modding projects. GitHub user Penk, for example, created this retro motherboard terminal that looks like it fell off the back of a copy of Fallout. If I didn’t have to ship all of this back and I had some skill at building things, I’m pretty sure I’d be trying to build something super cool myself.
And perhaps that’s the other gift the Framework can keep on giving—the idea that users should feel empowered to get their hands dirty after being told their machines have been banned for so long.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Add Comment