Several months ago, we published an article about the history of modular devices - laptops, smartphones, watches. It was an article with a touch of sadness, because not a single promising device has become a reality, with the exception of a couple of not very modular devices.
But it looks like it was too early to be sad. Now there is news that a fully modular laptop will appear on sale in the summer, which can be upgraded as you please. Looking ahead, it should be said that the processor or graphics chip cannot be replaced, since they are soldered on the board. But this is not the company's fault: modern chips are entirely BGA and are intended for desoldering on the board. There is hardly anything you can do with this, except to develop your own processor and video card. But everything else can be changed without problems.
What exactly can be replaced? Yes, almost everything:
- Ports and connectors.
- Screen.
- Battery.
- Wireless chip.
- Motherboard.
- RAM.
- Keyboard.
- Screen hinges.
This list may look a little strange, because only 5-10 years ago the items from the list were changing anyway. For example, the Sony Vaio laptop from this article can also be called modular, because even the processor can be replaced / improved in it.
But most modern laptops have a lot of irreplaceable parts. For some models, you can change the RAM, somewhere you can replace the keyboard or battery, some models allow you to replace the screen without any problems. But now there are very few systems where you can replace everything at all. And that's not talking about modular ports.
In addition, for most modern gadgets, replacing elements is a complex process, often inaccessible to an ordinary user who does not have a set of special tools. Well, here, as far as you can understand, everything changes in a couple of minutes.
As for modular ports, you can replace / add the following:
- USB-C;
- USB-A;
- HDMI;
- DisplayPort;
- microSD;
- Ethernet (now the module is being finalized by the company).
Each module is connected to the motherboard using a USB-C connector, so the modules can be called adapters.
Laptop Framework Features:
- Processor: Intel Core 11th Generation "Tiger Lake"
- RAM: up to 64 GB.
- Disk: up to 4TB PCIe NVMe Gen 4
- Battery: 55 Wh
- Screen: 13.5 inches with a resolution of 2256 x 1504
A fingerprint sensor is also built into the power button.
The Framework project was founded by Nirav Patel, ex-Oculus employee. He has long wanted a custom laptop that can be used for many years, not 1-3 years, and with a minimum of body movements to upgrade.
The cost of the device has not yet been announced, so it remains to be seen. It is unlikely that it will be low, but I would like to believe that the laptop will not turn out to be so expensive that it is easier to buy 2-3 ordinary ones instead of upgrading one gadget.
