The thinnest Framework laptop is designed to be opened with a single screwdriver. All parts are easily replaceable
Framework Computer Inc. has designed a laptop that is unique in its kind, which was originally designed with an eye to maintainability. The laptop is very thin (15.85 mm), while it is easy to disassemble, replace any part, and some components are generally modular.
Since yesterday, the 13.5-inch Framework is available for pre-order in the US. Next week they will start accepting orders from Canada, and other countries will open by the end of the year. DIY version without filling is on sale from $ 749 (reservation $ 100, free shipping, no more than 1 laptop per person), ready-made configurations from $ 999 .
Maintainability has been a major concern in laptops in recent years. Devices were getting thinner and thinner, and companies were looking to retain control of proprietary systems. Therefore, repairing many laptops has become almost impossible for the average person.
This raises a number of problems. For example, the owner cannot make repairs, install a new processor, more memory, a new SSD, or change the battery - but these are natural needs for an upgrade that is necessary as computer systems evolve. But instead of upgrading, many laptop owners simply have to throw away or sell their laptop and buy a new one.
In today's world, where environmental issues are becoming more and more pressing, forced obsolescence is an important issue.
This is in addition to the fact that the very principle of compulsory obsolescence simply economically exploits users as financial donors in favor of corporations, which is not entirely ethical.
Framework is one of several companies working to address this issue. For example, in the mobile market, an easily repairable Fairphone smartphone is being sold . There are other products as well.
The Framework laptop is now available for pre-order starting at $ 999 for pre-configured configurations and $ 749 for a do-it-yourself carcass.
There are three main configurations: basic, performance, and professional, ranging from $ 999 to $ 1999.
Configurations
- ( $999) — i5-1135G7 ( 8 , 4,20 ) 8 DDR4, 256 NVMe SSD, Wi-Fi 6, Windows 10 Home
- ( $1399) — SSD CPU . i7-1165G7 ( 12 , 4,70 ), 16 DDR4, 512 NVMe SSD, Wi-Fi 6 Windows 10 Home.
- ( $1999) — SSD, i7-1185G7 ( 12 , 4,80 ), 32 DDR4, 1 NVMe SSD, Wi-Fi 6 vPro Windows 10 Pro.
- DIY Edition (from $ 749) - "The only high-performance laptop you can customize and build yourself from a set of modules." You can choose one of the options for memory, SSD, Wi-Fi and an operating system, or install your own, including your favorite Linux distribution, the manufacturer says (this implies that in this configuration the laptop comes without an OS).
Of course, the operating system can be reinstalled on any version of the laptop, not just DIY.
In theory, the DIY variant can accommodate up to 64GB of DDR4-3200 RAM (SO-DIMM), which is not available in the standard variants, as well as SSDs up to 8TB (M.2 2280). The manufacturer has three processors to choose from - the same as in standard configurations:
- i5-1135G7 (8 MB Cache, up to 4.20 GHz)
- i7-1165G7 (12MB Cache, up to 4.70 GHz)
- i7-1185G7 (12 M , 4,80 )
- : 28 , 60 . , 655,5 .
- : 55 . 80% 1000 - ( - ). .
QR-, , Framework Marketplace
- : 15,85 ( Framework, «»), 1,3 , 296,63 x 228,98 .
- : WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
- : 13,5", 2256x1504, 100% sRGB, 32, 400
- GPU: Iris Xe Graphics
- : 1080p 60fps
- : 4
- : 3,5
- :
- : 1
The deliveries of laptops are promised to begin in the summer of 2021. Unfortunately, due to a shortage of components, the number of laptops is limited, so now they are allowed to order only one laptop per person. When the pre-order will open for Europe is generally unknown. Fortunately, there are services that provide a US postal address and forwarding packages to any address in the world, so you can order your laptop to that address.
Founder Nirav Patel said in an interview with VentureBeat that the time has come for a rebuildable vehicle that is built to last. It is time to leave the planned obsolescence and constant discarding of old devices in the past.
“We create repairable, upgradable, customizable equipment,” Patel said. “The goal is to give consumers back the ability to use products for as long as they want. If you look at the history of computer technology, it used to be the default. You bought a computer with the expectation that it is not a "black box", but an item that you can modify and upgrade. And in the personal computer space, it has always been assumed that you have the ability to customize the machine to do what you want it to do. "
Expansion cards are small modules that change the functionality of ports from standard USB to USB-C and so on. In the future, cards will be released for connecting Arduino-compatible microcontrollers, professional headphones, etc.
The Framework founder believes that in the past couple of decades, laptop and other consumer electronics manufacturers have simply continued to move down this path - towards a black box model, locked in such a way that it will actually only be used for a few years before some part of it wears out. , will become outdated or broken. Therefore, buyers are forced to buy more and more new devices. This is a pretty bad experience for consumers and also very bad for the environment as we generate a huge amount of e-waste.
The battery, screen, keyboard and magnetic bezel are easy to replace, and spare parts can be purchased directly from the Framework Online Store.
In addition to regularly releasing new modules and ensuring the availability of parts, the company is launching an ecosystem so that a community of partners can create and sell compatible modules through the Framework marketplace.
Thus, Framework Computer Inc. also creates an ecosystem and plans to make money in it. But this is not a closed ecosystem like Apple, but a fundamentally different, open ecosystem. In the future, any company will be able to produce and sell components for the Framework laptop, and users themselves can order cheap parts on Aliexpress and install them on their own. Moreover, all work requires only one screwdriver - and it comes with a laptop .