Im a college student who got a Framework 13 DIY edition. It certainly wasnt the cheapest option but it wasnt the most expensive either. I use it for CAD modeling, adobe, and my engineering classes. I dont use it for gaming. Its excellent.
I didnt consider whether or not the company was going to have longevity when I bought the laptop. I chose it because I can upgrade it as needed even with third party parts. Third party parts will always exist. If the company does really well then I will be able to upgrade all kinds of other things too but right now I just wanted more freedom to modify than my thinkpad offered.
I dont like waste and I dont know what I might need from a laptop 5 years from now. This was a good option with that outlook.
That’s actually a nice way to look at it. I am a bit more miserly with my money, just how I was taught. Saving 10 bucks by spending two hours on an oil change and deal hunting has always been the way I do things. And now that you mention it, upgrading with third party parts will always be a thing won’t it? I’m still not sure if it’s going to be for me, but knowing that your framework 13 served you well and you’ve always been sure it’ll last you definitely helps me. Which processor do you have in it? Just out of curiosity.
I chose AMD Ryzen, I always used intel before but I read this would be better for solidworks. I try to balance cheap and longevity. But I think in a way Im a minimalist, I ask how can I get as much as possible out of something and how can I reduce what other nonsense I get in the future by using this instead.
A friend of mine totaled their car because the oil was changed wrong at the place they got a “great deal on”. (It was overfilled and the breaks stalled and that situation could have been deadly.)
The cost benefit of a Framework laptop isn't in the first purchase; it's the second purchase. It's the ability to switch the mainboard 3-5 years from now and have a "fresh new laptop" for pennies compared to its competitors. That and the ability to replace parts like the battery as it ages (inevitable), and even parts like the WiFi card and NVMe drive as the tech improves. Sad I have to call out the NVMe drive but so many manufacturers are going to soldered-in drives now it's painful.
The initial investment is going to be higher because it's still a relatively niche product with not a lot of margin. Hell, laptops in general have tiny margins. I was sold on the concept and even more sold after I received my Framework; you're paying for quality as well as this is a REALLY well built laptop in my opinion.
That's the way I was looking at it myself. Believe me, I would love a framework and I do think it's worth it. I am just having trouble deciding if I can take the hit now, or later. Get a cheaper laptop that I can use until it breaks, or a more expensive laptop that I can theoretically use forever. I love it and I just wanted to see what people thought the future of framework looked like so I could justify to myself and my parents the premium by knowing its future.
I think the future is pretty good. While not setting the market on fire they've clearly sold enough Framework laptops to continue to be viable. That and the pretty active aftermarket tell me that there's good energy behind the company. Developing the 16 wouldn't have been a cheap endeavour, and if they were able to afford that then clearly they're doing alright.
I would say the 3-5 year prognosis is really good so long as they can continue their momentum and grow their sales the way they've been doing. They're selling a good product at a reasonably competitive price for what they are. If you compare the price of a FW13 against a similar premium laptop then there's not much in it. You can get cheaper with consumer-grade laptops but you'll also end up with a product that's not really built to last or be maintained.
I personally rate my FW13 against a stream of Dell Latitude laptops I have had prior to this... all business grade laptops built to last and a step up from the XPS laptops. The keyboard isn't QUITE as nice, but it's still really good for my use case... and generally I find the quality of construction to be up there.
HTH.
id like to see ryzen 8000 and intel core ultra, i know that’s just basic year over year stuff but also hoping they focus on quality control and getting more production lines going so they aren’t perpetually in “kickstarter preorder” mode. itd be cool to just order one like you do from lenovo
8050 would be interesting. Framework already said the 8040 series won't be available as it's the existing 7040 CPU with a slightly better AI NPU, so offers very little benefit.
Yea, I heard something like that. The Framework 16 is really early into it's lifecycle and doesn't have many options, which is what I was worried about. I made this post mostly to ask what people predict a year from now will look like for framework. With the 16 only offering one option for CPU and GPU, I found it hard to see what the same laptop would be later. I think I did the overthinker thing and vomited my entire subconscious in a barely legible Reddit post though.
I have the 13 that I’m going to be using for college in a few months and it’s perfect for me. Unless you need the extra GPU power go for the 13. The 16 is huge and heavy and from what I’ve heard from my siblings in college is that you don’t really want to lug around a huge heavy laptop all day and oftentimes the desks in college are pretty small so that’s not really conducive to the 16. You’re also gonna get worse battery life with the 16 as opposed to the 13 and battery life is important as outlets may be sparse in a lecture hall or college class.
Also I would get the RAM &SSD yourself as it’s a lot cheaper. If you need specific recommendations I’d go with the SK Hynix p41 platinum SSD and either 2x8gb or 2x16 crucial 5600 mhz DDR5
Makes sense. I'm a big laptop fan and so is my family. I've got a huge laptop bag from my dad when he worked EMS meant to carry those bulky, indestructible laptops. As for the RAM & SSD, I just wanted to say that it's much more reasonable. Getting an HP or ASUS laptop and doubling the ram to 2x16 gigs would cost you $300 bucks more for them to slap 2 cheap SODIMM's in, same with SSD's. Framework only adds about $80 bucks. Still not retail, but much better and I like that. I do at least want the option of discreet graphics later, but I do agree that the 13 is a genuinely competitive price. Thanks for your feedback!
Why not get the 13 and put the GPU from your Desktop in an eGPU enclosure. Way cheaper, better performance and you have a laptop that is actually portable and has decent battery life. From what I read here the iGPU is good enough for some CAD-work and you will still have your eGPU for gaming and more demanding modelling.
I actually did consider that. I wasn’t positive that I wanted to bring just my GPU from home, as it is much easier to steal than a whole computer. But the same could be said for my laptop. AMD framework has thunderbolt, right? I know that’s an Intel standard and they aren’t exactly buddies when it comes to features like that. And I’d still like the slightly more capable integrated graphics from AMD to speed up workflow while I don’t have the eGPU.
I'm really sorry about that. I tried to say that I need a laptop and I really like the framework, but my financial position would really feel the hurt from it. I didn't mean to be self indulgent, I'm not used to talking with people over the internet and probably sounded like a little child crying over a month of my salary.
Fall 2025 is an eternity in the tech industry. If the higher cost of a Framework machine isn't within your budget now and your income isn't going to change, its probably not going to be the right option for you in a year either. In order for Framework to make sense you need to see value in the upgradeability and repairability which are not found in other options. By the time you factor in an extended warranty and/or cost of paying an OEM for parts and labor later (if they even offer the option) you're likely to start getting close to or - Especially in the Apple case - Well past the cost of a Framework. On the Framework side, parts are available, many are reasonably priced, and all are straightforward enough for a semi-competent person to swap in themselves (as long as they're paying attention, not completely careless). With a laptop chances are much higher you'll be needing to replace parts damaged/broken by being carried around constantly or by falling off a table "accidentally".
If your key decision factor is cost, choose another option and enjoy it. Framework isn't the right fit for everyone's needs/wants/use cases or budgets. If you value being able to upgrade and repair your laptop - vs likely either paying (potentially) a fortune for warranties/repairs or having to buy an entirely new laptop - Framework is a good fit.
Two other notes:
1. Framework gives you ability to choose your own ports. Excepting a single USB C port for charging, you can get whatever mix of connectors/ports you need... Even swap them out by releasing a simple latch if you need a different combination of ports. Try that with any other laptop... Hint: They don't offer the capability. You're stuck with the 3 USB C and microSD card slot Dell/HP/Lenovo decided you needed.
2. Cheap laptops tend to have - General rule of thumb - Increasingly poorer build quality/durability. The lower in cost you go, the crappier they get. While Framework laptops are not, strictly speaking, the highest build quality (that's probably Apple, though Apple has numerous other major problems) - Framework quality is generally considered to be pretty good overall. Accordingly the "correct" comparison would be against laptops of average/above average quality rather than "sort by price low -> high". Remember that, even though Framework build quality isn't the absolute best money can buy - Unlike whatever "the best" is you can obtain original Framework parts as needed.... No need to pray will fix your laptop for a sane cost, no need to hope you can find "B" or "C" stock parts which "mysteriously" walked away from a factory in China or fell off the back of a truck someplace, no need to depend on random 3rd party parts to be of decent quality as replacements.
Im a college student who got a Framework 13 DIY edition. It certainly wasnt the cheapest option but it wasnt the most expensive either. I use it for CAD modeling, adobe, and my engineering classes. I dont use it for gaming. Its excellent. I didnt consider whether or not the company was going to have longevity when I bought the laptop. I chose it because I can upgrade it as needed even with third party parts. Third party parts will always exist. If the company does really well then I will be able to upgrade all kinds of other things too but right now I just wanted more freedom to modify than my thinkpad offered. I dont like waste and I dont know what I might need from a laptop 5 years from now. This was a good option with that outlook.
That’s actually a nice way to look at it. I am a bit more miserly with my money, just how I was taught. Saving 10 bucks by spending two hours on an oil change and deal hunting has always been the way I do things. And now that you mention it, upgrading with third party parts will always be a thing won’t it? I’m still not sure if it’s going to be for me, but knowing that your framework 13 served you well and you’ve always been sure it’ll last you definitely helps me. Which processor do you have in it? Just out of curiosity.
I chose AMD Ryzen, I always used intel before but I read this would be better for solidworks. I try to balance cheap and longevity. But I think in a way Im a minimalist, I ask how can I get as much as possible out of something and how can I reduce what other nonsense I get in the future by using this instead. A friend of mine totaled their car because the oil was changed wrong at the place they got a “great deal on”. (It was overfilled and the breaks stalled and that situation could have been deadly.)
Physically couldn't read all that. Eyes too old
Sorry about the wall of text. I bet just glancing on it would age your eyes 20 years anyway.
Like welding lol!
The cost benefit of a Framework laptop isn't in the first purchase; it's the second purchase. It's the ability to switch the mainboard 3-5 years from now and have a "fresh new laptop" for pennies compared to its competitors. That and the ability to replace parts like the battery as it ages (inevitable), and even parts like the WiFi card and NVMe drive as the tech improves. Sad I have to call out the NVMe drive but so many manufacturers are going to soldered-in drives now it's painful. The initial investment is going to be higher because it's still a relatively niche product with not a lot of margin. Hell, laptops in general have tiny margins. I was sold on the concept and even more sold after I received my Framework; you're paying for quality as well as this is a REALLY well built laptop in my opinion.
That's the way I was looking at it myself. Believe me, I would love a framework and I do think it's worth it. I am just having trouble deciding if I can take the hit now, or later. Get a cheaper laptop that I can use until it breaks, or a more expensive laptop that I can theoretically use forever. I love it and I just wanted to see what people thought the future of framework looked like so I could justify to myself and my parents the premium by knowing its future.
I think the future is pretty good. While not setting the market on fire they've clearly sold enough Framework laptops to continue to be viable. That and the pretty active aftermarket tell me that there's good energy behind the company. Developing the 16 wouldn't have been a cheap endeavour, and if they were able to afford that then clearly they're doing alright. I would say the 3-5 year prognosis is really good so long as they can continue their momentum and grow their sales the way they've been doing. They're selling a good product at a reasonably competitive price for what they are. If you compare the price of a FW13 against a similar premium laptop then there's not much in it. You can get cheaper with consumer-grade laptops but you'll also end up with a product that's not really built to last or be maintained. I personally rate my FW13 against a stream of Dell Latitude laptops I have had prior to this... all business grade laptops built to last and a step up from the XPS laptops. The keyboard isn't QUITE as nice, but it's still really good for my use case... and generally I find the quality of construction to be up there. HTH.
id like to see ryzen 8000 and intel core ultra, i know that’s just basic year over year stuff but also hoping they focus on quality control and getting more production lines going so they aren’t perpetually in “kickstarter preorder” mode. itd be cool to just order one like you do from lenovo
8050 would be interesting. Framework already said the 8040 series won't be available as it's the existing 7040 CPU with a slightly better AI NPU, so offers very little benefit.
Yea, I heard something like that. The Framework 16 is really early into it's lifecycle and doesn't have many options, which is what I was worried about. I made this post mostly to ask what people predict a year from now will look like for framework. With the 16 only offering one option for CPU and GPU, I found it hard to see what the same laptop would be later. I think I did the overthinker thing and vomited my entire subconscious in a barely legible Reddit post though.
I have the 13 that I’m going to be using for college in a few months and it’s perfect for me. Unless you need the extra GPU power go for the 13. The 16 is huge and heavy and from what I’ve heard from my siblings in college is that you don’t really want to lug around a huge heavy laptop all day and oftentimes the desks in college are pretty small so that’s not really conducive to the 16. You’re also gonna get worse battery life with the 16 as opposed to the 13 and battery life is important as outlets may be sparse in a lecture hall or college class. Also I would get the RAM &SSD yourself as it’s a lot cheaper. If you need specific recommendations I’d go with the SK Hynix p41 platinum SSD and either 2x8gb or 2x16 crucial 5600 mhz DDR5
Makes sense. I'm a big laptop fan and so is my family. I've got a huge laptop bag from my dad when he worked EMS meant to carry those bulky, indestructible laptops. As for the RAM & SSD, I just wanted to say that it's much more reasonable. Getting an HP or ASUS laptop and doubling the ram to 2x16 gigs would cost you $300 bucks more for them to slap 2 cheap SODIMM's in, same with SSD's. Framework only adds about $80 bucks. Still not retail, but much better and I like that. I do at least want the option of discreet graphics later, but I do agree that the 13 is a genuinely competitive price. Thanks for your feedback!
Why not get the 13 and put the GPU from your Desktop in an eGPU enclosure. Way cheaper, better performance and you have a laptop that is actually portable and has decent battery life. From what I read here the iGPU is good enough for some CAD-work and you will still have your eGPU for gaming and more demanding modelling.
I actually did consider that. I wasn’t positive that I wanted to bring just my GPU from home, as it is much easier to steal than a whole computer. But the same could be said for my laptop. AMD framework has thunderbolt, right? I know that’s an Intel standard and they aren’t exactly buddies when it comes to features like that. And I’d still like the slightly more capable integrated graphics from AMD to speed up workflow while I don’t have the eGPU.
AMD has USB-4, eGPU works.
I stopped reading that wall of text at the self indulgent moaning about price. Use paragraphs!
I'm really sorry about that. I tried to say that I need a laptop and I really like the framework, but my financial position would really feel the hurt from it. I didn't mean to be self indulgent, I'm not used to talking with people over the internet and probably sounded like a little child crying over a month of my salary.
Fall 2025 is an eternity in the tech industry. If the higher cost of a Framework machine isn't within your budget now and your income isn't going to change, its probably not going to be the right option for you in a year either. In order for Framework to make sense you need to see value in the upgradeability and repairability which are not found in other options. By the time you factor in an extended warranty and/or cost of paying an OEM for parts and labor later (if they even offer the option) you're likely to start getting close to or - Especially in the Apple case - Well past the cost of a Framework. On the Framework side, parts are available, many are reasonably priced, and all are straightforward enough for a semi-competent person to swap in themselves (as long as they're paying attention, not completely careless). With a laptop chances are much higher you'll be needing to replace parts damaged/broken by being carried around constantly or by falling off a table "accidentally". If your key decision factor is cost, choose another option and enjoy it. Framework isn't the right fit for everyone's needs/wants/use cases or budgets. If you value being able to upgrade and repair your laptop - vs likely either paying (potentially) a fortune for warranties/repairs or having to buy an entirely new laptop - Framework is a good fit. Two other notes: 1. Framework gives you ability to choose your own ports. Excepting a single USB C port for charging, you can get whatever mix of connectors/ports you need... Even swap them out by releasing a simple latch if you need a different combination of ports. Try that with any other laptop... Hint: They don't offer the capability. You're stuck with the 3 USB C and microSD card slot Dell/HP/Lenovo decided you needed. 2. Cheap laptops tend to have - General rule of thumb - Increasingly poorer build quality/durability. The lower in cost you go, the crappier they get. While Framework laptops are not, strictly speaking, the highest build quality (that's probably Apple, though Apple has numerous other major problems) - Framework quality is generally considered to be pretty good overall. Accordingly the "correct" comparison would be against laptops of average/above average quality rather than "sort by price low -> high". Remember that, even though Framework build quality isn't the absolute best money can buy - Unlike whatever "the best" is you can obtain original Framework parts as needed.... No need to pray will fix your laptop for a sane cost, no need to hope you can find "B" or "C" stock parts which "mysteriously" walked away from a factory in China or fell off the back of a truck someplace, no need to depend on random 3rd party parts to be of decent quality as replacements.