Modular, DIY-Friendly Framework Laptop Gets Updated With 12th-Gen Intel CPUs (arstechnica.com) 39
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: An upgradeable laptop is only worthwhile if you can actually upgrade it [...], and Framework is making that possible starting today: The company is introducing a new iteration of the Framework Laptop's motherboard that uses 12th-gen Intel CPUs. A brand-new 12th-gen Framework Laptop starts at $1,049 for a Core i5-equipped base model, or $819 for a build-it-yourself kit with no memory or storage. These products will be available for preorder starting today, and shipping will start in July.
The 12th-generation Core processors use Intel's latest Alder Lake CPU architecture, which combines high-performance P-cores and high-efficiency E-cores to maximize performance under heavy load and reduce power usage when your computer is mostly idle. The base Core i5-1240P CPU includes four P-cores and eight E-cores, a big boost in core count compared to the quad-core 11th-gen CPUs. The Core i7-1260P upgrade has the same CPU core count with boosted clock speeds and a small increase in integrated GPU performance, while the top-end Core i7-1280P option will get you six P-cores and eight E-cores.
The rest of the Framework Laptop's hardware is staying mostly the same, though there are a few additional upgrades to be aware of. One is a 2.5Gbps Ethernet expansion card, the first wired LAN module to be available for the laptop. The card is based on Realtek's RTL8156 chipset and will be available "later this year." The company is also releasing a redesigned version of its top cover made with a new CNC manufacturing process that "substantially improv[es] rigidity." The new top cover will be the default option for all Framework Laptops going forward, though you can buy a new cover for your existing Framework Laptop for $89. You can view pricing and configuration info here.
The 12th-generation Core processors use Intel's latest Alder Lake CPU architecture, which combines high-performance P-cores and high-efficiency E-cores to maximize performance under heavy load and reduce power usage when your computer is mostly idle. The base Core i5-1240P CPU includes four P-cores and eight E-cores, a big boost in core count compared to the quad-core 11th-gen CPUs. The Core i7-1260P upgrade has the same CPU core count with boosted clock speeds and a small increase in integrated GPU performance, while the top-end Core i7-1280P option will get you six P-cores and eight E-cores.
The rest of the Framework Laptop's hardware is staying mostly the same, though there are a few additional upgrades to be aware of. One is a 2.5Gbps Ethernet expansion card, the first wired LAN module to be available for the laptop. The card is based on Realtek's RTL8156 chipset and will be available "later this year." The company is also releasing a redesigned version of its top cover made with a new CNC manufacturing process that "substantially improv[es] rigidity." The new top cover will be the default option for all Framework Laptops going forward, though you can buy a new cover for your existing Framework Laptop for $89. You can view pricing and configuration info here.
Roo bad it is US only (Score:2)
As would want something like this...
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How so?
From what I see they sell two versions - a fully assembled version, and a DIY version for ~$200 less. And considering that the DIY version does not include RAM, SSD, or Windows license, that's actually more expensive (assuming you want Windows) unless you already have compatible components lying around.
The main benefit of the DIY version appears to be the fact that you can customize all the internal modules (RAM, SSD, WiFi card, etc) rather than just picking from one of the few preset configurations
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Re:Roo bad it is US only (Score:5, Informative)
It's available in Europe as well, and shipping supposedly started a few months ago.
https://frame.work/blog/now-av... [frame.work]
Not all kb layouts yet though. And frankly, I'd like a 7-row keyboard like in the older Thinkpads...but anyway, I'm pretty sure that frame.work will be my new laptop after my T25 (last Thinkpad with proper keyboard) eventually dies.
Re:Too bad it is US only (Score:2)
UK, Germany, and France is not all of Europe..
But good that they are expanding, though I still get the not available in your region.
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What about the ThinkPad 25 Anniversary Edition?
Why Intel? (Score:3)
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Bribes? But others say Thunderbolt. As if anyone's gonna game on it. Have they seen the prices of an external GPU enclosure?
Thunderbolt is a big driver for anyone in audio. Additionally, Intel chips are the only certified solution for Universal Audio's Apollo interfaces (even the USB ones).
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Isn't it Thunderbolt that adds support for full-speed video through a USB C port?
If so, that probably is the reason - the laptop has no built-in ports except for a headphone jack. If you want to drive an external monitor (or four - yes, it supports that) you need to install the appropriate HDMI or DisplayPort expansion module(s) to do so. And those modules appear to plug into an inset USB C port - in which case Thunderbolt would simplify things dramatically.
Plus they also have high-capacity SSD expansion
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USB-C connectors can run display port as one of the alternate modes. That's the most common way video over a usb-c connector works. I think there's a usb-c mode for HDMI too that no one ever used.
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It seems you're right - but it's an optional part of the USB-C spec - it does NOT imply that it's possible with any given USB-C controller.
Hmm, digging around it looks like at least the AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX supports DisplayPort alternate mode. https://www.amd.com/en/product... [amd.com]
No mention of HDMI support though, which personally I'd consider extremely important for a laptop, since it lets you turn any TV (like the one already in your living room, hotel room, conference room, etc.) into an external monitor. As
Eh, if you want an upgreadeable laptop... (Score:4, Interesting)
If you want an upgreadeable laptop you don't use an Intel CPU. Intel is notorious for their sockets only surviving a couple of generations at best. There are many laptops in the market still that allow you to upgrade RAM, SSD, have extra m.2 expansion etc, so a "special" upgradeable laptop's main function would be to let you upgrade its CPU. The AMD socket AM4 for example started in 2016 and accepts 5 generations of CPUs (Excavator, Zen, Zen+, Zen 2, Zen 3) - only the upcoming Zen 4 are switching to AM5 which will then most likely hold up until the late 2020s...
Re:Eh, if you want an upgreadeable laptop... (Score:5, Informative)
I don't think it matters as much in this case because the "upgrade" is an entire mainboard with CPU attached. Going from 11 to 12th gen is a whole new mainboard. BGA is pretty standard for mobile CPUs
Re:Eh, if you want an upgreadeable laptop... (Score:4, Informative)
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+1 to this. The era of socketable CPUs in laptops is loooong gone. I think the last Intel laptop CPUs that were socketable were what? 4th or 5th gen? Haswell, was it?
Depends on your OEM. Dell/HP/Apple have been soldered on for quite some time, but Clevo and its resellers (Sager, OriginPC, Falcon Northwest) have CPU sockets. I have a 10th-gen i7 in mine; bought an upgraded CPU off the shelf.
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I upgraded my system by taking my old laptop bag and inserting a new laptop into it.
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It's so easy. Just two steps!
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Too early to tell.. (Score:2)
Currently, it's one laptop design (one screen size, one resolution) that has managed to be form factor compatible across two whole generations.
I like the rhetoric, but it's not unprecedented (some major manufacturers incidentally do this without advertising, because it's cheaper to stay the same across generations of a product for components that do not require a refresh.
I'd want to see a few things happen before I get too excited:
-AMD mainboards
-More display options
-More laptop form factors
-Spanning more g
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>I like the rhetoric, but it's not unprecedented (some major manufacturers incidentally do this without advertising,
True. But how many other manufacturers will happily sell you a guaranteed-compatible replacement next-gen motherboard to let you upgrade your old laptop for less than half the price of a new model?
Not to mention they actually revised the case as well in order to make the screen stiffer - and you can buy that upgraded lid as well, also guaranteed compatible with your old laptop.
For your oth
As always (Score:1)
The idea is good, but only 5 peoples will buy it. Modules are non-standard, proprietary, and single-sourced which means
1. you don't know if they are going to be available in two years
2. they are expensive
except the standard RAM and SSD, but these can be replaced on many regular laptops as well.
They say the motherboard/CPU is upgradable, but I doubt anybody will every upgrade one of these, again, because they will likely sell the compatible parts for too much.
The laptop itself is also expensive. When adding
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The idea is good, but only 5 peoples will buy it. Modules are non-standard, proprietary, and single-sourced which means
The modules are attached with USB-C connectors. Check out LTT's review/video. So nothing proprietary there, really.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
You can get the CAD drawings for 3D printing the module casings for any homebrew projects you like.
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Just the opposite. I just blinked and the July batch is sold out. Next train from August onwards.
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So all 2 samples available for July are already sold out?
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Even better, it appears the expansion card mechanical designs are actually open-sourced so that *any* accessory or laptop manufacturer can make compatible hardware without worrying about license fees, etc. It appears they're trying to (eventually) transform the laptop ecosystem, not just carve their own little niche.
That said, for now they're basically a single-source product, aside from some small-batch custom projects on the forums.
And most of them are glorified pass-through cables at that. But I'm stil
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On the half a dozen laptops I had, I don't think I ever broke a single port.
To me it sounds like these modules just add one more single point of failure (one more connection) taking space, adding costs and lowering reliability. Overall I'd say it's not worth it.
Even better, it appears the expansion card mechanical designs are actually open-sourced so that *any* accessory or laptop manufacturer can make compatible hardware without worrying about license fees, etc. It appears they're trying to (eventually) transform the laptop ecosystem, not just carve their own little niche.
I still bet it will never be adopted by anybody else. And even if someone do think it's a good idea, they'll likely just create a mechanically incompatible alternative.
Just look at the car tire sizes. There are way too many variants, even though 3 (s
Pricing for actual upgrades? (Score:1)
So if you have an older unit, that doesn't have the 12th-gen Intel chip mainboard, how much does it cost to just get a 12th-gen Intel chip new mainboard for your existing unit?
(And doesn't upgrading the mainboard/CPU without upgrading the RAM kind of cripple things just a little?)
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For a whole new laptop that they would charge $819 for, the cost for just the upgrade is $449.
The RAM is the same between these specific generations, so hypothetically, there's nothing to gain for replacing memory (upgrading to the very next processor generation is a bit aggressive, however).
So by their pricing, $370 cheaper to upgrade (again, an insane interval) with no downside associated with using existing components.
Of course, pulling up competition, I can see full laptops with comparable specification
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What exactly would be the benefit? From what I can tell, ComExpress is basically a system-on-board specification - which is to say it's a motherboard. You wouldn't plug it in to the Frameworks motherboard, it would BE the Frameworks motherboard. And a motherboard that was designed for embedded applications rather than slim modular laptops.
CEt6 seems to offer a lot of PCIe lanes for off-board applications, while the Framework instead uses the standard CPU support chipset to offer video, sound, a pair of m.2