Framework's First Gaming Laptop Features Upgradeable GPUs, Swappable Keyboards (arstechnica.com) 20
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Framework has delivered on the promise of its original 13-inch laptop. Three product generations in, the company has made a respectable competitor for the Dell XPS 13 or MacBook Air that can be repaired, modified, and upgraded, and owners of the original laptop can easily give themselves a significant performance boost by upgrading to the new 13th-generation Intel or AMD Ryzen-based boards the company announced today. Framework is now looking to build on that track record with an all-new Framework Laptop 16. It's a larger-screened model that can fit more powerful processors, dedicated GPUs, and a range of different keyboard modules, all with the same commitment to repairability and upgradeability seen in the original Framework Laptop (now retroactively dubbed the Framework Laptop 13).
Framework isn't discussing many details yet; preorders won't open until "this spring," and shipments won't begin until "late 2023." Today, the company provided a preview of the laptop's features, along with developer documentation to encourage the creation of new Input Modules -- components that allow for keyboard customization much like the current Expansion Card system allows for port customization.
Framework isn't discussing many details yet; preorders won't open until "this spring," and shipments won't begin until "late 2023." Today, the company provided a preview of the laptop's features, along with developer documentation to encourage the creation of new Input Modules -- components that allow for keyboard customization much like the current Expansion Card system allows for port customization.
Aren't they all swappable? (Score:2)
Where I live there's always the choice of French, German or Swiss-French keyboards, they switch if for you if there's no a pre-made one ready that you want.
Since there are dozens of different keyboards in the world, it would be stupid not to make them swappable.
Re:Aren't they all swappable? (Score:4, Interesting)
older laptops it was fairly easy for a tech to swap keyboarrds, I dont think the intent was for joe blow just to swap them out for a lark though. I had a pentium and a couple older machines where it was "slide this case plastic out and it was 1 flat flex cable" and one of the last one's ive seen is my old i5 dell at work, which is still kicking around monitoring machines.
It has 2 or 3 tabs (been a while since I took it out, got rained on in a nasty storm blowing a hole in the roof) if you look under the plastic near the screen... where you hook onto it (I used dental picks and marred the plastic a tiny bit) and pull it forward, popped right out and a single flat flex cable. Todays machines they actually use the keyboard as a structural part and its a bitch to get them out
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Most keyboards are swappable these days as well. In fact, most keyboards the only change is the keycaps. Especially with the use of chiclet keyboards where the top case has holes for all the keys, you don't want to have a different top case design that changes with the keyboard layout. So instead they just print different keycaps and stick them on the same circuit board for the keyboard. Then alter a few bits in a configuration ROM so it picks the keyboard layout in the BIOS and you're done.
There are a few
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I owned a Toshiba laptop whose keyboard was literally attached with double-sided tape, and simply removing the keyboard once meant it had to be replaced entirely. As I learned when I had my laptop serviced and they re-used the same keyboard, which was no longer properly secured and made lots of crinkly noises. Other companies like Apple route the keyboard layout into the metal chassis.
Depends on the design (Score:3)
Apple notebooks have the keyboard riveted to the top case, so replacing it or changing the layout requires the entire top case to be replaced. This wasn't always the case - iBook keyboards used to be replaceable with no disassembly required and with just a small blade screwdriver to release the catch.
Dell Latitude keyboards are usually replaceable, but it requires you to remove the battery, SSD and a few other things before you can unplug the cables, before you release the catches from the top and remove t
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To be fair I have an iBook G4 with a dying hard drive, and the procedure to replace it is best described as sadistic.
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Not anymore.
My wife's old laptop developed an issue with the Enter key (a Lenovo, yes that brand with the soldered RAM). After researching how to fix this, we decided to get a new laptop (that was old anyway), install Chrome on the older one, and use it for the kids. (they type much less).
You have to take the entire thing apart before you can reach the keyboard, including all connections that come to the motherboard (screen, battery, wireless antenna, and many more), and hope to put it back together correct
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In this case, you can swap in a keyboard with a numpad, or a keyboard without a numpad. I'm actually a bit surprised that this hasn't been done before, as it's something I could have seen being done in the Thinkpad line back when they were still decent.
Speaking of Thinkpads, an option for a TrackPoint type pointing device on the Framework would be awesome.
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Considering Framework tends to publish all the information (including CAD models) required for anybody to produce parts for their laptops, even if they don't make a keyboard with a mouse nipple, that's not stopping anybody else from doing so.
People who are buying a 16" gaming laptop are probably not the same market as people who want a cheap keyboard for coffee shops. The 13" model is probably better suited for that.
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I'm very disappointed in the evolution of ThinkPad's over the past 10 years, though I must say I'm a big fan of the, err, pointing stick.
I have used it on other brands (e.g. HP) but it doesn't seem very widespread outside of ThinkPad's.
Had to check to make sure: apparently it's been off-patent since 2017 [wikipedia.org]
Nice (Score:2)
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Are you working in a Hollywood studio movie or something? /s
Would like to see dedicated PgUp/PgDn/Home/End (Score:3)
I'll be pre-ordering the AMD model, but if they just had those four keys it would be my perfect laptop rather than merely a very good laptop.
There's not really a lot of unused room on the 13" model but I want those keys anyway.
Pre-build w/basic ports from their website $2314 (Score:2)
Everything is swappable (Score:2)
I don't understand the focus on the keyboard being swappable -- almost everything is swappable in the 13" model. The new AMD Ryzen motherboard? That is an easy upgrade to an existing Intel motherboard.
Everything has a QR code printed on it that will lead you to instructions and a video on replacing that specific part. All one tool that they provide (screwdriver/spudger). All in seconds to minutes depending on the part. These are the most user serviceable laptops ever made.
The only subsystem you can't swap o