Framework Laptop DIY Edition
The future of laptops? la Framework brings br flexibility, repairability and a upgradable performance to t consumers
SCORE
PRICE As reviewed, £1,698 £ (£2,038 inc VAT) from frame.work frame.wo
W hen tech startup Framew Framework debuted its Laptop DIY Edition, it promised tinkerers and enthusiasts something unique: a modular laptop. And it has delivered. The simply styled DIY Edition is fun and easy to assemble – so easy that, with the help of my son, we were ready to load Windows within minutes.
Initially, it was only available in North America, but in mid-December Framework announced that it was shipping to the UK with immediate effect. Simply click on the US flag at the top-right of the website and select the UK as your location. Now all you need to do is check out which of its many options are right for you, place your £100 deposit to secure your build, and wait for the next batch of laptops to be released. Expect this wait to last around two months.
Cost of manufacture
I put together the £1,999 Professional system, which comes with an Intel Core i7-1185G7 processor, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and a 13.5in, 2,256 x 1,504 display. It also has a Wi-Fi 6 card and ships with Windows 10 Pro. During the order process, I selected my port modules: two USB-C, one USB-A, HDMI, a DisplayPort and a microSD slot, for a total of £2,028.
You don’t have to pay that much. You can choose the Base model for £999, which ships with a Core i5-1135G7, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, Wi-Fi 6 and Windows 10 Home. From there, you pick and choose the port modules as you wish. Or, with prices starting at £749 for the chassis (with screen), you can hand-pick the processor, RAM, SSD, Wi-Fi and OS, or choose to use your own.
This brings me to the best part of the Framework laptop experience, which is getting to work on a DIY project. When you open the box, you’ll find a box containing the chassis, with a separate box underneath containing the RAM, SSD, port modules and Wi-Fi 6 card.
Our first step was to remove the five screws on the bottom of the chassis. The rest of the assembly was simply a matter of working out where each component went, slotting or screwing it in, and then popping the keyboard back into place. We turned it over, checked everything looked OK, and plugged it in. Not a spark was seen, so we popped in the supplied USB-C stick with Windows 10 on it and turned it on. In total, the assembly took less than ten minutes. It’s very much like playing with a Lego set.
Elegant by design
The Framework’s chassis is composed of aluminium, 50% of which is recycled, whereas the plastics in the bezel, keys and hinge cover are made of 80% recycled plastic. I like the clean, simple styling of the Framework laptop, with its chromed-out gear logo on the back of the lid. The silver-coloured all-metal deck is spacious for a small laptop, even for someone with large hands. may even remind ou of the Dell XPS or the 13in acBook Pro. Opening the top, you find display housed narrow, black tic bezel with a 0 aspect ratio. backlit chicletkeyboard is and clicky, he generously rtioned touchpad d just below it. mework takes seriously: the with a fingerprint the power button d data secure. ures include the tter and mute button to keep unwanted eyes and ears at bay. Lastly, you can specify a Wi-Fi 6 card that supports Intel vPro technology, which adds a higher level of encryption to keep you protected while using Wi-Fi networks at home, in the office or at a coffee shop.
Ports of choice
The Framework Laptop DIY comes with several port modules, providing a great deal of flexibility. On the right, I went with one USB-C port and an HDMI port. On the left, I chose a USB-A port and a second USB-C port, with the built-in 3.5 combo audio port on that side as well.
The modules smoothly slip into their housings with a firm click. To change them, you just press the release button and pull them out. It takes a moment to get used to the mechanism, and some effort is required because the pieces are held firmly in place.
The other cool thing is that, if a new port is created, Framework will make a module for it that you can order later on, which future-proofs your system. You always have four port options, p s, but one USB-C port is needed to charge the unit.
Explosive screen
Framework doesn’t sn’t offer a choice of screen, but fortunately unately its 13.5in display is a cracker: ker: bright, colourful and d crisp. The h colour olour saturation on the unit is accurate, ate, richly reproducing skin n tones.
I checked out the James Bond
No Time to Die trailer, railer, and Daniel Craig’s stunning g blue eyes were so mesmerising it made me want to pull out my old blue-tinted
“Assembly was a matter of working out where each component went, slotting it in, and then popping the keyboard back into place”
contacts and speak in my awful
British accent to try to woo my girlfriend. The orange, black and grey exploding boat scene looked lusciously colourful.
It passed our technical tests with flying colours too, covering 78% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut – right up there with the XPS 13 (81%) and 13in MacBook Pro (78%). It’s also bright, peaking at 443cd/m2 which is higher than either of those rivals.
I was similarly impressed – and surprised – by the dual 2W speakers. Located under the front of the keyboard, these pumped out clear, loud audio that filled my office space, and most importantly, they had thump. The bass was clear and clean, and no matter how high I raised the volume, there was no distortion. It can even handle pumping basslines and Lyle Divinsky’s smooth R&B vocals.
Nor was I expecting much from the compact chiclet-style keyboard. I feared the keys would be mushed together, but instead they’re well spaced, allowing for a steady typing flow with a comfortable 1.5mm of travel. The 115 x 77mm touchpad is a good size and handles all the Windows 10 gestures fluidly.
Framework’s team has made another excellent choice with the built-in webcam. It’s 1080p, with the ability to capture video at 60 frames f per second, and has a wide 80° viewing angle. It captured clear, bright images and videos in my simply lit office space.
Bags of speed
With a Core i7-1185G7 CPU and 32GB of RAM, it should be no surprise that my “Performance” machine handled daily operations with aplomb. I opened up 30 Google Chrome tabs, including one streaming Loki on Disney+ and another running a breakdance contest from Japan on YouTube, and it handled them all without any issues.
I then put it through a Handbrake video-transcoding test. The Framework took 13mins 21secs to convert 4K video to 1080p, beating a Core i7 Dell XPS 13 (15mins 40secs) but falling behind the 13in MacBook Pro (7mins 44secs). Highly respectable.
If the worst happens and you decide you need more speed, the Framework’s mainboards are swappable, so you can actually switch it and out upgrade your CPU. There’s no option for discrete graphics, but Intel’s familiar Iris Xe offering is in place.
One area where this laptop proved less than spectacular was in our light-use battery test, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150cd/m 2 of brightness. Here, the Framework lasted 7hrs 46mins, which is way shorter than the 16hrs 32mins of the MacBook Pro and 12hrs 39mins of the XPS 13.
I also put the laptop through a heat test, which involves playing a 1080p video at full screen for 15 minutes. The underside measured a fraction over 35°C, which is right on what we consider the comfort threshold. I only heard the fans come on once or twice during normal tasks such as document editing and internet browsing, though.
Bottom ttom line
With h right to repair becoming a major rallying cry the world over, the Framework Laptop DIY Edition could be considered an excellent solution. If I can assemble it in ten minutes, then I’m confident that you can too. With its gorgeous display, excellent xcellent speakers and awesome esome 1080p webcam, the Framework ework has a lot going for it. Another perk is the ability to choose a Linux OS over Windows, which allows consumers to build a very personal system and have the best possible experience for their needs. However, similar to most laptops, it can be expensive to kit out your Framework. To keep costs manageable, be sure to research and think about your needs before you start ordering every high-end module. Still, I have to praise the Framework for having a mainboard that’s upgradable, allowing you to swap it out and put a more powerful CPU into the laptop as a means of future-proofing. The result is a fun and capable machine that could one day change how all laptops are built.
SPECIFICATIONS
4-core 3GHz (4.8GHz burst) Intel Core i7-1185G7 processor 32GB DDR4-3200 RAM
Intel Iris Xe graphics 13.5in 60Hz IPS non-touch panel, 2,256 x 1,504 resolution 500GB M.2 PCI-E 3 SSD 1080p webcam Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth 5.2 HDMI 2 x USB-C 3.2 USB-A 3.1 3.5mm jack 55Wh battery Windows 10 Pro 296 x 231 x 15.2mm (WDH) 1.3kg 2yr limited warranty
“With its gorgeous display, excellent speakers and awesome 1080p webcam, the Framework has a lot going for it”