Framework Has a Better, More Take-Apartable Laptop

framework, company which designs laptops to provide optimal repairability, has announced a new version of its flagship product, a 13-inch-screen laptop. It’s called the Framework Laptop 13 Pro, and it has better battery life, a touchscreen and a haptic touchpad, and is equipped with Intel processors.

At an event in San Francisco today, Framework CEO Nirav Patel showed off the company’s new technology, and started with a joke about building Framework AI — something the company isn’t doing. After all, the goal of the framework is to give users control over the physical technology they use.

“That industry is fighting for you to have nothing, and they have everything,” Patel said of the AI ​​industry. “We are fighting for a future where you can own everything and be free.”

The company used the event to detail other updates coming to its 16-inch laptops. It also showed a preview of an official developer kit and a wireless keyboard for controlling your rig from the couch.

framework 13 pro

Framework Laptop 13 Pro.
Courtesy of Framework

As the name suggests, 13 Pro is a step up from the company’s last version, Framework 13. It’s also expensive, starting at $1,199 for the DIY version that requires assembling the computer yourself. Prebuilt units start at $1,499 but can be upgraded with more features. Framework says it will start shipping the 13 Pro in June.

The key step to having a framework for your products is the ability to differentiate things. The 13 Pro is designed with that ethos in mind, so its parts can be easily replaced, upgraded, or replaced. The four Thunderbolt 4 interfaces let you choose which ports you want (USB-C, HDMI, etc.) and then choose where to put them. Framework says it planned the laptop with cross-generation compatibility in mind, so current Framework 13 laptop owners will be able to use the new 13 Pro parts, like the mainboard, display, and battery, and put them into their existing machine.

The major changes to the structure of the 13 Pro come from the Framework’s switch from AMD processors to Intel’s Core Ultra Series 3 processors, which Framework describes as “absolutely highly efficient” in its press release. That efficiency, along with the larger battery, translates to more than 20 hours of battery life while streaming 4K Netflix videos, at least that’s the claim. This is approximately 12 hours longer than Framework 13.