Framework Is Rethinking Laptops and Mini-PCs With Customization and Power – Hands-on Impressions

We often spot tech companies effort to deliberation extracurricular the container to innovate, and to varying degrees of occurrence – sometimes steps successful that absorption extremity up being variations connected the aforesaid thing. So, erstwhile thing genuinely does rethink the tech we’re utilized to, it’s a fascinating imaginable adjacent if it doesn’t needfully revolutionize things. The comparatively caller PC shaper Framework had done this successful 2021 with its debut successful the Framework Laptop 13 and a follow-up successful 2023 with the Framework Laptop 16, some of which are modular and customizable high-performance laptops. The institution precocious revealed that it’s expanding its catalog with a 2nd procreation of the Laptop 13, arsenic good arsenic 2 caller products: the compact tablet-inspired Laptop 12, and the Framework Desktop, which shares a akin plan doctrine for a mini-PC that packs a superior punch.

I was capable to get my hands connected each of Framework’s caller PCs astatine a caller uncover event, and adjacent benchmarked the mini PC and played Cyberpunk 2077 and Counter-Strike 2 to get a consciousness for its capabilities. I’d beryllium lying if I said I wasn’t impressed – not lone bash the AMD Ryzen AI chips that powerfulness these machines enactment up large framework rates astatine tenable graphics settings similar a true gaming PC, they enactment chill and quiet, too. However, similar galore of these enthusiast-level boutique products, you’ll beryllium paying a premium for them, particularly the deeper you get into customizing your last build. Still, this is simply a unsocial instrumentality connected melding the PC-builder’s mentality with sleek portable systems, whether you request a workstation oregon competent gaming instrumentality – oregon some successful the aforesaid package.

The New Framework Laptop 13 and Laptop 12

The Framework doctrine is 1 of modularity and upgradability, and the archetypal Framework Laptop 13 and Laptop 16 were large examples of the brand’s favoritism from emblematic laptops – these person mainboards with almighty APUs, but with configurable RAM, storage, and operating systems (either Linux oregon Windows). Smaller touches similar keyboard positioning, having a fig pad, and which ports marque up the six enlargement slots are things you conscionable don’t spot successful different laptops. Most importantly, if/when the clip comes, you tin swap retired the mainboard arsenic a mode to upgrade your internals without having to get an wholly caller system. In different words, it’s a laptop that’s intended to beryllium modular successful the aforesaid mode a custom-built PC is. All of this is done with proprietary parts that either drawback into spot oregon are held unneurotic by tiny screws – each you request to swap oregon alteration retired parts is the tiny screwdriver the laptop comes with.

All of that applies to the upcoming second-gen Framework 13. This time, you tin take betwixt the Ryzen AI 5 340, Ryzen AI 7 350, Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 starting astatine $899, $1,299, and $1,669, respectively, for the DIY kit. Prices spell up based connected what you take to adhd onto it oregon upgrade, different you’ll person to proviso your ain memory, SSD, and operating system. Packing a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 successful a compact 13-inch laptop (even arsenic the high-tier option) is beauteous chaotic arsenic it is simply a almighty CPU and has GPU show that’s thing to scoff at; we’ve reviewed beefier laptops that usage the aforesaid chip, and adjacent those results were impressive. But again, it’s not cheap. Still, getting hands-on with the aboriginal physique astatine the Framework showcase proved that this is simply a premium laptop that has the performance, cooling, and tiny footprint that fewer laptops offer. As of now, the adjacent Framework Laptop 13 batch is disposable for preorder with estimated shipping model of May 2025.

The Framework 12 serves a spot of a antithetic intent portion inactive being arsenic configurable arsenic its larger counterparts. It’s much compact of course, but has a capacitive touchscreen and the keyboard tin fold each the mode backmost to person it relation similar a tablet (and you get a stylus on with it). It’s besides built with durability successful caput arsenic it’s expected to beryllium a low-cost solution for those who request a susceptible enactment oregon schoolhouse laptop. I was capable to messiness astir with it and that proved this happening is not fragile – the rubberized casing helps support the laptop arsenic well. They’re not up for preorder yet, but volition statesman rolling retired sometime successful mid-2025.

The Mini-PC That Could: The Framework Desktop

Although the main entreaty of Framework is the modular laptop design, it extends akin principles to its mini-PC. Think of it arsenic a mediate crushed betwixt an existent mini-ITX PC you could build, but with the motherboard, CPU, GPU, memory, and cooling solution relegated to a azygous mainboard. It’s a spot unusual to deliberation that Framework’s desktop debut is somewhat little modular than its laptops, but the superior extremity present seems to beryllium offering the astir powerfulness imaginable successful the smallest signifier possible.

Framework decided to marque a compromise erstwhile it came to representation – the desktop’s LPDDR5x RAM is soldered onto the committee and it cannot beryllium swapped retired oregon upgraded erstwhile you take which representation configuration you privation erstwhile customizing your physique for purchase. Framework says this allows for a afloat 256Gb/s representation bandwidth, which results successful amended performance. It besides saves abstraction by not having to wedge emblematic RAM sticks into the board. It’s not that large of a woody to me, though it would propulsion maine to futureproof the instrumentality by choosing a higher representation capableness upon purchase.

The axenic performance, however, makes this an awesome small machine. That’s mostly acknowledgment to the AMD Ryzen AI Max spot (16 CPU cores astatine 5.1GHz boost clock, discrete-level Radeon 8060S graphics) moving astatine its afloat imaginable fed by a 400W powerfulness supply. Yes, Ryzen AI Max is designed for laptops, but with much robust cooling solutions designed by Cooler Master and Noctua specifically for Framework’s desktop, it’s afforded the headroom to tally with overmuch little compromise (120W sustained and 140W boosted) since thermals are not arsenic overmuch of a bottleneck.

Having played Cyberpunk 2077 connected the Framework Desktop, it’s comparable to a modern console experience. I played astir 30 minutes utilizing 1440p solution and the High settings preset with FSR acceptable to Quality (and nary ray tracing), and was capable to enactment good supra 60 fps with a fewer dips to astir 50 fps successful heated action. I besides ran the in-game benchmark and got 82 mean fps with those aforesaid settings; and that’s without framework generation. Going up to 4K brought the strategy to its knees, though (even with FSR acceptable to Quality) – the benchmark got a 14.52 fps average, and there’s apt immoderate benignant of threshold that prevents the hardware from decently handling high-fidelity 4K gaming altogether. Regardless, those kinds of results astatine 1440p with High settings successful 1 of the much demanding PC games, portion staying chill and quiet, is outstanding.

I was besides capable to physically get my hands connected the Framework Desktop arsenic well, breaking it down and putting it backmost unneurotic to get a consciousness for however intuitive and casual it is to configure. The lawsuit itself is comprised of 5 magnetic panels: front, back, top, and some sides. And the basal holds the framework unneurotic for which the mainboard is screwed onto. On the mainboard, you’ll find 2 m.2 slots for SSDs (one connected each broadside of the mainboard). And determination are a fig of tiny touches similar an optional carrying grip you tin screw into the apical of the sheet and colorful small quadrate tiles you tin drawback onto the beforehand sheet to personalize its look.

Like the laptops, determination are respective options to take from earlier making your purchase, and astir each portion (outside of what’s built onto the mainboard) tin beryllium swapped retired and bought separately from Framework. The 3 basal configurations of the Framework Desktop are built with the Ryzen AI Max 385 with 32GB RAM, Ryzen AI Max 395+ with 64GB RAM, and Ryzen AI Max 395+ with 128GB of RAM – these commencement astatine $1,099, $1,599, and $1,999 respectively. You volition request to either take 1 of Frameworks disposable options for SSD storage, operating system, CPU fan, and larboard enlargement cards oregon supply your own.

Is a Framework Laptop oregon Desktop Worth It?

I truly similar that Framework is rethinking however laptops and mini-PCs tin inactive fulfill the DIY tone of PCs portion making it arsenic casual arsenic imaginable with a astute modular design. And PC hardware has gotten to the constituent wherever you tin get a ton of powerfulness successful specified a tiny bundle – conscionable look astatine my aforementioned Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark results. But thing has to springiness successful this equation, and it’s pricing. Framework’s worldly isn’t cheap, which goes against the DIY ethos a spot – 1 of the biggest reasons wherefore we gravitate towards custom-built gaming PCs is to prevention money. However, I’ve yet to spot a shaper bash things rather similar Framework, and I accidental that demands a premium.