I have been looking at them a lot recently and they have a premium price is it worth it?
What does it look like when you want to upgrade? Like can you just swap out all parts over time and essentially it’s like having a custom desktop, but in small form factor.
Can you buy a base model and upgrade components over time?
Would it suit my use cases for it? Which are to run Linux, I have to use Windows as a Software Dev and so can’t do it on my main. Can I run Minecraft on Linux? I know, but I like that game it makes me happy to unwind.
I want to get more into cyber security related tasks and most likely increase my Darknet activities using Tails.
I have one (FW 16 AMD), I don't have any complaints so far. It comes mostly assembled but you put your RAM, SSD, screen bezel, keyboard, touchpad and all the port modules yourself. The machine is well built and genuinely very easy to work with. You can swap the keyboard and touchpad without touching a screw.
For the most part it seems like they're holding up to their promise, you can buy a new motherboard for a CPU upgrade, remove the old one, put the new one in, and you're good to go with the rest of your existing stuff (as long as it's compatible, if the new board needs DDR5 instead of DDR4 then you need new RAM too but that's expected). So far everything I've disassembled as part of the firs assembly has been a breeze. It's a very nice laptop to work on and swap parts that's for sure. You get the assurance that you can swap the battery, input modules, IO modules for the foreseeable future.
Where I've been disappointed is the third-party ecosystem for it is not what I was hoping it would be, there's not a lot of third-party modules for it. But the designs are all open-sourced so you can 3D print parts for it. Maybe in the future we'll have more modules. Overall though, it's not like you could even think about that on any other laptop brands, you get the laptop and it's what it'll be for the rest of its life.
Runs great on Linux, most of the company actually uses Linux so support for Linux is very good. All of the models will run Minecraft very well, Minecraft in particular has been known to run significantly better on Linux to begin with, especially on Intel graphics where the OpenGL drivers on Windows are terrible.
Thanks for the information. I think I’ve made up my mind and it will be my next laptop.
I particularly like the idea of 3D printing a case if I ever upgrade the mobo and using it as a server as the replies mentioned.
I have a framework 13. Bought it with 12th gen intel mainboard, upgraded it to AMD when that came out. Also upgraded the battery, RAM, and soon the screen when the 120hz one ships. It’s super easy to get into, just five screws and then pop the trackpad/keyboard cable off. I honestly love it.
Framework has fantastic support for windows and Linux. There used to be some minor fixes needed on certain models but they’ve since resolved them and my experience on Fedora and Arch have been plug and play. On windows they have a driver install script that installs everything in one go, that’s nice too. And yes Minecraft does run on Linux, at least the Java version does. Idk about bedrock though
Thanks for the reply. It will be my next purchase.
Is it better to go AMD in my use case then?
You’ll have just as good of an experience on either Intel or AMD. Framework is releasing a new generation of intel models in August so if you want the most cutting edge model and can wait those are a good bet. But personally I’m very happy with my current gen AMD model’s performance and efficiency so I’ll be waiting a while before another upgrade. There really aren’t any major downsides for any of the current options though, just personal preference.
The Framework laptops can be easily upgraded and/or repaired by just about anybody who can watch a YouTube video. It is indeed possible to buy a base model and then upgrade it later.
Keep in mind however that you can't just replace the CPU, but you have to replace the whole mainboard. Other components can be swapped at will, like RAM, SSD, Display, camera and microphone module, hinges, ... Then of course there are the modules that you can easily swap without even opening the laptop, and can give you different ports, card readers, storage or custom modules (diy projects for example).
The build quality is quite solid on my FW13, the keyboard is decent and the trackpad is quite good. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one if the need arises...
Thanks for the reply.
My decision has been made after this post. It will be my next laptop.
can I run Minecraft on Linux?
You're a software developer you answer that.
As for everything else, yes it's worth it. Upgrading isn't as easy as a desktop, but it's much easier than other laptops.
Just because you’re a software developer doesn’t mean you know how everything in software is.
I was more asking for the performance on Linux.
Yes, I imagine it more fiddly than upgrading a desktop. I’ve never really been in to buying laptops as they don’t have good upgrade options. I did have an M1 MacBook Pro and that was amazing, but they hold their value so well and I got it almost have price on discount it was a no brainier to sell it after a year for about the same I got it for.
The performance depends on how powerful the laptop is. Get an AMD model.
