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Framework laptop is certainly cool if you like to change out ports and want to repair your own laptop, but you are currently giving up quite a bit if you choose

by ds 4y ago

Framework laptop is certainly cool if you like to change out ports and want to repair your own laptop, but you are currently giving up quite a bit if you choose to get one: * No AMD offerings, at all. The AMD 5900 processors have been available since EOY 2019 and dominate this 11 series processor on performance/battery life * No dedicated GPU options, period. * Even if you stay with intel, the processors are basically 2 revisions behind now. * Form factor is quite a bit more bulky than its competitors, even considering the fact parts are removable. * No guarantee of companies longevity for future bios updates / repair parts * Price is quite a bit more expensive for what you get, compared to its competitors. For instance, This dell will be more powerful, slimmer and cost less ( https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/xps-13-plus-laptop/spd/xps-13-9320-laptop https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/xps-13-plus-lap...) I love the reparability of the framework, but I just cant get around the drawbacks if you choose to go with them. Its not even a issue of money. You cant pay more to match features of other 'non repairable' laptops. You just have to accept a inferior product compared to other options.

javajosh 4y ago
This. I own a Frame.Work laptop, and unless you're repairing it, it's underwhelming. It's not bad but in retrospect I should have spent the money on a new macbook pro with the good keyboard and nice ports. Because, I mean, how often does a laptop break? My last macbook has gone almost 10 years now with only a screen replacement.
- y7 4y ago
  It's also a question of where you want your money to go. Do you want to support Apple, or would you rather support a relatively small independent company that promotes repairability?
  - javajosh 4y ago
    I want my cake and eat it too, of course! I'd like framework to be better than Apple!
dethos 4y ago
I think I'm ok with the tradeoff.
gepoch 4y ago
Framework owner, here. I think this is all totally fair. You are getting less laptop for the same price. I will put a couple of nits here: > * No dedicated GPU options, period. It supports thunderbolt, so you can have an eGPU! That said, while eGPUs are pretty cool, they're expensive an inefficient. > * Form factor is quite a bit more bulky than its competitors, even considering the fact parts are removable. I would revise "quite a bit" down to "slightly." The Dell XPS is 15.28 mm thick. The Framework is 15.85mm thick. That's 0.57mm. It is on-par with the slimmer ultrabooks out there. I'm totally happy with the form factor.
jorams 4y ago
> * Form factor is quite a bit more bulky than its competitors, even considering the fact parts are removable. The Dell you link is half a mm thinner. Half a mm hardly seems "quite a bit more bulky". > * Price is quite a bit more expensive for what you get, compared to its competitors. The price difference also doesn't seem all that large? It's hard to compare due to the differences, but seems to be up to maybe 10%.
oxplot 4y ago
Almost every point is ignoring THE main goal of framework, which is to reduce cost and waste over the LONG TERM. > No AMD offerings, at all. Not yet. At $400 or less, you'll be able to upgrade in the future. > No dedicated GPU options, period. Not yet. Nothing in the mainboard design precludes a future board with dedicated GPU. > Even if you stay with intel, the processors are basically 2 revisions behind now. For now. > Form factor is quite a bit more bulky than its competitors, even considering the fact parts are removable. Fair. > No guarantee of companies longevity for future bios updates / repair parts Margin and demand is what predicts longevity. Framework has both at the moment and it can only get better going forward. I haven't heard any slow downs to date. If anything, they are planning to expand to ever more markets as soon as they, and they managed to bring down their wait times in the peak of supply chain shortages while demand was on the rise. That is as good a sign as you can see. > Price is quite a bit more expensive for what you get, compared to its competitors. For instance, This dell will be more powerful, slimmer and cost less Again, long term cost is what matters. The economies of that remains to be seen.

by ds 4y ago

javajosh 4y ago

This. I own a Frame.Work laptop, and unless you're repairing it, it's underwhelming. It's not bad but in retrospect I should have spent the money on a new macbook pro with the good keyboard and nice ports. Because, I mean, how often does a laptop break? My last macbook has gone almost 10 years now with only a screen replacement.

y7 4y ago
It's also a question of where you want your money to go. Do you want to support Apple, or would you rather support a relatively small independent company that promotes repairability?
- javajosh 4y ago
  I want my cake and eat it too, of course! I'd like framework to be better than Apple!

dethos 4y ago

I think I'm ok with the tradeoff.

gepoch 4y ago

Framework owner, here. I think this is all totally fair. You are getting less laptop for the same price. I will put a couple of nits here: > * No dedicated GPU options, period. It supports thunderbolt, so you can have an eGPU! That said, while eGPUs are pretty cool, they're expensive an inefficient. > * Form factor is quite a bit more bulky than its competitors, even considering the fact parts are removable. I would revise "quite a bit" down to "slightly." The Dell XPS is 15.28 mm thick. The Framework is 15.85mm thick. That's 0.57mm. It is on-par with the slimmer ultrabooks out there. I'm totally happy with the form factor.

jorams 4y ago

> * Form factor is quite a bit more bulky than its competitors, even considering the fact parts are removable. The Dell you link is half a mm thinner. Half a mm hardly seems "quite a bit more bulky". > * Price is quite a bit more expensive for what you get, compared to its competitors. The price difference also doesn't seem all that large? It's hard to compare due to the differences, but seems to be up to maybe 10%.

oxplot 4y ago

Almost every point is ignoring THE main goal of framework, which is to reduce cost and waste over the LONG TERM. > No AMD offerings, at all. Not yet. At $400 or less, you'll be able to upgrade in the future. > No dedicated GPU options, period. Not yet. Nothing in the mainboard design precludes a future board with dedicated GPU. > Even if you stay with intel, the processors are basically 2 revisions behind now. For now. > Form factor is quite a bit more bulky than its competitors, even considering the fact parts are removable. Fair. > No guarantee of companies longevity for future bios updates / repair parts Margin and demand is what predicts longevity. Framework has both at the moment and it can only get better going forward. I haven't heard any slow downs to date. If anything, they are planning to expand to ever more markets as soon as they, and they managed to bring down their wait times in the peak of supply chain shortages while demand was on the rise. That is as good a sign as you can see. > Price is quite a bit more expensive for what you get, compared to its competitors. For instance, This dell will be more powerful, slimmer and cost less Again, long term cost is what matters. The economies of that remains to be seen.