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"We’ve partnered with Cooler Master to create an awesome new way to re-use your Framework Laptop Mainboards: a transparent, small form factor case. This will be

"We’ve partnered with Cooler Master to create an awesome new way to re-use your Framework Laptop Mainboards: a transparent, small form factor case. This will be available this Spring for $39 USD." This is the way. More vendors should do that. A huge load of obsolete but perfectly working laptop mainboards could be repurposed to other uses. Need a small system to set up a service on a LAN but don't want to feed scalpers by buying their outrageously overpriced Raspberry PIs? What about reusing the board from that old EeePC many of us already have, etc?

porphyra 4y ago
The $449 Intel 1340p or AMD Ryzen mainboard seems to be attractively priced against other barebones mini PCs and the Mac Mini too!
- nrp 4y ago
  Absolutely. We really hope to see the secondary market emerge as well. As Framework Laptop owners upgrade to new Mainboards, we want to make sure those old Mainboards either get reused by the same person, or resold to another user who can make use of it as a PC.
  - happymellon 4y ago
    I have old laptops that would be good enough to be a server, and low power enough that they probably should replace my current home server. Just a shame they don't have a Framework like backing for them! I think the only thing I didn't see was larger clickpads on the 16" laptop. I'm assuming this is all modular enough that once it comes along, I can just replace the wrist pad.
- ithrow 4y ago
  For $300 you can get an i5-13400 and a board though.
  - gautamcgoel 4y ago
    You can buy this combo for $450, maybe for $400, but I don't see how you can get it for $300. The processor alone seems to go for >$240, and I don't see how you can hope to get a compatible motherboard for <$60.
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
- alwayslikethis 4y ago
  It is nevertheless a laptop part, which compromises performance for battery consumption (with much lower clocks). You might not want this if you value performance to the dollar more than some wall power.
  - mbreese 4y ago
    In this form factor, the use of laptop grade parts is quite common. So, if you want a small PC, then you’re already going to be comfortable with this level of performance. In this case, reuse of a framework main board is a great option.
    - tracker1 4y ago
      I've setup a handful of MinusForum 5900HX boxes the past couple years, and thet've been surprisingly capable. I'm using one for my homeserver (docker, wireguard, pihole, etc) for about a year. They can definitely be OP for what they might be used for and more than enough for typical facebook, email, youtube content consumption. Definitely happy to see Framework offering 3D models for retired boards and an upgrade path. At this pricing, probably worth consideration for a new build even. Been wanting to pull the trigger on a home lab kubernetes setup, and the RPIs I have just don't cut it. These would definitely fit the bill.
      - distances 4y ago
        And that model is already overkill for typical office usage. MinisForum UM350 is very snappy for browsing, office software, YouTube etc. 16GB of memory and very reasonable pricing.
        tracker1 4y ago
        Oh completely agreed... One was for a friend who is using it as a backup dev box, and the other was for my MiL, whose computer broke, and I hadn't set it up as my home server yet. Mainly stating, that a laptop cpu from the past couple gen are definitely nothing to turn a nose up at in terms of ability. The 5900HX outpaces an older i7-4790K and uses a fraction of the wall power and space. Especially, when they're headless in a closet.
fomine3 4y ago
This is great. It should be the way how laptop retires.
iLoveOncall 4y ago
I mean, can't you just use the laptop? I see the value proposition that this has in the particular case of Framework where you update certain parts, but the vast majority of laptops cannot have any change beside the RAM (if you're lucky) and the storage (same). So in those situations, the best PC case is the one you already have: the laptop.
- na4ma4 4y ago
  It's just another option, you can use the laptop, or repurpose that mainboard after an upgrade and keep the screen/etc.
- 0xCMP 4y ago
  But then you'd need a new case for your new computer. The CoolerMaster case answers the question "how can I make use of this board I replaced?"
  - 2muchcoffeeman 4y ago
    This is also good for people like me who have plenty of laptop ram and SSDs we can’t do anything with. I’ll be checking out the AMD main boards! Also, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Framework have basically given us what we’ve always wanted in a laptop. Just say thanks and buy one the next time you need a laptop.
    - tracker1 4y ago
      Definitely plan to do so myself. Would be cool to see 3D case options for other laptop MBs... too many go to waste when the screens, keyboards or batteries die. IF one can just transplant to a case, at least get some new life. Though really need to see better work for battery recovery/recycling... The existing infrastructure for e-waste doesn't do a good job at all, mostly gets dumped in someone else's backyard instead of your own.
- tomnipotent 4y ago
  > I mean, can't you just use the laptop? The idea is that you have a spare mainboard laying around if you've upgraded. A cheap $40 case is a great way of putting that hardware to use.
2muchcoffeeman 4y ago
The product page for the case also links to a 3D printed case in the framework GitHub https://frame.work/au/en/products/cooler-master-mainboard-case https://frame.work/au/en/products/cooler-master-mainboard-ca...
mpartel 4y ago
A fanless case would be real nice, and seems theoretically doable.
xdennis 4y ago
> Framework Laptop Mainboards _Main_board? I know you're not supposed to call trunk "master" anymore because of (incorrect) associations with slavery, but what's wrong with "mother"?
- Yujf 4y ago
  It is gendered, which I suppose some people take issue with?
  - erinnh 4y ago
    Maybe it is regional. But Ive heard mainboard used for at least 15 years or so in Germany. Well before the whole shift in language thats going on.
    - kapep 4y ago
      I would also say "Mainboard" has been the established German word for motherboard for a long time. I almost never hear anyone call it Motherboard anymore in German (and even less the actual German word "Hauptplatine") Even manufacturers like MSI for example use the term "Mainboard" in German [1] but "motherboard" in English [2] [1]: https://de.msi.com/Motherboards/ https://de.msi.com/Motherboards/ [2]: https://us.msi.com/Motherboards/ https://us.msi.com/Motherboards/
  - orwin 4y ago
    No it's not, it's quite old and I would have thought technically minded people knew that word. Often used for appliances like washing machine and TVs. I have a tinkerer friend who call laptop motherboards 'mainboard' to differentiate them from desktop computers where you can actually plug graphic cards and Ram.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - Technotroll 4y ago
    In Norway motherboard is called hovedkort. Hoved is etymologically linked to Norse hǫfuð or English head, but in this context the correct translation is main. Kort in this context means a card as derived from a chart or piece of cardboard or paper. While the term moderkort could be constructed in Norwegian, it simply does not exist. An alternative is kretskort which means circuit board, but it doesn't really relate well to a mainboard. In any case, when dealing with Norwegian or even German developers they might wrongly misconstrue their own word for mainboard, and thus contribute to the word spreading, perhaps even where it shouldn't.

porphyra 4y ago

The $449 Intel 1340p or AMD Ryzen mainboard seems to be attractively priced against other barebones mini PCs and the Mac Mini too!

nrp 4y ago
Absolutely. We really hope to see the secondary market emerge as well. As Framework Laptop owners upgrade to new Mainboards, we want to make sure those old Mainboards either get reused by the same person, or resold to another user who can make use of it as a PC.
- happymellon 4y ago
  I have old laptops that would be good enough to be a server, and low power enough that they probably should replace my current home server. Just a shame they don't have a Framework like backing for them! I think the only thing I didn't see was larger clickpads on the 16" laptop. I'm assuming this is all modular enough that once it comes along, I can just replace the wrist pad.
ithrow 4y ago
For $300 you can get an i5-13400 and a board though.
- gautamcgoel 4y ago
  You can buy this combo for $450, maybe for $400, but I don't see how you can get it for $300. The processor alone seems to go for >$240, and I don't see how you can hope to get a compatible motherboard for <$60.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
alwayslikethis 4y ago
It is nevertheless a laptop part, which compromises performance for battery consumption (with much lower clocks). You might not want this if you value performance to the dollar more than some wall power.
- mbreese 4y ago
  In this form factor, the use of laptop grade parts is quite common. So, if you want a small PC, then you’re already going to be comfortable with this level of performance. In this case, reuse of a framework main board is a great option.
  - tracker1 4y ago
    I've setup a handful of MinusForum 5900HX boxes the past couple years, and thet've been surprisingly capable. I'm using one for my homeserver (docker, wireguard, pihole, etc) for about a year. They can definitely be OP for what they might be used for and more than enough for typical facebook, email, youtube content consumption. Definitely happy to see Framework offering 3D models for retired boards and an upgrade path. At this pricing, probably worth consideration for a new build even. Been wanting to pull the trigger on a home lab kubernetes setup, and the RPIs I have just don't cut it. These would definitely fit the bill.
    - distances 4y ago
      And that model is already overkill for typical office usage. MinisForum UM350 is very snappy for browsing, office software, YouTube etc. 16GB of memory and very reasonable pricing.
      - tracker1 4y ago
        Oh completely agreed... One was for a friend who is using it as a backup dev box, and the other was for my MiL, whose computer broke, and I hadn't set it up as my home server yet. Mainly stating, that a laptop cpu from the past couple gen are definitely nothing to turn a nose up at in terms of ability. The 5900HX outpaces an older i7-4790K and uses a fraction of the wall power and space. Especially, when they're headless in a closet.

fomine3 4y ago

This is great. It should be the way how laptop retires.

iLoveOncall 4y ago

I mean, can't you just use the laptop? I see the value proposition that this has in the particular case of Framework where you update certain parts, but the vast majority of laptops cannot have any change beside the RAM (if you're lucky) and the storage (same). So in those situations, the best PC case is the one you already have: the laptop.

na4ma4 4y ago
It's just another option, you can use the laptop, or repurpose that mainboard after an upgrade and keep the screen/etc.
0xCMP 4y ago
But then you'd need a new case for your new computer. The CoolerMaster case answers the question "how can I make use of this board I replaced?"
- 2muchcoffeeman 4y ago
  This is also good for people like me who have plenty of laptop ram and SSDs we can’t do anything with. I’ll be checking out the AMD main boards! Also, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Framework have basically given us what we’ve always wanted in a laptop. Just say thanks and buy one the next time you need a laptop.
  - tracker1 4y ago
    Definitely plan to do so myself. Would be cool to see 3D case options for other laptop MBs... too many go to waste when the screens, keyboards or batteries die. IF one can just transplant to a case, at least get some new life. Though really need to see better work for battery recovery/recycling... The existing infrastructure for e-waste doesn't do a good job at all, mostly gets dumped in someone else's backyard instead of your own.
tomnipotent 4y ago
> I mean, can't you just use the laptop? The idea is that you have a spare mainboard laying around if you've upgraded. A cheap $40 case is a great way of putting that hardware to use.

2muchcoffeeman 4y ago

The product page for the case also links to a 3D printed case in the framework GitHub https://frame.work/au/en/products/cooler-master-mainboard-case https://frame.work/au/en/products/cooler-master-mainboard-ca...

mpartel 4y ago

A fanless case would be real nice, and seems theoretically doable.

xdennis 4y ago

> Framework Laptop Mainboards _Main_board? I know you're not supposed to call trunk "master" anymore because of (incorrect) associations with slavery, but what's wrong with "mother"?

Yujf 4y ago
It is gendered, which I suppose some people take issue with?
- erinnh 4y ago
  Maybe it is regional. But Ive heard mainboard used for at least 15 years or so in Germany. Well before the whole shift in language thats going on.
  - kapep 4y ago
    I would also say "Mainboard" has been the established German word for motherboard for a long time. I almost never hear anyone call it Motherboard anymore in German (and even less the actual German word "Hauptplatine") Even manufacturers like MSI for example use the term "Mainboard" in German [1] but "motherboard" in English [2] [1]: https://de.msi.com/Motherboards/ https://de.msi.com/Motherboards/ [2]: https://us.msi.com/Motherboards/ https://us.msi.com/Motherboards/
- orwin 4y ago
  No it's not, it's quite old and I would have thought technically minded people knew that word. Often used for appliances like washing machine and TVs. I have a tinkerer friend who call laptop motherboards 'mainboard' to differentiate them from desktop computers where you can actually plug graphic cards and Ram.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- Technotroll 4y ago
  In Norway motherboard is called hovedkort. Hoved is etymologically linked to Norse hǫfuð or English head, but in this context the correct translation is main. Kort in this context means a card as derived from a chart or piece of cardboard or paper. While the term moderkort could be constructed in Norwegian, it simply does not exist. An alternative is kretskort which means circuit board, but it doesn't really relate well to a mainboard. In any case, when dealing with Norwegian or even German developers they might wrongly misconstrue their own word for mainboard, and thus contribute to the word spreading, perhaps even where it shouldn't.