5 ms·

The Framework Laptop 16 is trying to bring back snap-on removable batteries

46 points by sohkamyung 4y ago

brucethemoose2 4y ago
Its almost like making a laptop more functional is appealing to laptop buyers!
rationalist 4y ago
As for different keyboards, Microsoft tried that with their blades for the Surface, it didn't pan out. You might remember seeing a musical blade (keyboard attachment) in their promotional videos for the first Surface. Who knows, maybe this time will be different. I do like the ideas that Framework is trying.
- 3np 4y ago
  If we're going to talk about concepts that Microsoft tried and flunked that were later executed successfully by someone else, we're going to be here a while...
  - archontes 4y ago
    It almost seems to me that the stakes are higher for other people. Microsoft can afford to have a go, fail, and just move on, whereas other people might have more on the line and try harder.
- nikau 4y ago
  Or just do like Lenovo and make a decent keyboard standard.
peterfarkas 4y ago
I love everything Framework does, but I feel that the company should be focusing on QA, fixing the shipping and warranty process instead of adding new features like a removeable battery. Their attempt at leading the industry back towards upgradeability and repairability is extremely important, but they can only succeed if QA and after sales is also on point. Which, sadly, is not the case right now.
- danielEM 4y ago
  > but they can only succeed if QA and after sales is also on point I have different measure for their success. They can go even bankrupt, but they will succeed if their standards will live on the market, when there will be multiple suppliers of mechanically compatible components. When other big manufactures will have to start to compete on supplying these components.
  - peterfarkas 4y ago
    Yes I agree with you, and I hope this happens.
mixmastamyk 4y ago
Hmm, I feel like this thing is a bit too ambitious. A version five perhaps, not two. I only wanted a luggable desktop replacement in the 16". Still no word on the screen resolution?
wuming2 4y ago
Anyone with an efficiency study? Even if I find users directly replacing computer parts interesting, I wonder if the trade off is worthwhile. Design is more bulky and parts sturdier to sustain less refined procedures and kits. Tooling is used far less frequently than it could be. This isn’t different than for electric drills we all have at home. Notorious for being used once or twice only. Great business for retailers though. Conversely I have never been hindered by the need to visit a repair shop, or the vendor, to fix my laptop or smartphone. Design is sleeker with professional servicing needs. My home is not cluttered by unused bits. More expensive overall but extended useful life and improved design more than compensate. Repair is a must. Not always by users.
- aroberge 4y ago
  Tooling is a single screwdriver. There is no "unused bits" clutter, and no need to pay someone to replace a part.
jmholla 4y ago
I hope all this talk about keyboards will open the door to keyboards with full up and down arrow keys. It's one of the big reasons I'm not using a Framework laptop right now.
leethargo 4y ago
Isn't this something that ThinkPads have supported all the time?
- notjulianjaynes 4y ago
  Yes and I don't think it's that big a deal tbh, provided the internal battery is easily replaceable. My Thinkpad has both, and technically I could hotswap the external battery, but why lug around a second laptop battery when I can have the same capacity in a USB-C power bank that can also charge my phone if needed. Time to swap external battery: 10 seconds Time to replace internal battery: maybe 10 minutes if you had to look it up. It's like 2 screws once you take the bottom cover off. But in the four years I've owned this laptop, I've replaced my external battery once, when the original went bad.
- goosedragons 4y ago
  No I'm pretty sure they've been gone for a few years. The T14 Gen 3 for example doesn't have it. Maybe one of the bigger models still does though.
  - dagw 4y ago
    I had a big, chunky P72 and it didn't have it either.

46 points by sohkamyung 4y ago

Its almost like making a laptop more functional is appealing to laptop buyers!

As for different keyboards, Microsoft tried that with their blades for the Surface, it didn't pan out. You might remember seeing a musical blade (keyboard attachment) in their promotional videos for the first Surface. Who knows, maybe this time will be different. I do like the ideas that Framework is trying.

3np 4y ago
If we're going to talk about concepts that Microsoft tried and flunked that were later executed successfully by someone else, we're going to be here a while...
- archontes 4y ago
  It almost seems to me that the stakes are higher for other people. Microsoft can afford to have a go, fail, and just move on, whereas other people might have more on the line and try harder.
nikau 4y ago
Or just do like Lenovo and make a decent keyboard standard.

peterfarkas 4y ago

I love everything Framework does, but I feel that the company should be focusing on QA, fixing the shipping and warranty process instead of adding new features like a removeable battery. Their attempt at leading the industry back towards upgradeability and repairability is extremely important, but they can only succeed if QA and after sales is also on point. Which, sadly, is not the case right now.

danielEM 4y ago
> but they can only succeed if QA and after sales is also on point I have different measure for their success. They can go even bankrupt, but they will succeed if their standards will live on the market, when there will be multiple suppliers of mechanically compatible components. When other big manufactures will have to start to compete on supplying these components.
- peterfarkas 4y ago
  Yes I agree with you, and I hope this happens.

mixmastamyk 4y ago

Hmm, I feel like this thing is a bit too ambitious. A version five perhaps, not two. I only wanted a luggable desktop replacement in the 16". Still no word on the screen resolution?

wuming2 4y ago

Anyone with an efficiency study? Even if I find users directly replacing computer parts interesting, I wonder if the trade off is worthwhile. Design is more bulky and parts sturdier to sustain less refined procedures and kits. Tooling is used far less frequently than it could be. This isn’t different than for electric drills we all have at home. Notorious for being used once or twice only. Great business for retailers though. Conversely I have never been hindered by the need to visit a repair shop, or the vendor, to fix my laptop or smartphone. Design is sleeker with professional servicing needs. My home is not cluttered by unused bits. More expensive overall but extended useful life and improved design more than compensate. Repair is a must. Not always by users.

aroberge 4y ago
Tooling is a single screwdriver. There is no "unused bits" clutter, and no need to pay someone to replace a part.

jmholla 4y ago

I hope all this talk about keyboards will open the door to keyboards with full up and down arrow keys. It's one of the big reasons I'm not using a Framework laptop right now.

leethargo 4y ago

Isn't this something that ThinkPads have supported all the time?

notjulianjaynes 4y ago
Yes and I don't think it's that big a deal tbh, provided the internal battery is easily replaceable. My Thinkpad has both, and technically I could hotswap the external battery, but why lug around a second laptop battery when I can have the same capacity in a USB-C power bank that can also charge my phone if needed. Time to swap external battery: 10 seconds Time to replace internal battery: maybe 10 minutes if you had to look it up. It's like 2 screws once you take the bottom cover off. But in the four years I've owned this laptop, I've replaced my external battery once, when the original went bad.
goosedragons 4y ago
No I'm pretty sure they've been gone for a few years. The T14 Gen 3 for example doesn't have it. Maybe one of the bigger models still does though.
- dagw 4y ago
  I had a big, chunky P72 and it didn't have it either.