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I love my Framework laptop. The only thing I haven't seen mentioned in detail is the expansion card bay redesign. Current F13 expansion cards will pull out some

I love my Framework laptop. The only thing I haven't seen mentioned in detail is the expansion card bay redesign. Current F13 expansion cards will pull out sometimes when you remove a USB cable, which is a real annoyance. F11 fixed this by creating optional set screws you can install on the inside of the machine that forces the expansion cards to stay engaged. I know F13pro has redesigned the switches for removing expansion cards, and that the design was headed by the same person who did the F11, so I'm really hoping for set screws or some sort of similar "true" locking mechanism. If anyone from Framework is reading this, would you be able to fill in some details?

cassianoleal 6mo ago
If it's what I'm thinking about, they showed it in one of their videos where they compare the old 13 to the Pro. It looked like a latch mechanism that you can operate with one hand but still keeps it secure in place. Edit: this should be what you want to know - https://youtu.be/GnOpIQJnYWU?t=536 https://youtu.be/GnOpIQJnYWU?t=536
- helterskelter 6mo ago
  Yeah I watched the product videos I just want to know if there's a way to prevent accidental unlocks like the F11 has.
craftkiller 6mo ago
I've had the framework 13 since batch 5 of their original first model and that has never happened to me once. Are you sure you're pushing the expansion cards _all the way_ in? They should click and the little button between the cards should pop up slightly more when the cards are fully inserted. It is certainly possible to have the cards visually look inserted and work normally but haven't actually been pushed in far enough to click/lock into place. FWIW I've also replaced my chassis once, and never had this issue with either chassis.
- helterskelter 6mo ago
  Yeah they are, but I've got some admittedly snug USB cables on my charger, other cables don't do it. I've looked at the latch mechanism and it seems sharp and not worn down, and it clicks when I put it in. I suspect the button on the bottom gets pressed accidentally and unseats the latch.
  - craftkiller 6mo ago
    Ah that could be it. My laptop mostly sits on my desk at home so there's not much opportunity for the button to get hit accidentally.
- pyreko 6mo ago
  Yeah if anything I've always had the opposite problem with my FW13 (12th gen Intel era) - removing the expansion cards is a pain in the ass with how tight it is. Curious if it got looser over time. Regardless, glad to see they're just outright redesigned the expansion card mechanism, hopefully this stops issues on both ends of the spectrum.
  - craftkiller 6mo ago
    Indeed, me too! I try to show my coworkers the cool expansion card system and end up embarrassing myself, struggling to remove the card for like 10 seconds.
  - wiether 6mo ago
    > removing the expansion cards is a pain in the ass with how tight it is Same experience here. I've already ripped my thumb while trying to remove a card. Now I use the back of iFixit's Jimmy to push them out.
billfor 6mo ago
I have an early 13 and find the expansion cards take a lot of effort to remove, so maybe it’s a batch thing. Seems like the new 13 redesigned it a bit anyway. I’ll probably get the new bottom so I can use the new battery.
kelnos 6mo ago
> Current F13 expansion cards will pull out sometimes when you remove a USB cable That feels like a defect in your particular machine, not a design flaw. With my laptop, the cards are actually incredibly difficult to remove most of the time. I can't imagine one of them coming loose by accident.
- helterskelter 6mo ago
  I own three and they all do it on occasion. Usually with a USB cable that tends to fit more snugly in the port. I mentioned it in another post in this thread but I think the button on the bottom gets pushed accidentally while being handled and the latch becomes unseated.
ludocode 6mo ago
> Current F13 expansion cards will pull out sometimes Just echoing what others have said here: I'm typing this on an original F13 I think from batch 6 which has had many upgrades but not the bottom cover. I have never had an expansion card pop out accidentally. I can't imagine that happening considering how difficult they are to remove. I usually have to lay the laptop flat upside down and use my multitool while holding the button to push a card out. My wife has an F12 and she has also never had one pop out accidentally. Unlike mine, hers has locking switches to keep them in place, but even with the switches open they're pretty hard to remove. Is it possible there was an intermediate redesign at some point that made them too easy to remove before they landed on the latest design?

cassianoleal 6mo ago

If it's what I'm thinking about, they showed it in one of their videos where they compare the old 13 to the Pro. It looked like a latch mechanism that you can operate with one hand but still keeps it secure in place. Edit: this should be what you want to know - https://youtu.be/GnOpIQJnYWU?t=536 https://youtu.be/GnOpIQJnYWU?t=536

helterskelter 6mo ago
Yeah I watched the product videos I just want to know if there's a way to prevent accidental unlocks like the F11 has.

craftkiller 6mo ago

I've had the framework 13 since batch 5 of their original first model and that has never happened to me once. Are you sure you're pushing the expansion cards _all the way_ in? They should click and the little button between the cards should pop up slightly more when the cards are fully inserted. It is certainly possible to have the cards visually look inserted and work normally but haven't actually been pushed in far enough to click/lock into place. FWIW I've also replaced my chassis once, and never had this issue with either chassis.

helterskelter 6mo ago
Yeah they are, but I've got some admittedly snug USB cables on my charger, other cables don't do it. I've looked at the latch mechanism and it seems sharp and not worn down, and it clicks when I put it in. I suspect the button on the bottom gets pressed accidentally and unseats the latch.
- craftkiller 6mo ago
  Ah that could be it. My laptop mostly sits on my desk at home so there's not much opportunity for the button to get hit accidentally.
pyreko 6mo ago
Yeah if anything I've always had the opposite problem with my FW13 (12th gen Intel era) - removing the expansion cards is a pain in the ass with how tight it is. Curious if it got looser over time. Regardless, glad to see they're just outright redesigned the expansion card mechanism, hopefully this stops issues on both ends of the spectrum.
- craftkiller 6mo ago
  Indeed, me too! I try to show my coworkers the cool expansion card system and end up embarrassing myself, struggling to remove the card for like 10 seconds.
- wiether 6mo ago
  > removing the expansion cards is a pain in the ass with how tight it is Same experience here. I've already ripped my thumb while trying to remove a card. Now I use the back of iFixit's Jimmy to push them out.

billfor 6mo ago

I have an early 13 and find the expansion cards take a lot of effort to remove, so maybe it’s a batch thing. Seems like the new 13 redesigned it a bit anyway. I’ll probably get the new bottom so I can use the new battery.

kelnos 6mo ago

> Current F13 expansion cards will pull out sometimes when you remove a USB cable That feels like a defect in your particular machine, not a design flaw. With my laptop, the cards are actually incredibly difficult to remove most of the time. I can't imagine one of them coming loose by accident.

helterskelter 6mo ago
I own three and they all do it on occasion. Usually with a USB cable that tends to fit more snugly in the port. I mentioned it in another post in this thread but I think the button on the bottom gets pushed accidentally while being handled and the latch becomes unseated.

ludocode 6mo ago

> Current F13 expansion cards will pull out sometimes Just echoing what others have said here: I'm typing this on an original F13 I think from batch 6 which has had many upgrades but not the bottom cover. I have never had an expansion card pop out accidentally. I can't imagine that happening considering how difficult they are to remove. I usually have to lay the laptop flat upside down and use my multitool while holding the button to push a card out. My wife has an F12 and she has also never had one pop out accidentally. Unlike mine, hers has locking switches to keep them in place, but even with the switches open they're pretty hard to remove. Is it possible there was an intermediate redesign at some point that made them too easy to remove before they landed on the latest design?