Framework made headlines last year by offering innovation in a seldom-seen way for laptops: making them easy to upgrade and repair with modular hardware designs. The DIY angle proved a hit, and it has a small but growing base of fans and customers. Today the company is announcing the next generation of its hardware, most notably including upgrades to the latest 12th-gen Intel processors.
Framework
Starting today, Framework owners (or new buyers) can order a new mainboard based around the Core i5-1240P, Core i7-1260P, or the 14-core Core i7-1280P. (You can find specific info about those chips in our coverage of Intel’s “Alder Lake P” lineup.) In addition to the upgraded silicon, new Framework laptops now include an improved lid assembly, which increases rigidity once closed and expands standby battery life. For Framework owners who want both at once, the new Upgrade Kit offers both a new mainboard and a second-gen display assembly.
If you’re curious about how the Framework laptop, um, works, be sure to check out our complete teardown in the video below, while our Framework laptop review delves more deeply into how it hangs as an actual notebook. (Spoiler alert: We dig it.)
Pre-orders for new mainboards and Upgrade Kits are available today, with shipping expected in July. Framework is also announcing a new modular Ethernet expansion card, with a top speed of 2.5Gbps. It’s slated for a release sometime later this year.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer
Michael is a former graphic designer who's been building and tweaking desktop computers for longer than he cares to admit. His interests include folk music, football, science fiction, and salsa verde, in no particular order.