- Framework’s new Laptop 13 Pro is up for pre-order
- It’s designed like a MacBook Pro running Linux, with a priority on power efficiency.
- There are some significant upgrades, including a new touchscreen, and these are designed to be backwards compatible with existing Framework laptops.
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Framework offers a new laptop aimed at power users, designed to be the equivalent of a MacBook Pro running Linux.
It’s the Framework Laptop 13 Pro, and it’s built around the company’s typical sustainability principles, while also being defined by a strong focus on power efficiency (and better battery life).
In a blog post introducing the laptop, Framework founder and CEO Nirav Patel said, “Our internal goal when we launched this product was to create the ‘MacBook Pro for Linux users.’ We wanted to prove that you can have a refined, robust, high-performance computer that still respects your rights through repairability, upgradability, and the power to choose what software you want to run on it.
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There’s a choice of Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (Panther Lake) processors under the hood, which represent a big step forward in efficiency for Team Blue, going all the way up to the Core Ultra X9 388H, although you can also opt for a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 as this laptop’s engine.
There’s a completely new version of a power-optimized display, as well as a haptic touchpad and an aluminum chassis.
Framework opted for LPCAMM2 for the laptop’s RAM, a new standard that allows the energy-saving LPDDR5X memory to be used here in a scalable form. (So you can add new RAM later, which is obviously important if you intend to buy more memory in the future, an obvious possibility given the RAM crisis).
Besides the processor and memory, the display is another piece of the energy efficiency puzzle.
It’s a bespoke 13.5-inch touchscreen, Framework notes, although it retains the 2880 x 1920 (3:2) resolution, ideal for coding and text. However, it has been improved with better color calibration, an 1800:1 contrast ratio, up to 700 nits of brightness, as well as an anti-glare matte polarizer (for better readability in brighter conditions).
Additionally, an LTPS backplane for the LCD screen means improved power efficiency, and power consumption will also be reduced thanks to variable refresh rate technology, which can go down to 30Hz where applicable (with static content on screen – the maximum refresh rate is 120Hz).
A larger 74Wh battery, 22% more robust than the last generation model (and featuring a higher level of energy density), is also inside the Framework Laptop 13 Pro. This provides over 20 hours of battery life for 4K Netflix streaming. Framework boasts that it’s “not only 12 hours longer than what we had on the previous generation Framework Laptop 13, but it’s actually slightly longer than a 14-inch MacBook Pro M5!”
The Framework Laptop 13 Pro is available for pre-order now (for shipping in June in the US or July in the UK), and you can have a pre-built laptop with Ubuntu pre-installed as a fully certified and supported operating system (or you can have Windows 11 if you prefer).
There’s also the DIY edition of the laptop, where you build it yourself and provide your own operating system. These start from $1,199/£1,199, while pre-builts start at $1,499 in the US, but are a little more expensive in the UK, starting at £2,099. It is also available in Australia and Europe, with prices in USD.
Analysis: scalability and energy efficiency in spades
It’s great to see a new laptop from Framework that takes another step forward in terms of environmental friendliness, not only with the scalable nature of the device and ease of repair – to keep the device working for a longer lifespan – but also with the push for a more refined level of power consumption. It’s clear that a lot of thought went into the design in this regard, especially with the screen, which was built from scratch by Framework, it’s worth noting.
The long battery life that this new level of efficiency offers is clearly a benefit to any laptop owner who has to spend an extended period away from a power outlet, although we naturally have to season longevity claims.
Framework acknowledges this, stating in its blog post: “We know that battery life claims from device manufacturers are often false. We will therefore be posting full videos and setup descriptions of each of our battery life test cases on the Framework YouTube channel over the coming months. »
So there is a level of confidence in these battery longevity claims, which is good to hear.
It is commendable that the thought processes around the design of the Framework Laptop 13 Pro extend to existing devices. The laptop maker says this laptop’s new motherboard and display kit are built in the same form factor and with the same interface as previous generations of laptops, so you can add them as upgrades (and pre-order them as standalone products). So if you want your current Framework’s touchscreen to be portable, you can have it (and by all accounts, it will be a popular upgrade).
A bottom cover upgrade kit is also in the works to hold the new battery, as well as an input cover kit that provides the haptic touchpad to an existing Framework laptop. All of this gets a big thumbs up, as does the new option for US consumers to get a three-year warranty if they so choose.
Reactions on Reddit have been favorable and some people are very impressed with how Framework supports upgrade options. For example, this Redditor enthused: “I can’t express how excited and proud I am to support this company. I’ve loved my 11th gen for years now and am excited to once again be able to choose what I want to upgrade.
“I’m happy with the OG screen, my top case is covered in stickers, and I upgraded the motherboard to AMD, but now I can get a bigger battery, better bottom case, and better touchpad while keeping everything else. It’s SO AWESOME.”
Another Redditor says: “The 13 Pro looks truly exceptional in every way. Whatever I might expect from a Framework chassis on paper, I’ll have to see if it holds up in independent reviews.”
The main concern is that the new laptop seems expensive to some, especially if the specs are pushed upwards, but that of course has a lot to do with the RAM crisis.
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