Frame
We were fans of the Framework laptop when we reviewed it last year. This was partly because the modular design prioritizes repairability and upgradeability, while most other laptops don’t. But we also liked it because you didn’t have to make huge compromises to get that recoverability — the Framework laptop is lightweight and has a high-quality screen, keyboard, and touchpad, helping it stay competitive with big-box thin-and-whites. – lightweight laptops such as Dell’s XPS 13 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon.
An upgradeable laptop is only worth it if you can actually do it upgrade however, and Framework makes that possible starting today: the company is introducing a new version of the Framework laptop motherboard that uses 12th-generation Intel CPUs. A brand-new 12th-generation Framework laptop starts at $1,049 for a Core i5-equipped base model, or $819 for a build kit with no memory or storage. These products are available for pre-order starting today and shipping will begin in July.
The 12th Generation Core processors use Intel’s latest Alder Lake CPU architecture, which combines high-performance P-cores and highly efficient E-cores to maximize performance under heavy load and reduce power consumption when your computer is mostly idle. The base Core i5-1240P CPU contains four P-cores and eight E-cores, a big boost in the number of cores compared to the quad-core 11th generation CPUs. The Core i7-1260P upgrade has the same number of CPU cores with increased clock speeds and a small increase in integrated GPU performance, while the top-of-the-line Core i7-1280P option delivers six P-cores and eight E-cores.
The rest of the Framework laptop’s hardware remains largely the same, although there are a few additional upgrades to be aware of. One is a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet expansion card, which is the first wired LAN module available for the laptop. The card is based on Realtek’s RTL8156 chipset and will be available “later this year.”
The company is also releasing a redesigned version of its top cover, made with a new CNC manufacturing process that “significantly improves[es] rigidity.” The new top cover will be the default option for all Framework laptops going forward, although you can purchase a new cover for your existing Framework laptop for $89.
For existing Framework Laptop owners, a 12th-generation motherboard with the i5-1240P starts at $449, while an “upgrade kit” that includes both the motherboard and redesigned top cover starts at $538. This is the same price you’ll get for both. components would pay separately; there is no discount for buying both the board and top cover together. The i7-1260P motherboard costs $699 ($788 for an upgrade kit), and the i7-1280P motherboard costs $1,049 ($1,138 for an upgrade kit). Getting the two extra P-cores from the i7-1280P will cost you money.
Frame
The 11th-gen version of the Framework laptop will also continue to exist as an entry-level option until it sells out, starting at $679 for a Core i5-1135G7-based DIY edition and $899 for an assembled system. The company has created a new product comparison page to make it easier to find out what you’re getting.
While many of Framework’s PCs will run on Windows, the company boasts that the 12th-generation version of its laptop “will continue[s] to focus on solid Linux support.” Framework recommends Fedora 36 because it “works fantastically well out of the box” and fully supports Framework Laptop’s new CPUs, the Wi-Fi card, and the fingerprint reader. installing other Linux distributions – you need Linux kernel version 5.17.6 or newer to fully support Alder Lake’s hybrid CPU architecture, and prominent, actively maintained distributions such as Ubuntu 22.04 contain that kernel version not by default. This problem will for most Linux distributions will disappear in the coming months, but for now you may have to upgrade the kernel manually to get the best possible Linux experience on the Framework laptop.
If you already own a Framework laptop and want to upgrade, the company recently published 3D printable case templates for the laptop motherboard. This makes it possible to turn an old 11th generation Framework motherboard into a mini desktop PC.
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