- Framework’s new Laptop 13 Pro is ready for pre-order
- It’s designed like a MacBook Pro running Linux, with a premium on power efficiency
- There are some strong upgrades, including a new touchscreen, and they’re made to be backwards compatible with existing Framework notebooks
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Framework has a new laptop aimed at power users that it’s designed to be the equivalent of a MacBook Pro running Linux.
This is the Framework Laptop 13 Pro, and it’s built around the company’s typical sustainability-based principles, while also being defined by a firm focus on power efficiency (and better battery life at that).
In a blog post introducing the laptop, Framework founder and CEO Nirav Patel said, “Our internal call when we started this product was to build the ‘MacBook Pro for Linux users.’ We wanted to prove that you can have a computer that’s refined, rugged, and high-performance that still respects your rights through repairability, upgradeability, and the power to choose the software you want to run on it.”
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There’s a selection of Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (Panther Lake) processors under the hood, which is a big leap in efficiency for Team Blue, going all the way up to the Core Ultra X9 388H, though you can also plump for a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 as this notebook’s engine.
There’s a whole new take on a power-optimized display along with a haptic touchpad and aluminum chassis.
Framework has gone with LPCAMM2 for RAM in the laptop, a new standard that allows power-efficient LPDDR5X memory to be used here in an upgradeable form. (So you can swap in new RAM later, which is obviously important if you intend to buy more memory down the line, a distinct possibility given the RAM crunch).
In addition to the CPU and memory, another piece of the energy efficiency puzzle is this screen.
This is a custom-built 13.5-inch touchscreen, Framework notes, though it retains the 2880 x 1920 (3:2) resolution that’s great for coding and text. However, it has been upgraded with better color calibration, a contrast ratio of 1,800:1, up to 700 nits of brightness, plus an anti-reflective matte polarizer (for better readability in brighter conditions).
Furthermore, an LTPS back for the LCD means improved power efficiency, and power consumption will also be kept down by the variable refresh rate technology, which can drop to 30Hz when appropriate (with static content on the screen – the maximum refresh rate is 120Hz).
A larger 74 Wh battery, which is 22% more powerful than that of the last generation model (and has a higher level of energy density), also sits inside the Framework Laptop 13 Pro. This gives a claimed over 20 hours of battery life for Netflix streaming in 4K. Framework boasts that this is not only 12 hours longer than we got 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 (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 OS (or you can have Windows 11 if you prefer).
There is also the do-it-yourself version of the notebook, 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 quite a bit more expensive in the UK, starting at £2,099. It is also available in Australia and Europe with prices in USD.
Analysis: upgrade options and energy efficiency in spades
It’s great to see a new laptop from Framework making further strides in terms of its environmental friendliness, not only with the upgradable nature of the device and the ease of making repairs – to keep the device running for a longer life – but also pushing for a more refined level of power consumption. It’s clear that a lot has gone into the design in this regard, especially with the screen, which is built from the ground up by Framework, it’s worth noting.
The long battery life that this newfound level of efficiency delivers is clearly a boon for any laptop owner who needs to spend an extended period away from a power outlet, although of course we have to spice up durability requirements.
Framework acknowledges this, stating in its blog post: “We know that battery life claims made by device manufacturers are often false, so we will be publishing full-length videos and setup descriptions of each of our battery life test cases to the Framework YouTube channel over the next few months.”
So there is a level of confidence in these battery life claims, which is good to hear.
It is commendable that the thought processes surrounding the design of the Framework Laptop 13 Pro extend back to existing devices. The laptop maker says the new motherboard and display kit for this notebook is built in the same form factor and with the same interface as previous generations of laptops, so you can drop these in as upgrades (and pre-order them as stand-alone products). So if you want the touchscreen on your current Framework laptop, you can get it (and by all accounts this will be a popular upgrade).
A bottom cover upgrade kit is also on the way to pack the new battery, as well as an input cover kit that provides the haptic touchpad for an existing Framework laptop. All of this gets a big thumbs up, as does the new option for consumers in the US to take advantage of a three-year warranty should they so desire.
Reaction on Reddit has been favorable, with some people very impressed with how well the Framework supports upgradeability. For example, this Redditor enthused: “I can’t express how excited and proud I am to support this company. I’ve loved my 11 Gen 13 for years now and I’m ecstatic that I can once again pick and choose what I want to upgrade.
“I’m happy with the OG screen, my top shell is COVERED in stickers, and I upgraded the motherboard to AMD, but now I can get a bigger battery, better lowercase, and a better touchpad while keeping everything else. This is SO AWESOME.”
Another Redditor says: “The 13 Pro looks really great in every way. Everything I could want from a Framework chassis on paper, will have to see if it holds up in independent reviews.”
The main concern is that the new laptop will seem expensive to some, especially if the specification is pushed up, but of course that has a lot to do with the RAM crisis.
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