One week with my Framework laptop

Hey there! Hope you are doing well.

This is the Framework laptop, and it’s been one of my dream systems since its release in July of 2021.

For those who don’t know, the Framework laptop is a consumer and right-to-repair focused device. It’s modular, repairable, and recently, Framework has followed their promise for making the laptop upgradable with the release of 12th-Gen Intel motherboards.

Why didn’t I buy one immediately?

Upon its release, it was dearly loved by many. I would have picked a Framework up immediately had I not purchased my M1 Macbook Air roughly a week prior. Not only this, but I was also concerned about the longevity of the company.

Because Framework creates a device so consumer friendly, repairable, and affordable, many were concerned about their profitability in the long run.

However, I am happy to see Framework is still going strong, I am excited to say my preordered 12th-Gen unit has finally arrived!

First impressions

It’s been about a week since I’ve received my Framework laptop, so how are my first impressions? So far, this laptop is great, with one small issue.

Upon unboxing, the Framework felt significantly better than I was expecting. Both the top cover and housing are rigid and feel premium. They do not flex by an unreasonable amount, and even with the modules removed, the chassis is still relatively stiff.

When I opened the laptop, the hinge felt extremely similar to that of my Macbook. It’s smooth, easy to open with one hand, and is stiff enough to keep the extra tall display from wobbling around.

I immediately fell in love with the taller display. With an aspect ratio of 3:2 and a resolution of 2,256 x 1,504 pixels, I believe this is the perfect display for office work. The additional area is a plus all around for usability, and the pixel density is just enough that small items look nice and sharp.

User experience

Once I had assembled my laptop, it came time to install an OS. I went with Linux Manjaro with the GNOME desktop environment, and the initial experience was pretty good. The keyboard, trackpad, fingerprint scanner, speakers, and display all worked great out of the box. I was having some issues with internet connectivity, but with some terminal commands, that was fixed pretty easily.

The larger issue came with the device waking from suspend and sleep states. I haven’t looked too much into it, but the main thing preventing me from daily driving my Framework is its inability to wake from sleep. I believe it has something to do with Manjaro GNOME, since Manjaro KDE sleep worked perfectly when I had experimented with it.

I don’t blame Framework for this at all, but it’s just a small gripe I have with the OS experience.

My last small issue comes with the display. In my included unit, there was a line of pixels that appeared to refresh significantly slower than the rest of the display. After lots of troubleshooting and communicating with Framework, we had concluded to an issue regarding the display component itself.

Framework very quickly shipped out a new display unit at no cost, which should arrive within the next couple days! :)

To conclude my first impressions, I am extremely happy with this laptop overall. It’s been forever since I’ve felt I can tinker and modify my device without the concern of serialization, artificial bugs, and more.

I am excited to see the products Framework will release in the future, and plan to support Framework as long as they hold the values for repairability and consumer choice.