Nice review, but note that you do not have the new hinges. There was a bad batch on the Gen1, where the force of the hinges were out of spec and they fixed that. The 4kg hinges are still optional parts and need to be purchased separately. Somehow a lot of people got that wrong somehow... no idea where they picked it up though, since FW was pretty clear about this and corrected this many many times in their forums / reddit and elsewhere.
I really hope framework takes off to become a real competitor in the laptop space. They're really showing it's possible to make a thin, good looking laptop without having to sacrifice modularity/repairability. Hope it sets a new trend to make repairability the standard rather than a feature. (I am an apple user, but other than my issued work laptop, the mac's i own are all older models i salvaged and repaired)
I totally agree, and believe there may be strides already present in the industry! Although not perfect, it's exciting to see right to repair slowly become an interest. Hopefully with time we can achieve, like you said, repairability being a standard rather than a feature. Dell's Luna concept laptop seems to be a decent example, but I don't want to say too much until they actually claim repair is a big focus.
Yes, it is be perfect if this upgradeble tech is the future. I have a MacBookpro mid 2009. And cannot update it anymore. But the computer is still running ok. In these days I don’t have the money for an 2400,- euro upgrade…. But is not safe to use an old laptop… and some websites show problems with my old browser. I am worried about the compability with Linux and Adobe and for example GuitarPro which I use a lot. That would hold me back to invest in a Framework laptop. Also the Fairphone would be a perfect match.
@@gojero732 Mr Macintosh or Dosdude1 have patcher tools to update unsupported Mac's to newer operating systems. They're not terribly difficult to do, but you might lose out on some features just due to the fact that it's unsupported hardware, so some stuff just isnt possible.
The good thing is, the trend IS starting to appear, as HP has already released a laptop imitating the soul of the framework laptop, being slim, good, and easy to repair. Also, Dell is launching a new open standard to save the modularity of laptops, making a new type of RAM memory that can work at ddr5 6200MT/s, and that can be engeneered to work with ddr6, thing that would have been impossible if we stuck with the sodimm design, at witch point, every laptop would have soldered memory.
If they manage to keep up their end of the deal of keeping everything modular and fairly reasonable in pricing, these would become a godsend for simple work-horse machines.
Thanks for giving framework a chance! Most tech tubers will suggest a number of options but they themselves will default to a MacBook anyways. It's refreshing to see you stick to your guns and have it be your main machine.
@@HaplessIdiot As a huge fan of Thinkpads (I have 6 of them), Macbooks aren't bad machines at all. They're solid, reliable, great performance whilst being thin and light somehow (personally, I like massive fan grills, but thats just because most laptops don't have the thermal performance that the macs do). The biggest con for me is the lack of upgradability, I have a 256gb m1 air, and I could easily see myself using it as my main machine if I had a tb or two of storage, but to do that, I'd need to buy a whole new laptop, at a massive pricetag.
My issue with any other laptop than the MacBook M1 is the battery life. I simply couldn't find a laptop, that I can use for browsing, office, Teams, software development throughout 8 hours or so on battery. With the M1 I can and it mostly stays completely quiet. Still, my wife for example doesn't care about battery life that mich and prefers Windows, so perhaps she'll get a Framework laptop, because as much as I like the MacBook, I really dislike Apple and their anti-user practices.
I got the M2 air a couple months ago and have no plan on getting another machine at the moment but this review is so good I ended up watching the whole thing
@@luisortega8085 I've heard so many great things about nixOS! Was very tempted after hearing how much ChrisLAS vouched for it. Definitely will play around with it soon. :)
@@TheshinycardhunterHe could have brought the machine and the company would have died if there wasn't a large enough number of people buying the machines, and then he'd be stuck with a laptop that would no longer be supported. A module that he might need could break and there would be nowhere to buy a new module. Maybe a part on the laptop broke that framework no longer is around to replace. It is actually a serious concern. But yeah I am rooting for framework too.
@@Theshinycardhunter the point of buying this laptop is to have replaceble parts, it the company goes bankrupt when you will need new parts in 1-2 years you won't find them
I love Framework's approach to the modularity since it makes the laptop a device that adapt to different scenarios. If you need your laptop to be a road warrior, opting for extra battery pack is ez solution. For more performance, egpu expansion is going to be supported and 1TB modules can make this laptop hoard a lot of files with a huge amount of easy extra space. And 3D printed cases allows us to give a 2nd life to the the hardware of the laptop as a media center etc. It's just plain awesome. Framework is the one of the few serious innovations the laptop space have ever had in over a decade.
Bro thank you! I just ordered mine the other day and while I know I made the right choice doubts have been sinking in. It was rough picking this up over a refurbished M1 air when comparing price, battery life and compatibility. All in all though the repair community is something I would way rather support. I’ve been a bit nervous to see how the framework will do with my college work, but I’m glad that it’s been working for you. Thanks for easing some of my anxieties!
Bro it'll all make sense over time that you made the right choice. Dealing with apple repair is a hellish nightmare. Also m1s are cool but I see GitHub issues all the time from m1 people where shit isn't compiling on their machine. Finally, screw apple for working with John Deere to lobby against right to repair. There's nothing we can do about that (voting doesn't matter, both parties oppose right to repair) other than not buy from companies actively stripping our rights away.
On my M1 MacBook Pro, the display panel failed 8 months after purchase. I brought it into the store and they were able to fix it under warranty, however this unfortunately meant I was left without a laptop for around a week. Furthermore, if I did want to replace the part myself with the Self Service Repair program, it would then not be covered under warranty and I'd be out about $600 just to have not gone without my machine for more a week. Additionally, the MacBook is so expensive to repair that I've been paying AppleCare+ out of fear of some kind of other parts failure. The framework is attractive to me as the aforementioned issues with the MacBook Pro wouldn't be a thing on a framework. (Relatively low repair cost, can repair the machine myself instead of waiting a week without a machine at all, etc) I'm looking to move onto a framework sometime within the next month.
Aaaaand I’vs gone from considering the Framework Laptop to *definitely* getting a Framework Laptop (once my current laptop implodes on itself). Really nicely produced video! (o o)b
Would love for Framework to reach production stability (as in, have healthy inventory of parts, no more batchets, etc) so they can ship worldwide! Or at the very least support PO Boxes and reshippers.
You can use framework closed. Exhaust is not blocked but redirected down with clever hinge design. Actually most of the laptop I had, use this exhaust hinge design
I'm blind so I use my computer with the lid closed pretty much all of the time. This is good to know because it would be a deal breaker if I can't use the computer with the lid closed.
build a frankenbook with a t480 quad core and a t25 keyboard/top end. there are guides. Idk these chicklet keyboards are garbage if you spend more than a few hours on your laptop every week. og ibm/thinkpad keyboards are where its at, and thinkpads cost a fraction of what apple/framework cost. can build a decent machine for 1/10th the price that is made to be repaired. I will let everyone else with thousands to spend figure out of framework is here to stay.
When docking your laptop vertically. Please point the exhaust up. Heat goes up, so youre probably heating up your battery and other internals because the exhaust is pointing downwards.
for the heat blasting onto the bottom of the bezel, many laptops do this. Its not an issue in the long run. Ive had a laptop that did this, and my mum's and dad's laptop also di this too. All mentioned laptops work fine, with two of them being ten years old now and my laptop having a cracked screen due to an accident, meaning that i upgraded to an i3 12th gen that i am very happy with. All display are/were working with no issues
My one friend got a framework laptop and I think his 2 main issues were the glossy display and the battery life. But he is an Ubuntu user so battery life is always an issue.
I appreciate the comprehensive review of your experiences with the Framework. I've been following their progress for a while, and I really enjoy how responsive they are to their consumers. One nice thing about the modular design, is that it also makes it easier to upcycle the older components. They've shown how some people have gone and turned old motherboards into things like SBCs and tablets.
I also love their transparency about their products! It's very refreshing, and love how they emphasize community projects. The Framework tablet is so cool! Have you seen the all-in-one desktop someone made? This is so cool. twitter.com/whatthefilament/status/1619335491102593025?s=20 I also love looking at these projects on Hackaday: hackaday.com/tag/framework/
Nice review! I've had my Framework 12th Gen since October of last year & it's been running pretty good. The fan doesn't get loud very often as I don't typically do CPU intensive tasks. The speakers I find work nicely for spoken content & music doesn't sound too bad as far as laptops go.
I'm waiting for the Framework 16. So pumped. I bought a M1 Mac on launch and quickly sold it. Compatibility was an issue. I then bought a Dell XPS 15 running Arch and can't wait until the Framework 16 is released.
Cant remember what RUclipsr said this but it’s something like “framework might not be the best laptop, but they are the best company making laptops” you can ACTIALLY take them apart without voiding a warranty, clean them easy, upgrade and change them. It’s a laptop. Not a desktop so it’s not going to be the best thing ever of course but DAMN is wholesome.
Been looking for a decent laptop for my manjaro build! this looks really great (both the laptop and your video style). super great and comprehensive. thanks for the video!
Just got recommended this video on my home page, I’m not looking to get a new laptop that isn’t ARM based, x86 is dead to me.. but was very surprised to see some IDA Pro and radare2 cameos ;-)
loved this!! I'm planning on getting a framework laptop for college next year, because my current laptop is school-provided and I'll need something portable that can last me years to come. my configuration will definitely be the ryzen 5 13-inch for the efficiency, 8 hours of battery life would be perfect
Nice review and well-made video. I just recently upgraded from a 2012 macbook air to an M1 macbook air. While I'm happy with the better screen, more up to date OS and the usual stuff, I'm still getting used to the lower number of ports. What bothers me the most though is the keyboard. I don't know why everyone is raving about it. So many reviewers and youtubers claim it's the best keyboard ever - but I'm not fond of it at all. I feel like it's a step backwards compared to the keyboard on my 2012 Air. Thankfully I don't have to use it too much, as I normally use my wireless logitech keyboard (MX Keys for Mac) which is absolutely awesome. I recommend it to anyone.
My two main issues right now are that Framework doesn't offer better display panels and their speakers are pretty tinny. If they fix those issues and I'd be a great deal more likely to pick one up. I'd also love it if they could offer models that support different form factors, even if it's just one in a slightly larger form, though I do admit they have to focus on minimizing their manufacturing costs and so choosing to support a new form factor is probably not in the cards for 1-2 more generations, assuming they continue to grow financially.
What a great review @ren I think this machine is what many people are looking for due to the right to repair. This is what I was looking for in years for a completely repairable laptop in such a smart compact device. While I was at high school and university I used to built my own desktops. I hope companies like framework emerge to create such great value devices like this. When I read that you can even change the motherboard that just blowed my mind!
Great review, I've been struggling between getting a framework or a System76 laptop. You may be pushing me in this direction again. I still have several months to mull it over before I go back to college so we'll see.
Thank you! They're both amazing in their own ways! I'm not sure how well the System76 laptop works out of the box, but I bet it's basically perfect. As for the Framework, Linux has been a little spotty, but popOS has been my best experience so far. Just having some light issues with sleep and battery life. If you really know your ways around Linux and are comfortable with making those fixes yourself (I know I'm not!), I'd consider the hardware and if you need the modularity of the Framework. It's definitely nice, but I can understand how not everyone needs it. I don't know if the System76 laptop is upgradable, but that would be amazing if that's the case. :)
I'm very happy with my Framework, as a Physics Major and English Minor (and Factorio player). Powerful enough for all my needs. Pretty great display (though sometimes i wish it were matte and not glossy). My laptop dock works pretty great with it (though almost every usb keyboard i use with the dock and framework has trouble registering keystrokes and i have to plug directly into the framework). The main issue i have is it just isn't compatible with my JBL Flip 4, but my Flip is failing all over the place, being a few years old.
I love that you said the fans don't' make noise in linux - I had Fedora on one of my Lenovos for like 2 years. I put windows back on it in case I want to sell it and I forgot that it even had fans.
Pretty much the same story here, except I had a Microsoft Surface Book. My god the Framework is so much better. I've been running our company's entire Kubernetes cluster in a development environment on my Framework and it barely sweats. Knowing that I have the option to drop in a Ryzen DDR5 system next year is insane.
Ren, this video was incredibly well put! I have been considering the Framework laptop for a while as a replacement for my aging HP Envy and you gave many convincing arguments. I am still saving, but I hope to make the purchase later this year. I also loved your Linux setup! It looks very clean and I really dig that aesthetic. Could you maybe do a one year update later on? Also, I appreciate your honest review. I do like Linus's videos on the matter, but as he is _an investor_ it's blatantly obvious that he wants you to make a purchase; seeing a fresh opinion from a fellow student is cool. Thank you lots!
thank you very much! I definitely will do a one year review. Excited to see how my setup and such will change in the future. If there's one thing I wish I covered more, it would be sleep on Linux. I've always had some issues with it, but will share my solution once I get it completely addressed. :)
I have the machine my self and I love it however I really wish they had more customization options but hopefully this will come as the company gathers more steam
Great job with this review. I love hearing about your person experience, like with the drivers, and the display replacement. You are to the point with every chapter of this review and provide a realistic view of what owning this laptop was like. Bravo
Cool review. As a note, you can play Genshin on Linux with an anime game launcher, but I totally understand the idea of compartmentalizing your work and entertainment setup.
Thank you. Never heard of FW before this. Great job! Would love to see an apples to apples comparison of speed, 4k crunch power, processor capacity etc with M1 or M2. I am now researching more on FW to ditch my 2014 MBP.
I'm an engineering student also getting the AMD 7840u. Also had the m1 air, but then sold and got the 14" m1 pro, but need more RAM and want better x86 compatibility with engineering and windows programs in general. Being able to pump this thing with 64gb from the beginning, and 128gb in future when 64gb sodims are available, is amazing, as well as being able to swap out the whole motherboard in 5-7 years when I want a new CPU. Also can't forget the new 2.8k display. Sharper than my Mac displays slightly, but overall definitely worse in terms of not being glossy (personal preference) and no MiniLED/OLED, but again, this is temporary. Undoubtedly if the company continues to succeed, they'll release an OLED display with some way of being backwards compatibility.
Pop! Nice. I tried Linux again a little over a year ago and Pop!OS is what I first tried. And never looked back. I am debating on getting the 16 over the 13. Not trying to rush a purchase. I am also considering System76's new laptop they are developing.
I really want one of these with Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, I would use it to play boomer shooters and do my coursework. I can't quite afford one just yet though but hope you love it!
if i remember right, the motherboard does have touch screen support, it's just they haven't released a touch screen display yet. hopefully that will come sometime! :)
My work laptop is a Lenovo T14. I was watching your video on it and could not hear the sound of the framework fan you played because it was being drowned by the sound of the one on my Lenovo lol
Cool to see someone from the infosec world using a framework laptop, going to use mine for uni&pentest stuff as well. Curious how good dual boot will work. Really great video👍🏼
@@brokstine Hey there! In the left panel is the normal file tree, and a pinned file linking to my most commonly used pages. In the middle is my main dashboard, and to keep track of projects, I use dataview, tasks, quickadd, and buttons to manage everything. In the right panel, i'm using the calendar plugin alongside the native obsidian navigation tools (outline, search/tags, graph/outgoing links). i wrote an article covering my workflow, along with all of my active plugins here: renbook.substack.com/p/my-updated-obsidian-system there's also an amazing channel, @nicolevdh, which really helped me figure out what i need to build for myself. hope that helps! let me know if you have any questions. :)
thank you very much! 3:2 has been an amazing experience for me so far. I haven't had really any issues with fullscreen media compared to something like an ultrawide. :)
Interesting - people say that they like modules as they allow you not to carry a dongle, but if we compare 8-in-1 dongle and even 4 modules (as 4 are already installed) in terms of size ... well, I'd better take a dongle)
Need to get two "Module Speaker"s, one plugged either side and configured left/right. Well at least that's a possibility and would be integrated into the body - go BoomBox and put four speakers in! ;)
Thanks! Earlier in the video, I had a small prompt saying I had moved to PopOS. I had customized it using a bunch of extensions, which I will definitely make an article / video about sometime! For now, here's a screenshot of what I had used: imgur.com/rY5F6lc Let me know if you have any other questions! :)
Amazing production value for such a small channel! I only didn't like how the microphone captures your voice, would be worth a upgrade. Also I missed some on screen text to tell me which notebook was playing in the audio comparison, but it became pretty clear at the end. Good job overall!
thank you very much! I am actively trying to improve all aspects of my content, especially audio. I haven't quite gotten my head around a "standard" volume that works for content, as it always differs based on the equipment I use at the time. I have a strong emphasis on audio for my next video, and hope it's much more balanced relative to previous content I've released. :)
Great review Ren. I would enjoy a subsequent video about any obstacles you ran into installing Linux on the Framework and whatever steps you took to address them. I am considering buying a framework later this year and it is something I am personally wondering about.
Use a standard USB mouse to install the track pad drivers rather than keyboard alone? Add small but powerful Bluetooth speakers better sound quality? Just a few ideas I'll be trying if I get one myself.
I was out of my dorm when that happened, so I didn't have my mouse with me at that time. In my home setup, I use my Logitech desktop speakers, which have been amazing when the laptop is docked. When sitting around, the speakers have been a little annoying downfiring into my lap. I do have wired earbuds, which do the job fine. :)
![Twenty One Pilots - The Line (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Audio]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XCz7WUotXs8/mqdefault.jpg)
Nice review, but note that you do not have the new hinges. There was a bad batch on the Gen1, where the force of the hinges were out of spec and they fixed that. The 4kg hinges are still optional parts and need to be purchased separately. Somehow a lot of people got that wrong somehow... no idea where they picked it up though, since FW was pretty clear about this and corrected this many many times in their forums / reddit and elsewhere.
oh wow! i don't exactly remember where I heard what i thought was true about the hinges, but that's my bad for not completely verifying it.
@@hundotiodoes linus support thunderbolt?
@@jirehla-ab1671 old comment, but I'm guessing you meant linux. the answer is yes.
I really hope framework takes off to become a real competitor in the laptop space. They're really showing it's possible to make a thin, good looking laptop without having to sacrifice modularity/repairability. Hope it sets a new trend to make repairability the standard rather than a feature.
(I am an apple user, but other than my issued work laptop, the mac's i own are all older models i salvaged and repaired)
I totally agree, and believe there may be strides already present in the industry! Although not perfect, it's exciting to see right to repair slowly become an interest. Hopefully with time we can achieve, like you said, repairability being a standard rather than a feature. Dell's Luna concept laptop seems to be a decent example, but I don't want to say too much until they actually claim repair is a big focus.
Yes, it is be perfect if this upgradeble tech is the future. I have a MacBookpro mid 2009. And cannot update it anymore. But the computer is still running ok. In these days I don’t have the money for an 2400,- euro upgrade…. But is not safe to use an old laptop… and some websites show problems with my old browser.
I am worried about the compability with Linux and Adobe and for example GuitarPro which I use a lot. That would hold me back to invest in a Framework laptop.
Also the Fairphone would be a perfect match.
You can put windows on the laptop as well, though
@@gojero732 Mr Macintosh or Dosdude1 have patcher tools to update unsupported Mac's to newer operating systems.
They're not terribly difficult to do, but you might lose out on some features just due to the fact that it's unsupported hardware, so some stuff just isnt possible.
The good thing is, the trend IS starting to appear, as HP has already released a laptop imitating the soul of the framework laptop, being slim, good, and easy to repair.
Also, Dell is launching a new open standard to save the modularity of laptops, making a new type of RAM memory that can work at ddr5 6200MT/s, and that can be engeneered to work with ddr6, thing that would have been impossible if we stuck with the sodimm design, at witch point, every laptop would have soldered memory.
If they manage to keep up their end of the deal of keeping everything modular and fairly reasonable in pricing, these would become a godsend for simple work-horse machines.
It totally would! :)
Thanks for giving framework a chance! Most tech tubers will suggest a number of options but they themselves will default to a MacBook anyways. It's refreshing to see you stick to your guns and have it be your main machine.
I really appreciate it! As much as I love my Macbook, I'm getting very close to making the Framework a near-identical experience. :)
@@HaplessIdiot As a huge fan of Thinkpads (I have 6 of them), Macbooks aren't bad machines at all. They're solid, reliable, great performance whilst being thin and light somehow (personally, I like massive fan grills, but thats just because most laptops don't have the thermal performance that the macs do). The biggest con for me is the lack of upgradability, I have a 256gb m1 air, and I could easily see myself using it as my main machine if I had a tb or two of storage, but to do that, I'd need to buy a whole new laptop, at a massive pricetag.
My issue with any other laptop than the MacBook M1 is the battery life. I simply couldn't find a laptop, that I can use for browsing, office, Teams, software development throughout 8 hours or so on battery. With the M1 I can and it mostly stays completely quiet.
Still, my wife for example doesn't care about battery life that mich and prefers Windows, so perhaps she'll get a Framework laptop, because as much as I like the MacBook, I really dislike Apple and their anti-user practices.
wait why I never heard of this company? This is what tech and sustainability supposed to be.
You are not following tech news. It is a very well known company.
@@Kiev-in-3-days what tech news outlets should I keep up with to know about stuff like this?
@@MalikEmmanuel Arstechnica maybe? I just checked and they wrote 15 articles about Framework.
I know about Framework because I follow Louis Rossmann and Linus Tech Tips. Gamer's Nexus may have mentioned it too.
@@MalikEmmanuelltt loved it so much Linus himself bought one IMMEDIATELY and INVESTED in the company. Oh yeah, they have a RUclips channel too.
In a very positive way, you remind me of Flynn from breaking bad during the webcam test
I got the M2 air a couple months ago and have no plan on getting another machine at the moment but this review is so good I ended up watching the whole thing
Thank you very much! That means a ton. :)
@@mythbuster6126I think I will give Arch a shot very soon! Just using popOS because I need something that just works, so I can see what I prefer. ;)
@@hundotio you should also see if nixos works for you. it's cool
@@luisortega8085 I've heard so many great things about nixOS! Was very tempted after hearing how much ChrisLAS vouched for it. Definitely will play around with it soon. :)
@@hundotiowho's Chris las?
Its really cool to see a company that cares about reparability, its a great benefit for consumers and means less throwaway electronics
"I didn't buy a Framework because I was worried the company wouldn't make enough profits to survive" Big brain take right there
haha thanks man! I picked up that take from people like Dave2d, and agreed with it fully. :)
I think he was sarcastic, man
If you were worried about the company not surviving, not buying the machine sure would not have helped. Ahah
@@TheshinycardhunterHe could have brought the machine and the company would have died if there wasn't a large enough number of people buying the machines, and then he'd be stuck with a laptop that would no longer be supported. A module that he might need could break and there would be nowhere to buy a new module. Maybe a part on the laptop broke that framework no longer is around to replace. It is actually a serious concern. But yeah I am rooting for framework too.
@@Theshinycardhunter the point of buying this laptop is to have replaceble parts, it the company goes bankrupt when you will need new parts in 1-2 years you won't find them
I love Framework's approach to the modularity since it makes the laptop a device that adapt to different scenarios. If you need your laptop to be a road warrior, opting for extra battery pack is ez solution. For more performance, egpu expansion is going to be supported and 1TB modules can make this laptop hoard a lot of files with a huge amount of easy extra space. And 3D printed cases allows us to give a 2nd life to the the hardware of the laptop as a media center etc. It's just plain awesome. Framework is the one of the few serious innovations the laptop space have ever had in over a decade.
Bro thank you! I just ordered mine the other day and while I know I made the right choice doubts have been sinking in. It was rough picking this up over a refurbished M1 air when comparing price, battery life and compatibility. All in all though the repair community is something I would way rather support. I’ve been a bit nervous to see how the framework will do with my college work, but I’m glad that it’s been working for you. Thanks for easing some of my anxieties!
no problem! hope you enjoy your Framework! feel free to reach out if you have any questions on anything. :)
Bro it'll all make sense over time that you made the right choice. Dealing with apple repair is a hellish nightmare. Also m1s are cool but I see GitHub issues all the time from m1 people where shit isn't compiling on their machine. Finally, screw apple for working with John Deere to lobby against right to repair. There's nothing we can do about that (voting doesn't matter, both parties oppose right to repair) other than not buy from companies actively stripping our rights away.
@@komali2 getting node libraries to compile or install on apple silicon is a giant pain in the ass
@@ZachFrank714 Yes. It's been a huge pain! I'm honestly glad that I'm not alone on that!
On my M1 MacBook Pro, the display panel failed 8 months after purchase. I brought it into the store and they were able to fix it under warranty, however this unfortunately meant I was left without a laptop for around a week. Furthermore, if I did want to replace the part myself with the Self Service Repair program, it would then not be covered under warranty and I'd be out about $600 just to have not gone without my machine for more a week. Additionally, the MacBook is so expensive to repair that I've been paying AppleCare+ out of fear of some kind of other parts failure. The framework is attractive to me as the aforementioned issues with the MacBook Pro wouldn't be a thing on a framework. (Relatively low repair cost, can repair the machine myself instead of waiting a week without a machine at all, etc) I'm looking to move onto a framework sometime within the next month.
Please do a follow up on it's performance with eGPU, I'd love to see how much of a difference it really makes
i totally will! that's a great idea. they're pretty expensive, but i am considering saving up for one. :)
been wanting a framework laptop since their release. this video pushes me ever closer to purchasing one
Very happy to hear that the keyboard is something you actually prefer over the Mac's
Aaaaand I’vs gone from considering the Framework Laptop to *definitely* getting a Framework Laptop (once my current laptop implodes on itself).
Really nicely produced video! (o o)b
It's amazing how thin and light they made this while still repairable!
Would love for Framework to reach production stability (as in, have healthy inventory of parts, no more batchets, etc) so they can ship worldwide! Or at the very least support PO Boxes and reshippers.
I have had mine since june and I am LOVING it.
that's great to hear!
You can use framework closed. Exhaust is not blocked but redirected down with clever hinge design. Actually most of the laptop I had, use this exhaust hinge design
Awesome! That's great to hear. :)
I'm blind so I use my computer with the lid closed pretty much all of the time. This is good to know because it would be a deal breaker if I can't use the computer with the lid closed.
now that the framework 16 is out and has been sold-out for the next like year> i am very confident framework is here to stay
The machine itself looks like the best generation mbp: 2013-2015
i can see it! it's really a gorgeous laptop. :)
A high performance workstation type laptop would be epic, especially with a dedicated GPU
it totally would! i would also love to see AMD come to the Framework.
They'd almost certainly certainly have to come up with a new shell for that
modular technologies always are so much fun- and just smart and efficient as a bonus
i totally agree! :)
Having a 8 year old approaching 9 year old laptop myself I would seriously considered buying a Framework laptop. It is a pretty great review. Thanks!
thank you! i really appreciate the feedback. :)
build a frankenbook with a t480 quad core and a t25 keyboard/top end. there are guides. Idk these chicklet keyboards are garbage if you spend more than a few hours on your laptop every week. og ibm/thinkpad keyboards are where its at, and thinkpads cost a fraction of what apple/framework cost. can build a decent machine for 1/10th the price that is made to be repaired. I will let everyone else with thousands to spend figure out of framework is here to stay.
When docking your laptop vertically. Please point the exhaust up. Heat goes up, so youre probably heating up your battery and other internals because the exhaust is pointing downwards.
for the heat blasting onto the bottom of the bezel, many laptops do this. Its not an issue in the long run. Ive had a laptop that did this, and my mum's and dad's laptop also di this too. All mentioned laptops work fine, with two of them being ten years old now and my laptop having a cracked screen due to an accident, meaning that i upgraded to an i3 12th gen that i am very happy with. All display are/were working with no issues
perfect! that's really reassuring to hear. :)
My one friend got a framework laptop and I think his 2 main issues were the glossy display and the battery life. But he is an Ubuntu user so battery life is always an issue.
They know how displays that aren’t glossy and no laptop has good battery life imo
That was a well done, well rounded review. I see this is more of a new channel, keep up the good work.
thank you very much! :)
1:18 Noticed some sick band stickers. AJJ rules!
heck yeah!! they're the best!
I appreciate the comprehensive review of your experiences with the Framework. I've been following their progress for a while, and I really enjoy how responsive they are to their consumers. One nice thing about the modular design, is that it also makes it easier to upcycle the older components. They've shown how some people have gone and turned old motherboards into things like SBCs and tablets.
I also love their transparency about their products! It's very refreshing, and love how they emphasize community projects. The Framework tablet is so cool! Have you seen the all-in-one desktop someone made? This is so cool. twitter.com/whatthefilament/status/1619335491102593025?s=20
I also love looking at these projects on Hackaday: hackaday.com/tag/framework/
@@hundotio Yup! Those were the exact projects I had in mind!
Nice review! I've had my Framework 12th Gen since October of last year & it's been running pretty good. The fan doesn't get loud very often as I don't typically do CPU intensive tasks. The speakers I find work nicely for spoken content & music doesn't sound too bad as far as laptops go.
I'm waiting for the Framework 16. So pumped. I bought a M1 Mac on launch and quickly sold it. Compatibility was an issue. I then bought a Dell XPS 15 running Arch and can't wait until the Framework 16 is released.
Cant remember what RUclipsr said this but it’s something like “framework might not be the best laptop, but they are the best company making laptops” you can ACTIALLY take them apart without voiding a warranty, clean them easy, upgrade and change them. It’s a laptop. Not a desktop so it’s not going to be the best thing ever of course but DAMN is wholesome.
Hanging back in the hopes they'll eventually do a 2in1 tablet format.
man, your camera-work and editing and overall video skills is very convenient. 💪👍
Been looking for a decent laptop for my manjaro build! this looks really great (both the laptop and your video style). super great and comprehensive. thanks for the video!
I've never heard of this company but I'll definitely keep them in mind next time I'm shopping for a laptop.
Awesome! It's a really nice laptop. :)
wow that's a really really good review
subbed
Just got recommended this video on my home page, I’m not looking to get a new laptop that isn’t ARM based, x86 is dead to me.. but was very surprised to see some IDA Pro and radare2 cameos ;-)
Great review. By the way, the footage from your webcam is miles better than any macbook webcam before the M1.
You deserve wayyy more subscribers, I literally assumed that you were a really big youtuber that I hadn't seen before, keep it up!
loved this!! I'm planning on getting a framework laptop for college next year, because my current laptop is school-provided and I'll need something portable that can last me years to come. my configuration will definitely be the ryzen 5 13-inch for the efficiency, 8 hours of battery life would be perfect
for a channel that has just sarted recently, the quality of the videos you make are impressive. really nice review, keep up the good work dude
thank you very much! i really appreciate the feedback. :)
I like that you used crave rave for the speaker test. It just feels right
heck yeah! :)
Nice review and well-made video. I just recently upgraded from a 2012 macbook air to an M1 macbook air. While I'm happy with the better screen, more up to date OS and the usual stuff, I'm still getting used to the lower number of ports. What bothers me the most though is the keyboard. I don't know why everyone is raving about it. So many reviewers and youtubers claim it's the best keyboard ever - but I'm not fond of it at all. I feel like it's a step backwards compared to the keyboard on my 2012 Air. Thankfully I don't have to use it too much, as I normally use my wireless logitech keyboard (MX Keys for Mac) which is absolutely awesome. I recommend it to anyone.
My two main issues right now are that Framework doesn't offer better display panels and their speakers are pretty tinny. If they fix those issues and I'd be a great deal more likely to pick one up.
I'd also love it if they could offer models that support different form factors, even if it's just one in a slightly larger form, though I do admit they have to focus on minimizing their manufacturing costs and so choosing to support a new form factor is probably not in the cards for 1-2 more generations, assuming they continue to grow financially.
good news, they've announced a 16" model of framework laptop
Looks really nice! Will definitely consider a Framework when my current lappy ages out.
What a great review @ren I think this machine is what many people are looking for due to the right to repair. This is what I was looking for in years for a completely repairable laptop in such a smart compact device. While I was at high school and university I used to built my own desktops. I hope companies like framework emerge to create such great value devices like this. When I read that you can even change the motherboard that just blowed my mind!
Great review, I've been struggling between getting a framework or a System76 laptop. You may be pushing me in this direction again. I still have several months to mull it over before I go back to college so we'll see.
Thank you! They're both amazing in their own ways! I'm not sure how well the System76 laptop works out of the box, but I bet it's basically perfect. As for the Framework, Linux has been a little spotty, but popOS has been my best experience so far. Just having some light issues with sleep and battery life.
If you really know your ways around Linux and are comfortable with making those fixes yourself (I know I'm not!), I'd consider the hardware and if you need the modularity of the Framework. It's definitely nice, but I can understand how not everyone needs it. I don't know if the System76 laptop is upgradable, but that would be amazing if that's the case. :)
Great review, even better vibes!
Hope your channel blows up in 2023
Thank you very much! I am extremely thankful for all of the support so far. :)
The Framework laptop reminds me of a modernised version of the Retina-era (2012-2016) MacBook Pros
I hear that a lot! They're both super gorgeous devices. :)
Awesome video, thank you! I think I'll go all in on an AMD Framework 13 this weekend.
I'm very happy with my Framework, as a Physics Major and English Minor (and Factorio player). Powerful enough for all my needs. Pretty great display (though sometimes i wish it were matte and not glossy). My laptop dock works pretty great with it (though almost every usb keyboard i use with the dock and framework has trouble registering keystrokes and i have to plug directly into the framework).
The main issue i have is it just isn't compatible with my JBL Flip 4, but my Flip is failing all over the place, being a few years old.
I love that you said the fans don't' make noise in linux - I had Fedora on one of my Lenovos for like 2 years. I put windows back on it in case I want to sell it and I forgot that it even had fans.
Pretty much the same story here, except I had a Microsoft Surface Book. My god the Framework is so much better. I've been running our company's entire Kubernetes cluster in a development environment on my Framework and it barely sweats. Knowing that I have the option to drop in a Ryzen DDR5 system next year is insane.
Ren, this video was incredibly well put! I have been considering the Framework laptop for a while as a replacement for my aging HP Envy and you gave many convincing arguments. I am still saving, but I hope to make the purchase later this year. I also loved your Linux setup! It looks very clean and I really dig that aesthetic. Could you maybe do a one year update later on? Also, I appreciate your honest review. I do like Linus's videos on the matter, but as he is _an investor_ it's blatantly obvious that he wants you to make a purchase; seeing a fresh opinion from a fellow student is cool. Thank you lots!
thank you very much! I definitely will do a one year review. Excited to see how my setup and such will change in the future. If there's one thing I wish I covered more, it would be sleep on Linux. I've always had some issues with it, but will share my solution once I get it completely addressed. :)
I have the machine my self and I love it however I really wish they had more customization options but hopefully this will come as the company gathers more steam
I need Framework to get the battery life up to 8+ hrs for me to consider them seriously. That’s my tipping point…Love the concept tho
nice to see it works well with linux. Maybe my next laptop will be a framework.
This is insanely good device! Will definitely be my next laptop
best review of the framework on YT, well done
thank you very much! i really appreciate it. :D
Ayyyyyyyt, AJJ is awesome. Glad to see another nerdy fan!
haha heck yeah! They're the best. :)
Great job with this review. I love hearing about your person experience, like with the drivers, and the display replacement. You are to the point with every chapter of this review and provide a realistic view of what owning this laptop was like. Bravo
Cool review. As a note, you can play Genshin on Linux with an anime game launcher, but I totally understand the idea of compartmentalizing your work and entertainment setup.
I believe I remember hearing about that project! it was very tempting, and I might give that a shot in the future. :)
Thank you. Never heard of FW before this. Great job! Would love to see an apples to apples comparison of speed, 4k crunch power, processor capacity etc with M1 or M2. I am now researching more on FW to ditch my 2014 MBP.
That's a fantastic idea! I would love to run benchmarks against my two laptops and see the differences. :)
@@hundotio I'd love to see that!
I love my Framework! Keyboard is best I've used on a laptop outside of Thinkpads. (Seriously, my W530's keyboard feels SOOOOO GOOOOOD.)
That's great to hear! I completely agree, Thinkpad keyboards are spectacular. :)
I'm an engineering student also getting the AMD 7840u. Also had the m1 air, but then sold and got the 14" m1 pro, but need more RAM and want better x86 compatibility with engineering and windows programs in general. Being able to pump this thing with 64gb from the beginning, and 128gb in future when 64gb sodims are available, is amazing, as well as being able to swap out the whole motherboard in 5-7 years when I want a new CPU.
Also can't forget the new 2.8k display. Sharper than my Mac displays slightly, but overall definitely worse in terms of not being glossy (personal preference) and no MiniLED/OLED, but again, this is temporary. Undoubtedly if the company continues to succeed, they'll release an OLED display with some way of being backwards compatibility.
Pop! Nice. I tried Linux again a little over a year ago and Pop!OS is what I first tried. And never looked back. I am debating on getting the 16 over the 13.
Not trying to rush a purchase. I am also considering System76's new laptop they are developing.
I really want one of these with Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, I would use it to play boomer shooters and do my coursework. I can't quite afford one just yet though but hope you love it!
Would've totally bought this but wanted touchscreen support to take notes with a pen. Still a really cool machine
if i remember right, the motherboard does have touch screen support, it's just they haven't released a touch screen display yet. hopefully that will come sometime! :)
This is such a good review , easy to follow, and covers everything. Good job!
thank you very much! :)
Really good review man. I'm thinking of getting the 16 inch
With editing and content like this you deserve more subs!
thank you so much! :)
louis rossman is wicked for his endevours
I'm so thankful he didn't give up hope on R2R, especially after the newest New York bill incident. We've got to keep pressure! :)
My work laptop is a Lenovo T14. I was watching your video on it and could not hear the sound of the framework fan you played because it was being drowned by the sound of the one on my Lenovo lol
Wtf how do you only have 600 subs? This is amazing quality for a channel with so few subscribers. Definitely subbing after this one.
Thank you very much! :)
For windows and speaker issues, there is easy effects software for fix them
Cool to see someone from the infosec world using a framework laptop, going to use mine for uni&pentest stuff as well. Curious how good dual boot will work. Really great video👍🏼
Congratz on the move over to Pop_OS!
thank you! it's been a pretty good experience so far. :)
That the video i was looking for !
Nice! Hope I helped out.
@@hundotio IT's been a years since i buy this laptop, thanks for this review ! it help me a lot
Can you do a bullet journal tour and explain how you organize it and yourself? Great video, btw. :]
hey! i don't often bullet journal, but i do have plans on exploring my productivity system and how to build one for yourself. :)
@@hundotiocan you just tell me what is the obsidian plugin at 5:10? Is it just done with markdown only?
@@brokstine Hey there! In the left panel is the normal file tree, and a pinned file linking to my most commonly used pages.
In the middle is my main dashboard, and to keep track of projects, I use dataview, tasks, quickadd, and buttons to manage everything.
In the right panel, i'm using the calendar plugin alongside the native obsidian navigation tools (outline, search/tags, graph/outgoing links).
i wrote an article covering my workflow, along with all of my active plugins here: renbook.substack.com/p/my-updated-obsidian-system
there's also an amazing channel, @nicolevdh, which really helped me figure out what i need to build for myself.
hope that helps! let me know if you have any questions. :)
@@hundotio Thanks you so much for the answer that all that i needed!
Nice review! I had similar concerns that you had mentioned. Still not 100% convinced on the 3:2; it's good to hear you do like the repair ability.
thank you very much! 3:2 has been an amazing experience for me so far. I haven't had really any issues with fullscreen media compared to something like an ultrawide. :)
Give me an ortholinear keyboard upgrade and the ability to CoreBoot, and I will definitely buy one.
This review is AWESOME!
Interesting - people say that they like modules as they allow you not to carry a dongle, but if we compare 8-in-1 dongle and even 4 modules (as 4 are already installed) in terms of size ... well, I'd better take a dongle)
Really great video, love the editing!
1 thing: weary is tired. Wary or leery means uncertain.
One thing to note with the expansion cards is that the hdmi and display ports have a problem where they leach power
Yep! I've since struggled with this issue. Hopefully there's a solution other than removing the modules soon.
Need to get two "Module Speaker"s, one plugged either side and configured left/right.
Well at least that's a possibility and would be integrated into the body - go BoomBox and put four speakers in! ;)
That sounds awesome! hahaha.
really nice but can you reply with info about the manjaro settings? That looks very nice
Thanks! Earlier in the video, I had a small prompt saying I had moved to PopOS. I had customized it using a bunch of extensions, which I will definitely make an article / video about sometime!
For now, here's a screenshot of what I had used: imgur.com/rY5F6lc
Let me know if you have any other questions! :)
Nice review man, really nice review, and ur channel is really Interesting
Thanks for the video…nice Obsidian sticker.
Great Video, Very thorough! Thank you for putting your thoughts out there for others.
no problem! i hope you enjoyed. :)
Amazing production value for such a small channel! I only didn't like how the microphone captures your voice, would be worth a upgrade. Also I missed some on screen text to tell me which notebook was playing in the audio comparison, but it became pretty clear at the end.
Good job overall!
thank you very much! I am actively trying to improve all aspects of my content, especially audio. I haven't quite gotten my head around a "standard" volume that works for content, as it always differs based on the equipment I use at the time. I have a strong emphasis on audio for my next video, and hope it's much more balanced relative to previous content I've released. :)
Great review Ren. I would enjoy a subsequent video about any obstacles you ran into installing Linux on the Framework and whatever steps you took to address them. I am considering buying a framework later this year and it is something I am personally wondering about.
Nice video.
I need so much the rabbit sticker!
Thank you! That sticker is Stormy the Rabbit, from AJJ - People Who Can Eat People Are the Luckiest People in the World album. Amazing listen!
I think we have the same Tecknet wireless mouse, at least by the looks of the purple USB-A dongle at 6:53 :D
Wait, it's PHONEBLOKS but for laptops and actually good? Sign me up!
Whoa! I've never heard of this! That is so cool!
Amazing video bro , good laptop
Thank you very much!
Loved this review, no bullshit just straight to the point! I will probably be getting an AMD Framework this year!
Use a standard USB mouse to install the track pad drivers rather than keyboard alone? Add small but powerful Bluetooth speakers better sound quality? Just a few ideas I'll be trying if I get one myself.
I was out of my dorm when that happened, so I didn't have my mouse with me at that time.
In my home setup, I use my Logitech desktop speakers, which have been amazing when the laptop is docked. When sitting around, the speakers have been a little annoying downfiring into my lap. I do have wired earbuds, which do the job fine. :)