While searching for a new computer, I came across Framework laptops. Framework is a new company that makes easy to repair laptops. I took a dive into researching the company’s products and want to share with you what I came across.
In this post, I am going to share with you a little bit about a company that I just discovered. If you are after a “do it yourself” (DIY) laptop, you will like what this company offers. The way Framework differentiates themselves from their competition is by offering a laptop that is supposed to be easy to repair and upgrade. The concept is unbelievably cool, and I love it. While I settled on a different laptop, I wanted to share my discovery with you in this quick awareness article.
Now, let’s take a closer look at Framework laptops.
Two Different Approaches – DIY or Custom Build
Framework takes on laptops in two approaches. You can buy a custom built machine or you can buy one that you build yourself.
A Do It Yourself Laptop
Either way looks very convenient, and I was honestly very tempted to get a Framework Laptop DIY Edition laptop. The reason is because I love the idea of building my own PC, and I feel that it would help people understand what is in a laptop and how they work. On top of that, this company has tons of documentation about how to work with their products online. As such, I don’t think I would feel lost if I went with their DIY product.
The Custom Build Option
If you are not as interested in building a laptop yourself, Framework also has laptops that they will build for you. All you have to do is configure it yourself. That way, you get the machine you want and don’t have to put it together.
Framework houses a lot of documentation about their laptops on their website. They make it look so easy to repair and upgrade this machine as needed.
A Unique Approach to Customization and Upgradability
No matter what which option you go with, you can customize the four side outputs on this laptop. That is pretty unique. All the other ones came with the ports that the company chose. Some have all USB-C / Thunderbolt ports and others have a mix. With the Framework laptop, you can just choose which you want. That is a nice feature.
On top of that, the company labels their internal parts and documents them well on their website. The QR code takes you to guides about the item in question and even helps you order replacements or upgrades for the parts if you so desire.
I tried the test QR code in the image above. Even though I downgraded the quality from the initial file, it still takes you to a page that discusses how their QR codes work. Nice to see how that works without buying the product.
Now, the point of this article is to serve as a quick awareness post. Framework laptops are another option for you to consider if you are looking for a new computer. It is hard to consider them if you don’t know about them.
Now, let me tell you what I thought of the Framework laptop after all my research.
My Thoughts on Framework Laptops
First and foremost, my thoughts on this laptop are based on internet research only. I have not had the pleasure of getting my hands on this laptop or the experience of testing them out in person. That said, I love the idea that this laptop is one that you can build yourself and that it is easy to upgrade.
Being Able to Work on Your Own Laptop Hardware
Many people shy away from opening up their laptops to make upgrades. I know I felt nervous the first time that I cracked open a laptop shell to upgrade a computers memory and storage capacity.
Framework takes laptops that other companies seal up and flips things on its head. They sell on the idea that their products are easy to upgrade and repair.
If ease of repair, or the project of building your own laptop, does not appeal to you, then this might not be the right product for you. For me, the idea of building my own portable computer is really alluring. The fact that Framework encourages you to work on your own laptop I find awesome.
My Decision
Because I love the idea of building my own laptop, I spent some time making a few Framework laptop builds online for both the custom and DIY versions of their machines. When it came to actually buying a laptop, I went with one of their competitors. The reason for this was that Framework is a little more expensive than some of their competitors and because they don’t have versions available (at this time) with an upgraded video card. I want a machine with a dedicated video card for video editing purposes.
That said, if you are looking for a laptop built for ease of repair, or a laptop that you can build yourself, then take a look at Framework. They offer something quite unique.
Bringing it together…
Today’s quick post is an awareness piece about Framework. They make laptops that are designed to be easy to upgrade and repair. To me, that is a fantastic concept. This is a different approach than what many of their competitors take.
Although I have not tried their machines, I really like what I saw while I researched the company and their products. Because I find their approach unique, I wanted to share this information about them with you. I figured that if these laptops appealed to me, they might appeal to you too.
If you are after a Chromebook instead of a Windows or Linux machine, Framework now makes Chromebooks too.
Tech Presenters is a brand new website. We offer easy tips for media, technology and presentations. If you haven’t checked it out, please take a look around and see if there are some other articles that can help you out too.
Until next time, Happy Presenting Everyone!!!
Special thanks goes out to Framework for allowing me to use their images in this post.
