SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
If you're a PC hardware geek who's been dreaming of a laptop that you can upgrade far beyond the life cycle of a typical machine, Framework's modular notebooks must seem like a miracle. The American company has a straightforward pitch: What if your laptop could be nearly as customizable as a desktop, with the ability to swap components out for repairs and upgrades? What if we could put an end to disposable hardware? We were intrigued by Framework's original 13-inch notebook and its Chromebook variant, despite some rough edges and a basic design. Now, with the Framework Laptop 16, the company is targeting the most demanding and (arguably) hardest group of PC users to please: Gamers.
Framework has already proved it can build compelling modular laptops, but can the Laptop 16 cram in powerful graphics, a fast display and other components to keep up with the likes of Alienware, Razer and ASUS? Sort of, it turns out — and there are plenty of other tradeoffs for living the modular laptop dream. Hardware quirks abound, battery life is mediocre and it still looks like a totally generic machine. But how many other notebooks could let you completely upgrade your CPU or GPU in a few years? Who else offers a customizable keyboard setup? In those respects, the Framework 16 stands alone.
[...] I was genuinely bummed to discover that it was a fairly mediocre gaming machine, at least for its high price.
What do you think? Is having a laptop that you can upgrade more important than having the fastest laptop on the block? What price would you pay for being able to upgrade your hardware?
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Tork on Tuesday March 19 2024, @08:48PM
I haven't given a shit about 'fastest on the block" in forever. It used to be that extra speed could mean you're playing more games or something. But I'm not playing PC games and even if I did I don't really think that's the case anymore. (I learned long ago that new pricey video cards don't make my games funner.) I am the bottleneck when it comes to getting tasks done, not the processor.
I'm also in a bit of a weird niche where I do need a mobile workstation but not to the crazy extent that my machine's no longer portable. In other words I'd rather max out the ram at the initial purchase and have it soldered in. There are claims that it's more energy efficient, I cannot verify that but I can tell you that the 'modularity' I had with previous laptops is where decomposition would start to take hold. The last thing I need is something getting unseated while I'm traveling. Am I paying a premium for ram? Fuck yes, I'm running Apple and I'm getting gouged pretty bad, but my replacement cycle is every 4-5 years. My previous laptops (mostly Dell) started looking like junkers after the two year mark and rarely ran after year three. I'm actually coming out ahead here despite Apple's best efforts to suck all the money out of my wallet.
I'm definitely not the target audience for this laptop. Then again I'm the sort that just spins up a new box when I do need heavy lifting processor-wise. Best tool for the job, not best tool I can buy today for a later job.
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈