I plan to purchase the most basic BYO Framework 13 laptop with Ryzen 7640U (avoiding Intel)
My use case is just software development and some gaming (easy-to-run games).
In your opinion, is this the right decision?
I’m aware that only the Framework’s team knows their plans, but, if they were to somehow release Ryzen 300 series, should we expect this to be available on Framework 13?
I know that’s their whole mission, I just fear they would release a completely new laptop for that one… for example, how the graphic board is only available on Framework 16.
In my opinion, as a software developer, a Ryzen-based Framework 13 is a good decision. Whether it’s the right decision is, of course, dependent on the person using it. I went with the FW16 myself, partly because I wanted the larger screen and additional USB ports, and partly because I discovered that the GPU add-on port was built in such a way that it was possible to use it for a second battery, and I’m hoping that Framework or someone else creates one.
If it hadn’t been for the possibility of a second battery, I might have gone with the FW13 instead. Fewer ports, and smaller screen – but lighter as well. I suspect I would have been just as happy with that one, all told.
No idea about Framework’s plans for future CPU types. The FW13 has been getting new motherboard/CPU combinations fairly regularly, but the FW16 is too new.
The GPU add-on port was built in such a way that it was possible to use it for a second battery, and I’m hoping that Framework or someone else creates one.
Wow, that didn’t even cross my mind, has anyone at least commented about a work-in-progress for such thing? Sounds really good
There have been some hobbyist discussions about it on this forum. I was an electronics technician in my pre-software-developer days, so I’ve followed them a bit and could probably put something together if someone else provided the needed board and instructions.
I was hoping for an end-user product rather than a home-built one though. Mistakes with rechargeable batteries can be rather flammable, and I’m much more interested in keeping my wife, family, and house than in slightly longer laptop run-times.
I suspect I would have been just as happy with that one, all told.