I’m in the process of buying all the individual parts to the FW16. Can we get a build guide for putting them together? So far I’ve gotten the bottom cover kit as well as the screen. Next week I plan on purchasing the top cover and midplate kits. There are of course replacement guides for certain parts and I can infer a lot from them but it would be helpful to have a dedicated guide for a complete build and what parts are needed. For example, I was confused about the Interposer cover. No where does it say that it’s included with a part but it does show up on a picture with the bottom cover kit.
Of course once I see all the parts in person, it might be simple to assemble but it would be nice to have a guide to follow along with. Make sure I’ve gotten all the correct parts.
I would have thought someone would have put a video up on Youtube by now but I can’t find anything.
Partly for the experience of building the laptop from scratch. But mostly because of my budget. I have tried to save up to purchase the laptop like normal but something always comes up like car repairs or something. Buying the individual parts as i can helps me to afford it. And it doesn’t help that I’m impatient as all get out lol. I could wait until march when I get my refund but I need a new PC sooner rather than later.
Also I used to build PC’s before I became a trucker and Now i’m mostly a laptop guy, so I miss the thrill of building a pc and turning it on for the first time.
And I’ve done the Math. It’s honestly not going to cost much more than if I just bought the DIY out right. The biggest expense will be the shipping of each part and I can limit that by buying more than one part at a time. All the parts and taxes add up to about the same as a complete laptop.
I will have to save up to buy the main board but that’ll be easier to save for than trying to save up for a complete laptop. Other than the main board and gpu the biggest expense is the screen and I can afford to buy that off one paycheck. And so far I’ve bought the screen as well as the bottom cover kit. next week I plan on getting the top cover kit as well as the midplate kit.
I have seen that video and it’s a pretty good tear down. I probably won’t be satisfied until I get my hands on the parts. While I’m currently buying them I won’t actually get to look at them for another couple of months as I’m typically on the road for months at a time.
Mainly what I want to know is should I start with the bottom cover and add the speakers then the battery first and then the main board or add the main board first.
Or should I connect the top and bottom covers together with the hinges first and then start adding the parts?
As I’ve said I can infer a lot from the replacement guides already posted, it would just be nice to have a complete guide. They have a guide for replacing the bottom cover for the FW13, just do one for the FW16. That’s all I really want.
Can’t you stick money in a jar (or separate account or envelope or whatever) instead? With electronics it tends to be the longer you wait the better/cheaper stuff you can get so buying half a laptop you can’t use now may not actually be a huge help.
As someone who has done quite a bit of both pc building and laptop repair/building, laptops are certainly a lot more of a pain and less fun to mess around with than pcs.
Unfortunately I’m the type of person who can’t seem to save money. Something always comes up where I need to spend money. That’s why I’m waiting to get the main board and the GPU last. I highly doubt that the other parts are going to become obsolete in just a few months.
That’s why I’ve enjoyed the framework 13. I’ve replaced almost every part on it myself due to the ruff nature of my job. My last laptop was a gaming laptop and over 5 years, the vibration from my truck slowly killed it. I’m still able to use it but I’ve regulated it to a Plex server at home. The ports mostly stopped working and the screen is barely usable.
I really enjoyed tinkering with the 13, and I want have a gaming laptop again. So I’m getting it the best way that works for me. And unfortunately the vibration issues are affecting the 13’s ports so it is time to replace it. I can either replace the main board or I can spend a little more and buy the 16 and have a gaming laptop again.
I’ve almost ordered all the parts. Just have the Gpu to purchase and I’ll have a complete laptop waiting for me to assemble when I get home.
I’ve noticed that the 2 gen Camera doesn’t stay in stock very long. Does the Framework 16 need a camera installed to work properly or can I just not have a camera until I can get around to ordering the one that I want? I’d rather not purchase the 1st gen only for it to be replaced in a few months.
That’s a good strategy. I was going to suggest the same - wait for the mainboard and GPU last because maybe by the time you’re ready to get them, the next gen may be available. The virtues of waiting.
Honestly, I don’t think there’s much to the build order other than the obvious. I would build from bottom up like you’re already planning.
The only thing I would suggest is buy the GPU and motherboard pre-built so you’re not building them part by part (which will probably be more expensive and annoying). This will include the HSF pre-installed, and for the GPU, no need for the expansion bay enclosure, fans, and HSF. And I think if you buy the GPU pre-assembled, you also get the interposer (not sure, but I’d ask and make sure). Same for the expansion bay shell (if you didn’t want the GPU).
Speaking of which, some parts include other supporting parts so you don’t need to buy them separately. The mid-plate, for example, already has the input module connector board, so no need to buy it separately. The top cover kit already comes with the antenna module and webcam cable.
I don’t know, but I would probably leave it out. It most likely will still boot and work without it. I believe it’s just another USB device.
You got me curious so I added all the parts together and my shopping cart is $3,287.40 (without any expansion cards). I would add the refurbished card kit for $34 (plus 2 more since that’s a kit of 4 - need a audio card and another USB-A card). This also doesn’t include NVME SSD, WIFI, or RAM.
TBF, my FW16 with everything except NVME and SSD was $2,400.00. I ended up buying an Intel AX210 WIFI card to replace the MediaTek for another $30.
I just ordered the last part (ram) that I needed for a working laptop. All I need now are the extra bits like the Gpu expansion bay. Does anyone know if the Gpu comes with the interposer? I’d hate to order one only for me to not need it. But on the flip side, since I’m away from home for months on end I’d hate to get home only to realize I need to order one and then have to wait another couple of months before getting it. (I’m a trucker and I probably spend 11 months a year on the road)
Just finished buying all the parts I need to assemble my Framework 16. Here is the comparison between buying the DIY Edition vs buying all the individual parts. Not counting the extra stuff like the Dbrand skin and the extra fasteners I actually came out ahead by $101.57 (Honestly if I had ordered all of it at once I’d have saved $70!) I also already own some of the Expansion cards from the FW13 that I will be reusing for the time being. And since I will be using the 13 as a media server I’m temporarily transferring its Webcam over to the 16 until I can get my hands on the 2nd gen webcam (It’s never in stock on payday lol). Since budget was the reason I did this I used ram and a hard drive from Amazon. I’ll be home in about a week so I will take pictures and post them at a latter date.
I made a couple of mistakes in ordering parts that I didn’t need.
The mid plate cable (comes with the mid plate), the Type C cable (comes with the power brick), and the interposer ( comes with the Expansion Bay Shell).
At least I’ll have them in case I need to replace them.
