I was just wondering if anyone else has noticed that running in clamshell mode increases the CPU temps substantially on the framework which is not true for other laptops I have used (like the macbook pro).
I have a particularly heavy use-case as a professional software developer where I am usually running a linux VM, docker, database, dependencies, debugger, and my application, plus the IDE and supporting chat/mail/browser apps. I have the framework elevated on a laptop stand so it gets clean and cool airflow. I’ve re-pasted with Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut Extreme.
Before the re-paste and laptop stand I was hitting 100C regularly. After the re-paste and laptop stand I still hit 80-90C unless I open the lid. If I open the lid then I find that temps are warm but acceptable around 60C.
Comparing the Framework exhaust port to my Intel Macbook Pro I’ve noticed that the black plastic hinge cover on the Framework extends all the way to the bottom of the laptop chassis. In practice, when closed, this only leaves a small gap between the plastic hinge cover and the bottom of the chassis where the exhaust needs to escape with a 90 degree angle downwards. The Macbook Pro on the other hand does not extend the plastic hinge cover all the way to the bottom of the chassis, so that even when in clamshell mode the exhaust still has a straight shot out of the back of the laptop.
I’m wondering if anyone else has run into this issue and if you think it could be resolved with a re-designed hinge cover?
Just to confirm, the laptop stand is designed in a way that doesn’t obstruct the bottom vent(s), correct?
Basically I was wondering if simply turning the laptop upside down when in a closed position would make any difference.
Otherwise, because the laptop can open to a full 180 degree angle, you could try laying it flat in a completely-open arrangement instead (again, trying it laying as both screen-side up and screen-side down).
Yes, I made sure to get a stand that didn’t obstruct the intake vents. I think I pretty much have the problem “solved” (it’s not a big deal to run it with the lid open) but I was just wondering if anyone has raised this issue before and if the design team has thought about how the black plastic hinge cover restricts exhaust flow.
I’m starting to wonder if some careful work on the hinge cover to “fabricate” some exhaust port openings might actually make all the difference.
I’m guessing you’re referring to “modern standby” or whatever it’s called where the CPU isn’t actually put into full suspend? (i.e. on at least DDR3-era and older PCs where only the RAM is powered and nothing else, save for maybe the USB ports for charging stuff)
I’ve definitely seen this issue mentioned before, though I don’t have the energy to go searching for that post (it was quite a while ago)
I can’t speak for the design team, but my guess is that they engineered the laptop to be used open, and may not have designed it for people who run the laptop closed. Now that this topic has been created, maybe they will consider redesigns to the bezel piece in the future, or a community member may try to make a better design!
Ouch. I use my laptop closed 80% of the time. You’d think they would’ve designed it to be used both ways. Waiting for the shipment of the laptop but this is a little saddening. I store my current one under my desk on brackets I printed, no room up top for an open one.
Definitely watch your temps. Like I said, I haven’t ruled out attempting a field modification on mine to open up the exhaust pathway, but I’d prefer if I could purchase a replacement part (which I don’t currently see offered on the marketplace).
I don’t have a laptop to look at yet (got charged but no ship date) but that would be fantastic if they could release a different part that directs it outwards instead. Does it look like it would be a simple swap?
Interesting. Seems like that be an easy-ish fix for them to offer a different bezel that allows for max cooling. I’d hate to just hack up mine. This is kinda frustrating because many people use their laptops closed in docking type configurations.
I haven’t used computers for as long as you but I’ve used my laptop closed for almost 2 years now (wait actually 3) working from home and utilizing a monitor, keyboard, mouse. I’ve seen this set up multiple times in different forums and enthusiast YouTubers.
I imagine the desire for using a laptop closed is the ability to basically have a desktop PC that you can also take with you.
At least before m.2 SSDs become common, a fun thing I’ve been doing is simply swapping a SATA SSD between a desktop and a laptop quite easily since I ran the SATA & power cables on my desktop through an empty PCIe expansion (though there are hot-swap 5.25" drive bay adapters that can work as well) and put it into a laptop that normally only holds the bottom cover in with two screws but cnaps snaps into place so I just keep the screws removed (alternatively, on laptops with an optical drive and a built-in lever to eject like the Thinkpad T420, you could just use an optical to 2.5" SATA drive adapter).
I’ll be honest that this is one of my main annoyances with m.2 and the modern DIY enthusiast’s desire to eliminate all cables - it makes swapping drives between multiple computers much more troublesome unless there became a way to more quickly access an m.2 slot on a laptop (a desktop could theoretically use a riser cable or maybe even a Thunderbolt adapter that properly uses PCIe).
That being said, this only tends to work well if you use Linux only with AMD or Intel graphics (no Nvidia!), or get really lucky and Windows actually “plays ball” with the two very different PCs (which I’ve actually gotten lucky with before, but on other PCs it also can just straight-up fail).
I’m not so sure that 4W of power is enough to be concerned about - that’s the same as a mere 800mA 5v USB charger which is squarely in the slow charging category, many of which mobile devices tend to only have heat concerns if being actively used and charged at the same time (and a framework laptop has much more surface area to dissipate such heat as well).
When I am at home I have it docked so I can game on my G-Sync 165Hz display using a docked 12GB 3060 (there is more bandwidth if I don’t use the laptop display).
There is no noticeable difference in temps for me with the lid open or closed but maybe that’s because of the noisy cooler I have under it somehow manages to push the air through that little crack .
I use my laptops closed, plugged into docking stations unless I am at a client site. Even there if the gig is longer than a day I’ll have an external keyboard/mouse/monitor. My work laptops are lenovos and running them closed works fine. My framework is attached to an egpu box that has additional I/O ports so I have all my peripherals plugged into external box.
I noticed the heat with it closed so I’ve been running with it open, but it would be nice to be able to run with it closed.
Just looked over my wife’s new $1800 X1 Carbon. Slots in the back similar to the Framework. Looks like they’re all going this way? Not sure why, the old way of exhausting out the side was better from a usability standpoint, but it took away space for I/O’s.
It’s just a bummer that the manufacturers are optimizing exhaust flow for the lid being open. Clamshell is a common use case amongst professionals who already have multiple large format monitors but frequently travel between offices or home and office.
When I did IT for oil and gas for about 6 years, the number of users with laptop became a 60/40 ratio (60 being laptop users so they can bring it home and remote in as well). 100% of those users (we are talking thousands) docked their laptops when they were in the office with the lid closed so they can use dual external displays. Some of those users were even engineers using programs like autocad etc, better cooling on lid closed would have been useful. I switched to IT in the automotive business so I am not sure how many use laptops today in oil and gas but I assume with things like covid the numbers grew. I also always have it docked at home with the lid closed. So it’s more common than you think.
Just ordered a Framework laptop and use my older X1 Carbon mostly closed and docked like 90% of the time. This is a major deal for me and causing some hesitance to jump into the pool on Framework right now.
I’ve been told multiple times on this thread that closed and docked laptop usage is such a small use case that it’s almost unconscionable there are some of us that actually do it. It’s been strange working in offices full of people using laptops closed and docked - we must be such oddballs.
Total bummer. Have been following Framework and finally ordered after looking at specs and wanting to change the cycle of the churn of hardware every few years.
Cancelled the order and have to go with something that I know will be okay closed for long periods of time at high utilization. Hoping a bezel and or redesign options come down the road on my next laptop cycle.
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