Compatibility of memory and storage, and difference between order and marketplace

Hi. When placing my order for a Framework 16 I chose not to include any storage or memory since I already have 2TB + 24GB, but I’m now having second thoughts since they’re older components with slower interfaces and I’m also unsure how compatible they are.

Does anybody know if these are compatible with a Framework 16?

  • 8GB DDR4 SODIMM that came with the computer (Lenovo Legion Y530 15ICH)
  • 16GB CRUCIAL DDR4-3200 CT16G4SFRA32A SODIMM
  • Crucial P3 Plus 2TB PCIe M.2 2280 SSD (CT2000P3PSSD8)

Also, if they are not compatible or in case I want faster storage/memory, is there a difference between ordering RAM/SSD while placing the laptop order vs. buying them in the marketplace later?

No joy on the RAM, as the FW16 is DDR5.

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M.2 drive is Gen 3, where Gen 4 is supported, but will obviously work. I could be wrong, but I wouldn’t have thought the real world performance difference would justify replacing it…

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The SSD should work and be fine, assuming you don’t need the top performance. 2 TB is more than enough for today. The RAM won’t be compatible unfortunately.

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OK, so I will have to buy new RAM. Is there a difference between getting it during the order or afterwards in the marketplace or are they the same thing?

Currently, RAM is very cheap (cheaper as in the order). So check it out.

Do you mean it’s cheaper in the marketplace than in the order? I’m not sure I understand

It’s much cheaper if you buy it separately from Amazon or where ever instead of ordering it from Framework. (The Framework marketplace will cost additional postage, so it’s probably the most expensive option.)

However I’m not sure if we still have reliable information about which modules will be compatible. It’s probably the same as for the Framework 13 AMD models.

As already noted you can’t put DDR4 in a FW16. Memory controller is DDR5 only, and it’s a physically different socket.

SSD should work fine. I was going to transfer the 1TB drive out of my ThinkPad, until a very tempting offer on a 2TB drive appeared on Prime Day last week.

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Thanks all

Just to clarify on this, there shouldn’t be any difference, as far as I can tell, if you order the RAM from the marketplace vs. ordering it with your laptop. The only difference could be shipment time. If you want to get the RAM from Framework, your best option would probably be to contact support and ask them to add whatever RAM configuration you want to your pre-order, which they can do.

As others have said, the other option is to purchase RAM separately from another retailer.

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This is the ram I bought. https://www.newegg.com/g-skill-32gb-262-pin-ddr5-so-dimm/p/N82E16820374490?Item=N82E16820374490

Compatibility is guaranteed by no more than my faith in the Omnissiah.

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Those are DDR4 modules.

The Framework 16 requires DDR5, which is a newer and higher bandwidth type of memory.

It is still good to get the DIY edition without ram because Framework charges $5/GB when DDR5 with similar specs is frequently ~$2.5/GB elsewhere and you can even get slightly faster ram that should still work for ~$3/GB.

That should work just fine.

A lot of people recommend avoiding that drive because it is a QLC SSD. QLC SSDs store data more densely within the drive, which allows it to have higher capacity at a lower price, however the downside is that it cripples performance and longevity so a lot of people recommend avoiding QLC. There are some tricks the drive uses to mitigate the downsides of QLC, although those are most effective when the drive is less than a quarter full.

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Thanks for the heads up. Currently it’s half full but I’ve only had the SSD for about a year and a half. Might be a good idea to switch, I will be thinking about it.

I bought these as well for the FW16, slightly cheaper on Amazon though. I really hope they work as they are the same speed and timings as the official Framework ram will be.

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I just got my diy 16 and bought ADATA legend 960 4tb 2280 ssd, Timetec 2gb 2230 model MS72, and Crucial 64gb kit CT2K32G56C46S5. They all work and fit great.

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Update: I got my Framework 16 & I put in the old SSD since my new one hasn’t shipped yet and it works fine

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