I think I’ve decided to get a Framework 13 (after deciding MacBooks were more than I wanted to spend on a new laptop this time for what I was getting).
I was thinking of doing a DIY since it looked pretty simple, and then buying the RAM/SSD separately, and wanted to confirm some things with those who have more experience with the laptop.
- I plan to get the AMD model. I was thinking of getting the Ryzen 5 model, as it’s a fair bit cheaper, and then using the savings for RAM, SSD, modules, even buying the bigger battery separately, etc. My understanding is that 5 vs 7 is basically like the debate between an intel i5 vs i7? In the past I’ve generally done i5 and been fine as I don’t do heavy gaming or video editing or other very heavy tasks on my laptops (maybe some coding, but probably nothing too intensive), and so therefore I feel like Ryzen 5 would make sense for me, since if I want something really intensive I’d probably build a desktop if I need it. Does anyone feel differently, that I should really aim to get the Ryzen 7?
- I was planning to go with 32 GB of RAM. I was thinking of Crucial CT2K16G56C46S5 from Framework’s list, as it seems like people like it and I can get it easily and somewhat cheaply from Amazon/Microcenter. This one seems fairly straightforward.
- The SSD seems a bit more debatable (I plan to get 1TB). It seems like the SK Hynix P31 Gold is/was the recommendation for a long time, due to lower power usage compared to other comparable drives. From what I understand some recommend newer drives because the Gold is limited to PCIe 3.0 speeds, while the motherboard theoretically can go up to 4.0. However, when on battery (which for a laptop would be common), my understanding is that it drops back to 3.0 speeds anyway, so 3.0 vs. 4.0 seems like it would matter less? I’ve also seen the P41 Platinum, which I think is newer/theoretically faster, but possibly uses more power? Or is that extra power usage negligible? It’s only like $10 more than the Gold at Microcenter so I don’t mind either way