Framework Laptop 16 Deep Dive - Enclosure

I’ve tested and used flip-around and detachable keyboard models at work. The initial cool factor fades fairly quickly, IMO. But I’m a techy, and tend to type a lot - maybe I’m just not the target market.

Unless perhaps you have an ultralight model like a 10" windows tablet. maybe that would work. Framework 16 has absolutely no chance of ending up that light lol

Can’t be as heavy as this guy:

Or this:

Everything else is light once you tried carrying something like that.

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I had one of those fujitsu’s in college. Also currently using a surface laptop studio, both designs can technically accommodate a larger rear than the screen physically can rotate around. But being possible and being reasonable are two things.

The point is, these aren’t easy to make hinge designs. The Fujitsu would require a complicated double rotating hinge mechanism that would likely cut into the space where the expansion bay sits. A SLS style hinge would require a ton of extra machining & tooling, and result in a much heavier top screen section. The prior devices were also incredibly expensive compared to normal laptops of their time.

I don’t see it as very realistic to expect Framework, with their current capabilities, would consider going down this very niche use-case at this time.

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I’m not expecting, I’m just showing the technical possibility!
Maybe it can even be done with an unofficial project by a fan!

I’m also fine without a 2-in-1, but for those who aren’t, they can start imagining and trying out designs.

Great work team. I am so excited to watch where this is leading. And can’t wait to get my hands on the 13" Laptop.
In love with your mission. :heart_eyes:

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Let’s try to keep this on-topic please. I’ve gone in and removed/edited the offending messages.

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That thing is crazy. DM on what it was? Looks like a “luggable” server!

Anyway, the deep dives are building a product story. Look forward to the rest of them.

@Morpheus636 My apologies if I went off topic, I am new to forums and how they work.

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I wonder if the display could open 180 degrees (or a little less but similar). My current laptop can open to about 140 degrees and it’s not enough for me to work comfortably with laptop placed on my legs. I think I need 20 more degrees to be fully able to use it.

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Will this new enclosure have a hole for a laptop lock?

What exactly are the measures of the FW Laptop 16?
From the article, we only get to know that it is 18/21 mm thick. But how wide and deep/high is it?

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There is a new support page regarding the dimensions:

The FW 16 is remarkably narrow (356.6 mm), but quite long with 270 mm.

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That looks like an OGP bug haha (probably attempting to sanitize links or something like that). The page itself lists the correct info.

Laptop for giants. Imagine the raw power, though.

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Turns out its not hard to make a modular laptop when you make it twice the size of a desktop! Need to make some expansion cards with built in dolly wheels.

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Imma just leave this here.

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The side profile look so square, somewhat like a alienware but even more square
it’s so square, I have a hard time imagining what else that come close. It look absolutely magnificent, though. And you would bet that it’s the engineers designed this.

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It’s probably a very personal opinion about the 16" esthetics, but I‘m not really convinced by the black plastic material used for the keyboard, numpad and the space above them. Compared to the 13", which looks closer to a MacBook, it seems a bit cheaper to me.

But there is probably a reason behind this choice? Solidity, heat resistance, flexibility, weight, cost reduction… Does anyone has an idea? It’s not mentioned in the deep dive about enclosure.

At least, as the hinges seem to be attached to the magnesium bottom cover directly, we probably won’t have this kind of problem after thousands of openings. :grin:

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that’s a fair point. But the chassis is full aluminum though.

Sort of like an old-gen Thinkpad, where the palmrest is multiple pieces and plastic, and the shell metallic and rigid.

But yeah, this Thinkpad (x230T) do not feel like they are $2000 dollar machines.

That is a metallic palmrest. But I think you know where the problem arises – threaded inserts.

The screw instead of going into the palmrest actually goes to a plastic part (via a threaded insert glued to the metal piece), so the machine pretend it’s a metal-chassis, without actually being a metal chassis.

Dell took it a step further and made the entire outside plastic.

I have had multiple failures of these type (hp 15-dw-10xx series), a Dell Inspiron 3511, and another hp, this time a m6-n015dx.

The fix for these is to, I joke you not – take it to a drill press (you want perfectly prependicular holes), put holes where the screw used to go, and bolt it down with bolts. The chassis-es and backplates are actually decently strong, but the inserts never.

Same with my dell. I attached the clip-on bezel later because I need to make larger holes in the bezel to clear the screw and nut.

And if you are telling me to be more careful, my Dell it’s actually my dad who broke it. And yeah somehow all 3 inserts are just gone

Even the XPS 9360 have this problem, mildly. The screw goes into a metal mid-frame, which is glued to the “carbon fiber” palm rest. The solid aluminum bottom-plate actually provides substantial strength. But since I have run it without the structural back plate for a little while, the metal midframe is now slightly bent, and make a creaking sound when I press down on it.

By directing all the forces to a solid aluminum chassis (where the screws goes into dedicated threads), framework not only made it more serviceable, but also more rigid

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