What I mean is that if Linux is important to you AND the ability to repair or upgrade your investment then Framework’s Linux support is more than adequate.
Starlabs is interesting because it really does seem like they make their own laptops, BUT are any of them upgradable? Are they repairable in the same way as Framework?
This is what I mean.
I’m not dissing any of these companies either.
Today I learned about NovaCustom laptops. They seem like an interesting choice too, due to their customization, personalization, Linux support, sustainability and they seem to ship worldwide.
In regards to repairs Framework has vastly superior documentation to what StarLabs provides, at least on their publicly available website.
i HAVE BEEN USING A LAPTOPWITHLINUX 16" for a while it is a Clevo based computer and the support has been very good . I ALSO JUST BOUGHT A framework 16 that I will be switching to some flavour of linux in the future . Framework seems the way to go just for the easy upgrades , I was thinking of this concept back in 2008 when I was changing CPU and GPUŚ on HP business laptops talk about a pain with upgrades locked out . Framework is the future no doubt
StarFighter is way too expensive. Why would I buy it when I can get a RedmiBook Pro 15 2023 with 3200*2000 resolution for under $1000?
Has anybody compared the strengths and the weaknesses of Framework 13 versus Novacustom 14? In particular, repairability?
I am not an advanced user, my devices all lasted for 7-10 years (even iphone5 is still okay after replacing the battery with aliexpress alternative) and I never had to upgrade them (just clean, replace thermopaste, etc., for heavy calculations I used university workstations or supercomputers, so never need superpowers on personal devices). And from my, very basic perspective, I cannot find a big difference in repeatability characteristics of those two laptops.
Novacustom = Clevo pretty much assured that the keyboard is garbage, and for me that is a deal breaker. The keyboard on the Framework is comparable to those on modern Thinkpads. It is one of the best laptop keyboards I have ever used.
I’ve been a customer of a number of these companies. Framework blows them all away, if you want a laptop that you can repair and upgrade. None come even close to Framework in that regard. This really can’t be overstated.
System76 and Tuxedo are just Clevo rebadges. Starlabs and Purism make their own laptops.
Framework is a complete package meant to be yours for as long as you want. On top of this Framework has directly partnered with Fedora and Ubuntu for Linux support. This forum is covered with people running Linux on the Framework laptop.
I don’t believe any of the manufacturers you mentioned hold a candle to Framework, at least as far as I see things.
This unfairly trivialises the work System76 in particular does on its products.
Hardware engineers working for System76 collaborate with Clevo on designing and producing laptops. Systems developers then write any code that the product needs, including contributing drivers to Linux. Application developers then get things like Pop and Cosmic working on the new product.
The Linux expertise in-house of System76 could surely crush the current Framework team if they competed head-to-head in that specific domain. What @Peter_Wren posted earlier is accurate.
I’m not trying to trivialize anyone. Although I see how what I said could be construed in that way.
I’m referring to hardware manufacturing. You are right about System76 and their impact on the Linux eco-sphere. However, there laptops are not custom designed to be repairable. Their laptops, no matter how involved, are blank slates for a number of computer companies. Tuxedo, for example, sells laptops that look identical to System76.
Try upgrading a System76 or Tuxedo laptop. This is what I am referring to.
Possibly, but Framework isn’t supporting JUST Linux. They have a much wider net that they cast. However, once again, I’m talking about hardware mostly here. Framework cannot be beat in this category. And in my experience, Framework’s customer support and especially Linux support is first rate. I have no complaints. Framework continues to knock it out of the ball park.
Laptops with socketed CPUs can be made, however over time (and especially in the past couple of years starting with AMD’s Ryzen 2000 series and Intel’s 10th gen) laptop and desktop CPUs have diverged.
Laptop CPUs have focused on being a good balance between performance and battery life while offering more features that are important on laptops such as support for high end docking stations and eGPUs (desktops don’t get plugged into docks so they don’t need that support) as well as including much better iGPUs (many laptops don’t have dGPUs and even if they do the GPU is disabled whenever no game is detected so the iGPU does still matter somewhat).
Desktop CPUs on the other hand have been focused mainly on performance and manufacturing cost.
The laptop you linked is 2.3 times the thickness and weight of the Framework Laptop 16. It also supports dual 330w power supplies (although depending on the GPU configuration customers only get one with the laptop). IMO that is beyond what I’d consider a laptop and is instead more of a semi-portable desktop replacement.
That’s just a desktop dressed up as a laptop at this point. It has it’s use-cases but not much overlap with those of a framework 13.
They also made an am4 one which you could theoretically put a 16 core into XD.
I own the Galago Pro 5 with the 11th Gen Intel and no dGPU. I had issues with their firmware regarding dual booting Windows (boot entries kept disappearing), so it ended up only being a strictly a PopOS machine for me. Even after working with support on logs and testing firmware that was WIP, they never got it right so I gave up.
I pre-orderd the GALP5 and it took a while to get. When I got it, the first unit screw was stripped so it wouldn’t come out. I was already planning on replacing the SSD and memory as soon as I got it (got the smallest to save money and just bought the upgrades cheaper than if I configured it from their site). I had to RMA the entire unit.
Despite being advertised as all metal, it’s very thin flexible materials and felt light and cheap. The bottom part of the chassis is actually plastic and warped a bit from the CPU heat. The finish also got worn which is odd because I rarely use this laptop due to the issues I experienced. Their logo started coming off because each letter is a vinyl sticker. Yes, each letter, which means each sticker doesn’t have a lot of surface area to adhere to the lid so it made sense they wouldn’t last.
I wished I got the FW13 instead but just used my company issued Dell until the FW16 came out.
The Galp5 came out before the FW13 was announced. If I would have waited I would have probably seen it announced somewhere on YouTube and quickly pivot from System 76 and pre-ordered the FW13 and had a better time despite the first gen issues. Unfortunately, it was announced after I received my GALP5.
Build quality on the FW16 was so much better. The materials felt so much thicker and durable with less flex (and in the case of the main chassis there is NO flex, no plastic). And because there was some decent amount of time in between, the jump from 11th Gen Intel to the Ryzen 7840HS with the other issues I experienced gave me the justification to order the FW16.