I don’t entirely disagree with the overall idea of your list, but I think you are making some assumptions with some of your examples.
You mention OS and say your hypothetical buyer “might” choose the non-MacOS device if it scores okay in other categories, but that ignores the situations where your hypothetical buyer outright prefers Windows or Linux in the first place.
In hard drive capacity you mention that the options are similar so there is no “sway” there. But if anyone thinks Framework’s storage drive upgrades are expensive, have another look at MacBooks. Sure, you can sometimes find sales and such, but if you were to just configure a laptop as you want, going from a 256GB to a 1TB storage drive on a base model MacBook Air M2 is a $400 upgrade. $800 if you want to go all the way to 2TB. Going from 8GB RAM to 16GB is $200. Granted, there are also non-Macbook options out there as well. But since you seem to be comparing mostly to MacBooks, I think the ridiculous price of storage and RAM upgrades on Macs is worth pointing out. If you want more storage and RAM, the price of the MacBook will likely shoot past the Framework.
You say the slightly more rounded corners seem subjectively more inviting to Emily. Lol. It’s a really minor point, but specifying that slightly more rounded corners were more inviting made me chuckle. You’re inventing head canon for your Emily character. Again, I do see your point. MacBooks have a specific “look” and some people want that because it’s almost a status symbol. Like carrying a certain brand of handbag or wearing a certain brand of sunglasses. But if the brand (and that brand’s specific look) doesn’t matter, then it’s entirely subjective from there and I would argue it’s a fools errand trying to make your laptop look exactly like a MacBook. If only a MacBook will do, the buyer will get a MacBook. But if a buyer isn’t already unchangeably brand-loyal, then it only makes sense to look different and be your own thing. Interesting side note: My Framework 13 has fewer sharp edges than my MacBook air. Particularly where my wrists rest. The Framework is definitely more comfortable with smoother, more rounded edges. The “edge” below the keyboard/trackpad on the MacBook is sharp, which isn’t as comfortable and also gets nicked up easily.
Still, your overall point is taken. It’s going to be tough for Framework to sway the average Apple buyer away from MacBooks. Likewise, it’s going to be tough to garner the business of the average consumer who walks into a Best Buy and picks up a $400-$700 laptop. But I think the idea behind Framework is to change the consumer mindset (and the industry mindset that has helped to shape it over the years), rather than conform to it. Rather than conform to the mindset of absolute convenience at the expense of everything else (repairability, upgradability, overall utility, sustainability, etc.), let’s try to show consumers and manufacturers alike that a sleek, fast, modern device doesn’t have to be a throw-away item. It doesn’t have to be something that gets chucked in the bin if you realize you need a bit more RAM or if your storage drive (or any other component, for that matter) fails. Consumers, and to a much higher degree manufacturers (for obvious financial reasons) are entrenched in the throw-away mentality for consumer electronics (not to mention appliances, etc.). I, too, want Framework to be successful. And marketing will surely be a part of that. But if that success ultimately came at the cost of mimicking Apple too closely, I would ask, what’s the point?
Interesting discussion.