Has the release of framework 16 been successful?
I’m wondering, some users on reddit have said that they haven’t had as successful a launch as they say.
I am aware that when you buy a framework you are making a bet on a company that you don’t know if you will still be working for in a few years.
That likely depends on one’s perspective. As a batch 1 person, there were some bumps with delays due to the macropad and the clear keyboard, but once everything arrived it has gone well. Others have encountered issues that hopefully are being handled effectively by the Support team. In general I would say that it has been successful - there have been some issues, but to my knowledge the only widespread one is around the fit and finish of the spacers, which hopefully can be addressed (in my specific case they are fine), but also comes with the territory when things are this modular.
Batch 19 now, sold out until Q3 pretty much.
Some users on reddit need their head examining. 
I have my FW 16 in hand and it’s everything I wanted it to be. For me, it’s a success.
Yeah, same. Batch one here being one who had some hickups because of the Linux keyboard.
But darn, that’s a BEAST! 
Same. I have the darn windows logo on my keyboard right now and I keep forgetting to fix it.
Same. Batch 4 here.
Yes, there were delays. This is a known risk when pre-ordering a product still in development. The product I received was everything I needed it to be. The people who really couldn’t wait were able to cancel their orders without losing their deposit. The people who had late configuration changes were accommodated, as far as I can tell. I’m happy with the level of detail in the documentation.
I’d call that all a success.
Batch 5 here.
Fit and finish are pretty damn good for a modular laptop (my spacers are fine)
Keyboard has no noticeable flex for me
Charges when I need it to…
IDK… its a solid laptop that does everything I want it to… and will one day ideally be upgraded to do even more
Yup, Ive put linux on mine and have no issues that my own tinkering didnt cause. Once i got the system sorted out its been a dream.
Only things on my todo list are very minor and not really in the scope of framework. Except maybe a us keyboard without windows key.
The battery life is pretty great, when you turn on all that fancy power save stuff and reduce the screen brightness.
Wifi is a bit of a tickle with a technically not open source redistributable wifi card firmware… but maybe ill understand more about how to use an open generic one soon.
Again, the laptop has been great for daily use on gentoo linux.
As far as company stats… not sure. But those are mine.
Batch 5 owner here, I have some concerns about the laptop CPU hitting 98.9C when doing something full load (like processing steam shader cache) which is ~1C off of the 100C tjmax… a little close for comfort for me, but support says this is normal operation.
Other than that I have issues using the dGPU port to directly drive a DP monitor in both X11 and Wayland. The current work-around is to keep the DP monitor connected to the iGPU so steam games render properly. Using DRI_PRIME=1 %command% as the steam games launch options does use the dGPU, but it also appears to put a load on the iGPU as well (whren the monitor is connected).
For anyone that did not buy the dGPU, they’ll likely consider it a success… I will too once my dGPU>-DP issue gets resolved.
My partner received her Batch 6 laptop with a damaged/misshapen input module header that will not hold the plug in place, so she is currently stuck with a very expensive paper weight that on boot gives a message to attach the input module plug to its header. So from her perspective, not a success.
We ordered our laptops with the Linux Keyboard option, so we have a super key instead of a windows key.
98.9 is this normal operation? . I have had an xmg that had that problem and they changed my equipment.
Feel the problems you are having a lot. On such expensive equipment it shouldn’t happen.
How is framework support responding?
98.9C was the highest temp I saw when steam was processing a shader cache for about 5 min… because that basically pinned all cores at 100%… full load.
In typical operation, the lowest temp i see around idle is ~48C… some games only bring that up to 55C, where others (only played about 4 so far) I’ve seen fluctuate in the 70C range.
My partners emails with support are not moving very quickly… still today (about 1 week later) they are asking us to ensure replugging the input module header won;t solve the problem… so we asked them again to look at the pictures to see that a piece of the header is missing, so It can’t completely hold and retain the plug. So today she asked that if they can’t see the issue, perhaps they could esca;ate it to their supervisor.
AMD started targeting high temps at load as an ideal condition for max performance. I believe the idea here was to maximize the amount of cooling that could be done (the greater the temperature difference, the more efficient the cooler becomes). I don’t recall what generation it was that this took effect, and if it’s still the way they’re approaching things.
It’s hard to say whether the temps you’re seeing a result of this, or a defect. Personally, my FW 16 hasn’t hit the 100 yet.
It is not normal that with such an expensive laptop you are having so many problems and the sat is responding so badly.
Good luck, I hope they fix it for you.
If the high temps really bother you you can lower the thermal limit, it’ll follow that pretty much religiously.
I think that overall it has been mostly a success.
I do think Framework made a mistake sending pre-production samples (even though they were pretty late in the pre-production process) to reviewers. A lot of the issues that reviewers highlighted were fixed for production models.
I also think Framework has some quality control issues based on what I’ve seen people saying and my own experiences (defective input module spacer, Framework replaced it), although that could just be people being more likely to say they had issues than to say they didn’t have issues.
Overall I think the product is great.
I’d call it a success, it’s a good machine besides teething problems, their customer service is professional.
Well, we got some good news a few hours ago… after requesting escalation, waiting a few more days, following up on the escalation to see if it needed to be re-escalated, we were informed that FW will be shipping a new “base laptop” to my partner… hopefully her original RAM, NVME, side modules, and input modules (keyboard, num-pad, and track-pad) are all good and everything works once everything is assembled into the replacement… everything working will make her happy despite the rocky road finally get there.
another week later, and we finally received a tracking number for the replacement shipment, which according to fedex should arrive Apr 23.
I understand there are large batches being shipped, many RMA’s being processed… but a distasteful thought I’m having is that her “30 day return window” time is evaporating while she’s yet to receive a functional laptop.
Going to contact support to confirm… but I suspect she’ll have less than a week to actually “drive” her laptop before the 30-day window closes.
I would hope that the 30-day windows begins upon receipt of the replacement laptop. I would confirm that with Support and ask them to escalate if they tell you that it is not. It’s not your fault that the initial machine was broken.