For a while, it was comparing the price of a Framework vs a new MacBook Air. In the end, I wanted to try something new, and Framework hit the right notes. Stoked to try it out for a few months and see if it sticks. If not, I can always run right back to Apple =P.
Itās not likely the CPU will be your limiting factor. At least with Adobe, CPU requirements are very easy to meet. But it uses a lot of ram, 16gb or 32gb recommended, and the GPU might be another story. Depends on what youāre doing.
For rendering work, Nvidia cards are still reportedly getting it done faster in 2023. Pro Graphics cards from either brand (AMD Radeon Pro, Nvidia Quattro) are meant for this, getting it done faster still, and cost extra for the privilege.
Check the recommended specs for the app you intend to run. For example, Adobe Premiere Pro recommends a 4gb card (or a 6gb card for 4k) renders in 2023. Pro graphics cards get expensive fast as you climb the product stack, and you can hit a point of diminishing returns.
Adobe Premiere Pro recommended specs
The Framework 16 offers that RX7700s. If that complies with the software vendorās recommended specs, fine, $600 solution. But if you need something bigger then you may have a use case for either external graphics (eGPU) or just a different computer.
As to external graphics, you could buy a Razer Core Xā¦ or follow the thread below, where some community members are engineering something faster. They have a basic design at time of writing, and are looking at potential improvements.
I want to buy more stuff but not till postage costs reduce greatly.
If you want to buy a Framework get all the stuff you need that day! Youāll cry when you need to buy another single card!
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framework 13:
- port count (iād have to use a dock for a lot of usage scenarios which is awkward if youāre not at a desk)
- aspect ratio (3:2 is uncomfortably tall although i suppose i could adapt eventually)
- the case is too shiny; iād like a dark input cover at the least, although i know dbrand can help mitigate it, but itās not ideal. are there some third party input cover manufacturers iāve somehow missed?
framework 16:
- way too much mass for me to be able to move reliably. looks amazing otherwise in basically every single respect (aside from not seeing a dark trackpad section option? but again decals can probably mitigate that), but iām too feeble for 2.1kg. i struggle with the 1.4kg unit i have right now sometimes as it is.
anyway, i really think i want one of these, and it seems likely iāll get one despite what i mentioned, but these concerns are whatās keeping me from having already slammed the order button.
additional: iāll miss having a touchscreen or at least built-in stylus support. usi is really nice to have available, although that works best with 360 degree hinging (which is another thing iāll miss), but this stuff isnāt a blocker. just stuff iāll lose in the transition
wishlist: i desperately miss having an 18mm pitch keyboard (WITH function and navigation keys) but nobodyās been selling me one of those on a decent laptop for ages anyway, so itās not specifically keeping me from getting a framework. i just feel painfully underserved on that point, and seeing customizable hardware made me miss it even harder, since i canāt find evidence of any substitutes that provide that
Reasons why I havenāt ordered yet (despite being extremely interested in Framework for around 2 years now):
FW13,FW16:
- Because my current laptop still works fine. Almost 5 years old. Not gonna replace until itās dead.
- The sorry state of the FW13 intel12 bios updates: the complete lack of security updates and unanswered questions about how long Framework guarantees to provide security updates for its devices. I donāt know if this is a dealbreaker for me or not. But itās the only notable thing that makes me hesitate about buying a framework.
- (Not a dealbreaker) I really wish the FW13 had a second M.2 slot. Thatās my only gripe about the device itself. My current device is a 13-inch with only one RAM slot but two M.2 2280 slots, which for me personally would be preferable.
FW16:
- I dunno. I donāt play AAA games at max specs much, certainly not on-the-go. I think a FW13 would be enough. Iāll use an external monitor and external GPU like the GPD G1 if I want to get serious.
Iād ideally love it if there were Thunderbolt-5 capable devices (or whatever the USB equivalent will be) that support PCIE 4 for external GPUs by the time I buy, but weāll seeā¦
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Iām saving up for the price of my config. Once I have the right amount, Iām ordering it. Am looking forward to the world of FW.
Iām preparing for that darned college entrance exam.
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Wellā¦ Iām still waiting availability in my country I hope itās soon, I will need a new workstation in a somewhat short termā¦ Like, February, or March.
I havenāt ordered a framework because Iām not going to place an order for a device for in the future, if theyād ship immediately with current gen cpus Iād order one of these.
All Framework Laptop 13 Intel 13th gen orders ship immediately, and as production ramps up on the Laptop 13 AMD it will eventually reach this point as well. The Framework Laptop 16 is still in preorder, but once it also releases and they have produced all the preorder batches it will also be available to ship immediately.
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It is almost at that point now. It is only two to three weeks from ordering to delivery for the latest batches.
the next āgenerationā of amd cpus is out, and itās such a minute incremental benefit that framework has stated directly they have no intention to ship a product based on it.
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When Did Raspberry Pi become the villain?
There are manufacturers dedicated to power bricks, power banks and cords, which literally thrived after smartphone manufactures stars to remove charger from phones
Buy third parties, they are much cheaper and you only need to buy once as PD is standardized.
Back on topic. I bought an FW13, what holding me back from buying an FW16 is that
- I donāt like pre-orders, too long waiting time.
- The FW16 is still very new, the reliability may get better later.
- The dGPU is not energy-efficient and Iām waiting for a newer eGPU.
- The factory 180W power brick is not sufficient to charge the battery while gaming. In addition to that, according to my using the FW13 with 100W power brick that the laptop only pulls 2.72~2.94A instead of 3~5A even when gaming with a low battery, so Iām afraid of PD compatibility issues. Even if I managed to get a 48V5A240W power, the computer might only pull 48V2.8A or worse, 20V 2.8A. More data from others might be needed to find a compatible power brick
Edit: typo
the fw16 factory power supply is 180 W, not 140 W, and if youāre wanting an egpu then you wouldnāt be coming close to saturating it anyway, because the fw16 is only somewhat drawing from the battery when you fully saturate the cpu and dgpu. without the dgpu, itās way more than enough.
though sadly nobody else is producing power delivery spec supplies at this wattageā¦ framework had to be the ones to do it first because everyone else just shrugs and goes āletās just make it proprietaryā instead
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My bad, it was a typo
Is it possible to use some sort of probes to understand the proprietary protocol and make a proprietary to PD dongle or something?
not really. thereās too much different when there is a protocolā¦ and sometimes itās just a raw barrel jack. and generally in both cases, the voltages arenāt what power delivery chips are expecting, so you end up with ANOTHER voltage conversion, which is more loss.
anyway, we can reasonably expect someone to get around to making a 240W PD compliant supply at some point. if somehow nobody else manages, iām sure framework will throw up their hands and commission that eventually. itās kinda absurd that they had to be the first in this space, though.
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Thatās super easy, just connect it to a bench power supply
ā¦ i thought your goal was to be able to get power delivery compliant output? iām not sure how this fits.
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Sorry I went off topic. Well I guess you are right. Framework is probably going to make the first 240W PD power brick
The sales in Poland are in, well, guess Iām out of excuses now
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