Received my batch 15 Framework 16 on Tuesday. Some initial thoughts after setting it up and using it for a few hours to get Debian up and running:
Build quality is higher than I expected. It really doesn’t feel like a product made by a small startup. I was prepared for various small issues issues after reading a lot of posts about the laptop, but my experience has been great. I didn’t have any issues with the SSD screw or the spacers, and I don’t seem to have the issue where the bezel is pressing on the screen. Screen flex isn’t too bad either.
Installed 48 GB RAM (2 x 24GB) and memory training during the initial boot took around 30 seconds. Works well.
The keyboard does flex a bit but it’s nowhere near as bad as in some of the initial reviews. They must have done something to improve this. The keyboard itself is good - better than the Dell my wife uses for work, but not quite as good as the Lenovo I use for work. Love the RGB.
I installed the latest daily snapshot of Debian testing, which has Linux kernel 6.7 that contains Framework’s and AMD’s bug fixes. Everything seems to work out-of-the-box, even the wifi, apart from having to manually install fprintd and libpam-fprintd for the fingerprint reader to work. KDE defaulted to 150% scaling, which is a nice size (Windows also defaults to 150%).
The keyboard does get a little warmer than my work laptop (Lenovo X1 Extreme Gen 5) even though the Lenovo runs hotter temperatures overall. Maybe just a difference in cooling design. It doesn’t really bother me. (edit to clarify: I meant when under heavy CPU load. In normal use, the Framework keyboard doesn’t get warm and stays cooler than the Lenovo)
Overall, I’m really impressed. What a great device.
One weird thing was that the bezel was very dusty right out of the box? Not sure if it was dust, but there was some sort of dirty specs all over it. A bit strange since everything else was clean. I just wiped it down before installing it.
Edit: I forgot to mention that I love that all the packaging uses materials that are easily recyclable or compostable. No styrofoam. Thank you for that!
Holy cow they’re already up to Batch 15?! That’s awesome! I still feel like I just got my Batch 1, and I’m just as happy with it now as when I got it a couple months ago for whatever that’s worth.
Yeah I think the production + shipping has gotten a lot faster compared to earlier batches! It only took one week from when I got the “we’re preparing your batch” email to actually receiving the laptop, and they seem to be less than a week between some batches.
I feel the same way. I think this is the most amazing machine that I have ever owned.
I am very excited to customize it with all the community expansion cards that are being made and that I have already ordered (shoutout to Josh Cook who is definitely an expansion monster)
I understand all the nit picks that everyone has but for me I understand every design decision and compromise made to bring this product to fruition and I don’t feel like there has been any compromise from what was promised.
I almost wish that the mainboard wasn’t already secured to the chassis because to me that would have been as much fun as assembling the rest of the laptop beyond attaching the components and putting everything together. But that will be my challenge in 4-5 years when it comes time to put in for an upgrade.
Framework team is awesome and thanks for this awesome piece of computing power!
I use KDE Neon here on mine (Batch 1 so playing with it for a while now) and my keyboard does not get warm at all when I don’t game (Having the S7700 GPU).
Could be the cooling is better with the graphics-card?
Yeah I was setting up Debian today, and I don’t think the fans ever came on (or they were very quiet). Really nice. My work Lenovo’s fans come on way more frequently.
Yeah, well, I configure StarCitizen to run on the device under linux (through Steam). Using full HD setup, and I heart the fans, but not really loud. I have never seen a game (here even while alpha) that is so full of details, gorgeous looking details and so complete.
When I play God of War, it is Ok too. Cyberpunk, now, that is a different story. Noisy city, noisy computer! Seems not to be optimized.
Love it. I’m sure there are plenty more happy stories like yours than we hear about. People having issues are frustrated so they post. The others are happy and too busy having fun.
My batch 16 arrives in a few days so your impressions are really good to hear.
so playing with it for a while now) and my keyboard does not get warm at all when I don’t game (Having the S7700 GPU).
but it can Roar when under duress!