The i3-1315U is sufficient for Linux. Wild Cat includes the latest Xe3 core and an AV1 encoder, which is enough for indie and light gaming. The CPU can run Windows 11 VM alongside any Linux OS (my old Ryzen 4500U is capable of). DDR5 compatibility is maintained. The price can be kept just as low as now, especially if you already own the RAM, SSD, and charger. Wild Cat apu would make the laptop much more flexible. As a VRR user, the HDMI 2.1 expansion card would be a nice option for TV gaming. Realistically, 6 PCIe Gen 4 ports, 8 USB 2.0 ports, and two USB 3.2 video signal ports (10 Gbps) are enough for most average users and for me in this case. Whether using two monitors, or one monitor and an external storage device. USB hubs are also available. The challenge for Framework is how to guide consumers when they have to decide where to place the two USB 3.2 ports on their laptop. MacBook Neo has a similar port selection. I’d prefer this processor over Panther Lake 3 or 5 if the price stays the same. The motherboard and apu are smaller and cheaper in terms of size. For power users, there are better options available. Battery life is 2–4x times better compared to the i3-1315U with the same battery!
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Late response, but battery life is ~50% better(1.5x) at same capacity.
The reason you think it’s 2-4x is because it’s easy to get computers misconfigured. 13th Gen FW12 should be getting 8-10 hours in light workload. Then Panther/Wildcat should do 1.5x that assuming everything is identical.
Wildcatlake will be somewhat easier to reach the stated battery life figures due to specific advancements, but you still can misconfigure it and get a lot less.