I have an 11th gen Intel i5 13" DIYer. The RTC battery died, and though I should solder a wire to fix it, I was considering updating the mainboard.
If I want to reuse RAM, I think I can go up to 13th gen but not as far as Ultra processors, correct? No AMD options afaict. (Not saying I’m dead set against buying a board and RAM; just want to factor it into the equation.)
What do I need to do about WiFi? The 13th gen page says I can use Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210, but all I did before was steal a WiFi card from an old, out of service laptop and got lucky. If I’m using Windows and it works with 11th mainboards, should it work with 13th? Not work? Maybe work?
(Just for fun, here’s my current work laptop, Framework 11th i5, then 13th i5 upgrade, and, finally, the Ultra 5 upgrade at cpubenchmarks to provide one data point on performance upgrades. Yes, my work laptop is old, but it’s got a TrackPoint and a QHD screen… Both are awesome. Anybody modded a ThinkPad keyboard for Framework yet? )
Or just buy and install a replacement ML coin cell for single digit USD …
Same memory goes into 11th and 13th Gen is confirmed from personal experience. Correct that DDR5 needed for the Ultra mainboards is not forward or backward compatible with DDR4…
As to Wifi cards, I have used all of the below in both 11th and 13th Gen Mainboards:
AX210
MT7921K
BE200
MT7925
I tested them using Arch Linux, but I did not test all of them on Windows. Windows 10 cannot do WiFi 7 at all AFAIK.
FW give out replacement RTC batteries for free if you have an 11th Gen Intel. Just ask support.
I think what you already know about RAM options vs mainboard choice is correct.
Another way to check is go to buy a FW laptop, and it will then list the type of RAM that is compatible with it. You can use this to check which ones use DDR4 and which use DDR5.
Soldering the wire is the easy part. Getting the circuit board into the flimsy battery holder without shattering it is the hard part. Before you attempt it, I recommend you browse this thread toseethegraveyardofdeadandmaimed11thgenboards.
Soldering was not the easy part for my laptop. Fried the little connectors, but managed to solder to the main and it all works. As for the flimsy battery holder I managed not to break it. Can you say ten minutes of slowly, ever so gingerly moving it around until it got seated. Many here were not so lucky as I.
Afaik any card that works with 11th gen should also work with 13th gen.
There are some cards that exist that only work with Intel CPUs, so if you were to buy an AMD motherboard you would have to make sure your card is universal.
It does no affect any CPUs that Framework has offered.
Technically is does seem to affect Intel’s HX-series laptop CPUs (which are actually the same chips as desktop CPUs but repurposed into laptops), however Framework uses Intel’s P-series CPUs which are purpose built for laptops and don’t seem to be affected.
The issue with INTEL is not officially closed. The desktop CPUs are essentially toast in some cases. The P-series which is what Framework uses are “probably” safe. This is the latest I could find from INTEL on the problem and what it means for our laptops.
Intel is continuing its investigation to ensure that reported instability scenarios on Intel Core 13th/14th Gen processors are properly addressed.
This includes ongoing analysis to confirm the primary factors preventing 13th / 14th Gen mobile processor exposure to the same instability issue as the 13th/14th Gen desktop processors.