Some quick system info to get that out of the way.
I’m running Windows 11 Pro 24H2
- Framework Laptop 16
- Windows 11 Pro 24H2
- Ryzen 9 7940HS w/ Radeon 780M Graphics
- Memory: Framework’s DDR5-5600 - 64GB
- Expansion Bay Module: Graphics Module (AMD Radeon™ RX 7700S)
I’ve tried using the FW 16 for both gaming, and work. I figured it would be great with dual drives to be able to dual boot windows 11 pro’s one for work, one for play. On paper this laptop was everything I’d ever want in a laptop.
However, the instability has been absolutely terrible for me. Just randomly it feels the computer just randomly acts as if it lost power entirely, and reboots.
Gaming experience has been very inconsistent, unstable, and at its best has been “good” but for almost the 3k I spent on this laptop, I would’ve expected at least stable if not “great” performance. I can go into detail here, but I’ll spare you the extra scrolling, I already shared it all with FW support lol.
As for work:
Sometimes some stuff as stupid as plugging in a random USB drive causes the whole machine to lock up for a quick moment and reboot. I work at a college for IT Support, so some just new off the shelf USBs we use kingston, samsung, and some microcenter branded USB drives. Its a problem that is very hard to reproduce, but just randomly happens and has happened on all three of those brands against different USB A and C ports across the Framework 16.
Framework Support has been trying to help, but it took almost 3 weeks for back and forth troubleshooting for them to send me a new mainboard. Which solved a sleep issue I had with the Framework 16, but hasn’t resolved some of the above behavior I called out above.
Also a small gripe (but annoying) I received the new mainboard and it didn’t include the keyboard deflection kit, and for some reason I can’t get the support team to send me another kit for the new mainboard? Not sure what the hold up is there.
Anyway - All the above to say, like is my experience isolated? Is anyone else having problems? If you have, what were your fixes? I hope I’m alone in my problems, b/c I want FW to succeed and the platform for the FW 16 to flourish.
For additional context I have an 11th gen Framework 13 and it has been a very normal stable experience. It was just missing some dedicated GPU love, and dual M.2 slots, which influenced my decision for purchasing a Framework 16.
Had I known that the Framework 16 would be this type of experience I would’ve never spent almost 3k on this laptop, and instead of would’ve upgraded my 13 to use (at the time) latest Ryzen 7840u.
Anyway, Thanks for reading, and I hope you’re having a lot better luck with your FW 16 than I have.
I was batch 6. I haven’t had too many issues with thermals (at least that I’ve noticed) I may throw linux on the secondary drive so I can test out gaming and use amdgpu_top. I have the FW 180W charger. Idk if you’ve noticed playing any games where the frames just drop significantly? It’s almost as if its thermal throttling, but report Windows 11 temp is consistent, and unplugging the power adapter and replugging it into the laptop makes the game run smoothly again for a few seconds, and then goes back to choppy frames. I usually fix it by needing to close the game and reopen it. Its happened on like Age of Mythology, Total War Warhammer 2, CoD, BG3, and Frostpunk 2 are the notable mentions, but doesn’t seem to discriminate between game or game launchers.