New to framework - issue with slow and noisy

Community Support
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Hi everyone,

I just received my new Framework Laptop 16 (DIY Edition) yesterday, equipped with the AMD Radeon RX 7700S dGPU. I’m coming from a MacBook Pro 14" with the M3 Max, which I used for my day-to-day work. I needed a Windows machine for certain tools, and my idea was to also replace my aging gaming desktop with this one device.

Overall, I’m impressed with the concept and modularity – it’s such a refreshing approach – but I’m currently facing two main issues I’d love some feedback on:

1) Fan noise during light workloads

Coming from a MacBook, I was used to an almost completely silent device, even under moderate load. On the Framework, I’m mainly running Microsoft Teams (for calls) and a Remote Desktop session to a server. CPU usage hovers around 5–10%, yet the fans are constantly running – sometimes ramping up significantly, even when the system is mostly idle.

Is there any way to tweak fan behavior? I haven’t found much in the BIOS or Windows settings so far. Has anyone had success with tools like FanControl or similar? I’d love to keep the system quieter during low-intensity use.

2) dGPU performance below expectations

As mentioned, I bought the dGPU module to replace my desktop gaming PC. But performance is surprisingly poor. According to the AMD Performance Overlay, the GPU only pulls around 45 watts under load, which seems low for a RX 7700S. In 3DMark Time Spy I only score about 5,000 points – I expected something closer to 10,000 based on what I’ve seen online.

I’m using the 140W USB-C charger – could power delivery be the bottleneck here? Is full dGPU performance only possible with a higher wattage supply or via the dual USB-C input?

I’d really appreciate any thoughts, tips, or similar experiences. I’m loving the direction Framework is taking, but these two issues are keeping me from fully committing – especially for gaming and silent office work.

Thanks in advance!

Cheers,
Benny

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  1. mine is pretty quiet, there are known issues with the liquid metal, you should contact support, to get the replacement PTM pad.
  2. You need 240W to get full performance. The only available 240W charger is not working properly with framework. Get the 180W charger from them to get at least some of the performance. Be prepared to drain the battery while gaming.
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