The first Framework Strix Halo desktop is still a premium desktop choice. It is my favorite of the ones I have; but options like the M1-S1, even without lvfs updatable firmware, and i2c sensors and fan monitoring controls, and modular flexibility, etc. have shown there are still tweaks that can be made.
There are very similar Max + 400 series on the way, finding their way into the hands of AMD folks everywhere. An x8 slot for oculink 8i, hanging out in an x16 slot would be neat. Bifurcated on the M1-S1, it might allow for 7 eGPUS (USB4x4, PCIEx4x2, M.2x4) with a discount ā980 PROā (running at full speed at x1).
Right now, there are all kinds of eGPU add-ons, given how well the Strix Halo runs Linux. And Windows too. Headless or even as a Desktop. As a desktop, being able to plug in a bunch of high end GPUs and set the swarm to play, with all that umph in the antialiasing is plain fun.
Personally, my next framework is bound to be the evolution of the one I have.
Release the product as early as possible (like how quickly ASUS released its Strix Halo products).
Better BIOS (allow configuring IOMMU, ASPM, etc)
Better/standard USB PD support
More USB ports
x16 PCIe slot supporting 75W power (can be x4 electrical if limited by the PCIe channels)
10G or better NICs (should be easy given Realtek 10G NIC is already available)
19v laptop power supply barrel jack DC in and optional ATX power (save space, more DIY options and allow silent operation)
Standard CPU mounting hole distance to allow people use aftermarket/custom heatsinks
Essentially, make a standard ITX motherboard.
For the case,
Move the USB ports and power switch to the top (to simplify the PSU area design and allow longer options and more room for fans (edit: fixed one USB-C and one USB-A would do, no need for the Framework signature usb port adapter)
I didnāt see anything in the leak about the PCIe version, but given that even the AMD Ryzen 7700X which came out in September of 2022 had 28 lanes of PCIe 5.0 and Strix Halo has only 16 lanes of PCIe 4.0, I think that itās likely that even if Medusa Halo is limited to the same 16 lanes, it will probably upgrade from 4.0 to 5.0, doubling the total IO available on the platform.
I guess the bottom line is that I think the leaks already tell me what I want to hear. The only thing Iād want different is a real Mini-ITX motherboard option where I can run a large CPU cooler and put the whole thing in something like a Fractal Terra with a quiet SFX power supply. Framework already almost gets us there (aside from no PCIe x16 slot) but weāre so close to perfect as it is that I strongly suspect Medusa Halo in another 2 years will have me very happy to upgrade.
Iām watching AI infrastructure spend smash chip prices for builders and wonder which chip manufacturers will maintain focus on the consumer market in the near term??
Put a slot or bracket or other feature on the case to hold that assembly screwdriver that comes with the product. Itās handy to have but is a nuisance to always have to look somewhere else to find it every time you want it.
In a similar vein, a spot to store a couple of those unused front panel plug-in expansion gizmos would be nice. Why not keep them right where you will eventually need them.
I have an ex who used to keep the extra toilet paper in a closet down the hallway rather than in the bathroom. Same idea.
I guess it would come down to how many PCIe lanes we get on the next platform, which I suspect will still only be 16 lanes for the entire platform, likely leaving a max of x8 and perhaps as little as x4 for the PCIe slot. In such a situation thereās really no reason to have more than the one slot you get with Mini-ITX, but yeah, with more PCIe lanes youād want a bigger board with more slots.
This is my favorite suggestion. These details are always overlooked in the search for more performance or less volume. Not contributing to the junk drawer is an equally valid design goal.
