If 16 PCIe lanes is the limit, they could cut the second SSD slot to x2 to get it to work. Those 2230 SSDs are usually slower anyway, so it’s not as big a compromise as it might be; gen4 x2 will still give decent performance, and you’ll put all the speed-sensitive stuff on the primary SSD.
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I am fully aware how (to put it diplomatically) “difficult” Nvidia can be with Desktop GPU partners, but as notebook GPUs have developed so much in the last 10 years regarding hardware and form factor changes (e.g. vapor chamber), I (perhaps naively) assumed it is different in the laptop realm… But thanks for the information, that would explain a lot.
And yes, I get it, I am a laptop enthusiast, not everyone wants to put a 5090 in the expansion bay and watercool it….
What a fantastic project. I would even take a 4080 at 110w. Just anything ;).
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I beg to disagree, even the 2230 that Framework uses can go above PCIe x2 and actually could use x3. Additionally, I also don’t think there should be a new iteration of the FW16 without PCIe 5.0. I just wonder what FW is going to announce next week.
Current AMD mobile processors don’t support PCIe 5.0. And sure, it is faster, but currently available drives will kill your battery life.
The new 9000 series “mobile” processors do support PCIe 5.0. But even there, I suspect it is a poor choice unless your “laptop” will always be plugged in.
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Yes, I know these CPUs don’t support PCIe 5.0, and that is part of the problem.
Also, of course the desktop CPUs disguised as mobile processors sip more power than a small town, but what’s far worse is that the iGPU only has 2 CUs - mind you, the 780M in the current FW16 has 12 CUs and it isn’t even quite as good as the worst dedicated graphics today.
I think having PCIe 5.0 drives isn’t nearly as important as having a PCIe 5.0 GPU, which AMD might release, but because there hasn’t been a GPU revealed yet, the only way for a new AMD GPU would be a FW “exclusive”.
Has there been some news about RX 9000 mobile GPUs or is this still based on leaks?
As far as I know, there hasn’t even been leaks regarding RX9000m GPUs.
There was at least one unproven leak (see also: “rumor”) back in April that had some thinking AMD would be unveiling some mobile GPUs at Computex.
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Wow, this completely passed by me. I doubt they’d release a 9080M tho as there is very likely not going to be a 9080 (XT) for desktop, however, if they pulled the Nvidia thing of making every laptop SKU one tier worse, having a 9080M with the same CUs as the 9070XT makes sense.
Now this really makes me hope for a new GPU.
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At the time of its release, the FW16 review was addressed as “RX7700S performance debut” by NotebookCheck, because it was the among the first laptops equipped with the 7700S to be released (alongside the ASUS A16).
Also, the ‘16 is an AMD Advantage Laptop, this makes it a “flagship” as far as AMD is concerned, as per AMD official advertising back in late 2023.
All this feeds my hope/hype, because if I were AMD, I’d reveal the 9xxxM/S series cards in a collab with Framework, given their close relationship.
We have to be careful guys, the hype train wrecks very hard when expectations are too high.
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Did the launch of the 7700S coincide with the launch of the Framework 16? I am asking this because I don’t know… If it did, then there actually would be a good chance of this happening again with the RX 9000M series, so I am just hoping and coping that it will happen.
I am just being pessimistic about it since the last ‘big announcement’ was what it was so I won’t be disappointed.
I didn’t know that, but together with the Desktop launch that makes me wonder how close exactly Framework and AMD are… it definitely raises hopes. 
Yes, disappointment.
First, the build quality. In my unit the “cheeks” next to the keyboard do not line up. Not acceptable in 4k$ laptop.
No new updates, no help from Framework to developers to make things to the graphics expansion port. NONE!
What are we paying for? A normal expensive laptop like Asus? That was not the case when marketing this.
Instead, they make some cheap laptop, and obscure desktop. They leave us hanging.
Is the 16” going to be upgraded ever?
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Hi, just wanted to address the claim that, “no help from Framework to developers to amke things to the graphics expansion port”. Framework have been phenomenal at supporting me and my prototyping for this MXM adapter. Nirav Patel himself has been in touch with me and offered to send over hardware, and I’m literally sixteen. No other company would even consider being so amazing to an actual teenager. I can absolutely understand your frustration with the lack of updates, but as someone who can, (I hope), now call himself part of the, “developer” community, the complaints have to be directed to a fair short falling.
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In case anyone hasn’t seen it: Framework is teasing a ‘big’ update for August 26th — could it be Framework 16? | The Verge
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So why the oculink has been 100% pain?
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I’m not sure actually, I haven’t been following the thread that closely. Sorry. I didn’t mean to come across as dismissive by the way, (no company is perfect), but these are still all community projects, and any support at all is support that would never be given by any other major tech brand. What has been the issue with Occulink development? I thought that it had been fairly successful no?
What did you do to make this laptop 4 grand?? The ‘best’ version for your money is like 3k when you waste money on original RAM and SSD…
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There has been at least 3 tries, zero success. What I gather, BIOS changes are needed as well to enable full 8i connectivity.
I myself volunteered for this when I paid for the thing, but there was 2 others creators also. One has gone quiet (Josh Cook), I worry. He said no support from FW, it was always in review.
Only thing “successful” has been using the dual m.2 board, with Chinese m.2 4x to oculink cable. That is a mickey mouse solution.
Look I have no idea what your project was, but this oculink one is not working and not proceeding. It needs BIOS options and hw review.
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