Yep, there is a USB2 socket, but if you have no use for it, I can remove it off your module myself if you want to use it for an internal device and I’ll include a 3D printed back piece with no hole for the socket. It should be able to fit a USB flash drive or similar with the enclosure removed, according to the drawing, there is 5mm of clearance on the top side of the PCB. Just send me a DM with your order number and I’ll add a note to your order if you would like me to do so.
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Is the USB socket on the 8x version as well, or just the 4x? Would a Logitech Lightspeed dongle fit in that socket and, more importantly, the signal be able to penetrate the housing? Could be a good ‘integrated’ usb dongle hider, if so.
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I had the same thought for a while. I feel like the signal should be able to go through fine since it is just some plastic above the keyboard.
There is a solution for that. GitHub - LeoDJ/FW-EC-DongleHiderPlus: Framework Expansion Card that includes a USB hub to hide a bare dongle inside and still have a USB-A port externally
@Josh_Cook has those for sale.
Do note that free shipping has ended, but the overall cost still now comes out to $25-30AUD inc shipping to the US and most EU countries.
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Well yes, but we mean having an internal usb port on the expansion bay PCB for a dongle like that.
More than fair…
Its been a huge criticism from me that they should have put an oculink port by default on the standard filler fan dgpu module. In my honest opinion it wouldn’t have added much time/money in R&D. I think they made this decision based on pushing more people to buy the dgpu.
I was a preorder in batch 1 where my shipping was delayed because some of input deck module / keyboard i choose. I decided to wait to see what kind of reviews of actual production laptops and seeing all the people complaining of fitment and other huge issues with QA like the m.2 screw and other things i decided to cancel my order and wait.
This is by far the closest laptop to everything i could ever want but i really feel like framework is not listening to their consumer base.
The only thing keeping me a framework fan is their close work with keeping their laptop linux friendly i’d still love to by a fw16 if they can make a solid input deck or 2 piece input deck option and offer oculink
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One company can never please everyone, even if they have 1000 different designs. Framework might not be listening to the Oculink folks in this thread, but they are certainly listening to the community in general. Their CEO Nirav is a very regular contributor in the forum.
With one 13" model they pleased a large segment of laptop users. By adding modularity they were able to please an even larger segment, at the cost of alienating some users for whom the drawbacks were greater weight, bigger bezel under screen, etc. By adding a 16" model with more modularity, they pleased an even larger segment. By open-sourcing their design, they enabled community members to more easily create their ideal laptop without needing to work at an actual laptop manufacturer.
Framework certainly doesn’t make the perfect laptop for me; but it does have the least compromises for me out of any laptop out there. If Framework doesn’t make the perfect laptop for you, then find someone else who does or customize it yourself. Framework makes customization easier in general, but it still might not be the best answer for your specific needs.
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Aliexpress was very fast with the eGPU stuff, so I put it already together to see how it fits. See the image, looks ok. The GPU in the picture is just some old junk to do the mechanicals… The ATX PSU is a BeQuiet unit, so it should keep the noise level down.
I 3d printed the base for the PCB, so everything fits snuggly.
However there is one slight concern with this PCB - it has no ESD protection. I hope that its enough what will be in Josh’s board… If not, have to design a dock PCB:s as well.
Probably have to try it out with a cheap used radeon card first.
I saw a new Minisforum DEG1 which only has oculink, but also only costs 100 dollars.
So bring everything else yourself (PSU & GPU). Only thing I need is a oculink connection on the framework 13.
Been looking at picking this exact setup up since it was posted. Would this case fit a 4080/4090 FE?
Yes I think it should. But, I would not put an NVIDIA in it - I think having different vendor drivers at the same time is calling for trouble.
I’m planning to put something like rx 7900 xtx in it.
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I honestly have not ran into issues with a 3080ti on my lenovo legion go (thunderbolt)
Thunderbold it different. Using OCULink is the same as plugging NVIDIA and AMD cards in 2 16x slots in the desktop motherboard. No idea if it will work. Its certainly unsupported configuration.
@Josh_Cook OcuLink is such a nice, future-proof idea, thank you for working on this!!
Got couple of questions. If I order the oculink adapter on your store, would it be a pre-order which would ship whenever you’re finished with the design, or would you then start manufacturing the design you already worked out and ship it? Just to understand and prepare mentally to the ETA being more like 2 or 6 months 
If the design is still in the works, do you have any thoughts about adding a bifurcation enable jumper so that the 8i adapter would work with cables like this to connect to a 4i device or two?
Anyway, no pressure at all, appreciate again that this is being developed at all!
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FYI, just to clarify, Framework 16 only exposes 8 PCIe lanes to expansion bays, so a max of 8x slot performance is possible
OcuLink 4x prototypes are ready to be sent off for manufacturing! I need to confirm pinouts for the 8x version though. Please note that if your address is in the EU, you may be charged customs duties + a handling fee by the postal carrier, unless you paid via my website, and you were charged a tax component. If you did not pay via my website and would like to pay customs on checkout, let me know and I can cancel your order and you can reorder it with tax included.
My main objective of this testing is to decide if a redriver is needed for standard lengths (50cm-1m)
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I can’t wait to see the conclusion of this project. I’d love an OcuLink-ed eGPU setup for my FW16 but, even though I understand the concept, I just need to see it in action before I buy into it. It’s just the way my brain works.
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I do use an oculink x4 solution right now with a m2 adapter connected to a 4070Ti, it’s outstanding ! (The build is just messy currently because it need the input deck and plate to be removed)
See more info here
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