Hello everyone,
I just wanted to share my experience with the Framework 13 (AMD, DIY) regarding the Keyboard / Input Cover.
First of all, I love the Framework 13. It’s a great little machine that replaced my Desktop PC. Not only did I chose this laptop for the great design choices (such as 3:2 screen), but also because I’d rather be a customer of a company that actually cares about the customer.
The first delivery I got was visually damaged due to someone stepping on the package. The input cover was bent and maybe even the bottom cover. Both just didn’t fit together well at all. (I assume the delivery company was to blame here)
I contacted the Support team and got a replacement device.
Unfortunately, the input cover of the replacement device was also bent, so that there were visible gaps between the bottom and input cover. Also, the function key row had weird alignments, so that the keys weren’t even (one one level) from their top surface. When looking at it from the regular typing perspective, it seemed like a wave-like pattern, because some keys were higher on the left, but lower on the right side of it and so on.
I also got a replacement Input cover for that.
The replacement cover however was unusable, since the entire keyboard was aligned too far to the display side, which made the ‘R’, ‘esc’ and function keys to scratch against the aluminum and making sounds.
The Support was very kind and sent me another replacement cover, which is the one I’m typing on in this moment. It has almost no gaps between itself and the bottom cover and the key alignment is generally fine. (Edit: still some keys are scratching (esc, del, space bar, tab), but I’m tired of getting replacement input covers…)
One thing is still a minor problem: all of the Input Covers I had so far all had a misaligned power button / fingerprint reader, but now after having seen the 4th input cover, I accept this as a factory tolerance.
I’m wondering why I had those quality issues and here are my thoughts:
- Since I have the DIY version, the entire laptop was assembled and then the input cover removed again. During this process it could have happened that input and bottom cover were pulled apart so that it created a bend in the aluminum.
- The keyboard assembly has some tolerances (as most manufacturing has) that didn’t get identified as problematic with the wave-like function row and the scratching keys. Maybe paying more attention during the QC would have sorted those keyboards out before sending them out to me.
- The power button alignment is generally never 100% perfect (is there a way to diy fix it?)
I’m still very happy about the Framework. Maybe I’m just an unlucky customer, maybe not. Anyway, the Framework 13 is the best laptop for me and I enjoy using it.
