I think the transparency in the framework is very good. I am very clear that I prefer a later delivery of frameworld 16 but that the laptop is completely clean and in the end there is no problem for the user since this will affect the reputation of the framework.
It is better to wait 3 or 4 more months because the product does not cause problems. It’s good for the end user, frameworldpk’s reputation and future trends.
A dirty, problem-free product would be disastrous.
I appreciate the transparency and honesty of something unconventional in these times.
Looks like they might be getting serious about releasing it … The latest blog post thing was talking about getting the store filled with FW16 parts etc…
We said in the last email that we were done with Framework Laptop 16 Deep Dives, but a community member reminded us that we never provided detail on the liquid metal thermal interface we’re using to maximize CPU performance. Before we go onto that Deep Dive, we have a couple of announcements to make.
First, we’re happy to share that we’ve shipped almost all pre-orders of Framework Laptop 13 (AMD Ryzen 7040 Series) and most configurations now ship directly from inventory. With this, we’re ending the pre-order phase and moving into normal ordering. There are a few configurations that have pending production or low inventory, so for now we’re communicating that new orders ship within two weeks at the latest, though most ship within five business days. You can see more detailed shipping windows for each pre-built and DIY Edition configuration in the configurators. This was our fastest manufacturing ramp yet, and October and November were both record output months for our factory. All of this puts us in a great position for outputting a large number of Framework Laptop 16 units shortly.
Our second announcement is that the modules that make up Framework Laptop 16 are now listed in the Framework Marketplace. A core element of having a long-lasting, repairable, upgradable product is making parts readily available. They are currently open for waitlisting, and we’ll be getting inventory into place in each of our three logistics centers (Taiwan, New Jersey, and Netherlands) as we begin laptop shipments. We’re also continuing to improve the purchasing experience. You can now filter the Framework Marketplace down by product family and generation to see parts and upgrades that are compatible with what you have, and each product has tags stating which product family it works with.
I think more likely I’d have it sent to a friend/family member’s address that will be along our road trip route. Looks like that’s totally possible, and increasingly likely. Unless they’re gonna blast through 3 batches next week, there’s very little chance I’m getting it by the 27th. On one hand I’m selfishly hoping for a delay, but on the other I’m planning to road trip with my RAM, SSD’s, and a bootable USB installer. OMG, I haven’t even picked an OS yet!
Edit: Or maybe I’ll be home in time after all? (See latest email)
I think it but confirms no shipments before Christmas. With “One tricky part of the timing is that our manufacturer and our fulfillment partners both have year end inventory audits that block incoming and outgoing shipments for several days” and the first couple going to reviewers, i think it’s safe to assume. I hope they get to enjoy the holidays which means early January.
I think the goal now needs to be to get as many batches out before Chinese new year at the start if Feb, Once all the final testing is complete, would still rather wait than have a half baked solution.
Pre-orders batches has been stuck on Batch 15 for a while now. I wonder if many potential customers are holding their breathes for the production machine to start spinning.
That being said, many of us are overly excited and eager to put our hands in the dough, whenever it may happens, we just want a great product.
they also said at one point they don’t want to push preorders even further into 2024, than they were at that point (i think it was Q1??). Rather they want to ramp production to such a degree that all preorder batches are shipped by Q2 and you can just buy and recieve in a matter of days.
Maybe batch 15 is really big as you said because they just want it to be the last preorder batch if they can manage that in any way
Third update on Framework Laptop 16 shipment timing
In our earlier update emails, we shared detail on the key items we need to close to start Framework Laptop 16 mass production. We continue to resolve these, working closely with AMD, our manufacturer Compal, and our various module suppliers. Our first run of Mainboard production went smoothly, and almost all material is staged for the initial laptop units. The remaining parts are the thermal modules, as we’ve detailed below. With the first set of those in hand, we expect to start First Article Inspection (FAI) production next week, which is an operations verification system build with mass production parts and processes. After that, we’ll build a small set of laptops to provide to press reviewers. Once we resolve the final issues below, we’ll be able to then proceed into Batch 1 production and shipments.
One tricky part of the timing is that our manufacturer and our fulfillment partners both have year end inventory audits that block incoming and outgoing shipments for several days. We expect to be able to communicate a more detailed shipping schedule for Batch 1 in the next email update.
New issues
Power adapter compatibility - We found that the release candidate power adapter firmware (yes, power adapters have firmware!) has compatibility issues supporting >90W on devices other than the Framework Laptop 16. Our power adapter vendor Chicony is currently modifying the firmware and retesting. We consider this a ship blocker because updating the firmware requires a special fixture, and we want to ensure that we’re shipping a broadly compatible power adapter rather than using proprietary high-wattage modes like many notebook makers do.
Compatibility issues with a few games - In AMD’s validation, they found that on a handful of Ubisoft games like Far Cry 6 and Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, Smart Access Graphics MUX switching isn’t working correctly, resulting in a black screen. AMD has a driver update in development now that will land in early January with fixes for this. This won’t end up being a ship blocker, but we felt it was worth flagging.
In progress
Fan production schedule - We’ve resolved both the “chirping noise on startup” and the “high pitched airflow noise” issues, but are still tracking the manufacturing schedule for mass production fans. The long pole in the schedule is the new fan controller IC in the fan that resolves the chirping noise. Our fan supplier, Cooler Master has started building a small batch of fans with the new ICs, and has a large quantity of ICs inbound to continue production.
Resolved issues
Graphics Module compatibility issues in Linux - I’m sure you are all as happy to see this in “Resolved issues” as we are! Engineers at AMD were able to root cause the issue to a PCIe memory map-related setting in Insyde’s BIOS, and with a minor code change, the Graphics Module is now working correctly in Linux. There is further testing we need to do with this now, but we don’t expect it to become a schedule issue.
USB-PD firmware is in the process of completion - We now have release candidate firmware and need to complete validation to confirm that all issues are resolved, but similarly don’t expect this to become a blocker.
Power tuning during heavy loading - We’ve done additional power tuning with various power adapter wattages, and have a final table for production. This is likely an area that we’ll have further tuning on post-launch to optimize performance.
LED Matrix module schedule is trending late - LED Matrix production is now on track to intercept system production.
yeah I’ve seen people posting on the subreddit about getting the email about being charged and then receiving the laptop like 3 days later (at least for the AMD 13)
TBH i don’t think it will happen this year and wholeheartedly wish it.
No need to crunch work through holidays.
I am fine waiting 1-2 weeks longer if they are all relaxed and could spend some nice quality vacation time.
I also don’t think that any company would launch something (relatively to their size) this big while many employees are not working.
