Back in mid December 2024, there was this announcement that existing FW 16 owners could request a replacement PTM pad to replace the liquid metal solution. I have requested one back then.
When will they be shipped?
Thx!
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I’ve been wondering this too.
I am waiting as well
They haven’t said.
Where did they announce this? Do we just open a support request for this?
I got an email on 2024-12-16 from FW, the subject: " Our first new Framework Laptop 16 Expansion Bay module!".
Inside the message, there was this announcement, including a link leading to an online form where you can request the pad.
Was that sorted with later batches during preorders? I can’t find the email anywhere in my inbox
As far as I know, the issue is still ongoing. They are still selling the original liquid metal heatsink (although the liquid metal replacement kits are now out of stock).
Maybe that is a good sign that they have depleted their Liquid Metal stock and hopefully will make the PTM available soon. Still waiting on my PTM fix kit.
My hope is that they are getting the PTM “v2” heatsink and retrofit kits ready for production and distribution. Usually the “spare parts” section is the first to go out of stock and the last to get new inventory items.
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I was bought the LTT PTM today from LTTstore.com. I have some other computers I need to fix with it as well so I got the big pad. I’ll let ya’ll know how it goes.
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interesting. I didn’t get the email, last I got from frame.work was October.
Checked out the blog article:
(cool on the M.2 I knew it was in progress glad to see it released).
the note on the PTM replacement is interesting. I guess I’ll keep an eye on the forums as people start getting them to see if I should run tests to see if useful for me to get…
The main reason a PTM replacement would be useful would be getting rid of temperature deltas caused by leaking Liquid Metal.
Also, I sent an e-mail about this very topic to Framework. They said that there was no ETA at the moment, as they are waiting on a few things from their vendors.
The sign we’re going to get the PTM replacement is apparently the shipping notification being sent to us.
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They could have given us this info by now. They sent that email about a month ago and it sounded like they were ready to send out🙄
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For a small company the size of Framework, they are likely using the request form to guide numbers for bulk purchasing of the PTM material. In addition to purchasing material, it also will need to be processed down to appropriate sizes and shapes for shipping, packaging materials will need to be designed, tested, and sourced, and instructions for safe removal (and disposal) of the liquid metal interface material, as well as installation of the PTM material.
The top comment from community testers (not Framework) detailing how they successfully removed the liquid metal involved partially disassembling the laptop, running a CPU stress-test to soften the liquid metal, and then yanking the CPU heatsink off while the system is still running, and scraping liquid metal from the CPU and heatsink before it cools back down. And all while being very careful to not damage/bend the heat pipes. Personally, I’m perfectly fine waiting until Framework has sorted out a more end-user accessible method of safely removing the liquid metal without cracking the bare CPU die due to thermal shock or burning it due to running without a heatsink.
What you are describing maybe true and sounds very complex, time-consuming, costly and carrying an element of risk(user error). I wonder if it would be better to offer the new board with PTM at a discount for those who have a RMA and filled the form? I don’t know if this will be considered fair but definitely more successful (mitigate user error) and not having to dedicate resources to this entire complexity of acquiring, testing, creating instructions, create packaging etc…and ultimately hoping the end user is proficient in following the steps to the letter!!! Or else end up with endless RMA cycles (user install error vs defective fix part recieved). It’s a complicated situation so I patiently wait.