Will there ever be a model with more room?

[Martin_Alpers]

I have written at length what totally ruins the current models for me.

Ergonomics

Hello all, as far as I can tell, this seems to be the best place to post this, although given the tags I have to select, and it is hard to find fitting ones, I am not entirely sure. I first heard of Framework back in 2021 on LTT. This was the first time ever since my first laptop that I was even interested in the product because of its modular approach. But I was quickly turned off by some of the design, I will explain shortly. Now, I work for a company that sells the laptops, so I have had t…

This topic is not about the problems as such, it is more about the feasibility of solutions. Namely, the space to work with.

So recently, a new line of Framework 13 was released, which makes me wonder if something similar could happen with the 16, but hopefully with a different focus. In terms of policy and technical support, the company is friendly to creators like no other, without any competition that I know off. The products, especially those that matter, are a different matter. I suspect they were designed before the decision was taken to go full open source on the hardware, and everything was tightly integrated already.

The company makes a big deal of how thin the laptop is, and maybe it is important to some, but those seeking to make their own improvements, I would hazard a guess this is pretty low on the priority list, and that those would appreciate more space to work with. FWIW, I recently purchased a laptop whose chassis thickness measures about 25mm not counting any feet, and it does not cause any discomfort with heavy keyboard use. Either because things become possible at all like the trackpoint, or because it is just easier to do. There is also a lot that I could imagine I could improve that I did not mention in my post back then, because they are not deal breakers, but would be nice anyway. That definitely includes a latching mechanism for the lid, I am not the only one who would like that.

Framework 13 vs X210(0) - spot the error?

What’s wrong with this picture? [20230310_201836] Yes, you guessed it. There is a framwork laptop in the middle when there normally would have been a X2100. I wanted to write a lengthy post on most of the Laptops which I used and/or purchased for me and/or my companies ranging from Compaq Presarios and Fujitsu Lifebook to Dell Vostros and esp. Thinkpads starting with the R61 and going through T400, T410, T420, X201 (s and non-s), T440 (p, s and standard) and lastly T490. Unfortunately, sinc…

And the same goes for quite a few characteristics of Thinkpads in their heyday.

As it stands, in order to get anywhere, I need to redesign the lid in ways that language fails me to describe properly, to create a gap when closed, to make room for the other redesigns. The better approach requires changes to the main body, i.e. moving the hinges up and probably lengthen some cables a bit, but I am certain that the lid is much easier to work with and cheaper to replace if I have to do it myself. To be clear, it is not the chassis itself that should grow in thickness, but rather the top cover parts, otherwise I am just as constrained in the design of the replacements of the problematic part as before. I would suggest removable spacers/extensions/interposers for compatibility with existing keyboard/input modules.

With Framework, hope and despair are often two sides of the same coin. Now that the Framework 13 Pro exists, I hope that maybe there will be a Framework 16 Tinker or something like that. But I am not holding my breath.

[Harvey_Green]

I think for the vast majority of users, even framework users, they are unlikely to design custom modifications for their laptop, and therefore would rather a thin and light laptop. For those that would like to modify their laptop, then they are likely already capable of designing new top or bottom covers to accommodate more space, for their projects, like with that mechanical keyboard mod of the 13. Therefore, I find it highly unlikely that framework would design a whole new laptop that is thicker and more bulky just for modders when they have put so much effort into making repairable yet thin and light laptops.

[Martin_Alpers]

@Harvey_Green

when they have put so much effort into making repairable yet thin and light laptops.

Well, if that implied that they would somehow have to trash that effort, I could understand, but in my estimation, they could (and should) build on top of it. As far as I can tell, except that cables going into the lid being slightly too short, and some changes around the hinges, everything below the top assembly would stay exactly the same. I am certainly not suggesting to phase out the slim model. To the contrary, with all parts being sold separately, one model could be converted into the other if your preferences change maybe as part of selling it or whatever.

[Adrian_Joachim]

@Martin_Alpers

As it stands, in order to get anywhere, I need to redesign the lid in ways that language fails me to describe properly, to create a gap when closed, to make room for the other redesigns.

You could just shim the hinges, you can probably get quite a few mm there before you’d need to start extending cables.

[Martin_Alpers]

I did have a look on the 16, it looked tight to me, at the very least I would be afraid to stretch them any further. Even if it was just two wires I am referring to.

[Adrian_Joachim]

@Martin_Alpers

I did have a look on the 16, it looked tight to me, at the very least I would be afraid to stretch them any further. Even if it was just two wires I am referring to.

Thanks to the power of pythagoras shimming a few mm doesn’t actually increase the cable length a lot, may be worth doing some calculations there.