Framework Laptop 13 (11th Gen Intel, 2021)

Source

ShortCircuit

Key Takeaways

• Combined with power-hungry 11th Gen Intel and a tiny 55Wh battery, real-world battery taps out around 3.5-4 hours.
• Expansion card modules (especially HDMI and Type-A) suffer severe standby sleep battery drain bugs overnight.
• The initial display hinge is far too loose, wobbling violently whenever you type on your lap or adjust posture.
• Flimsy aluminum bottom chassis flexes under one-handed pick-ups, occasionally disabling physical touchpad clicks.

✅ Pros

• Unprecedented repairability with swappable mainboard and modular ports
• Ships with a single screwdriver to disassemble the entire machine
• Sharp, comfortable 3:2 aspect ratio productivity panel

❌ Cons

• Brutally short 3.5 to 4 hours real-world battery stamina
• Vampiric standby power drain bug with inserted cards
• Loose wobbly hinge unable to stay rigid during lap use
• Bottom chassis deck flexes and clicks under pressure

📝 Verdict

"Framework 13 was a noble DIY revolution undermined by awful battery life, standby bugs, and wobbly hinges."

Source

• Video: A BETTER kind of laptop! - Framework Laptop Review
• Channel: Just Josh | Type: Professional review | Based on: YouTube transcript

Key points

• He expected this hyped laptop to be cheaply built and clunky, but was blown away: "the only BS is the excuses manufacturers have given for years about why laptops can't be upgraded"
• The keyboard is one of the most comfortable he's used, with ample key travel; the trackpad is so good you forget it's there; the 2256×1504 screen is bright with good contrast
• A 1080p 60fps webcam, with physical switches for the microphone and camera; but the microphone has a slight noise floor
• The upgradeable expansion card ports have high specs (USB4, 10Gbps USB-A), and Netflix playback at half brightness recorded over 7.5 hours of battery life; Linux support is the best he's seen
• Downsides: the speakers aren't loud enough and fire downward; the screen is reflective; he ordered on 9/22 and only received it on 11/4, about a month and a half of waiting

✅ Pros

• Very comfortable keyboard
• Upgradeable, repairable and well built
• Sharp screen
• 1080p webcam with physical switches
• Good Linux support

❌ Cons

• Weak, downward-firing speakers
• Reflective screen
• Long wait for shipping
• Not for gaming or creators

📝 Verdict

He really likes it and thinks it can compete with major brands' flagship laptops; it's good for students, general users, working from home and programmers; if you care about audio quality, buy a MacBook Pro instead.

Source

• Video: Framework Laptop Review - The "Right to Repair" Laptop !
• Channel: Lon.TV | Type: Professional review | Based on: YouTube transcript

Key points

• A screwdriver is included in the box, and it's the only tool you need; nothing is glued, the DIY Edition starts at about US$749, and you can bring your own RAM, storage and wireless card
• He reviewed the Professional edition his brother bought with his own money (about US$2,000, i7-1185G7, 32GB, 1TB); for a prebuilt, he recommends the Performance edition at about US$1,400
• The 13.5-inch 3:2 2256×1504 IPS (non-touch, about 400 nits) has vivid colors; he's satisfied with the 1080p 60fps webcam's image quality, and it has a physical switch
• Expansion card modules let you choose USB-A, DisplayPort, microSD, 1TB storage and more; but charging also has to take up one USB-C slot
• The speakers fire downward and sound a bit thin, fine for voice and video calls; battery life is about 8–10 hours, and the whole mainboard can be replaced in the future

✅ Pros

• Extremely easy to repair and upgrade
• Modular ports
• Good screen and webcam quality
• Light (about 1.3 kg)

❌ Cons

• Thin-sounding speakers
• Charging takes up an expansion slot
• No Windows Hello face recognition

📝 Verdict

If you care about the right to repair or want a computer you can upgrade yourself, you should seriously consider it; it's as good as its competitors, and it's the easiest-to-repair hardware he's seen in years.

Source

• Video: A COMPLETELY Upgradeable Laptop? - Framework Laptop Review
• Channel: Linus Tech Tips | Type: Unboxing and assembly | Based on: YouTube transcript

Key points

• He refutes the claim that "you can't have both beautiful and repairable": Framework made a thin, light, good-looking and capable laptop—and he bought it himself
• On the DIY Edition, you only need to loosen 5 screws to open the bottom cover, and assembling it yourself saves about US$300; a screwdriver is included, the screws are color-coded, and QR codes take you to compatibility info and upgrade guides
• The webcam has a physical shutter and the microphone a hardware switch; the only fixed I/O is the headphone jack, and everything else is swappable expansion cards (there's even full-size DisplayPort)
• The keyboard has 1.5mm of key travel and the chassis is rigid; the keyboard, trackpad and fingerprint reader are made by established OEMs such as Lite-On, PixArt and Goodix, and there are Linux drivers
• His reservations: most laptops can already upgrade storage and the wireless card, so the real difference is in I/O and ease of repair; he also worries whether a new company can last

✅ Pros

• Easy to repair and upgrade
• Modular I/O
• Thin, light and well built
• DIY Edition is cheaper
• Physical privacy switches

❌ Cons

• Doubts about a new company's long-term viability
• Some of its upgradeability is shared by other laptops

📝 Verdict

He was convinced and ordered one right in the video (at the time only a US$100 deposit was required, shipping in the summer).