Framework Laptop 16: What Real Users Say After Living With It

The Framework 16 is more expensive compared to other laptops with the same specs. What the Framework 16 has is repairability and upgradability. If you consider the costs of two laptops vs the cost of a framework 16 + upgrade parts, the cost becomes much more competitive. In the end, it's up to you to decide if you value a company that values upgradability and repairability and want to support that.

While technically true that upgrades aren't guaranteed, IMO this is not really a concern. Unless they go out of business or sell out, I find it hard to believe that they'd stop producing upgrades for the 16 in the next 5 or even 10 years. They're showing no signs of going out of business.

Everytime i think about a potential new laptop, i swear to myself i will get a framework. Then i see 800 bucks for an RTX 5070, and another year passes.

If you have to carry it around daily I'd take the 13. If it's meant to be 'desktop replacement' which only gets moved occasionally or you truly need the GPU power I'd go with the 16

Power is a concern. Currently a 200+W USB-C charger is not out thus if you have an external gpu it may dip into the battery and then throttle when it gets low enough. If raw performance is required, this is something to look out for.

If you want to do this to support Framework or because you really like the idea of a modular laptop, go for it. However, buying a framework 16 will not save you money in the short run or the long run if you're comparing it to a gaming laptop.

Not for initial purchase, or even purchase + upgrades, but ease of repair and customizability, including access in the marketplace to replacement or alternate parts does move the needle a little. At least the documentation is relatively complete so you can make some pretty spectacular hardware mods yourself if you're that way inclined.

I feel like people here are extremely impatient and want new releases every single year. The framework 16 is an incredibly strong machine and will be perfectly fine for almost all usecases for a long time. The necessity of a new gpu or chip just isn't there yet.

Hopefully one day they'll release a truly cheap model. Right now Microcenter has a solid Dell Inspiron for $630, and Framework tends to be about 50% more expensive.

you cant say that a 7700S 8GB is 'incredibly strong' or 'perfectly fine for almost all usecases'. It is very much an entry level GPU and its not gonna get you very far in most things that aren't gaming.

I got the 16in. But I find the screen real estate worth the weight.

Framework mentioned in an interview that Nvidia doesn't allow their mobile GPUs to be used as an upgradeable module for laptops. On the other hand, AMD has been focusing on faster integrated graphics this generation, with no official mention of discrete mobile GPUs. There is a possibility that there will be no more GPU upgrades for the Framework 16 for the foreseeable future.

Still no trackpoint option. I will die with Thinkpads unless someone comes out with a trackpoint as well.

We just started buying them at my job. We value Linux compatibility and the Dell workstations suck.

I prefer larger laptops when I need to actually do work away from my desk - The larger screen is very useful working with code and piles of terminal windows. Been carrying laptops larger/heavier than FW16 for decades so the weight is a non factor. If you want dedicated graphics, without screwing around with eGPUs/their limitations, FW16 is the only option in the Framework lineup.

The FW16 is just more expensive than other options that are objectively better in most/all ways other than repairing and upgrading. Take something like the G14 (2024): better display, better speakers, better keyboard, better and bigger trackpad, better battery life, much faster GPU, faster CPU — and none of that accounts for the weight of the FW16.

The only reason I see not to jump for it is the price. It is around $3k CAD with what is essentially a 4060. I could get a 4080 for that price. I am also a little concerned about how long they will take to release GPU upgrades.

8GBs 5070?! no thanks.

TLDR; no, it's cheaper to buy a new computer than upgrade, and a similar computer is about half the cost. You say 'Is it worth the money,' but it depends on how you look at it. My answer, however, would be a no when looking at the economical aspect.

The trackpad is the smooth, glassy variety that's swept most premium Windows brands. It's fine, great smoothness, good tap responsivity and gestures, has a real physical click when you push it down, which some prefer but can be polarizing. Palm detection isn't perfect, occasionally get unwanted swipe or tap, but it's not bad either.

Got the 16 and 13. If you don't need a gpu, 13 is 100% the better pick.

I got the FW 16 over a year ago, and it's worth the investment to myself. Prior to buying frameworks I was a thinkpad/macbook guy and my closet was full of old laptops. I got the 7840 now going for the 300 series mobo. I feel like this can be my one laptop to last me a long time.

I went for the 16 even though it cost more — I knew when better components came out I could change it out, I loved the feeling that if I broke something I was pretty much guaranteed to be able to fix it, and frankly I knew my laptop purchase was funding Framework doing something cool.

I suspect that the sales of the Framework 16 didn't went as well as Framework hoped, plus the issues with the gaps in the input panels and the liquid metal probably cost them a lot in support/exchanges. Also there don't seem to be any GPU alternatives that would be a good upgrade, fitting into the case and having the right wattage.

It's a bummer about the muxed design they mentioned. That will make pcie passthrough of that gpu a bother. Only 8gb of vram is also pretty sad.

Ok, seriously, who is this thing for? Buggy, compromises on efficiency for modularity, extremely expensive base model relative to competition, fairly expensive upgradeable parts.

I wish they would fix the thermal problems. The whole computer club calls fw16 a computer-jet.

Framework kinda shot itself in the foot when they advertised 'Upgradable' so much on the FW16 launch. Whereas in the FW13 release, they always stopped short of using the word, and emphasized the 'repairability' side of things.

Blows my mind the battery is not hot swappable. It was the main reason I was holding out for the 16. I travel a lot and am often not near a powerpoint.

if you don't need a GPU and never intend on gaming i'd go with a 13. my 16 is a C H O N K and it sucks lugging around but i do love it

As I see the review it does not look like a thoroughly tested product: regularly froze during testing, additional strange glitches, often runs hot and loud, some panels feel flimsy. So it will be paying consumers who will test this rather expensive product.

I've had my FW 16 for a bit more than a year. I didn't order the GPU module at the time because I didn't need it. The machine for comparable specs is pricey, but it's an investment in my opinion. I adore it, I gush about it to my friends pretty often.

From a specs per price viewpoint - no. You can get a similar spec gaming laptop for a lot less. It's far cheaper to manufacture flimsy glued together unserviceable laptops. But when it breaks it's e-waste. If you value the customisation, repairability and upgradability of Framework, it's worth considering.

I 'invested' in a FW16 a couple summers ago when I preordered the original. I have now preordered an RTX 5070, and will have a 'new' and improved graphics experience for $1000 Canadian. This is about half the cost of buying a new RTX 5070 gaming laptop. For my use case, I'll probably break even the next time I upgrade, and be in the positive after that.

I got my 16 and I love it for the most part. However, the keyboard doesn't have nearly as crisp of a feel as my Macbook, the trackpad is a little fidgety, and the battery life isn't great. It also doesn't fit in the laptop pockets for either of my backpacks.

If you have a job where you're going to continuously want current generation hardware, but you don't want to have to commit $2000 every year for it, FW16 could be a decent investment. If you want a forever laptop, FW16 seems like a solid contender.

I love my 16, but that's because I mostly use it docked at a desk or just around my apartment. Taking it anywhere is a bit annoying as it's quite heavy and only barely fits in my backpack's laptop slot. For me it was the right choice but it depends person-to-person.

I went from a 14" ASUS to a 16" FW with the GPU, and the weight and size is problematic. It's not very fun to carry around, and you really feel the weight.

my framework 16 chassis flexes when i pick it up and it phantom clicks the buttons which is super annoying, and it randomly disconnects the touchpad and keyboard sometimes until i reseat them, and the drivers and bios are buggy with the gpu driver crashing and resetting, its not a stable machine for work purposes.

for the same money as the new FW16 hx370 + 5070 you can easily get a machine with a 5080 and 275HX, better screen, bigger battery, more ssds, and still have 500€ left. Upfront, FW is more expensive.

I use it for cad design and as my travel gaming set up and it's amazing. I had a couple of things broken due to moving around and instead of needing a new device I just needed to replace a keyboard. It's a product you invest time and money into over time like a car.

I have a FW16 with dGPU and a FW13. Once I got it set up with Linux Mint installed, I have had no problems. Any heat issues were easily handled by raising the laptop to increase air flow. I expect to use both laptops for many years to come.

Just wanna say, specs are not everything, and I wouldn't trade this one for 2 of the same specs from another maker. The body is magnesium, not just aluminium, and it's needed to provide structural stability because the whole thing is full of holes for modularity.

I was a batch 1 preorder and I still like the concept of the machine but had problems: insufficient power delivery in desktop replacement config would drain the battery 30% per hour during gaming and video editing while plugged in.