Quote from: BobSmith on July 22, 2022, 15:36:37I feel like the Framework laptops are really made to appeal to tech journalists, not users.
I think you're not giving the repairability angle enough credit. Spilling drinks or otherwise having some keyboard keys or touchpad go out are some most common issues with otherwise perfectly functioning laptops, and now you can easily get a replacement and swap it out yourself for $40. Same for bad hinges, speakers that blow out, a bent cover, or battery replacements (that sadly, can be harder to find the exact replacement than they should be for many models).
As for other replacement parts, I don't think design lock-in is much of an issue. I'm looking forward to the eventual AMD motherboard upgrade - as long as it has the same mounting and doesn't exceed the current dimensions, it should be fine. Same for a better display (higher color gamut and refresh, please). In the meantime, with fully published mechanical specs, I know that when I do upgrade, I can 3D print or buy an enclosure for my old board and use it (or sell it) as a NUC or other DIY project. Something I've never done with any of my previous laptops.
It may not be for everyone (certainly all this appeals to someone that is a bit of an enthusiast, or at the very least, into repairability), but I think the audience certainly is a lot broader than tech journalists. I'm not one, and I've been excited since their initial release, and ordered a DIY edition 12th-gen version once I was satisfied that most of the teething problems (Linux compatibility, sleep and other battery drain issues) were being dealt with.