Framework now accepting pre-orders for Framework Laptop 16 gaming notebook with swappable GPU

[Redaktion]

The Framework Laptop 16, a modular gaming notebook Framework announced in March, is now available for pre-order. While the price for a DIY version starts at US$1399, adding a discrete GPU module bumps the price by $400 to $1799. A fully assembled model starts at $1699 without the dGPU and $2099 with one.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Framework-now-accepting-pre-orders-for-Framework-Laptop-16-gaming-notebook-with-swappable-GPU.735052.0.html

[bubba]

Was able to get in on a batch 2 pre-order but now having second thoughts and might cancel.

While I applaud the concept, the lack of a truly hot-swappable gpu, some of the underwhelming specs, and Dave2d's compelling arguments about the product itself and what your investment really will mean, I don't know if its worth it. He made some pretty good points.

I love Framework's business model, but a lot of the things they are championing I can already do at a lower price point with (some) Thinkpad and HP lines, so I will need to think about it.

[A]

Was able to get in on a batch 2 pre-order but now having second thoughts and might cancel.

While I applaud the concept, the lack of a truly hot-swappable gpu, some of the underwhelming specs, and Dave2d's compelling arguments about the product itself and what your investment really will mean, I don't know if its worth it. He made some pretty good points.

I love Framework's business model, but a lot of the things they are championing I can already do at a lower price point with (some) Thinkpad and HP lines, so I will need to think about it.

I don't think hot swappable GPUs are that simple to do. But I do agree the higher cost is mostly an investment into the concept of modular parts. But the problem is they are too small at this point, so the whole "modular parts" effectively means little. It's like here pick any prize you want out of 1 option. They say the community can fill stuff in, but that's a tall order for the community, a hobbyist maybe able to make a part for themselves, but asking them to go find a manufacturer or feel confident about commercialization of their part is fairly big hurdle

It also doesn't help that later batches already go into 2024Q1 when they will start competing with next gen cpus.

[NikoB]

It's all nonsense. There is no market for mobile cpu / gpu chips, which means there are no adequate market prices. So it's all pointless.

It is much more important to make a laptop with a 7x45 AMD series, which has 28 pci-e 5.0 links and 16 of which are free with an eGPU x16 pci-e 4.0 link. You need an eGPU based on at least x16 pci-e 4.0 (x8 pci-e 5.0), 4xUSB40 take only 4 pci-e 5.0 links from this pool. But NO laptop manufacturer has yet made a solution with 4xUSB40 based on the AMD 45 series, although it easily allows it!

It is elementary to develop a riser for desktop GPUs with a link using 4xUSB40 (x16 pci-e 4.0) aggregation. And then there will be practically no difference in the performance of the desktop 4090 on such laptops compared to desktops. This is a 30% jump in 3D performance on laptops.

In addition, desktop cards even at the level of 4090 make 3-4 times less noise than the total cooling of mobile chips! It also provides much better performance for mobile processors. you don't have to cool the discrete card!

From the point of view of ecology - there are hundreds of millions of old laptops on the planet, with well-preserved cases - what prevents capitalists from setting up the production of motherboards and components that exactly fit their dimensions and port layout, but in new, more productive versions?

I myself have an old Thinkbook T class lying around in perfect condition, with a burned-out motherboard due to Lenovo's fault, and this model was very popular and is often found at flea markets. I would be very happy if Lenovo released a motherboard that exactly matches the expansion ports, but with modern hardware for this case, as well as support for modern screen panels. The cooling system, if you install the latest AMD series, will easily cope if you do not chase top performance.

Now imagine a market of hundreds of millions of old and in mint condition laptop cases that could be upgraded and thereby drastically reduce the burden on the planet's ecology.

[Hotz]

It's all nonsense. There is no market for mobile cpu / gpu chips, which means there are no adequate market prices. So it's all pointless.

Unfortunately. The market would exist if the industry would allow it, but they don't. Since laptops exist people wanted upgradeable GPUs in laptops, and with the removal of the DVD-drives there would have been enough space for something like a low profile single slot GPU (with included fan), but the industry did not want to give us that.

I don't think hot swappable GPUs are that simple to do.

I think nowadays it could be simple. You would only need a thunderbolt connection on the inside of the laptop as a connection to the GPU and then build it like having an "eGPU" inside the laptop (and without the eGPU enclosure to require less space. These would be hot swappable and exchanged by smaller mobile eGPU. But again, it's something the industry does not really want us to have.