Framework announces Laptop 13 Pro, “MacBook Pro for Linux users”

every time We review a frame laptopWe find familiar pros and cons. It’s really upgradeable, and incredibly repairable, but we always wish the battery lasted longer. We always hope the build quality is top notch.

Today, Framework announces what could be the answer: the Framework 13 Pro laptop.

It’s the company’s first laptop built entirely from 6000-series aluminum blocks, the first with a touch trackpad, and the first with a fully custom 13.5-inch, 3:2, 2.8K, variable refresh rate (30-120Hz) IPS display whose color calibration comes right out of the box.

With the option to order it preloaded with Ubuntu instead of just Windows, Framework CEO Nirav Patel says his goal for this computer is to be a “MacBook Pro for Linux users.” And – especially in black anodized, although it also comes in silver – it looks like it could play that role.

With a 22 percent higher capacity battery (74 Wh), Intel Core Ultra Series 3 “Panther Lake” chip.and LPCAMM2 compression flash memorythe Framework even claims to be able to (barely) beat MacBook Pro M5 14-inch On battery life – at least when it comes to streaming 20 hours of Netflix in 4K on the go.

The 13 Pro is also the first 13-inch laptop from Framework with a touchscreen (although no stylus), the first with PCIe 5.0 for up to 8TB of 14,000MB/s SSD storage, and the first with Dolby Atmos certification for the new side speakers. (“Average at best,” is how Antonio described the speakers In the latest 13-inch modelso we’re really hoping for an improvement there.)

And unlike MacBooks, of course, you should be able to replace the M.2 2280 storage and even the RAM easily, assuming you can find and buy new LPCAMM2 modules Once RAMageddon calms down.

For what it’s worth, Patel tells us that the Framework will be able to stock 16GB, 32GB and 64GB modules in its market. After carefully working with memory suppliers like Micron, the Framework has been developed One of the most transparent companies About the RAM crisis yet.

For modular hardware enthusiasts, the most exciting part might be just that You don’t need to buy a full laptop To get many of these benefits, because the Laptop 13 Pro does not break compatibility with the current Laptop 13 Framework. The Laptop 13 Pro has the same dimensions, including the same 15.85mm thickness, although it weighs slightly more at 1.4kg (3.08lb) versus 1.3kg (2.86lb). You can drop just a new Intel Core Ultra Series 3, or just the display, or just the keyboard and trackpad, into an existing 13-inch laptop. Or you can buy the new chassis. Or just a new bottom case and larger battery for your current device.

We don’t yet have component prices at press time to know if part swaps are cost-effective. But in a world where one component (RAM) drives up the prices of almost every computer, upgrade that no Involving RAM could be interesting. Speaking of which, you can also configure the 13 Pro laptop with last year’s AMD Ryzen AI 300 boards if Intel or LPCAMM aren’t your thing.

Of course, the price of the Framework 13 Pro laptop itself is higher than previous 13-inch models, but not prohibitively so. It starts at $1,499 for the pre-built version with an Intel Core Ultra 5 325, 16GB LPCAMM2 memory, and 512GB of storage, or $1,199 for DIY.

That prebuilt price is $400 more than what Framework charged for the Ryzen AI 5 340 with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, but you’re theoretically getting a lot more for the money — and not just in terms of performance, battery life, and double the storage. There’s also a faster 100W GaN charger and a smoother display, up to 120Hz compared to the 60Hz the 13-inch Framework was previously stuck to.

After six years of work, Patel says, “there’s basically no theoretically possible technology that we weren’t at a scale where we could get it,” and the first fully custom display is an example of that. Patel says the Framework has become a blank slate, including new backlighting, in-cell touch, and a new anti-glare coating to achieve higher contrast in ambient light.

However, the 2880 x 1920 display still leaves room for improvement. Its 700 nits of brightness is nothing special these days, and Patel admits that the Framework has limited its color gamut to 100 percent of the less inclusive sRGB color space (not Adobe RGB or DCI-P3) to prioritize specifications that might result in a better battery. When I ask what “Pro” means if not to professional visual designers who buy MacBooks, Patel says it’s about building “the ultimate laptop for developers,” which developers will compare to the MacBook Pro.

“If you’re a developer who codes all day, we want this to be the perfect laptop for you,” he says.

Framework is opening pre-orders for the Framework Laptop 13 Pro today, so you should soon be able to see full pricing On its websiteincluding versions with Core Ultra X7 and X9 variants that will have enough Intel Xe3 graphics processor cores to run some modern games on battery. The company plans to ship the first batch of laptops in June, and says it will only have a small batch of Intel X9 to start.

We’re at the Framework event today, and will try to add some hands-on impressions with the Laptop 13 Pro soon.