Laptops, while great for being portable and flexible, aren’t known for their upgradability. Yes, we can swap out the RAM and storage for something bigger, but that’s about it. The Framework Laptop 16, however, changes that by providing users with a level of modularity and upgradability that is rarely seen in modern laptops.
With pre-orders opening by “Spring 2023” and a target shipment set later this year, the Framework Laptop 16 features an input module system that offers full configuration of components. Depending on their use case, users can hot-swap keyboards, mousepads, numpads, secondary displays, smartcard readers, and so many more.
Best of all, the Framework Laptop 16 allows replacing the motherboard and CPU. It also has an expansion bay system for plugging in dedicated GPUs, and it’s designed to extend the laptop in thickness and depth to accommodate powerful graphics cards that need large heatsinks. Company founder Nirav Patel claims the Framework Laptop 16 as the “holy grail” among high-end notebooks, and deservedly so.
This isn’t the first time the company pulled off this feat. The smaller Framework Laptop 13 launched in 2021 and garnered generally positive reviews from critics for its modular design and overall performance. It was also notable for its sustainability as Framework committed to reducing e-waste using recycled materials and easy-to-replace components.
There have been similar attempts in the past to make smartphones modular, but none have gained widespread commercial success. While great for complete customization, modular smartphones have challenges that manufacturers currently find difficult to overcome, such as durability and compatibility.