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The Framework Laptop is now shipping

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Re: The Framework Laptop is now shipping

#111

Post by ivraatiems »

nrp wrote: post #96
ivraatiems wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a really interesting product. Is there any hope of onboard graphics being an option in the future? How upgradable are the CPUs/motherboards?

It's unlikely we'll add discrete graphics in this form factor, but integrated graphics is actually much better than it has been in the past (e.g. Overwatch and GTA:V can run at 60fps), and there is also support for eGPUs. We've designed the mainboard to be end-user replaceable for upgrades, and we'll be developing new ones for future CPU platforms as we go.

Thanks for the quick answer! Any thought of a larger form-factor model eventually?

Re: The Framework Laptop is now shipping

#112

Post by nrp »

eikenberry wrote: post #100
dorfsmay wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any chance for a keyboard with a trackpoint and its 3 buttons in the future? A lot of us, addicted to the trackpoint, are not liking some directions Lenovo have taken in the recent years.

+1, please consider offering this. A track point and 3 real buttons are so much nicer than a trackpad. At least to some of us. ThinkPads success seems to indicate there are a lot of us.

A touchpad with buttons is something that we have explored, and is in theory a replacement module we can create. Inserting a track point would be much more challenging from a cost and engineering feasibility standpoint. We may have underestimated the level of interest around track point...

Re: The Framework Laptop is now shipping

#113

Post by notpatio11 »

Hey Nirav - Awesome project. I want to see this succeed. Can you talk a little bit about how you plan to keep this project inline with the original vision. I have purchased from/seen so many startups start with a great cause and good purpose, but then succumb to just simply "too good of offer" to pass up and eventually "pivoting" to something that is more lucrative.

I believe that the the reason right to repair isn't adopted by more companies is simple... it's way better for the bottom line to control everything and increase profits. How do you guys plan on dealing with this in the long run, without becoming an Apple yourself?

Re: The Framework Laptop is now shipping

#114

Post by nitsky »

nrp wrote: post #80
winter_blue wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is the likelihood of a 4K (like 3840x2400) screen option appearing anytime in the near future?

We don't have any plans we can share yet, but we did design the display to be easy to replace by putting it behind a magnet-attach bezel and using fasteners to affix it the lid.

Are you considering OLED as well? The Dell XPS has that as an option and it is a serious draw, especially for coders who stare at a mostly-black screen all day.

Re: The Framework Laptop is now shipping

#115

Post by craftkiller »

nrp wrote: post #93
craftkiller wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. Are you able to limit the min/max charge of the battery to reduce wear / increase longevity? For example, if I'm usually plugged into an outlet then I would want to limit my max charge to 80% or 60% since high charge levels degrade the battery faster, but I wouldn't want to disconnect the charger because then I'd be pointlessly burning through battery cycles. 2. Coreboot: whats the status on that? 3. When I violen…

1) We don't have this yet, but it is on our firmware roadmap. 2) Also on our (long term) firmware roadmap! 3) It would be extremely difficult to damage the internal USB-C ports from force on the USB-C Expansion Card. You'd destroy the USB-C Expansion Card first, which is inexpensive to replace. 4) This is a great question, and actually on our list of blog posts we want to write. I don't have the answer off-hand, but…

Thanks! I'm particularly excited about #3 since I am a forgetful clutz, so having a sacrificial layer that ensures the ports attached to the mainboard stay safe is going to be great peace of mind.

Re: The Framework Laptop is now shipping

#116

Post by nrp »

rgoulter wrote: post #104
nrp wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We currently have ANSI and ISO layouts for languages, and JIS coming soon. Within this form factor, those are likely what we are limited to.

How feasible do you think an ortholinear layout would be?

It is technically possible, but the cost of custom tooling for it would be unfortunately be astronomical relative to the number that we could reasonably sell. At some point in the future as we continue to grow the Framework Laptop install base, we'd love to revisit that though!

Re: The Framework Laptop is now shipping

#117

Post by nrp »

jeswin wrote: post #98
massysett wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you considering shipping your own distribution (for instance a modified Ubuntu or Fedora or whatever) and guaranteeing compatibility for that, or do you plan only to issue guides for other distributions?

Taking focus away from the central vision will jeopardize the company - shipping and maintaining a distro is laborious; so please don't do this. If at all, a script to automatically download/compile deps will be more than adequate (not necessary).

Yes, we would very much like to rely on the great distros that are already out there for now, working with them as needed to ensure compatibility (which we have already done with a handful).

Re: The Framework Laptop is now shipping

#119

Post by nightski »

chipotle_coyote wrote: post #67
nightski wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's such a tired design. I think the goals of this project is fantastic but man the macbook is getting ugly. They really need a refresh. It feels like it has been over a decade now...

Serious question: what would you expect/want in a design refresh? I'm speaking just of the industrial design, not the number and kinds of ports and such. I'm curious because while I've also thought "yeah, these are increasingly overdue for an updated look," it's hard in practice for me to think of changes that I'd really want. I'm typing this on an M1 MacBook Air, and...I'm not saying it's somehow reached the apex of…

Honestly just start with colors and/or black like say the Razer Blade, iPhone, or iMac.

I have a G14 with anime matrix led display and it's pretty slick looking (so cool how it lights up) [1]. I understand it's not as minimalist as a macbook but I've been blown away by the amount of comments I get on it's looks.

It completely goes against Apple's design DNA but maybe it's just the super minimalist approach itself I am finding tired. I like spice & variety.

[1] https://dlcdnimgs.asus.com/websites/global/Products/xccq31kw...

Re: The Framework Laptop is now shipping

#120

Post by nrp »

ajot wrote: post #107
nrp wrote: post #4

Framework Founder here! I am happy to answer any questions on the product.

Do you have any other keyboard + pointing device design in mind? I've read sibling comments about trackpoint and numpad, but what about a 7-row keyboard and/or a smaller trackpad with real buttons for clicking? Is this possible? Do you see there's a market for it?

The cover that the keyboard and touchpad install into is the limiting factor. The tooling for that part is extremely expensive, so we only have one version of it. We have the ability to install ANSI, ISO, and JIS keyboard layouts with any language in the artwork, but we can't change the keyboard or touchpad geometry beyond that without shelling out big money for a new cover.

A touchpad with buttons is something we believe could fit in the existing cover though, and something we want to explore more when we have time.

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