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Framework Laptop 16

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Re: Framework Laptop 16

#111

Post by nickjj »

moelf wrote: post #45
vzaliva wrote: post #40

The idea of Framework laptops sounds great! But I’m wondering: has anyone done an economic analysis comparing buying a Framework laptop a few years ago and gradually upgrading it, versus buying a similar popular brand laptop and just upgrading by getting a new model? I’m not trolling, I’m genuinely considering Framework as my next laptop.

I think a large economic value also comes from repair-ability. If nothing ever breaks (until battery dies), I don't think anyone can compete with entry level MacBook in terms of experience/price.

> I don't think anyone can compete with entry level MacBook in terms of experience/price.

It depends on what you want.

About a week ago I got a new 15" laptop with a Ryzen 7 6800H (8 cores / 16 threads) | Radeon 680M | 32 GB of RAM | 1 TB SSD | 1080p IPS panel for $570 USD. That 680m is an integrated GPU that can use up to 8 GB of your system RAM for its VRAM.

I put Arch Linux on it and it's quite nice. Things are very snappy.

A Macbook Air is almost 4x the price with the same memory / storage or 2x if you're ok with 16 GB of memory and a 256 GB SSD. No doubt the Air is going to be lighter, have better battery life and be quieter but this other one isn't too bad. Sure it has fans and sure it weighs 4.5 pounds but it's not a deal breaker.

Re: Framework Laptop 16

#112

Post by rauli_ »

bodge5000 wrote: post #82

I'm glad the AMD GPU option still exists, I don't have great experience with NVIDIA on Linux. The rest of the upgrades, like the new top cover and keyboard, are very welcome

It's so weird to hear people who have problems with NVIDIA GPUs on Linux, because for me it's always been the opposite. I have had problems with AMD but never with NVIDIA.

Re: Framework Laptop 16

#113

Post by lotharcable »

bodge5000 wrote: post #82

I'm glad the AMD GPU option still exists, I don't have great experience with NVIDIA on Linux. The rest of the upgrades, like the new top cover and keyboard, are very welcome

With the advent of Steam deck and Valve putting time and effort into AMD GPU drivers the AMD GPU is really the best option for Linux when it comes to general desktop stuff and gaming.

The days of Nvidia proprietary drivers being a safe bet is long gone. Especially for any sort of Wayland desktop, but it still applies to X11.

Intel drivers should be good as well, since they use the same Mesa code base.

With the ROCm stuff no longer depending on AMD Pro then there is not going to be any reason to step away from the default GPU drivers provided by your distro, provided they are relatively new.

While I am sure that there are still going to be professional-grade proprietary apps that recommend Nvidia... for most of us the only reason to actually go and choose Nvidia on Linux is because of CUDA. And, personally, I would rather lease time on the cloud or have a second GPU work horse PC separate from my desktop for that.

Unfortunately Nvidia is, by far, the most popular option for Windows users. Over 4:1 ratio according to Steam statistics.

So most new Linux users are still going to have to suffer through dealing with their GPU drivers.

Re: Framework Laptop 16

#117

Post by lotharcable »

rauli_ wrote: post #112
bodge5000 wrote: post #82

I'm glad the AMD GPU option still exists, I don't have great experience with NVIDIA on Linux. The rest of the upgrades, like the new top cover and keyboard, are very welcome

It's so weird to hear people who have problems with NVIDIA GPUs on Linux, because for me it's always been the opposite. I have had problems with AMD but never with NVIDIA.

Things have changed a lot since Steam deck. Especially in the last 3 or 4 years.

Mobile users suffer more problems then people with dedicated desktop GPUs, but it still gotten a lot better.

The one thing to be careful about AMD GPUs is that for most GPU OEMs AMD is just a after thought. So they get sub-par QA and heatsinks compared to their more popular Nvidia models.

It is best to go with card makers that only sell AMD GPUs, like Sapphire, PowerColor, and XFX. I am partial to Sapphire.

Re: Framework Laptop 16

#118

Post by trelane »

nrp wrote: post #4

I'm happy to answer questions around the new product.

What all does your Linux support entail? Do you offer support for both Linux abd Windows models?

Is the firmware identical for the models that ship with Windows and those that ship with Linux?

How well does Linux work out of the box? What kind of small glitches can a Linux user expect?

Re: Framework Laptop 16

#119

Post by nrp »

Deuter8 wrote: post #6
nrp wrote: post #4

I'm happy to answer questions around the new product.

I literally just want a touchpad with buttons. These new 'clickpads' are the bane of my existence. They are so much slower, and certain workflows are impossible. I must use an external mouse now with modern laptops. Why can no laptop manufacturer even make this an option ?

The Touchpad Module is easy to replace, and the CAD and interface specs we've published on https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/Framework-Laptop-16 are likely detailed enough that anyone can try making one!

Re: Framework Laptop 16

#120

Post by bevr1337 »

kibwen wrote: post #88
simpaticoder wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a 1st gen Framework 13, Intel 11th gen CPU, running Ubuntu 24. It had a faulty design around the BIOS battery on the motherboard that I had to fix, and do some soldering on[1]. It's remarkable because they didn't say "Send the laptop in and we'll fix the design defect" they said, "First take a photo of the inside of the laptop to verify the serial number, then place an order, then do the repair yourself." This…

> then do the repair yourself This is awesome though, and exactly the sort of thing one buys a Framework for. > the laptop's battery life is not good Mine is great, I share a single USB-C cord among all my laptops (of which I have despairingly too many) and I often use my Framework all day while forgetting it's not plugged in. (Fedora, if the OS matters.)

I'm going to assume soldering on the main board is far outside the ability of most users. They're not through hole, big green boards like I learned on.

It is certainly awesome for those that can, of course!

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