Framework allows replacing and upgrading screens as the core feature. But for Chad ThinkPad this is a great achievement: “Even the screen is upgradeable with some tricks”.
Lenovo won’t make any nice, repariable thinkpads any time in the near future. Framework is the best we have.
They’d arguably stopped some time ago. I have a Thinkpad T490s, and a fair chunk of that isn’t upgradeable without swapping a fair bit of the body.
The keyboard, for example, is a permanent part of the chassis. Replacing out requires you to swap the entire shell out.
The Ethernet port is some proprietary gubbins, because Lenovo wanted to be funny, and use the same protocols and pinouts as regular Ethernet, but used a special physical connector.
Half the RAM is also permanently soldered into the motherboard as well, so you can’t properly upgrade that either.
I got a (very cheap) Thinkpad from my university. It had that proprietary Ethernet port. It came with a ThinkPad-branded USB to Ethernet adapter. The adapter came with the laptop and still didn’t use the proprietary port!
Now, there is a chance that the university IT which set stuff up before giving it to me, is responsible for disappearing the proprietary adapter. But because the USB adapter is branded with ThinkPad, I really think it’s just what it came with.
Laptops for consumers have never been good, the reason thinkpads are reliable are because they are sold to businesses (with extensive service warranties)
There are better linux laptops for less. No need to send tour money to the US.
The price was never the reason to buy a framework in the first place. None of the cheaper alternatuves are as performant and as repairable
TrackPoint
Did you mean: clit mouse?
Oh, that’s what that nipple is called!
As my biology teacher used to say, “the only intuitive interface is the nipple; everything else is learned”.
There IS one of these for everything, eh?
as a person who uses a framework 16, and deals with returned lease laptops as a job, people are overstating how “durable” thinkpads are.
of course image of course is a joke, but thinkpads advatage isnt necessarily durability, but how cheap replacement parts are because of how many are leased and eventually returned.
frameworks friction is cost and availability, but strength is ease of repair. lenovos is part availability and cost.
No mention of virgin keyboard backlight vs chad overhead ThinkLight?
Also Framework are American.
If your ThinkPad is old enough, so is it.
The TPM 2.0 requirement for Windows 11 is artificial however and can be bypassed in the installer.
Stop ruining ThinkPads for me!!!
As a Framework owner, this meme is absolutely correct.
How do you really like it?
I’m considering getting one.
I’ve had a 12 for a few months now and its a nice low powered, low weight, light use travel machine. Runs pretty nice with kubuntu on it.Generally all around fine though not spectacular a very 5-6/10 machine though that’s all I really need from it. Very expensive for what it is though.
they’re fine. im not throwing out my first get 13" but im also not upgrading it. i’ll use it till it dies and replace it like any other laptop*. it turned out to be a perfectly fine device. i knew going in i was spending extra for the chance it’d be my “last laptop” that’d be periodically upgraded. it’s definitely fallen short in daily use. decent enough computer that i dont regret having tried it. but i’d stopped suggesting framework to people long before we found out they’re a bunch of assholes.
but i’d stopped suggesting framework to people long before we found out they’re a bunch of assholes.
Yeah…; I was Hell-bent on a Framework being one of my next laptops and telling everyone about them and then that shit dropped. Massively disappointing.
How are they assholes? What did I miss?
- https://gardinerbryant.com/the-omarchy-framework-thing/
- https://crimier.github.io/posts/Framework-Omarchy/
- https://community.frame.work/t/framework-supporting-far-right-racists/75986/2
TL;DR: Framework is sponsoring Omarchy and Hyprland. Omarchy, at least, is really linked to far-righter DHH; cannot find nearly as much about Hyprland on a quick search besides “toxic”.
their lack of response to all this was emphasised by leaving all the racist and terfy comments up on the community forums for days. it was like browsing twitter.
Thanks for the links.
Well, that’s disappointing.
Jesus Christ, that forum thread in the last link is a shitshow.
I’m not going to be recommending Framework anymore. They clearly don’t deserve it.
I have a Framework 16, and love it. However, it’s probably the priciest bit of tech I’ve ever purchased (partially my fault for trying to make it as “future proof” as possible while building it).
Great hardware for Linux too, it’s wonderful to never have to worry if your hardware will work or not. Bazzite even has an OS image specifically for Framework hardware.
I was running a little low on space last year so I bought a 1tb expansion drive. Took about 30 seconds to install. Didn’t even have to turn the laptop off to do it.
Not the one you were replying to, but I’m answering you from a Framework 13. It’s the best laptop I’ve owned. It’s solid, runs well, is theoretically repairable without having to buy used equipment off ebay, and runs Linux quite well. I’ve put a few distros on it, and they’ve all just worked, even the finger print reader.
It’s certainly not the best price for performance, but I like the build quality, and it let me bring my own RAM and NVME, which really helped close the price gap.
and it let me bring my own RAM and NVME, which really helped close the price gap.
not any more 😭
More so now, I still have lots of old RAM laying around. No need to pay markup prices for me.
Not everyone has laptop RAM sticks just lying around
For sure. Working in IT and being a hoarder has its benefits.
Thanks! It’s interesting to hear folks say that other machines are as powerful and less expensive. The irony is, they’re less expensive because they have everything soldered on and designed to be eventual e-waste more quickly.
I wanted a Framework when I was pricing out a new work laptop, but at the time it was going to be months before they’d have what I wanted ready for shipping and I couldn’t wait that long. I ended up getting a crazy good deal on a laptop with 64GB of ram. That being said, I still wish I had a Framework compared to this thing.
My only problems with the Framework 13 are:
- the 3:2 aspect ratio is really nice on the host, but getting VMs to display correctly is hard
- The magnetic bezel is too much fun to play with. I grab at it while thinking, and have broken the plastic from taking it off and on thousands of times
- The interchangeable USB ports don’t lock well on the 13. If the HDMI cable is tight, I pull the whole adapter out. (I believe they changed the locking mechanism on the 16)
- The hinges for the display aren’t that strong, even the new ones. They’re acceptable, but moving the laptop w/ it at certain angles, it will fall open to 180°
It’s still my favorite laptop I’ve owned
