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                     FRAMEWORK 13 ABSOLUTELY RULES!
                                                            12th January 2025
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  If you're in the market for buying a new laptop, I'd highly recommend 
  considering getting a Framework 13 / Framework 16[1] if you're looking for a
  full-sized laptop. I have been using a Framework 13 for the last year and 
  change. I purchased one with an AMD Ryzen™ 7040 Series processor in October 
  2023. When I was in the market for a laptop, I had the following requirements
  for it:

  - Solid build quality: I used to run Dell XPS 7590 and that is a very solidly
                         built laptop with 0 flex.
  - Upgradable:          Memory and SSD should not be soldered onto the 
                         motherboard, can't believe this is something we have 
                         to specify as a requirement these days.
  - Repairable:          While this is something that was not easy to do with 
                         XPS, it was still doable, I wanted my next laptop to 
                         not actively block me from being able to repair it.
  - Libre-bootable:      Not a strict requirement per-say but I fucking hate 
                         Intel Management Engine and would love to get rid of 
                         that NSA spyware shit altogether if I can from my 
                         laptop.

  The 2 laptops that sort of fit the bill were Lenovo ThinkPad T480 and 
  Framework 13. I went with Framework because of the build quality and so that 
  I could get a newer processor. Not that I run any bloatware but, it feels 
  nice to be able to watch YouTube videos once in a while without buffering.

  === Framework 13 Scorecard
  --> Build Quality: ✅ Solid aluminum body.
  --> Upgradable:    ✅ Fully upgradable. You can upgrade everything from 
                        keyboard to motherboard and everything in between. This
                        means that when we get 8k laptop screens in the future,
                        I can just upgrade my screen instead of having to 
                        replace my entire laptop. I have already used this to 
                        upgrade to a better webcam :).
  --> Repairable:    ✅
                     - Framework hosts repair guides for various components and 
                       have an active market place where they sell everything 
                       from network card to motherboard to batteries and 
                       everything else.
                     - It has a perfect iFixit Repairability Score.
  --> Libre-bootable:  While this is not possible at the moment, my laptop 
                       currently runs AMD(I know that it also has its version 
                       of IME but, at least it's not Intel). Also, there are 
                       efforts under way to hopefully be able to coreboot it in
                       the near future.
  --> Privacy Switches: Really wish this was something that was more common on 
                        phones and laptops and other electronic devices. I do 
                        not wan't my camera and mic to be hot 24x7 while I am 
                        working. Being able to flip the switches on during a 
                        video call and turning them on again is a huge win in 
                        my book.
  --> Expandable Cards: All the I/O on the sides of the laptop comes in the 
                        form of switches that connect over USB-C. They have a 
                        giant variety of switches that you can combine for the 
                        4 spots on the laptop, including a full-sized Ethernet 
                        port. This is so useful, I don't think I'll ever be 
                        able to go back to my old life of carrying a hub 
                        around.

  So, to sum it all up, Framework 13 has proved to be a perfect fit for my use 
  case and I've managed to convince my younger brother to get one as well(he 
  managed to fry the motherboard of the XPS I gave him, might not totally be his 
  fault but I am gonna tease him for it all his life). He loves his new 
  Framework as well, he runs Windows on it and it has been a smooth sailing 
  once he installed the old SSD in it. So, consider Framework! \m/
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  © 2024-2025 Shreyans Devendra Doshi. Everything including any source code 
  on the website is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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