Framework refreshes the Laptop 13 with a Pro tier, redesigned expansion card switches, and Ubuntu outselling Windows at launch.
Key Takeaways
The 13 Pro is selling beyond Framework’s own expectations, with the Ubuntu configuration outselling the Windows one.
Expansion card bay gets a redesigned removal switch, addressing the longstanding problem of cards pulling out when unplugging USB cables.
Hardware designs are open-sourced under CC-BY-4.0 (no NC restriction), enabling downstream reuse and third-party card development.
Pricing is aggressive for a modular Linux laptop but lands above comparable MacBook Pro configs when matched spec-for-spec, with no discount or sale programs.
Hacker News Comment Review
The expansion card retention fix is the most-discussed hardware detail: prior F13 cards would unseat when removing cables; the Pro redesign and an earlier F11 set-screw workaround confirm this was a known pain point Framework iterated on.
Pricing is contested: several commenters ran spec-matched comparisons against the MBP and found the Framework 13 Pro more expensive, with Framework’s no-discount policy widening the gap further for cost-sensitive buyers.
Intel vs. AMD tradeoffs (battery, compile performance, local LLM inference, unified memory availability) have no clear community consensus yet, with reviewers waiting for independent benchmarks before recommending one SKU over the other.
Notable Comments
@GregDavidson: Wants ECC memory support to match server parity and enable part-swapping between a modular laptop and home server – a gap no current Framework model closes.
@kristopolous: Argues Framework’s Mac-like industrial design is a mismatch for Linux conference attendees who actively chose away from Apple aesthetics.
@grg0: Notes Ubuntu outselling Windows as evidence a “niche” Linux buyer base is commercially viable for Framework.
