Framework Laptop 16 Review

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Framework’s new 16-inch modular laptop is drawing strong interest for its repairability, configurable ports, and swappable GPU bay, but users are weighing those strengths against higher weight, long lead times, and a premium price. Early reviews and owner reports highlight mixed experiences with battery life, sleep behavior (especially on Linux), and a flexible keyboard deck that some fix with simple mods. Enthusiasts still see it as a standout alternative to disposable designs from major vendors, while others argue that mature business laptops and Apple’s M‑series machines offer better polish, efficiency, and availability today.

Overall reception & positioning

  • Many commenters are enthusiastic about Framework’s mission, modularity, and the FW13 in particular; several say they can’t imagine going back to non‑upgradeable laptops.
  • The FW16 is seen as ambitious and exciting, especially the modular GPU/expansion bay, but some pre‑order customers are wary due to first‑revision issues highlighted in reviews.
  • Some users say a conventional business laptop or mini‑PC is still more practical if you don’t care about modularity.

Keyboard, trackpad, and ergonomics

  • FW13 keyboard is widely praised; FW16’s keyboard deck flex (noted by reviewers) is a major concern. Framework says they’re investigating; some users report big improvement by adding thermal pads under the midplate.
  • Many want alternative layouts: trackpoint, ortholinear, HHKB‑style, full TKL, Dvorak/Colemak, Japanese, Linux “Super” key legends, and better cursor key clusters.
  • Trackpad is consistently rated worse than MacBook’s and only “okay” vs ThinkPads; some mis-tap and palm‑rejection complaints.

Battery life, sleep, and thermals

  • Reported real‑world battery life varies widely:
    • Some FW13/16 users get ~6–9 hours under light use (especially with tuning, newer kernels, and tools like TLP/PPD).
    • Others report 2–3 hours under dev or container workloads, with constant fan and heat.
  • Sleep is a recurring pain point:
    • s2idle / “modern sleep” can drain ~1%/hour or more; several machines have woken and “cooked” in bags.
    • Deep sleep/hibernate can fix drain but slows resume (10–20+ seconds) and is non‑trivial to set up.
  • Many compare unfavorably to Apple Silicon’s all‑day battery and reliable sleep; some say x86 + Linux and modular design inherently limit parity.

Linux support & firmware

  • Linux generally works well once configured; Fedora and Ubuntu are common choices.
  • Complaints: fragile suspend, brightness keys on some configs, HDMI/expansion‑card power bugs, occasional AMD freezes, and slow firmware updates for certain issues.
  • Some want official Linux preinstalls; others prefer OS‑agnostic hardware and no bundling.

Modularity, ecosystem, and future modules

  • Upgradable mainboards, RAM, storage, and cross‑compatible expansion cards are heavily praised; people like reusing old boards in SFF cases.
  • Wish‑lists include: NVIDIA or AI‑focused GPUs, external GPU dock using FW16 GPU, OCuLink, extra batteries in the expansion bay, rugged shells, alternative displays (OLED, 4K, touch, e‑ink), and more exotic expansion cards (SDR, microcontrollers, sensors).
  • Third‑party ecosystem exists but is still small; many hope it grows.

Availability, regions, and competitors

  • Frustration from users in India, Nordics, Switzerland, NZ, Japan about lack of direct sales and warranty constraints with reshipping.
  • Some compare FW16/13 against ThinkPad X1 Carbon, Tuxedo Pulse, MacBooks, and upcoming Snapdragon laptops; opinions split on whether Framework’s price is justified by modularity and ethos.