Framework Laptop 16

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Cooling, noise & thermal design

  • Mixed reports on fan serviceability: some find the Framework 16 fans easy to reach and clean; others say the 13" is harder to clean than most laptops.
  • Several users complain about loud “jet engine” fans on earlier 13" models and poor battery life / high idle drain, especially on older Intel generations.
  • Framework suggests repasting (or switching to their phase-change material) and cleaning intakes as common fixes.

Input devices: touchpad, buttons, TrackPoint & keyboard layout

  • Long subthread on hatred of “diving board” clickpads and desire for physical buttons and ThinkPad-style TrackPoint.
  • Some argue modern haptic pads (especially Apple’s) solve most issues; others say precision, drag-and-drop, and multi-finger gestures are still worse than buttoned pads, especially on Linux and non-Apple hardware.
  • Framework confirms its keyboard firmware is QMK-based and publishes CAD/specs for third parties to design alternative touchpads and keyboards; users ask for a voting/Kickstarter-like mechanism to signal demand.
  • TrackPoint is repeatedly requested; Framework explains prototypes keep risking screen damage because the nub is too tall for their thin z-stack.
  • Keyboard complaints focus on tiny arrow keys and lack of a dedicated Home/End/PgUp/PgDn cluster; defenders like the Fn+arrow bindings and modular numpad/macro modules.

GPUs, Linux & “AI” chips

  • Strong split over adding Nvidia: some call it hostile to Linux; others report years of success with proprietary drivers and note Nvidia’s dominance in CUDA/AI.
  • Many Linux users prefer the AMD dGPU or iGPU, citing better out-of-the-box driver support and Steam Deck–driven improvements.
  • Concerns that the RTX 5070 module’s 8 GB VRAM is not future-proof; people ask about higher-tier 50-series or more VRAM.
  • “AI TOPS” in Ryzen AI NPUs are seen as mostly marketing today, though some mention Copilot and early AMD tooling; others value the stronger integrated GPU more.

Upgradability, repairability & ecosystem

  • Praise for the 16" being properly upgradable: old FW16s can adopt new parts; Framework is working on a 3D-printable case for retired mainboards.
  • Positive anecdotes: mainboard or keyboard replacement after spills was cheap and easy; community guides and forums are considered good resources.
  • Negative anecdotes: RTC battery defect on early 13" required user soldering; some lost trust over that. Concerns about economic value vs just reselling whole laptops every few years and the limited second-hand market for old modules.

Price, positioning & competitors

  • Many perceive pricing as steep: often $1,000–1,500 more than superficially similar 16" laptops from ASUS/Gigabyte/MSI, especially once storage and GPU are maxed.
  • Defenders argue it’s closer to a mobile workstation than a “cheap gaming” laptop, comparisons should be to Razer/ThinkPad P-series rather than budget gaming machines, and that longevity/repairability justify a premium for some buyers.
  • A few label Framework a “gimmick” targeting “techie hipsters” and note they rarely have laptops fail badly enough to justify the modularity.

Display, size & form factor

  • Repeated requests for:
    • 4K or higher-density panels for code/text.
    • OLED and/or nano-texture-like matte options; some say IPS is still preferable for pro work, others insist true blacks are “night and day.”
    • A larger, non-gaming-focused 15–16" that’s lighter than the FW16, and a 14" with dGPU akin to ASUS G14/Razer 14.
  • Some find the FW16 too heavy compared with ThinkPad P1; others welcome a larger, more powerful alternative to the 13".

Power, battery life & USB-C PD

  • Framework 16 now does 240 W USB-C PD; users are surprised no third-party 240 W bricks existed and appreciate the single-cable setup.
  • Questions about cable thickness and losses; Framework notes 5 A cables need an e-marker chip but aren’t unusually thick.
  • Battery life vs MacBooks is a recurring theme: consensus is Apple Silicon remains far ahead; tuned Linux on AMD/Intel can reach “workday-adequate” but not Mac-level. Some report older Framework 13s with very poor suspend behavior; later boards, firmware, and kernels reportedly improve this.

Linux support details

  • Framework lists recommended/supported distros per model; firmware is identical between Windows and Linux SKUs.
  • Users discuss Bazzite, Fedora, Debian, Asahi, and note that for some, Framework is attractive precisely because Linux support is explicit and documented versus generic OEMs.

Connectivity & regional availability

  • Multiple users ask about:
    • Shipping/launch in India, Norway, Japan, Australia.
    • WWAN modules; community speculation about fitting one into an expansion bay, but antenna routing is a blocker.
    • 10 GbE Ethernet modules.
  • Some report serious performance issues and even crashes on the Framework website (desktop and mobile Firefox).

Miscellaneous technical wishes & questions

  • Requests for ECC RAM support, especially to reuse mainboards as homelab nodes; replies note AMD SKUs and validation burden as likely blockers.
  • Interest in 128 GB RAM compatibility (Framework is testing specific Crucial kits).
  • Curiosity about ARM/Qualcomm or RISC-V mainboards, ideally with Arm SystemReady compliance.
  • People ask about the 100 W GPU TDP limit (thermal, not connector), possibility of thicker, higher-TDP GPU modules, and a future OCuLink adapter for the M.2-like bay.