I'm spoiled by Apple Silicon but still love Framework

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Apple Silicon, ISA, and Vertical Integration

  • Many argue battery life is not about ARM vs x86, but Apple’s vertically integrated design: custom SoC, firmware, OS, drivers, and apps all tuned for power management.
  • Others stress that ARM alone isn’t magic; Qualcomm and others show Apple’s lead is in core design and system-level optimization, not just instruction set.
  • Examples cited: aggressive clock/power gating, race‑to‑idle, timer coalescing, deep low‑power states, display dropping to very low refresh, and excellent suspend that feels “indefinite.”

Linux Laptops, Suspend, and “Modern Standby”

  • Multiple reports of Framework and other x86 laptops losing ~1–3% battery per hour in suspend, versus Macs losing a few percent over days or weeks.
  • A lot of blame is put on S0ix/“modern standby” replacing S3 sleep: badly implemented firmware, ACPI bugs, and hardware that never truly powers down.
  • Linux-specific issues: hibernation blocked by secure boot + kernel lockdown, encrypted swap complexity, inconsistent distro defaults, and lack of out‑of‑box hybrid sleep.
  • Some users work around this via deep sleep configs, TLP, or just shutting down instead of suspending.

Framework: Mission vs Reality

  • Strong enthusiasm for repairability, modularity, and right‑to‑repair: easy keyboard/battery swaps, replaceable mainboards, and “ship of Theseus” longevity.
  • Skepticism around environmental impact and cost: mainboards and full systems often priced higher than comparable or faster MacBooks / OEM laptops; parts and warranties seen as expensive.
  • Complaints: poor standby drain, mediocre battery life under load, panel power usage, QC issues, and reliance on OEM firmware (e.g., Insyde) that limits deep power tuning.
  • Support experience is mixed; some praise responsiveness, others report parts scarcity and region limitations.

Desktop Experience: macOS vs Linux vs Windows

  • Sharp divide: some find macOS “vastly inferior” for power users (tiling WMs, focus‑follows‑mouse, custom keybindings), others say that’s overstated and reflects personal preference and heavy Linux customization.
  • Recurrent macOS gripes: lack of window‑level Alt‑Tab, long/forced animations, Finder limitations, limited WM hooks, and reliance on third‑party tools to match Linux flexibility.
  • Counterpoint: macOS praised for polish, strong defaults for average users, excellent trackpad, and low noise/thermals.

Alternatives and Hopes

  • Windows on ARM (Snapdragon X/Surface) is cited as having “insane” standby battery and decent emulation for mainstream apps.
  • Some x86 laptops (ThinkPads, System76, certain Yogas) reportedly manage good suspend and all‑day battery, showing it’s possible with better firmware/OS tuning.
  • Many Linux users say they’d switch back to Linux laptops (or buy a Framework) instantly if suspend and battery life approached Apple’s level.