Framework

Framework Computer, Inc. is an American personal computer manufacturer. It was founded in January 2020, by current CEO Nirav Patel. The company specializes in customization and repairability, the latter also helping the environment through making less laptops needing to be thrown out.

As a result of their products being highly modular and Framework not utilizing parts pairing, consumers can heavily customize devices to their liking. Framework also offers DIY editions of their products which offers consumers the option to utilize their own sourced memory, storage and operating system. Framework laptops are also compatible with experimental RISC-V open architecture CPUs.^[1]

As Framework sells solely the hardware and not the software, it doesn't need any more information than is necessary. The Framework team have shown interest in implementing open source firmware such as a variant of Coreboot into their laptops.^[2]

Detailed assembly, repair and maintenance videos can be watched at the official knowledgebase^[3]. BIOS, firmware and driver updates are visible on e-mail subscription, knowledge base and (commentable) Framework Community posts^[4]. No forced BIOS updates for Windows users.

Framework's business model is to make repairable and customizable computers, at a hardware level. Framework also makes money from selling parts to consumers.

Framework is a relatively new player in the OEM PC sector, but in the niche they occupy, they are a significant player, mostly due to a lack of competition.

The high energy density 61Wh battery has more swelling incidents than the previous 55Wh battery^[5][6][7]. Framework mitigated this problem by having the battery automatic discharge down to 85% after fully charged and connected on AC adapter for more than three days^[8]. However, this function may interfere with manual charge limit setting.

Early models have liquid metal as the thermal interface between the CPU and its heat sink, which is known to degrade, leading to worse and uneven heat transfer^[9]. Framework eventually changed to using Honeywell's PTM7958 phase change material, and the company provided a form for Laptop 16 owners at the time of the production change to request a phase change pad to replace their laptop's liquid metal. ^[10] However, removing the liquid metal can be challenging - Framework's provided guide to replace the liquid metal with the PTM7958 pad rates the operation as "difficult", with 40 steps and an estimated time between 30 minutes and an hour. ^[11] One owner described the process as "quite a chore", though they only ended up taking "20-30 minutes to finish". ^[12]

Framework utilizes QR codes on parts of their devices which users can scan to get support, view guides, order replacements or upgrades.^[13]

They have partnered with iFixit to make repair guides.^[14]

The Laptop 12,^[15] 13^[16] and 16^[17] have all received highly favourable reviews on iFixit, a pro consumer repair outlet, for their repairability.

• Framework Desktop (February 2025): a mini-computer designed to have its case be more customizable through tiles that are able to be taken out and put back somewhere else.

• Framework Laptop 12 (February 2025): is told as being a customizable laptop with 360° support and it comes with a stylus, being able to practically be used as a tablet.^[18]

• Framework Laptop 13 (July 2021): is closer to your usual laptop, but is more repairable, it is seen as the most popular option by far from the other products.

• Framework Laptop 16 (March 2023): It is the second most popular option and offers more customization than the Laptop 13. It can provide greater performance, and its keyboard is customizable, allowing it to be removed and repositioned. The keypad can also be removed and replaced with lighting modules, enabling a higher level of personalization.

• Framework About Us: https://frame.work/about
• Framework Guides: https://guides.frame.work/