Not enough people are talking about this Windows laptop beast that I assembled in just minutes

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Framework laptop 16 is disposable for pre-order present astatine $1,499, with units shipping this month.
• The upgraded hardware and multi-vendor GPU options marque it a high-performance instrumentality with tons of customization.
• It faces the aforesaid challenges arsenic its predecessors, namely mediocre artillery life, carnal physique inconsistencies, and it's expensive.

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Framework, shaper of DIY, modular, repairable PCs, conscionable released its latest Laptop 16 with a refreshed acceptable of hardware, an updated mainboard, and immoderate outer physique improvements. The refreshed Laptop 16 besides offers an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU -- a archetypal for the 16-inch -- on with the AMD Radeon RX 7700S, affording users adjacent much customization options for its enlargement bay graphics module. 

First launched backmost successful 2023, the caller Framework Laptop 16 is besides backwards compatible with erstwhile versions, allowing for a premix and lucifer of components from erstwhile builds to instrumentality vantage of the upgraded hardware, sticking to the brand's ethos of longevity and repairability.

Also: How this DIY Windows laptop stole my bosom from much costly models (and it works with Linux)

There's a existent request for this benignant of sustainable, accessible product, particularly successful an system wherever consumers are fatigued with expensive, un-upgradeable laptops, planned obsolescence, and Microsoft's pulling of the plug for Windows 10 support. 

The Framework Laptop 16 addresses astatine slightest a fewer of these issues with a instrumentality you tin customize from the crushed up, load with Linux retired of the box, and repair indefinitely with a robust community, extensive support, and unsocial plan choices. 

I precocious spent a fewer weeks with the caller Framework Laptop 16 utilizing it arsenic my main driver, and person a batch of affirmative things to say, but determination are decidedly immoderate things to beryllium alert of earlier going the DIY route. 

First off, each of Framework's laptops travel successful either a pre-built configuration, oregon arsenic a DIY package. The second lives up to its name: it arrives arsenic a postulation of parts that necessitate the end-user to assemble retired of the box, including the operating strategy (which comes with either Windows, Linux, oregon nary astatine all). 

The thought is that if users tin ace unfastened their laptop and instal their ain representation and SSDs successful a fewer casual steps, the device's lifecycle tin beryllium extended acold beyond a emblematic banal laptop that's designed to past a fewer years earlier ending up successful a landfill. 

And it truly is that casual with the Framework laptop's modular design. The GPU, for example, is built into an enlargement module that consists of the laptop's full outer backing, the keyboard and trackpad are removable with nary tools needed, and the laptop's ports are swappable connected the fly. 

Framework

Each interior constituent has a QR codification that users tin click to entree the corresponding How-To page connected Framework's website, which features a robust and broad room of enactment content. After assembling a fewer antithetic Framework PCs myself, I accidental with assurance that if you tin enactment unneurotic an IKEA bookshelf, you tin bash this. 

On the laptop's configuration page, users tin prime hardware, with a fewer antithetic disposable options. The refreshed Laptop 16 features an AMD Ryzen AI 350 oregon HX 370 "Krackan Point" processor released earlier this year, on with anyplace from 8GB to 96GB of DDR5-5600 RAM. 

Storage options are arsenic varied, with anyplace from 500GB to 8TB NVMe SSDs. Obviously the outgo scales with the retention amount, and it gets pricey, with the max enactment expanding the wide terms astir $700.

The enlargement bay module that houses the GPU present features a USB-C larboard successful the center-back, which tin complaint and enactment up to 4 outer displays successful 1 slot. With six further ports (three connected each side), enactment for second-gen Display Port, and Wi-Fi 7, there's nary shortage of connectivity connected the Laptop 16. 

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Speaking of displays, the Framework Laptop 16 has a amended 1 than I saw connected the Laptop 12, which was a relief. You've got a 2560 x 1600 (WQXGA) matte non-touch show astatine 165Hz refresh, 500 nits of brightness, 100% of DCI-P3 colour gamut, and enactment for Nvidia G-Sync. For video contented and gaming, it looks great, precisely what you'd expect for a mid-to-upper tier 16-inch gaming-capable laptop.

All of this hardware is comparatively power-hungry, however, and doesn't precisely tally cool. Framework says it did a batch of enactment to amended thermal show successful the latest Framework 16, but successful my experience, results are mixed. 

First off, the instrumentality architecture was redesigned with a caller controller with the volition of reducing noise, but they tin inactive surely get large erstwhile they're cranking connected full. During heavier workloads extracurricular of gaming, they're comparable to competitors, but sustained gaming volition marque 'em pump. 

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

Second, the Laptop 16 tin get warm, a information that is particularly noticeable arsenic the artillery is straight beneath the trackpad. During mundane use, operating temperatures tended to enactment normal, but charging the laptop from a debased battery, demanding tasks, oregon extended gaming resulted successful immoderate palpable vigor successful my testing. Although it's thing concerning, it often got a small toastier than I expected.

In that vein, artillery longevity connected the Laptop 16 is not arsenic optimized arsenic its smaller counterparts. When I reviewed the Framework 12 earlier this year, I noted its precise bully artillery life, but that instrumentality besides features overmuch much humble hardware. The 85W artillery successful the Laptop 16, by comparison, doesn't past the full time for maine successful the office, adjacent with non-intensive workloads. 

It does vessel with a 240W charger though, meaning you tin tally sustained dense workloads with it and not spot immoderate powerfulness drain. This is really worthy noting, since it's not uncommon to spot much power-demanding laptops ship with chargers that aren't almighty enough to support them topped up nether sustained powerfulness demand.

Also: Are high-end Windows laptops worthy buying? I tested 1 from Dell, and it made a statement

The world of moving with a modular laptop consisting of abstracted pieces means that determination are immoderate inevitable variances successful acceptable and form. This is astir instantly evident connected the keyboard and its associated spacers, which whitethorn necessitate immoderate proceedings and mistake to get conscionable right. Swapping 1 spacer portion for different tin effect successful immoderate fitting amended than others, and not everything fits 100% seamlessly.

For immoderate people, this is an issue, for others, it's precise overmuch not. The laptop's physique leans connected a thoroughly DIY aesthetic, with utilitarian operation that belies its quality to beryllium disassembled. It's not astir upholding a polished, militant minimalism, due to the fact that the trade-off for that is simply a ceramic partition of accessibility for the end-user. 

Instead, Framework's aesthetic embraces its imperfections: each idiosyncratic module has its ain lifecycle and usage case. The laptop isn't an impenetrable azygous unit, it's a postulation of choices. 

This is besides reflected successful the disposable colorways. Sure, you tin conscionable opt for achromatic and silver, but Framework besides sells components successful a wide scope of bold colour schemes and patterns you'd ne'er spot connected a firm Windows PC successful a cardinal years (although possibly the orangish is catching on to different products).  

If its carnal signifier is simply a departure from conformity, it's besides not the astir portable, with its crisp angles and chunky enlargement bay module making it a situation to acceptable successful immoderate bags. Additionally, its 4.6-pound value puts it connected the precocious extremity of what astir radical volition privation to tote around. That said, it's surely not the heaviest laptop available, and if you're considering it arsenic a gaming laptop, it's simply average. 

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

Other hardware elements travel this taxable of inferior implicit polish. The webcam, for example, isn't precisely bad, but it's thing to constitute location astir (especially if you're coming from a MacBook). Similarly, the speakers and onboard mic are conscionable bully enough. 

As a productivity device, the keyboard and trackpad are beauteous to use. The keys person a pleasant cardinal question and consciousness premium, portion the trackpad -- though connected the tiny broadside -- is responsive (I conscionable privation it were placed somewhat little connected the module). The Ryzen AI 300 bid CPU is well-suited for demanding workloads and sustained multitasking, but beryllium mindful of artillery settings if you're moving unplugged.

ZDNET's buying advice

The Framework Laptop 16 offers users a high-performance, fully-repairable desktop-quality laptop with enactment for up to 4 outer displays. I highly urge it to developers and enthusiasts who tally Linux and tinker with upgradeable modules, oregon anyone who wants a sustainable laptop to flight the exertion upgrade rat race. 

If you're funny astir immoderate of these things but person ne'er assembled a laptop before, you won't find a amended assemblage oregon much robust bid of enactment and guides. I promote you to instrumentality the plunge.  

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If, however, you request a portable laptop with marathon artillery life, oregon you're obsessive astir the finer details of physique quality, the Framework Laptop 16 is astir apt not for you. This is simply a laptop that does champion powering aggregate monitors connected the desk, and astir apt not arsenic an mundane commuter machine. 

At a starting terms of $1,499, it's pricey, particularly for a DIY laptop, and peculiarly erstwhile you commencement opting for upgrades. But the metallic lining present is its longevity and sustainable usage without the menace of costly repairs.