Hands-on: Framework finally made a modular laptop feel as premium as its mission | usagoldmines.com

I usually give Framework laptops a bit of a pass. After all, they’re the upgradeable, modular laptop that you’ll want to live with for years, right? Not the new Framework Laptop 13 Pro. It’s something you’ll want to live with right now.

I’ve used the Framework Desktop, and borrowed Framework’s earlier Laptop 13 for a few days before going hands-on with the Framework Laptop 12 last year. The Laptop 12 — small, plasticky — is really the opposite of the new Framework Laptop 13, whose excellent keyboard melds nicely with an all-aluminum, milled laptop that feels a lot more solid than older Framework laptops, period. Add an upgraded screen, way more battery life, and a shift to Intel’s Core Ultra 300 (Panther Lake) processors, and the Framework Laptop 13 Pro feels like an across-the-board upgrade.

And don’t worry: The Framework Laptop 13 Pro is both forward- and backward-compatible. If you want to upgrade an older Framework laptop with any of Framework’s modular parts — say, taking the first 11th-gen Core laptop and adding Panther Lake power — you can. The Framework Laptop 13 Pro begins shipping in June, with prices starting at $1,199 for the modular DIY Edition and $1,499 for pre-built configurations.

Framework’s Laptop 13 Pro: Construction

Framework set up the Laptop 13 Pro in a dim room, a nearly black screen gently lit by a desk lamp. Then an employee ran his finger across the screen. A silent explosion of light flashed across the screen, part of an OpenGL demo that shows off what integrated graphics can do. Pow! Like lightning in the desert. The photo below doesn’t really do it justice.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

That’s the power of an upgraded laptop screen that can put out 700 nits of luminance, far far more than the 250 nits that we consider to be comfortable for ordinary viewing. Yes, I was hoping for an OLED, but the 2880×1920, 13.5-inch LED touchscreen display is capable of between 30- and 120Hz for maximum battery life and smoothness, plus it has an antiglare non-reflective matte coating. This sounds like an ideal laptop for working outside.

Usually, talking about the construction of a Framework laptop means an instant segue into how each of its parts are designed with modularity in mind, for future upgrades. I’ll get there. Skipping over the chassis and keyboard does it a disservice.

We dinged the 2025 Framework Laptop 13 for being a bit wiggly. A quick shake, and…I think they fixed it. Another reporter came to the same conclusion about the same time. Framework considers this to be a ground-up reworking of the Framework Laptop, and this Framework Laptop 13 Pro feels pleasingly solid in the hand. To me, aluminum just effuses craftsmanship. At 3.09 pounds, I wouldn’t call the Laptop 13 Pro light for its size, nor thin at about 16mm. But the small display and solid construction convey confidence that it won’t just fall apart.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

Framework’s Laptop 13 Pro: How does it feel?

My editor suggested that I try to smuggle in a USB key with a benchmark on it, for testing. Foiled! The demo machines were running Linux. But there’s another benchmark that I’m impressed with, and that’s battery life.

Inside the Framework Laptop 13 Pro are two things that make a big impact on productivity: the one-two punch of Intel’s low-power Panther Lake chip, and a larger battery. The older Framework Laptop included a 61Wh battery and a powerful though moderately efficient AMD Ryzen AI 300 processor. The latest Laptop 13 Pro includes a 74Wh battery instead. Interestingly, Framework uses Netflix streaming to measure battery life. I have as well. The company claims you’ll see over 20 hours of Netflix 4K streaming, a whopping 12 hours more than the prior generation. Wow!

Mark Hachman / Foundry

In my experience, benchmarks that use productivity applications like Word and Excel to approximate a day’s worth of work usually shave a bit more than 10 percent off this number, assuming that Framework didn’t dim the laptop’s screen to unrealistically low brightness levels. My own testing of the Intel Core Ultra 300 (Panther Lake) showed similarly eye-popping numbers for battery life. It all bodes well for the laptop’s chances.

And yes, I love the keyboard. I didn’t have earlier Framework laptops on hand to compare to in the moment, but I’d immediately rate it a B+ under my fingers, or perhaps higher. I prefer Microsoft, Lenovo, and Acer laptop keyboards, but Framework nailed it. The only weird thing I failed to notice on first glance is that there is both a highlighted Settings key as well as a labeled “Framework” key, and the gear-like icons used for both looked almost identical on first glance.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

It wasn’t all good, though. One of the upgrades to this laptop are speakers governed by Dolby Atmos, an audio algorithm that typically delivers potent sound. But a demonstration of the audio capabilities — just a media file played back via Windows — stuttered horribly, and I don’t know why. Again, Intel’s Panther Lake chip typically punches above its weight class. Although I never found anyone who could explain away the problem, it felt like an unoptimized driver or something that could be solved without too many problems.

Framework’s Laptop 13 Pro: Upgradeability

The one thing, believe it or not, that I didn’t have time to do was to take the top off the Framework Laptop 13 Pro, just to see how it was done. But never fear — plenty of Framework employees had already done so.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

Framework allows you to buy the Laptop 13 Pro in either a DIY Edition configuration, where you’ll have to supply both memory and storage (or pay for an upgrade), as well as a Prebuilt option where you can buy a preconfigured PC and have Framework install everything for you, complete with operating system. (You’ll have the choice of Windows or Ubuntu, though you can certainly install numerous flavors of Linux, too.)

Framework also allows you to simply buy the motherboard, or “Mainboard,” which you can use to upgrade an older Framework laptop or desktop or else drop it in a small number of third-party devices. In this case, Framework charges $799 for a Core Ultra 7 358H, or $449 for a Core Ultra 5 325. (The laptop still supports AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 chips, too, though Framework executives noticeably downplayed them.) Framework chief executive Nirav Patel characterized the Mainboards as both forward- and backward-compatible devices, which implies that you’ll be able to use them now and in the future.

(Patel also acknowledged that Framework is bumping up against the limits of such decisions. For example, you’ll be able to upgrade older Framework laptops with the new Pro 74Wh battery. But because they’re just a mite too thick, you’ll need to buy a Framework Laptop 13 Pro Bottom Cover and a Framework Laptop 13 Pro Input Cover as well.)

Mark Hachman / Foundry

I/O continues to be simple. The Framework Laptop 13 Pro includes four Thunderbolt 4 ports, which can be essentially covered over with various dongles: Ethernet (even a new 10Gbps card), HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort, USB, or more. All of the I/O dongles basically serve as front ends for the Thunderbolt connection, but provide the ports you want. Prices range from about $10 to $99 per port, depending upon what you want. All of the expansion cards slot into the laptop, and are secured by a small latch. It’s pretty easy to add and remove ports, though you’ll need a fingernail to do it.

I haven’t upgraded a Framework Laptop myself, but I’ve assembled the Framework Desktop, and Framework appears to have continued its hyper-detailed assembly guides that make such procedures a snap. One of the new features is the inclusion of LPCAMM2 memory, which in the Framework Laptop 13 Pro means replacing three screws. I mean, look at this interior and how gorgeously clean it is! All of the QR codes typically lead back to detailed guides that explain what component you’re looking at and how to replace it.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

Patel indicated that, eventually, he’d like to see Framework implement a virtual marketplace to ensure that all unused, older Framework parts could be used by someone instead of ending up in a trash heap. Framework would also like to establish a physical store, though the economics of such aren’t feasible right now, he said.

Unfortunately, the ongoing shortages of memory and storage aren’t over. Framework continues to publish an ongoing series of blog posts and updates informing customers of what they’re being told by component vendors, and how any supply shortages or surpluses will translate into higher or lower prices.

All this means is that Framework will continue to ship its products in “batches”: Each batch will receive its own guaranteed pricing, Patel said, but otherwise the price will vary from batch to batch.

When Framework originally announced its “Next Gen” event in which the Framework Laptop 13 Pro was introduced, the language was apocalyptic: “There is a very real scenario in which personal computing as we know it is dead,” Framework intoned.

As it turned out, Framework was simply trumpeting its plans to represent truly personal computing with products like the Laptop 13 Pro. It looks great so far.