Meet The Second Generation Upgradeable Framework Laptop

Even Better The Second Time?

We first met the Framework Laptop last year, with a follow up earlier this year that confirmed that the laptop is indeed upgradeable, as Ars Technica swapped out the original hardware with an Intel 12th gen processor.  The second generation Framework Laptop is now available, shipping with an Alder Lake CPU and motherboard already installed.  It keeps the same philosophy as the original, designed with upgradeable modules for peripherals and features, including the CPU and motherboard.

The version Ars received for review contained a Core i7-1280P, 32GB DDR4 3200, a 1TB NVMe SSD, Wi-Fi 6E 802.11ax, and Bluetooth 5.3.  The four recessed hotswappable USB-C ports can be used to add USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, DisplayPort , microSD , Ethernet, external storage adapters,  or even a headphone jack depending on your preference.

While they loved the idea and liked the implementation of the second generation of the Framework laptop there were two small problems they had.  The first is the glossy finish on the display, which is not a touch screen, and the relatively low battery life.  The first is not as big a problem as the second, 6.5 hours is not a great lifespan if you don’t have access to power.  If that is not enough to turn you off, take a gander at the full review here.