Framework’s lineup of modular, repairable laptops has seen the corporate develop from a distinct segment to the mainstream. Now, the corporate is launching a professional model of its 13-inch laptop computer, but it surely’s nonetheless held near all of its rules. As a result of whereas this all-new model has loads of bells and whistles, virtually all of its parts are nonetheless immediately appropriate with the remainder of the vary. You’ll be able to take a component from this new 13 Professional, and set up it into the first-generation 13 launched back in 2021 with out a lot fuss.
Framework Laptop computer 13 Professional is touted as a “floor up redesign” of the present 13, considering suggestions from its devoted and passionate customers. That features a far larger battery, new chassis, new reminiscence, haptic trackpad and a customized contact show. It additionally is available in black and, even within the press photos, it’s instantly clear it’s a greater coloration for the corporate’s austere industrial design. CEO Nirav Patel smiled knowingly after I stated it’s instantly evocative of a ThinkPad, and I imply that in probably the most complimentary method.
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The most important change has been to spice up the battery to 74Wh to deal with gripes about longevity. It’s the second time Framework has boosted the cell measurement, which began at 55Wh and presently runs to 61Wh. To make the battery match, the underside of the chassis has been redesigned, filling out the chamfers current on the present 13. Framework says the Professional’s lifespan will hit 20 hours of uptime whereas streaming Netflix in 4K, and says it’ll put up the movies to YouTube to show it.
Given the redesigned decrease chassis, the brand new battery is the one half you’ll be able to’t merely drop into an older machine. “You’ll want the brand new backside cowl to suit,” defined Patel, “however as a result of we’ve additionally elevated the thickness of the battery, you need to swap over to the brand new enter cowl that has the haptic trackpad.” Patel added whilst you might have to pair up some elements from upgrades, there’s no part which you can’t retrofit. The brand new chassis means the audio system at the moment are side-firing, and at the moment are Dolby Atmos-certified.
The larger battery is working in tandem with Intel’s new Core Ultra Series 3 chips which promise to be extremely environment friendly. Each Intel and Framework are certain the Panther Lake silicon goes to sip at that beefy battery, however with sufficient grunt to play AAA video games. Customers will get the choose of a Core Extremely 5, X7 or X9, with the promise all of them will be capable of eat a sport like Cyberpunk 2077 for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On the similar time, the Professional will even launch with an AMD Ryzen AI 300 collection mainboard possibility, that are the identical mainboards discovered on the 2025 Laptop 13.
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The final main shift has been within the RAM, going from common SO-DIMMs to LPCAMM2. The newer {hardware} design permits the usage of LPDDR5X RAM with its higher energy effectivity and sooner reminiscence bandwidth. And it’s not soldered to the board, so you’ll be able to add in additional at some unspecified future date. Which is essential if, I dunno, for some cause the worldwide RAM market all of a sudden crunches and you must mortgage a kidney for a single stick.
Naturally, I wished to understand how this might influence the laptop computer’s thermals, Framework’s weak spot. Patel stated the mainboard’s cooling has been tweaked (as soon as once more), this time with some further assist from Intel. He added the Professional he was utilizing to run our name hadn’t spun up its followers in half an hour which, for a Framework, is an enormous deal. As all the time, I’ll reserve judgment till I’ve seen the factor in particular person.
The Professional can also be a method for Patel to repair a few of the compromises the corporate needed to make at its genesis. “As a startup six years in the past, we simply didn’t have entry,” stated Patel, “once we go to a show vendor 1776839162 and say ‘we wish a customized panel’ they are saying ‘okay, let’s speak specs’ somewhat than ‘who’re you?”’ The 13 Professional ships with a 13.5-inch, 3:2, 2,880 x 1,920 contact show with a variable refresh charge between 30 and 120Hz. Its backlight pushes all the best way to 700nits, it has a 1800:1 distinction ratio and per-unit coloration calibration.
I used to be shocked the 13 Professional has contact given it’s nonetheless a 13-inch productiveness pocket book and not using a wraparound hinge. “All the best way again in 2021, once we first launched, we have been getting requested for contact help,” stated Patel. However the firm was naturally resistant, assuming contact was an pointless addition for a machine of this class. It was solely when constructing the Laptop computer 12 did the crew discover it to be fairly helpful. “It was a slam dunk. We all know folks need it, we used it on the 12, we prefer it and it doesn’t truly value that a lot. Let’s simply add it in,” stated Patel.
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Framework is aware of touchpads are a weak spot for Home windows laptops when in comparison with these made by Apple. Consequently, the Professional 13 has a haptic touchpad with 4 piezo components that, it’s hoped, will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a MacBook Professional. The brand new enter cowl retains the got here keyboard and fingerprint sensor, properly not touching a function that isn’t damaged and doesn’t want fixing. What’s cool, nevertheless, is the extra punky grey and black aesthetic on the keyboard that splits the distinction between a ThinkPad and a cyberdeck. “An enormous a part of this goes again to the thought to construct the final word developer laptop computer,” stated Patel.
Present Framework homeowners could also be involved about how this may have an effect on their machine’s longevity. The corporate may not like me saying, however to me, the Professional identify is simply significant in the event you’re shopping for a brand new machine off the shelf with the brand new options in a single bundle. There’s nothing stopping you from upgrading your present machine to match the professional in a single go, or as your wants evolve. That’s essentially the corporate’s biggest energy, because it has dedicated to bringing each single certainly one of its present customers alongside. However doesn’t make for the splashiest headlines with regards to debut a brand new product.
Framework Laptop computer 13 Professional is out there to pre-order immediately, with the primary shipments as a consequence of begin in June. The bottom-model pre-built Home windows system will begin at $1,699, whereas the DIY mannequin will set you again $1,199.
