Framework Laptop 16 Delivers Great Linux Support & Performance, Excellent Customizability

[Shiba]

It's good they didn't. Those are notoriously breaking in no time. It would just be an unnecessary point of failure.

Well, if that happens, at least you can very easily replace it.

[andyprough]

I work in an IT department and we have never had a broken motherboard, period. But we had a few of those flimsy LAN ports broken just 2 weeks after deploying new Thinkpads to our users and those LAN ports only get used by a minority, basically everyone that used those also broke them.

Well now you have another data point, because I've been using one without breakage or any issues at all. So everyone [except one person] has broken them.

[Shiba]

only 6 ports seems too few. not to mention for that huge price.

Kind of agree. Except for DP, I use everything else. Not all at the same time, but all in the same week usually. If I can't have everything on at the same time, instead of bringing along a bunch of ports, maybe just one USB-C hub is more convenient.

[Artim]

Well, if that happens, at least you can very easily replace it.

Still a very unnecessary point of failure.

[Artim]

Well now you have another data point, because I've been using one without breakage or any issues at all. So everyone [except one person] has broken them.

And you have it for a day or what? Statistics tell you, that such a flimsy thing survives the life span of the device is pretty much unheard of

[loganj]

6 ports that you can reconfigure to meet whatever needs you have. Not saying that it's ideal for you, maybe you need more in total, but it's 2 USB4 and 4 USB 3.2 g2 ports if going all USB. Sure, one is for power in, but that's still 5. Or 1 is instead a HDMI or DP output, and 1 can be gigabit ethernet. What do you need that you need to plug in more than 3 USB devices?



And what other general consumer laptops have ECC RAM? You generally need to go up to workstation replacement to find that, and you're looking to pay way more for a machine.

well
card reader is also nice to have (i don't know if they sell that one)
i use 1 sound card on usb
1 mouse
1 keyboard (i dont like to type any laptop keyboard)
hdmi is a must (why they don't include one already)
i use ethernet too
so.....
if any new thing like a usb stick i need to plug in from time to time or something else......
if u want a eGPU too........
if you suggest to use a hub then every other ports are useless cause 1 or 2 usb (3/4) is enought to replace all that.

ive seen laptop with 2 usb-c (4/3)+3 usb-a+sd card + hdmi + nvidia (4060) for 1300 euro....so the price for FW laptops is too huge for what it offers.

[Artim]

well
card reader is also nice to have (i don't know if they sell that one)
i use 1 sound card on usb
1 mouse
1 keyboard (i dont like to type any laptop keyboard)
hdmi is a must (why they don't include one already)
i use ethernet too
so.....
if any new thing like a usb stick i need to plug in from time to time or something else......
if u want a eGPU too........
if you suggest to use a hub then every other ports are useless cause 1 or 2 usb (3/4) is enought to replace all that.

ive seen laptop with 2 usb-c (4/3)+3 usb-a+sd card + hdmi + nvidia (4060) for 1300 euro....so the price for FW laptops is too huge for what it offers.

Because the price is only related to the number of ports? Yeah, tell that Apple...

What you need is a desktop, not a laptop. Or you need a Thinkpad that you can just put into a dock and be done. Just because your very obscure use case and your ignorance of every other selling point doesn't make the devices they make too expensive. Yes, they are expensive. There's no other way to get a long living, user serviceable and sustainable (at least compared to everything else) and Framework is just too small. Sure, if an HP or a Lenovo would do that, they could probably do it cheaper. But even they wouldn't want to do so, they'll ask for the highest price they can get away with, simple as that.

[Drizzt321]

well
card reader is also nice to have (i don't know if they sell that one)
i use 1 sound card on usb
1 mouse
1 keyboard (i dont like to type any laptop keyboard)
hdmi is a must (why they don't include one already)
i use ethernet too
so.....
if any new thing like a usb stick i need to plug in from time to time or something else......
if u want a eGPU too........
if you suggest to use a hub then every other ports are useless cause 1 or 2 usb (3/4) is enought to replace all that.

ive seen laptop with 2 usb-c (4/3)+3 usb-a+sd card + hdmi + nvidia (4060) for 1300 euro....so the price for FW laptops is too huge for what it offers.

They have a mSD card reader, and I think they are about to or already have released an SD card reader. although speaking as someone who does some digital photography, I just use a single combo reader (well, I have CF cards, not SD) USB3 one.

Are you _actually_ using all of those all the time?

As in, if you're using an external monitor always (with or without eGPU), I presume you're at a desk, and so you can easily use the monitor integrated hub. If it's a new enough monitor, might actually support DP over USB4, and thus you can get an integrated USB hub for your keyboard & mouse. Potentially even powering the Framework, so now you're at a single cable to the Framework and your standard "always using" stuff (monitor, keyboard, mouse) plugged into the monitor, not even a separate power jack. So now you've got 5 free ports available.

It basically sounds like you're trying to replace a desktop with a laptop...to always use as a desktop.

I do get wanting a proper keyboard & mouse when you're at a desk, sure.

And while not official, and I do wish Framework would release official USB 3.2 g2 (would be nice to be USB4, but not necessary) dual USB-C (maybe dual USB-A too), I'm looking forward to seeing dual USB-C https://community.frame.work/t/dual-...sion-card/2325 from the community, and maybe doing this DIY dual A yself https://community.frame.work/t/dual-usb-a-card/42591.

And before you complain, yes, for a basic dual A or C, we shouldn't rely (now) on the community or DIY to get them, but that's part of the use case for Framework. Easily available specs and information so you can fix or customize it yourself!

[NM64]

Regarding there only being 6 ports, you sort of get a 7th with the discrete GPU as it has a dedicated type-C video output on the rear of the module.

Also I've theorized that, since the expansion bay has 8x lanes of PCIe 4.0, you could have an expansion module that simply just has even more expansion slots (they already have a module that simply adds more m.2 slots), but I don't know the thickness of the discrete GPU expansion to know if a USB expansion card or the like would even fit.

[Drizzt321]

Probably could fit a few more in there, for sure. Not sure if they'll ever do that or not, but you could also develop your own/mod the fan-only version. Not sure if you'll get more than 1 or 2, the fans take up a fair bit of room. Nothing says you have to do a module, you probably could end up fitting a full 3-4 port USB4 hub in there, just need to hook it up to the interposer.

Problem is that ones is going to be a bit more technically challenging, to design/build, rather than the simpler USB-C -> something modules.