Hey CD we are looking to get a new laptop for our team, currently I am looking at (the DIY version) Framework Laptop 13 764 OU with 16g (2x8g) of ddr5 and 500g of storage. Do you guys have any suggestions or anything else that I should look at, we have a bit of a budget of 1,200$ but would love to not spend all of it.
Thanks in advanced for the advice!
I have a first gen with very middling hardware running Linux since 2021
Second best laptop I have ever owned. Has held up well.
If using for FRC (particularly driver station) get the stronger hinges. The basic ones are great for using the laptop in class or in a coffee shop, but are not quite good enough for moving the laptop around.
Grab an extra usb c module or two and put it somewhere safe. They do eventually wear out.
I do not own the ethernet module, can’t speak to it.
The screen size/resolution is wonderful on the 13 for code work (4:3 aspect). External displys have worked pretty well the few times I have tried (remember Linux, so not sure how well things work with windows)
Out of curiosity, what is the best one you have owned?
2011 Alienware m11x
Garbage screen, insane IO for such a small machine, and build like a tank.
Still kicking.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Alienware/comments/sok8j5/blast_from_the_past_alienware_m11x/
I have a 12th gen i5 model, absolutely love it. I run it dual booting Fedora 41 and Windows 11 (basically just for driver station). No major problems with either, but the fans definitely run quieter under Linux.
My 3 biggest problems with it are the battery life, hinge strength, and sound quality. All of which are pretty minor complaints. I have a few friends & family who have since bought newer models and Framework have solved all of those problems since. If anything, I find the newer hinges too hard to open.
I very rarely swap ports in/out so I haven’t seen any wear like @Skyehawk mentioned. Normally I stick to 2 USB-c, 1 USB-A, and 1 HDMI. I also have the MicroSD and 2.5 gig Ethernet adapters. All work great.
I also replaced the keyboard with the clear version -which looks sick- but it probably is the most complicated part to replace on the laptop.
I was on the market for a new laptop recently and framework was on my shortlist of options. I didn’t end up picking it and I can share why. These are my thoughts and opinions, your mileage may vary.
Why the framework is good:
The upgradability and reparability, their main selling point, is unmatched. While their track record remains to be seen, since they are a startup, they have demonstrated a few years of support and upgrades for their platform.
Why the framework may not be good:
When comparing to other laptops in similar price range, I found their price to performance ratio falls flat. You can usually find better specs for the same price or similar specs for cheaper.
The laptop I ended up buying was a Asus Vivobook Pro 15 OLED, with 16-core intel core ultra 9 and nvidia 4060. I got it for $1399 ($1699 MSRP) but I have seen it for as low as $1199 on black friday (bummer).
The vivobook pro also has a 3K resolution screen, 24gb ram, and 2tb ssd.
In comparison to the larger framework 16 + GPU, it was probably $200-400 cheaper, with better specs depending on the config.
This is by no means comprehensive but i feel that in your price range of under $1200, you will probably find better specs than the framework 13. It all depends on what software you plan to run, if you need gpu acceleration, and how much you value the repairability of the framework.
about the battery life how long did it last on average? and was it always like that or did it start happening after a while?
I have found battery management is something that matters a LOT based on laptop software (irrelevant of brand). I did need to tweak more than surface settings with Linux throughout the last 3 years.
My 3+ year old heavily used battery can still manage 4 hours of moderate use. But it is starting to feel it.
The first gen (and second?) Had smaller batteries too (i think).
Charging time is exceptionally good with the included charger.
Standby time (likely heavily dependent on settings) is pretty workable from a full battery as well. Maybe losses of 10% a day for me on my machine with my settings (this took tweaking) ymmv
I get something like 6 hours on average and I haven’t noticed any substantial change over time. Newer ones seem to get closer to 10 hours.
Thanks a lot, we would usually have places to plug it in so I do not think it would be a problem.
I own an 11th gen i5 for personal use. Love the laptop, but it has the CMOS battery issue that becomes a massive pain. Dont recommend the 11th gen ones for thst reason, get one of the newer ones (has better battery life too iirc).
Seconding the stronger hinges as well. Poor thing flops everywhere, dont want that happening mid-match.
I own a newer framework 13 (bought summer 2024) with the AMD chipset (ryzen 5 7640U). Have had no issues with the Hinges, and have the 55 watt hour battery. I love it as a thin and light, I have had no major issues with it. not sure about it as a driver station, but its a good computer.
we use one as our DS laptop, great battery life and modularity is super nice for mounting it in a board or something. Overall pretty good experience
I have a 16 but I doubt that makes much of a difference. The ethernet module works perfectly, the only downside is that it extends past the frame of the laptop.
I have a ryzen 13. I’ve been pleased but there have been compromises. It took a BIOS update and tweaking a lot of windows settings to get it to consume battery reasonably. Even with those tweaks mine will spin the fans up and get hot while plugged in and asleep. I like using it when I need windows but I find myself going back to my MacBook as a daily driver. Sometimes I wish I would’ve bought a comparable high end thinkpad or other business class computer.
I have a 12th gen i5 with 16gb ram and 1tb.
I really like the laptop but I do have a few cautions for you FRC related.
Last season it was the driver station we used at every competition including worlds. Never had a problem (with the laptop) mid match during the whole season.
But after every match I would have to make sure I plugged it in to make sure it would have enough battery for each match (I tried to make sure it was always at 100%) and most of it was probably unnecessary but still. My battery probably lasts about 3 hours on a full charge with chrome vscode driverstation and smart dashboard open.
I also use the Ethernet adapter that they make and haven’t had an issue with it on the FMS either. I was worried it might be easy to pull out of the laptop but no.
Another thing not FRC related (and maybe just a me issue) is that it gets hot and loud fast whenever you do anything past development. Any game will make the fans spin and get hot.
All in all: for frc it’s great. For programming it’s great. For gaming it’s alright.
My laptop at worlds:
There really seems to be a big difference on how (at least the earlier models) handle windows vs linux.
I’m running windows 11 and haven’t tweaked many settings relating to power usage.
Forgot to mention it’s also my daily driver.
While the framework is great for upgradability, I would argue it is a tad overpriced for what a robotics team would need, and a good thinkpad which would also last a good while would serve the team better.
I have an 11th gen 13" and a 16" and love them both, they for sure handle any FRC task and more that I throw at them including inventor, onshape, and compiling software. With that said the 13" definitely benefits from the upgraded hinges, it’s my sole complaint. We’ve also used it as a spare driver station when needed, including at off seasons with a usb eth dongle, not that I would recommend that for an in season event.
My biggest issues with the 16" are:
Lastly I bought the Eth Module and somehow fried it my first time using it, contacting support about it has been on my todo list.
