Framework's 12.2-inch laptop brings repairability to compact computing: a "non-boring" device fit for people on the go. Though pre-built models can get pricey if you're not bringing your own RAM and SSD, the reviews are in and critics quite like the modular 2-in-1 convertible. "Plastic fantastic," writes Antonio G. Di Benedetto for The Verge.
Framework finally made a touchscreen laptop, and the convertible 2-in-1 is one of the coolest-looking computers ever made. It doesn't have top-tier specs, but its two-year-old 13th Gen Intel Core i3 processor isn't on its last legs just yet. Like Framework's Laptop 13, the new Laptop 12 has modular ports and fully repairable innards. And you should be able to upgrade it to a newer chip eventually, given Framework's business model of selling new parts for older laptops.
"This 2-in-1 could be my favorite yet," writes Alex Wawro at Tom's. "It's so cute," says Linus Sebastian. "The only 2-in-1 laptop you can open up with a screwdriver," writes Chris Hoffman at PC World.
If you want a modular, repairable, customizable 2-in-1 laptop, there's no other machine like this on the market. This is your dream machine. You'll find 2-in-1s with more battery life and performance, but you won't find any you can crack open and make your own like this.
On the other hand, when comparing this to other 2-in-1 machines, if repairability and customization aren't priorities, this machine is a tougher sell, especially over something with a newer CPU and faster 3D graphics performance.
Andrew Cunningham at Ars Technica is "excited to see what the 2nd generation looks like." If that sounds like a backhanded compliment, he doesn't say no to the 1st. Just the price.
But in most of the ways that count, the Laptop 12 is meant to be an "entry-level, lower-cost laptop," which is how Framework CEO Nirav Patel has positioned it in the company's announcement blog posts and videos. It features a slightly smaller, lower-resolution, less colorful screen with a lower refresh rate; a non-backlit keyboard; and considerably weaker processors. It also lacks both a fingerprint reader and a face-scanning webcam for Windows Hello.
The issue is that these cost-cutting compromises come at a price that's a bit outside of what you'd expect of a "budget" laptop.
A review of the spec sheet shows the compromises at hand: it's 11.3 by 8.4 inches and about 0.73 inches thick, weighing around 2.87 pounds, but the benchmarks aren't competitive with similarly-sized and -priced competition such as the MacBook Air and Microsoft Surface Go. So it comes down to whether the modularity, easy disassembly and part replacement is worth it to you.
As Daniel Cooper put it for Engadget: "It's a little too expensive to be a compelling alternative to bargain-basement kids laptops."
As a consumer item, certainly. But I think it would be a great educational device: in that setting, the kids could construct it themselves at the beginninng of the year and work on it regularly while using it as their school laptop. And maybe it would be economical in the long run, since they wouldn't have the 9-month half life of those $200 dogshit Dells.
Anwyay, you get a 1920×1200 400-nits IPS panel supporting styluses with pressure and tilt sensitivity, a full-sized but not backlit keyboard, those old U-series i3/i5 CPUs, one RAM slot for up to 48GB of DDR5 memory and one for a M.2-2230 NVMe. Integrated graphics, obviously, with the i5 models bringing a little more grunt.
Wireless connectivity includes Wi‑Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 and *fireworks!* four expansion card bays, allowing you to choose your own ports—USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, DisplayPort, Ethernet, and even SD or microSD slots can be swapped in as needed. You won't need to waste one on a headphone jack—one of those is built-in.
It comes in Bubblegum, Lavender, Sage, and Gray (for the DIY editions) while pre-built models come in black. If you're not DIYing components, you'll be dropping at least $799. Orders opened in April 2025, with shipping expected in June and July.
