Framework launched new versions of its 12-inch and 13-inch laptops as well as a new desktop computer today — all with repairable and upgradeable options.
Here’s a rundown on what the company announced. Nirav Patel, founder of Framework, noted that the last live event the company held was in March 2023, when it introduced the Framework Laptop 16 and two versions of the Framework Laptop 13. The company has been heads down making new products — for gamers and non-gamers alike for the past two years.
Patel started the company with the belief that consumer electronics should be repairable, upgradeable and last a long time. That idea was quite controversial at the time, and the firm was greeted with skepticism.
“Five years in, we’re confident that we’re on a fast path to achieving our mission to remake consumer electronics,” he said in a press event. “We’re eager to continue supporting and scaling the ecosystems around our current products, and we’re ready to bring this mission and product philosophy to even more of the world, one category at a time. It’s going to be an awesome day, and all of us in the Framework team can’t wait for you to see what we’ve been working on.”
Framework Laptop 13 with AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series CPU
Framework unveiled the new AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series-powered Framework Laptop 13, available for preorder today with first shipments in April.
These bring new processors, Wi-Fi 7, a revamped thermal system, a next-generation keyboard, and new Bezel and Expansion Card color options. It looks (mostly) the same on the outside. It means the company can continue to deliver on the promise of longevity by keeping Framework Laptop 13 fully upgradeable and repairable in a thin, light 13.5-inch form factor.
That means that any Framework Laptop 13 owner, going all the way back to the original 11th Gen Intel Core version in 2021, can pick up the new modules and upgrade the computer they already own to the latest technology. The company has kept all the improvements from the last generation too, with a 61Wh battery and optional 2.8k 120Hz 13.5-inch 3:2 matte display.
The biggest change is the move to AMD’s new Ryzen AI 300 Series processors, which bring a big jump in performance. These use Zen 5 CPU cores along with Radeon RDNA 3.5 graphics. In addition to 6-core Ryzen 5 and 8-core Ryzen 7 configurations, for the first time, Framework also has a top-end Ryzen 9 HX 370 option that brings 12 CPU cores at up to 5.1GHz boost and 16 GPU cores.
That means you can play modern game titles at a surprising framerate. Historically, this level of graphics performance would have needed a discrete GPU, and it’s amazing to see it now in an ultraportable, efficient laptop. Because this processor also has a 50 TOPS NPU, it supports Copilot+ and an increasing number of ROCm-compatible open source AI toolkits.
Alongside that performance, the company has kept the system quiet and cool with a revamped thermal system. This now leverages one large 10mm heat pipe and Honeywell’s awesome PTM7958 phase change thermal interface material.
Also on the mainboard, the company has kept support for two slots of DDR5-5600 memory, upgradeable to 96GB, and one PCIe 4 M.2 2280 storage slot, upgradeable to 8TB. Framework brought connectivity up to Wi-Fi 7 using AMD’s RZ717 module. And on the four expansion card slots, the rear two support USB4 and both of the front two now handle USB 3.2 plus DisplayPort, enabling up to four simultaneous display outputs.
On the keyboard, the company kept the 1.5mm key travel and worked with keyboard partner Lite-On on a new key structure on the wide keys (e.g. spacebar and shift) that reduces buzzing when your speakers are cranked up.
For pre-built configurations pre-loaded with Windows 11, Framework has updated keyboard artwork with a Copilot key. Customers can bring their own memory, storage, and operating system. These come with an alternate set of keyboard artwork options with no Windows logo for those using Linux and BSD. The firm continues to prioritize Linux, with official support for Ubuntu and Fedora and community support for a broader set of distributions.
There are also color customization options, including a translucent bezel, and the firm is adding translucent purple, green, and black too. And it has translucent USB-C expansion cards to go with them as well.
AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series starts at $899 for DIY Edition and $1,099 for pre-built systems. You can preorder the new Mainboard on its own starting at $449. This is the seventh iteration on Framework Laptop 13. To make Framework Laptop 13 more accessible, Framework is keeping previous generation AMD Ryzen 7040 Series systems in production, starting at a newly discounted price of $749. All of these products are available to preorder or order today, shipping to all 32 countries the firm delivers to.
Framework Desktop
Today, Framework introduced the Framework Desktop, a tiny 4.5L Mini-ITX desktop powered by AMD’s new Ryzen AI Max processors.
Pre-orders are open now, with first shipments in early Q3 2025. When AMD shared the Ryzen AI Max with us, Framework jumped on the chance to use it. It has up to 16 CPU cores at 5.1GHz boost clock, discrete-level Radeon 8060S graphics, and support for up to an insane 128GB of unified LPDDR5x.
That enables 1440p or higher gaming on the heaviest titles, big creative and workstation workloads, and true local AI use cases. Framework shifted its roadmap a year ago to make space for it. In a desktop form factor, Framework plans to unlock every bit of its performance with 120W sustained power and 140W boost while staying quiet and cool.
You may still be wondering, why does Framework need to build a desktop? Aren’t desktops already modular and upgradeable? They are.
In fact, the desktop PC ethos is part of what inspired the Framework Laptop to begin with. You can build, upgrade, repair, and personalize to the limits of your imagination (and budget, and desk space), and share your amazing creations with all of the other true believers. Framework wants to make this space as accessible as it can by building a desktop that is simultaneously small and simple and incredibly powerful and customizable. Everyone should have the opportunity to experience the culture around PCs and PC gaming first-hand.
With that in mind, Framework leveraged all of the key PC standards everywhere it could. Framework Desktop’s Ryzen AI Max-powered Mainboard is a standard Mini-ITX form factor with ATX headers, a PCIe x4 slot, and a broad set of rear I/O (including 2x USB4, 2x DisplayPort, HDMI, and 5Gbit Ethernet).
You can drop it into your own case if you prefer. Framework developed a semi-custom 400W power supply with FSP in a standard Flex ATX form factor. The firm also used standard 120mm CPU fans with a thermal system co-developed with Cooler Master and Noctua, and you can choose to bring your own fan as well if you prefer. Framework enabled two PCIe NVME M.2 2280 slots for up to 16TB of storage and Wi-Fi 7 through an RZ717 Wi-Fi module.
Framework Desktop brings the PC ethos around customization as well. Framework can choose between black and translucent side panels, select an RGB fan, and attach an optional carrying handle to bring it with you to LAN parties (or just to your living room). Framework also designed the front panel of the case to be made up of 21 color-customizable tiles, and the firm open sourced the design so you can 3D print your own too. Framework also brought over the expansion card system from Framework Laptops, with two slots at the front of Framework Desktop enabling front port customization.
To enable the massive 256GB/s memory bandwidth that Ryzen AI Max delivers, the LPDDR5x is soldered. Framework spent months working with AMD to explore ways around this but ultimately determined that it wasn’t technically feasible to land modular memory at high throughput with the 256-bit memory bus. Because the memory is non-upgradeable, Framework is being deliberate in making memory pricing more reasonable than you might find with other brands.
The top-end Ryzen AI Max+ 395 configuration with 128GB of memory starts at just $1,999 USD. This is excellent for gaming, but it is a truly wild value proposition for AI workloads. Local AI inference has been heavily restricted to date by the limited memory capacity and high prices of consumer and workstation graphics cards.
With Framework Desktop, you can run giant, capable models like Llama 3.3 70B Q6 at real-time conversational speed right on your desk. With USB4 and 5Gbit Ethernet networking, you can connect multiple systems or Mainboards to run even larger models like the full DeepSeek R1 671B.
The base Framework Desktop comes in even lower, with the 8-core Ryzen AI Max 385 configuration with 32GB of memory starting at $1,099.
All of the systems are DIY Editions, meaning you can choose to bring your own storage and operating system. Framework contends this is the easiest PC you’ll ever build, and Framework will be publishing step-by-step guides and videos to get you there.
Framework Desktop supports both Windows 11 and a range of popular Linux distros like Ubuntu and Fedora, along with gaming-focused OS’s like Bazzite and Playtron. Customers can also pre-order the mainboard on its own today, starting at $799.
Framework 12 laptop
Framework shared an early preview of the new Framework Laptop 12, a durable, repairable, upgradeable, 12.2” touchscreen convertible notebook.
This computer is the purest manifestation of our vision and product philosophy at Framework, and is in many ways the product I started the company to create. Framework builds products to fix what it sees as a broken industry, and few categories are as emblematic of the problems with consumer electronics as entry-level laptops.
Framework said these machines tend to be janky, locked-down, disposable, underpowered and boring machines. Shamefully, these are the products that PC brands market for use by students and young people around the world. Instead, Framework believes these are the people who most need thoughtfully designed, long-lasting computers.
Framework designed this Framework 12 laptop from the start to take all of the upgradeability and longevity of Framework Laptop 13 and bring it into a smaller, lower cost, more flexible, and more colorful form factor.
The firm is introducing it in five colors, each with an optional color-matched stylus. The two-tone look isn’t just for show, either. Framework overmolded shock-absorbing TPU over rigid PC/ABS plastic with an inner metal structure for robustness.
In the event you break it, it’s also the easiest product ever to repair, the firm said. Framework took all of the design for repairability learnings from Framework Laptop 13 and 16 and pushed them even further in Framework Laptop 12. Framework will be sharing more on that on the path to launch.
Framework also designed this laptop to be unusually powerful for its class. Instead of using a typical small-core processor, we brought in the full 13th Gen Intel Core processor in i3 and i5 variants.
Framework enabled support for up to 48GB of DDR5-5200, 2TB of NVMe storage, and Wi-Fi 6E, all of which are modular and upgradeable. Framework also customized the 1920×1200 display to deliver >400 nit brightness along with touch and stylus support. As always, Framework is supporting both Windows 11 and Linux too.
The company said it had students in mind when it began developing this product two years ago. And it found as it iterated through prototypes that every adult who tried it wanted one too. Framework will be sharing much more detail on specifications and pricing as the company get closer to the launch of Framework Laptop 12. Framework will open pre-orders in April, with first shipments in mid-2025.
