This totally upgradable laptop is more eco-friendly and powerful than a Macbook Pro

Framework laptop
(Image credit: Framework)

In a bid to give a new eco-friendly twist to laptops, the co-founder of Oculus VR has announced plans for a new completely customizable portable computer.

The laptop, aptly named Framework, will be the first product of Nirav Patel’s new consumer electronics venture, that vows to make devices that can be customized and upgraded, perpetually.

“Most consumer electronics devices are disposable one-offs by design. The single best way to reduce the environmental impact of electronics is to make them last longer. In addition to enabling longevity, we’re focused on improving sustainability across the life of our products,” Patel said in a blog post.  

No slouch

The Framework laptop is housed in a milled aluminum case that weighs less than three lbs. It’s got a 13.5” screen and is just 15.85mm thick, making it one of the slimmest laptops.

In an email exchange with TechRadar Pro, a spokesperson for the company said that the laptop uses a custom mainboard in order to ensure they can deliver performance while keeping the device slim around the edges.

The laptop will be available in a range of 11th Gen Intel processors that’ll be configurable with Wi-Fi 6E, up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM, and 4TB or more of Gen4 NVMe storage

Framework laptop

(Image credit: Framework)

The highlight of the laptop however is its do-it-yourself (DIY) approach to repairs, and upgrades. “Our Expansion Card system makes adapters a thing of the past, letting you choose exactly the ports you want and which side of the notebook you want them on,” writes Patel. 

The laptop also enables users to swap out the entire motherboard with new offerings from the company. In addition to pre-assembled units, it’ll also be offered in a DIY edition as a modular kit. In any case, Patel adds that all models will “include a screwdriver in the box so you can upgrade over time.” 

The laptop is expected to ship in the summer 2021 in fully recyclable packaging with no single-use plastics, in line with the company’s goal of reducing the environmental impact of modern tech.

TOPICS
Mayank Sharma

With almost two decades of writing and reporting on Linux, Mayank Sharma would like everyone to think he’s TechRadar Pro’s expert on the topic. Of course, he’s just as interested in other computing topics, particularly cybersecurity, cloud, containers, and coding.

Read more
Framework Laptop 12
'The purest manifestation of our vision': Framework 12 gives me One Laptop Per Child vibes, and its CEO worked on the legendary OLPC project
The Framework Desktop being used to play a PC game.
My favorite laptop maker just unveiled its first desktop - and it's the cutest little PC I've ever seen
Framework Desktop
This mini PC rivals Apple's Mac Studio and Nvidia's DIGITS desktop supercomputer but will cost only a fraction of the price
Framework Laptop 16 main image
Framework Laptop 16 review
DC-Roma RISC-V Mainboard
The rise of RISC: 2025 will be the year of the first quasi-mainstream RISC-V laptop as confirmed by the CEO of Framework but I don't think it will be ready for primetime
Canva
It's just a concept for now, but this RTX 5090 liquid-cooled gaming laptop is possibly the craziest thing I've seen in a while
Latest in Pro
Teams on iPhone and Mac
Microsoft Teams has a whole new way for you to talk to (or annoy) your co-workers
person at a computer
Many workers are overconfident at spotting phishing attacks
AI tools.
Laying the foundations for successful GenAI adoption
A person in a wheelchair working at a computer.
Why betting on Mac security could put your organization at risk
Zorin OS 17 main image
I tried the latest version of Zorin OS - here's what I thought of this Linux distro
WatchGuard Firebox T45-CW main image
I tried the WatchGuard Firebox - here's what I thought of this 5G appliance
Latest in News
Google Pixel 9 in green Wintergreen color showing AI features on screen
Multiple hands-on Google Pixel 9a videos have emerged, days ahead of the likely launch
A man getting angry with his laptop.
Windows 11 bug deletes Copilot from the OS – is this the first glitch ever some users will be happy to encounter?
Teams on iPhone and Mac
Microsoft Teams has a whole new way for you to talk to (or annoy) your co-workers
Huawei Watch Fit 3
The Huawei Watch 3 is a decent Apple Watch alternative, and its successor could be close at hand
An image of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra from a hands-on event
Samsung's latest software upgrade could mean Galaxy phones beat iPhones for gaming – but you can't get it yet
iPhone Home Screen
iOS 19 is set to usher in a major redesign – here are 4 things being tipped for the upcoming overhaul