After two years of almost daily use, I'm ready to give my opinion on my Frameowk laptop. I'll tell the reason for this choice, the (small) problems I've encountered and the advantages (considerable) I'm taking out of it.

In late 2022, I acquired a Framework 13 laptop with an Intel 11th-generation processor, 32 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB SSD. This capable machine was set to replace my Dell XPS 13 from 2016. Six years is a very solid lifespan for a laptop used by a programmer, but the last few years had not been particularly smooth. Let me look back to explain why switching to a Framework made sense…

Two previous laptops: Dell Vostro and Dell XPS 13

Before the XPS 13, I used a Vostro 3500, a Dell laptop from the "small business" line, which perfectly met my needs and survived every ordeal of daily use by a backpacking student between 2009 and 2016! It was dropped, caught in the rain, splashed with liquids, and subjected to all kinds of other misadventures. Despite all that, it still works! On that model, practically every component except the processor was user-replaceable. A few screws and you were done. The battery, external, could even be swapped without opening anything up. Having been the designated computer repairman in my circle of friends, I can attest to the quality of its design from a maintenance standpoint. However, after so many years of faithful service, I could no longer find compatible battery modules (and the ones still available didn't work very well). In short, it was time for a change.

That's why, in 2016, I bought a Dell XPS 13 as a replacement — I had heard great things about it and trusted the manufacturer's quality. Having used a MacBook Air for a few years for work, I was keen to continue in the ultraportable category.

For a while, everything went very well, and Dell's Linux compatibility guarantees were greatly appreciated. Indeed, everything worked right out of the box without any configuration (provided you used Ubuntu, which isn't an unreasonable commitment for a work machine). However, when I wanted to upgrade the available memory, I was quite surprised to discover that the RAM was soldered onto the motherboard… Some will say I should have seen it coming, that the era of user-repairable laptops had long passed, that the new mandate was factory integration, and besides, there was no choice since it was the price of miniaturization… In short, my first disappointment, because 8 GB of RAM is really quite limiting.

A few years later, the battery started losing its stamina. Unlike the Vostro, you had to open everything up to replace it. That wouldn't have been a problem if Dell still sold the battery! As it turns out, Dell stops selling older batteries after a certain point, leaving you to turn to third-party manufacturers. Those third-party batteries, however (and I tried several), were not fully compatible with the laptop: I would occasionally experience power losses (complete shutdowns, or at best, a software freeze until things sorted themselves out), and the built-in controller would consistently report a battery fault…

That is essentially why I decided to replace the laptop, even though it was otherwise still working quite well.

Framework 13, Intel 11th Generation

I thus found myself with two laptops that still worked perfectly well but that I could do nothing with, having been abandoned by their manufacturer. There were no plans or schematics to repurpose them, and even their proprietary chargers could disappear without warning. I was also stung by the impossibility of upgrading the RAM in the XPS 13, a significant drawback at a time when containerization and virtualization were becoming serious parts of the field. For my next laptop, I would therefore prioritize longevity and future expandability. Sure, six years for a laptop is nothing to scoff at, but it's somewhat frustrating to think it could have been eight or even ten years, if only I had been able to swap out key components along the way.

That's why I settled on a Framework 13 with an Intel 11th-generation processor. The repairability guarantees fully convinced me, and I had generally been hearing good things about the build quality. Since acquiring it in late 2022, I have had the opportunity to put the famous maintenance procedure to the test — swapping out the built-in keyboard (going from a US layout to a Quebec layout, and back again) and replacing the SSD (from 1 TB to 2 TB). With the current configuration, I'm confident I'll be able to keep it for several more years, and I already know it can be repurposed afterward in an external enclosure.

Two downsides

Overall, I haven't given up much in this transition, save for two points, relatively minor, but worth noting.

• First, standby battery life on Linux is nowhere near the level of the XPS 13. Dell guarantees Linux compatibility, and it showed: I occasionally had minor firmware issues with my XPS 13, but it always sufficed to wait a few weeks for Dell to release a patch that restored optimal performance. In terms of standby, I typically got several days. On the Framework, probably due to incomplete firmware integration, I don't get past a single day of standby. A good example: I have a recurring issue where the sound card management module generates a large number of system interrupts. I can "fix" this by switching the duplex output target to HDMI and then back. In my view, this resets certain firmware parameters and restores the module's proper functioning — but this is exactly the kind of issue that reveals a less complete integration. I'm convinced this particular problem eats up a good chunk of the battery life by preventing the processor from reducing its power draw during low-usage periods, as the audio module keeps the processor active for no valid reason.
• The other difference is that the Framework is considerably noisier when the processor is under full load. I could almost never hear the XPS 13, it was a very quiet machine. The Framework is comparatively much louder. In normal use, it's not really a problem, but it did catch me off guard at first.

Everything else is positive

As for the rest, I have no complaints. Here are a few highlights that, in my opinion, even surpass the XPS 13:

• The system of swappable expansion modules is simply brilliant! A few common examples: moving a display port or charging port from one side to the other depending on your desk or room layout; switching from an HDMI module to a DisplayPort module in seconds; choosing how many USB-A vs. USB-C ports you need based on the situation. As a result, there's almost no need for external USB dongles for connectivity — just a few spare modules and you're set.
• This laptop is lighter than a current-generation XPS 13. Not by a huge margin, but when you get around almost exclusively by bicycle or on foot, as I do, it makes a difference.
• The repairability is genuine: this is the easiest laptop to open and maintain that I have ever encountered. By a wide margin! I've replaced the keyboard twice without any difficulty. That's one of the more involved operations due to the number of screws, and it wasn't complicated at all. That says it all!
• All the long-term maintenance considerations and the guarantees of parts availability in the future are reassuring, given my past negative experiences. Of course, it remains to be seen whether Framework will last long enough for that to truly prove out, at the rate I replace laptops, that won't be until 2028. Judging by the company's trajectory and its reputation among those in the know, I am for now very confident in my choice.