DIY-Friendly Modular Framework Laptop Updated with 12th Generation Intel Processors

We were fans of the Framework laptop when we reviewed it last year. This was partly due to its modular design prioritizing maintainability and upgradeability, unlike most other laptops. But we also liked it because you didn’t have to make huge compromises to achieve this maintainability – the Framework laptop is lightweight and has a high-quality screen, keyboard and touchpad, which helps it stay competitive with large, thin, rugged laptops. lightweight laptops such as the Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon.

An upgradeable laptop only makes sense if you can actually upgrade it, and Framework makes that possible starting today: the company is introducing a new iteration of the Framework Laptop motherboard that uses 12th generation Intel processors. The brand-new 12th Gen Framework laptop starts at $1,049 for a base model with a Core i5 processor, or $819 for a self-build kit without memory and storage. These products will be available for pre-order starting today, with shipments starting in July.

The 12th generation Core processors use the latest Intel Alder Lake CPU architecture, which combines high performance P-cores and high-efficiency E-cores to maximize performance under heavy load and reduce power consumption when the computer is mostly idle. The base Core i5-1240P processor includes four P cores and eight E cores, significantly increasing the number of cores compared to 11th generation quad-core processors. The Core i7-1260P upgrade has the same number of CPU cores with an increased clock speed and a slight increase in integrated GPU performance, while the top-end Core i7-1280P option will give you six P-cores and eight E-cores.

The rest of the Framework laptop hardware remains largely the same, although there are a few additional upgrades to be aware of. One is a 2.5Gb/s Ethernet expansion card, the first wired LAN module available for a laptop. The card is based on the Realtek RTL8156 chipset and will be available “later this year”.

The company is also releasing a redesigned version of its top cap, made using a new CNC manufacturing process that “substantially improves rigidity.”The new top cover will be the default for all Framework laptops going forward, although you can buy a new cover for your existing Framework laptop for $89.

For existing Framework laptop owners, a 12th-gen motherboard with an i5-1240P starts at $449, while an “upgrade kit”that includes both the motherboard and a redesigned top cover starts at $538. This is the same price you would pay for both components separately; there is no discount if you buy the board and the top cover together. The i7-1260P motherboard will set you back $699 ($788 for the upgrade kit), while the i7-1280P motherboard costs $1049 ($1138 for the upgrade kit). Getting two extra P-cores of the i7-1280P will cost you money.

The 11th generation version of the Framework laptop also remains as an entry-level option until sold out, starting at $679 for the Core i5-1135G7-based DIY version and $899 for the assembled system. The company has created a new product comparison page to make it easier to understand what you’re getting.

While many of the Framework PCs will run Windows, the company boasts that its 12th generation version of the laptop “continues to focus on solid Linux support.”Framework recommends Fedora 36 because it “works fantastically well out of the box”and fully supports the new Framework Laptop processors, its Wi-Fi card, and its fingerprint reader. However, for now, you need to be careful when installing other Linux distributions – you need the Linux kernel version 5.17. do not include this kernel version out of the box. This issue will disappear for most Linux distributions in the next few months.

If you already have a Framework laptop and want to upgrade it, the company recently published 3D printed case templates for the laptop motherboard. This allows you to turn your old 11th generation Framework motherboard into a desktop mini PC.