The Framework 13: 2.5 months review

After 2.5 months of daily use, I can now offer a more comprehensive review of my Framework 13 laptop (AMD Ryzen™ 5 7640U), and objectively compare the reality of ownership to my initial expectations. Here is the take home message for the lazy readers: I have no complaints at all and only nice surprises. For the rest of the audience here are the details.
It’s worth noting that 1) I will not comment on the fact that everything is working flawlessly, because that was expecting per the Archwiki, and 2) my discussion is focused only on the hardware I utilize regularly. I haven’t mentioned specific components like the webcam, even though I have been extremely impressed with the few tests I’ve done.

╭── Keyboard

My previous machine was a Dell XPS13 which has a very good and comfy keyboard. With its 1.55mm of key travel, I would say the Framework keyboard has a great quality build, is not clicky, and produces the right amount of feedback and bounce. The key spacing is more pronounced that what I was used to but it doesn’t affect the typing experienc. Its footprint is good, leaving just enough space to be surrounded by small borders.

╭── Fingerprints sensor

This sensor is impressive. It works 100% of the time and recognize my fingerprints instantly in all positions. On my Dell XPS13, it was not an issue but I sometimes had to place my finger twice on the sensor to be recognized. I never has to do that on this laptop. It’s so reactive, it feels like the sensor is reading your fingerprints just before you place your finger on the sensor.

╭── Fans

On earlier iterations (but mostly on Intel versions), it has been reported that the fans engages rapidly and produce noticeable noise. Under a reasonable workload, all hardware temperatures stay within normal ranges when the laptop is used on a table or on my lap (slightly elevated in the back to make sure to not obstruct the ventilation), and the laptop is silent even when the ambient temperature is 100F.

Under heavy load and high ambient temperature, the fans will do their job and engage to control the internal temperature of the machine. This transcribes in noticeable fans noise for 10 seconds max. Again, Framework did a great job with the temperature control and fans activation for my use-case (i.e. office work).

╭── Display

It’s plenty bright and can go very high at maximum. The color adjustments can easily be achieved by loading the right icm file.
The 4:3 screen ratio provides a superior working experience compared to 16:9 screens for office work. It significantly enhances productivity and comfort during daily use. However, the 2.8K-120Hz variant may be excessive for general office tasks, but it’s still appreciable and reduce eyes fatigue.

Something truly exceptional about this laptop is its hinges. They provide optimal resistance, preventing screen wobbling while still allowing for effortless one-handed lid opening. This design feature enhances both functionality and user experience.

When I purchased this laptop, I was worried about the quite large top and especially bottom bezels, particularly when compared to the almost invisible ones found on the XPS13 which really makes this screen stands out. Also, the 2.8K display comes with rounded corners, which I would have avoided if the non HiDPI version was still available. That being said, my impressions were mostly biased by my current experience with my XPS13 and the fear of changes. It turned out that 1) I just ignore the bezels, probably because I went with the transparent version which kind of makes them disappear from your view, 2) the rounded corners are also invisible since I mostly use a dark theme everywhere, so you don’t see the difference between the black screen and the “dead” parts of the display.

╭── Speakers

Ok, for the speakers let me first say that I don’t use them to enjoy music. They’re only used for work meetings, to watch online videos, or to play music in the background. For this specific purpose, I never use the speakers volume to the max because they can go insanely high. As recommended on the Archwiki, I strongly suggest to use easy-effects though to get a nice balanced sound, but be aware that they will still struggle with heavy bass.

╭── Battery

Did I say that I use this laptop as an office machine :) For that usage, the battery life is ~7 hours under X11. Based on preliminary tests, you could expect ~9-10 hours under Wayland. This is comparable to the XPS13 and enough for my use-case where I don’t travel with my laptop.
A big plus though is that I can charge it with non OEM charger and immediately turn it on even though the battery is completely drained. In contrast, my previous machine required a lengthy wait before turning on under similar conditions.

╭── Ectool

ectool allows you to easily configure some parameters, including the leds color. It’s not a necessary feature but a nice touch. I’ve personalized my laptop to turn the power led off until the battery level runs low. Similarly, the battery leds on each side (because I have two charging ports) turn:

• orange when the battery runs low
• red when the battery runs critically low
• blue when the battery is charging
• green when the battery is fully charged

╭── Customer support

I have read so much positive feedback on their customer service that I had to test it. Because of too many disappointments in this cruel work, I’ve learned to be doubtful when something looks too good to be true. So, I’ve decided to contact the customer support with a “technical issue”. Within only 2 hours, they get back to me with a very nice reply where they also asked for relevant information to troubleshoot the “issue”. I then replied back that I solved the issue, and guess what? They get back to me within 1 hour with a personalized response (and not these stupid templates you’re used to read), and even thanks me for the provided details, stating that they will keep that in their records for future reference to address similar issue.

Their exceptional customer service truly sets them apart. The team’s dedication to ensuring users’ satisfaction is commendable. As they continue to grow, I sincerely hope they maintain this high standard of care and avoid adopting less desirable practices from competitors.