Framework Laptop 12 Now Available for Pre-Order

[TheLostSwede]

Framework Laptop 12 pre-orders are now open, with first shipments in June! We're pricing Framework Laptop 12 as low as we can to bring the Framework mission to as many people as possible. DIY Edition starts at €569/£499/$719 CAD and is available in five colorways: Black, Gray, Lavender, Bubblegum, and Sage. If you prefer not to assemble your laptop, we also have pre-built options in Black in some keyboard languages, starting at €849/£749/$1,079 CAD. Pre-orders are open today in all countries we ship to, with the temporary exception of the US. We shared a blog post earlier today detailing how we're handling the impact of tariffs for US customers.

Framework Laptop 12 is a 12.2", 13th Gen Intel Core-powered notebook that is designed to last. We have robust compatibility with both Linux and Windows 11, i3 and i5 Intel Core processor options, support for up to 48 GB of DDR5 and 2 TB of storage, Wi-Fi 6E, an excellent full-size keyboard, a 50Wh battery, a bright 1920x1200 touchscreen, a 1080p webcam, and USB 3.2, DisplayPort, and power input on all four Expansion Card slots. You can check out the full specs on our website. Even though this product is small and fun, it's also a real computer!




This is our first-ever touchscreen laptop, and we went all out with both a 360-degree hinge and stylus support. We designed our own color-matched Stylus with tilt and pressure support that we'll be launching soon. In the meantime, you can use any USI 2.0 or MPP 2.0-compatible stylus. The touchscreen and stylus work great across both Linux and Windows.

All of our products are repairable, upgradeable, and customizable. For Framework Laptop 12, we also invested heavily in durability. The two-tone colorways aren't just for show. We designed the chassis with shock-absorbing TPU overmolded onto plastic with inner metal structure for robustness. We tested this successfully to MIL-STD-810 reliability standards, which includes surviving drops from 1.2 m (48") onto plywood. This product is hard to break, and it's easy to fix too. We took all of our design-for-repair learnings from Framework Laptop 13 and 16 and made Framework Laptop 12 our simplest-to-assemble and easiest-to-repair product ever. We used captive screws everywhere we could, added easy-to-follow pull tabs, and kept labels and QR codes on every part. The Input Cover, Audio Board, and Power Button Board are connected to the Mainboard with pogo pins instead of cables. Plus, if you lose a screw, it's no problem: we include extras for you inside your laptop. Like every product we ship, we include the only tool you need in the box. This time, the Framework Screwdriver is color-matched to your laptop!

We have one last element of this launch. We're partnering with Hack Club, a non-profit that helps student makers and coders build incredible projects. When you place your pre-order, you have the option to add a donation to Hack Club to help students get access to Framework Laptop 12. If you choose to participate, we'll move your pre-order into a prioritized shipping batch. You can learn more about this program here.

This is our most mission-aligned product yet. In many ways, it's the product I started Framework to build: a deeply personal, long-lasting computer that is also just a joy to use day to day. Framework Laptop 12 puts a smile on my face every time I pick it up. We can't wait to see what you think of it too.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[mtosev]

Too bad that these Framework notebooks weren't available sooner before I bought a new laptop earlier this year.

 

[yfn_ratchet]

I reckon they're advertising this for educational settings, but this just isn't a great fit off price alone... kids in K-12 wreck these things, easily. Sure, they're repairable, but when parts and labor outweighs a crappy 2-core Celeron Chromebook in price it's a moot point. Kids just don't understand the importance of caring for a precious item, especially since the liability lies with the parents for broken devices.

That said, these would make wonderful little netbooks for private use or for maker clubs. I look forward to these even smaller mainboards seeing use in projects going forward.

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

I was excited....until I read the core i3 part.

Wake me up when there is an AMD version.

EDIT: actually its worse, i3 and i5 13th gen? Really? I'd expect maybe Lunar Lake in an ultraportable, that would at least provide great battery life, but raptor lake is bleh.

I reckon they're advertising this for educational settings, but this just isn't a great fit off price alone... kids in K-12 wreck these things, easily. Sure, they're repairable, but when parts and labor outweighs a crappy 2-core Celeron Chromebook in price it's a moot point. Kids just don't understand the importance of caring for a precious item, especially since the liability lies with the parents for broken devices.

That said, these would make wonderful little netbooks for private use or for maker clubs. I look forward to these even smaller mainboards seeing use in projects going forward.

I think they're aiming more for the rural and suburban school districts where the kids have a much stronger sense of responsibility.

 

[unwind-protect]

If this is the same format as the old Macbook 12" I'm in for sure.

ETA: on average twice as thick, but still, at least it has replaceable RAM and M.2 NVMe (although only 2230 M.2, I would have liked 2280).

 

[Tek-Check]

Framework pauses U.S. sales of base Laptop 13 models due to tariffs — company says other vendors are pausing sales too, but not making announcements

The cheapest Framework models are temporarily unavailable.

www.tomshardware.com

 

[Chaitanya]

Framework pauses U.S. sales of base Laptop 13 models due to tariffs — company says other vendors are pausing sales too, but not making announcements

The cheapest Framework models are temporarily unavailable.

www.tomshardware.com

Tariff-driven price and availability changes for US customers

As a result of the new tariffs that were announced, we have a series of unfortunate price and availability adjustments we need to make for US customers.

frame.work

 

[remixedcat]

I was excited....until I read the core i3 part.

Wake me up when there is an AMD version.

EDIT: actually its worse, i3 and i5 13th gen? Really? I'd expect maybe Lunar Lake in an ultraportable, that would at least provide great battery life, but raptor lake is bleh.

I think they're aiming more for the rural and suburban school districts where the kids have a much stronger sense of responsibility.

and the same 13th gen w the multitude of issues too... framework isn't making the right choices lately...

they keep changing corporate policy a lot about these tariffs and they really should wait till things are finalized before jerking around

 

[Philaphlous]

and the same 13th gen w the multitude of issues too... framework isn't making the right choices lately...

they keep changing corporate policy a lot about these tariffs and they really should wait till things are finalized before jerking around

lol

available...
unavailable...
available...
unavailable...

Makes for fun times!

 

[DirtyDingusMcgee]

I really want to like Framework, but their price to performance is just not good. I like the idea of modularity, and have sworn mightily at hp and apple more than a few times for making laptops that are hard as heck to take apart......but i got over it, and got more experience. Now that I don't sweat laptop teardowns, it really doesn't matter.

 

[remixedcat]

I really want to like Framework, but their price to performance is just not good. I like the idea of modularity, and have sworn mightily at hp and apple more than a few times for making laptops that are hard as heck to take apart......but i got over it, and got more experience. Now that I don't sweat laptop teardowns, it really doesn't matter.

they arent true modular either since the cpu and gpu is still soldered to the motherboard

 

[yfn_ratchet]

I really want to like Framework, but their price to performance is just not good. I like the idea of modularity, and have sworn mightily at hp and apple more than a few times for making laptops that are hard as heck to take apart......but i got over it, and got more experience. Now that I don't sweat laptop teardowns, it really doesn't matter.

I still like the principle of Framework's design, especially adapting old boards for 'retirement' use as dedicated game servers, NAS devices, media servers, light office machines, yadda yadda without much hassle... but you're right on the price/performance. Laptops are, for the layman, appliances, whose repair/upgrade is less economical than simply buying a new one, and Framework's boutique pricing contributes to that paradigm. They have made no apparent effort to scale up production for existing parts, and yet still keep introducing more and more products/product SKUs they have to manage. It's a bunch of designer folks given the greenlight for any prototype device that isn't an obvious dead-end, and for what?

 

[kondamin]

Single dimm memory is not acceptable for a +€1000 laptop

 

[lemonadesoda]

Great concept. Too expensive. I just specced out the 13 model and it costs me more than a MacBook once you’ve added ports and OS

 

[Mothertrucker19]

I was excited about this until yesterday.
The price is a bit much for a 13th gen i5 with a single memory slot and no TB4 for some reason. Also, there are no biometrics, AMD option or 3:2 screen.
I guess I'll wait for news regarding more modern options.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Single dimm memory is not acceptable for a +€1000 laptop

No recent 12-inch laptop has had any more than that.
Some have had soldered RAM and a slot though.

 

[sudothelinuxwizard]

Specs are fine for the usecase, but it needs a 100 euro price cut across the board to make any kind of sense.

 

[_roman_]

I think my refurbished leonovo notebook also has that nonsense of non standard M2 2280 NVME.

Several points I will not buy it

• That is definitely not a M2 SSD NVME in the formfactor 2280
• NVME is not mounted with the usual philipps screw - i do not want to see fragile plastic for mounting nvme. A screw worked good. A screw worked well since 25 years when i bought laptops or did service or changed parts on laptops. No screw - no buy.
• Intel processor - no thanks
• Single FAN
• Costs more than 199€ including shipping and tax and 1 year warranty. bought a few weeks ago. w11 license - w11 processor compatible list with tpm.
• All soldered except DRAM, Storage, Wifi?
• The bottom is now shown. But it looks like again those "retention clips". No thanks. Use screws like MSI / ASUS did 20-25 years ago. Screws worked well.
• Plastics and not proper build quality. I had many notebooks in my hands. build quality for advertisements looks already like bad quality from past years. I still have notebooks which are not worth to repair anymore which I opened several times and have much better build quality. And are also slim.
• not outside exchangeable battery. a few months ago I got rid of a lenovo laptop. one inside battery, one extern changeable battery. It's not that hard and difficult to make a external exchangeable battery. Especially when every notebook company refuses warranty longer as 6 months fPrevious semi defective lenovo laptop or the battery.
• No dual Data drive or three data drives. Old notebooks had at least two, quite often 3 data drives. Not considering even replacing wifi and optical drive for storage.
• cheap speaker quality by the looks. There were different notebooks with better speakers on the market. Branded and not branded speakers

 

[Mothertrucker19]

Specs are fine for the usecase, but it needs a 100 euro price cut across the board to make any kind of sense.

Yeah, but also there aren't many convertibles in this price and size range. Most have gone up to 14", and most 13" ones are business-oriented ones with a price to match.

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

I think my refurbished leonovo notebook also has that nonsense of non standard M2 2280 NVME.

Several points I will not buy it

• That is definitely not a M2 SSD NVME in the formfactor 2280
• NVME is not mounted with the usual philipps screw - i do not want to see fragile plastic for mounting nvme. A screw worked good. A screw worked well since 25 years when i bought laptops or did service or changed parts on laptops. No screw - no buy.

2280 is not the only format of NVMe drive you know. This is a 2230, which is also a standard.

• Intel processor - no thanks

Agreed

• Single FAN

it's a 15w ultraportable, why do you need 2 fans? Where would you put them in a 12 inch form factor?

• Costs more than 199€ including shipping and tax and 1 year warranty. bought a few weeks ago. w11 license - w11 processor compatible list with tpm.

So buy it without a license then?

• All soldered except DRAM, Storage, Wifi?

....what else do you want not soldered? The CPU? They are not offered in PGA or LGA form, so you're SOL there. Nothing else is soldered.

• The bottom is now shown. But it looks like again those "retention clips". No thanks. Use screws like MSI / ASUS did 20-25 years ago. Screws worked well.

It has screws.

• Plastics and not proper build quality. I had many notebooks in my hands. build quality for advertisements looks already like bad quality from past years. I still have notebooks which are not worth to repair anymore which I opened several times and have much better build quality. And are also slim.

How can you say a laptop that hasnt released yet has bad build quality? Especially a Framework, they're generally regarded as being pretty nice laptops....

• not outside exchangeable battery. a few months ago I got rid of a lenovo laptop. one inside battery, one extern changeable battery. It's not that hard and difficult to make a external exchangeable battery. Especially when every notebook company refuses warranty longer as 6 months fPrevious semi defective lenovo laptop or the battery.

It takes 2 minutes to take the bottom off and swap the battery. External batteries died along with the DVD rom. And, again, it's a 12" 2 in 1, some sacrifices must be made for the form factor.

• No dual Data drive or three data drives. Old notebooks had at least two, quite often 3 data drives. Not considering even replacing wifi and optical drive for storage.

Again, it is 12". Where would you suggest they put 2 or 3 data drives?

Also...you know framework had data drives that fit in the expansion ports right?

• cheap speaker quality by the looks. There were different notebooks with better speakers on the market. Branded and not branded speakers

I didnt know you could judge the quality of sound using a picture. That's a new one LOL.

If I didnt know any better, I'd say you have no interest in a framework laptop and just came up with a huge list of every possible negative.

No recent 12-inch laptop has had any more than that.
Some have had soldered RAM and a slot though.

It would be nice to see dual sockets though, since single channel RAM will cripple the iGPU.

Or maybe CAMM? Where is that anyway? Isn't CAMM purpose built for laptops like this? Hell I'd take soldered RAM if it means getting dual channel RAM instead.

 

[sudothelinuxwizard]

Yeah, but also there aren't many convertibles in this price and size range. Most have gone up to 14", and most 13" ones are business-oriented ones with a price to match.

With those bezels it's more akin to a 13 incher