DIY laptop maker Framework is launching a modular Chromebook
pcgamer.comIf you've an eye for modular technology, you may have been keeping up with Framework's brilliant dive into the DIY laptop scene. Our Dave seems to think this is the «future of gaming laptops»(opens in new tab) and although he may well be onto something, Framework has decided to bring us a svelte, and highly customisable Chromebook, ahead of the modular gaming monster we were dreaming of.
Framework laptops are highly modular. You have the option to completely upgrade the system as you go, just as you would your desktop PC. Only there's also the potential to have any combination of ports jammed in the sides, too. Want just USB Type-C sockets? Go for it.
With Framework even selling its CPU mainboard separately(opens in new tab), there's a lot of potential for modders—some hero even turned a Framework laptop into a tablet(opens in new tab) with the parts available.
A few months back, Framework brought DIY 12th Gen Intel upgrades to its laptops, and now the company has partnered with Google to create the 12th Gen Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition. It doesn't look like you can swap out the CPU on this one—it's certainly not been referenced as yet—but as Framework founder Nirab Patel says in the company's announcement vid: «The laptop has enough performance so you can play Steam games natively.»
Nebulous, I know, but I'm sure it'll play the Sims 4 at the very least via the Steam on ChromeOS Alpha.
The base Chromebook Edition may not come with a discrete mobile GPU, but an Intel Core i5 1240P alone may not be as bad for gaming as you might expect. With just four Performance cores, eight Efficient cores, for a total of 20 threads across the lot, it's certainly no high-performance CPU. The 80 Intel Xe GPU execution units
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