Upgradable Laptop Maker Framework Expands Into Chromebooks
Framework, which makes fully upgradable Windows laptops, is expanding into Chromebooks.
The San Francisco-based startup is partnering with Google to develop the Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition, which will launch in early December at $999.
The product is pricier than your average Chromebook, which can often cost between $200 to $500. But Framework’s model promises to be easy to repair and upgrade, thanks to its fully modular approach.
"Memory, storage, battery, display, literally every part of it is replaceable," says Framework Laptop CEO Nirav Patel in a video. In addition, the product is built with an array of ports that can be swapped out. All the replacement parts will be available on the company's marketplace.
The Chromebook model features the same hardware design as the Windows Framework laptop, meaning you're getting an aluminum casing that weighs in at 2.86 pounds, a 2,256-by-1,504 display, and a keyboard containing keys at a 1.5mm travel.
The Chromebook edition runs a 12th Generation Intel Core i5-1240P processor, which is also found in the base model for the second-gen Windows version. But one of the main differences is the operating system; instead of Windows, it contains Google's ChromeOS.
“ChromeOS supports downloading Android apps from the Google Play Store, developing on Linux with Crostini, playing PC games with Steam on ChromeOS Alpha, and more,” Framework says(Opens in a new window). “At the same time, the Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition is our most power-efficient product yet with optimizations from Google and Intel that allow for long-lasting battery life.”
In a forum post(Opens in a new window) on Hacker News, Framework’s CEO notes that another difference with the product is the
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