Framework Laptop 13 Pro significantly extends battery life

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Framework's latest notebook generation gets the Pro suffix, with improvements in many areas. This is most noticeable in battery life: with Netflix streaming in 4K resolution, it should now last about 20 instead of eight hours.

The manufacturer is increasing battery life through various adjustments. On the one hand, there is a larger battery in the casing with a simultaneously higher energy density, bringing it to 74 instead of 61 watt-hours. On the other hand, more efficient hardware is used.

Intel Core Ultra 300 with LPCAMM2

The core is a current Intel processor from the Panther Lake generation, also known as Core Ultra 300. Framework plans to offer a basic configuration with a Core Ultra 5, as well as two variants with Core Ultra X7 and Core Ultra X9, including a particularly powerful graphics unit. These CPUs also bring PCI-Express 5.0 for fast SSDs. The announcement also casually mentions a configuration with AMD's Ryzen AI 300, but Framework is focusing on the Intel options.

On the memory side, the manufacturer is switching from DDR5 SO-DIMMs to a novel Low Power Compression Attached Memory Module 2 (LPCAMM2). These use LPDDR5X memory chips that operate faster and consume less power than standard DDR5 chips. Framework initially plans to offer LPDDR5X-7467 modules with capacities of 16, 32, and 64 GByte.

Dynamic Refresh Rates

For the first time, the display for the Laptop 13 Pro is said to be not off-the-shelf, but explicitly designed for Framework. The company uses an IPS screen whose backplane uses economical low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS). Resolution and size remain the same at 2880 × 1920 pixels on 13.5 inches, but the rounded corners are now gone. The contrast increases to 1800:1, and the brightness to up to 700 cd/m². The maximum refresh rate remains 120 Hertz, but now with variable refresh rates (VRR) between 30 and 120 Hertz. The display also supports touch input.

The manufacturer mills the casing for the Framework Laptop 13 Pro from a block of aluminum. The dimensions remain the same, but there are supposed to be detail improvements. The new touchpad comes with haptic feedback. The notebook weighs around 1.4 kilograms in total.

Framework plans to offer the Laptop 13 Pro in a DIY version without memory and operating system for 1199 US dollars. Complete versions, optionally with Windows 11 or Ubuntu, are to start at 1499 US dollars. Delivery is expected to begin in June. The manufacturer is accepting pre-orders soon.

Upgrades Possible

Anyone who already uses a previous Framework Laptop 13 can upgrade all components of the new Pro device. The manufacturer plans to offer various upgrade kits and individual parts. The mainboard of the Laptop 13 Pro remains compatible with previous notebooks. Interested parties can upgrade, for example, the mainboard including the processor, the display, the casing, or the touchpad with the keyboard.

(mma)