HPR4065: Framework 13 (13th gen Intel) review

Hacker Public Radio

Framework 13 (13th gen Intel edition) Review

General Takeaways

• Overall very good
• Hackable
• Good build quality
• Good keyboard
• Good screen
• Okay webcam and microphone
• A bit noisy fan, but not obnoxious
• Good performance
• Good OS compatibility
• Okay trackpad
• Great portability
• I love the expandability the expansion cards provide.
• USB-C everywhere!

Possible Cons for people looking into it (non-issues for me)

• Expansion cards can be difficult to remove, so those who struggle with those kinds of things beware.
• No touchscreen options for the laptop.
• No OLED screen options.
• No hot-swappable battery
• The Ethernet expansion card is bulky

Other suggestions

I didn't mention this while recording (sorry), but if the Framework 13 isn't enough laptop, the Framework 16 is releasing very soon as of writing and recording this (As of Feb 09 2024) and is open for pre-order now. The Framework 16 includes a replaceable GPU along with more expansion and a larger screen. This should provide a better gaming experience and more power.

Links to find more info on the Framework 13 laptop (Along with other reviews)

• Framework's Website for the Framework 13
• Phoronix's Review of the Framework 13 AMD Edition
• PCMag's review of the Framework 13 Intel Edition