Framework announced its new laptop called Laptop 13 Pro. Standing out as the most ambitious 13-inch model developed by the company so far, the device comes with a fully machined aluminum case, haptic touchpad, new screen with 120 Hz variable refresh rate, larger battery and new hardware options that maintain the modular structure. The definition used by Framework CEO Nirav Patel for this model is also striking: The company positions this computer as a “MacBook Pro” alternative for Linux users.
The new model does not just come as a laptop to be bought from scratch. With Laptop 13 Pro, Framework also opens a direct upgrade path for existing Framework Laptop 13 owners. Parts such as the new motherboard, screen, keyboard, touchpad, case bottom cover and larger battery have been designed to be compatible with existing systems. Thus, users will be able to renew certain parts without changing the entire system. What does Framework Laptop 13 Pro offer?
Framework Laptop 13 Pro comes as the company’s first 13-inch model with a case completely machined from 6000 series aluminum blocks. This new body structure is a significant change in the case stretch and overall material feel, which were frequently criticized in previous Framework laptops. It is reported that the body of the device and the keyboard section are much more rigid, the touchpad surface feels smoother, and the screen hinge is balanced enough to be opened with one finger.
The new model breaks new ground on the Framework side. Laptop 13 Pro is the company’s first laptop to use a haptic touchpad. In addition, it comes with a special IPS screen that is 13.5 inches in size, has a 3:2 aspect ratio, 2880 x 1920 resolution, and offers a variable refresh rate between 30 Hz and 120 Hz. The screen comes with color calibration out of the box. The panel is also touch-supported, but does not have pen support.
The framework positions this screen as a completely custom-developed panel. The company says it uses a new backlight system, in-cell touch layer and new anti-reflective coating. On the brightness side, the screen reaches 700 nits. However, the choice is more limited in terms of color gamut. The panel offers 100 percent sRGB coverage; It doesn’t output wider color spaces like Adobe RGB or DCI-P3. The company states that it made this decision to prioritize battery efficiency.
On the hardware side, the device comes with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 Panther Lake processors. While there is Intel Core Ultra 5 325 at the entry level, there are Core Ultra X7 358H and limited edition X9 options in higher configurations. Framework also doesn’t limit this model to just Intel; Users can also configure the system with last year’s AMD Ryzen AI 300 series motherboards. On the memory side, LPCAMM2 is used instead of the standard SO-DIMM structure.
This is a next-generation memory standard with compression mounting. Framework states that it will offer 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB capacity modules in its store. The announced prices are $239 for 16 GB, $439 for 32 GB and $849 for 64 GB. Considering the general price pressure on the RAM side, this item stands out as one of the parts that increases the system cost the fastest. There is also an important innovation on the storage side.
Laptop 13 Pro comes with PCIe 5.0 support and provides SSD support up to 8 TB capacity, offering speeds up to 14,000 MB/s. The storage unit is in standard M.2 2280 form and can be changed by the user. Since the RAM is also modular, the device differs from MacBooks in this respect. Changes have also been made on the sound side. The new side-firing speaker system comes with Dolby Atmos certification. Since the speaker performance of the previous 13-inch Framework model was not found to be very strong, the update in this area attracts attention.
The company reveals that it has improved this aspect in the new model. The battery capacity increases by 22 percent to 74 Wh in the new model. Framework says that thanks to this capacity increase and the new platform, a significant jump in battery life has been achieved. In fact, the company claims that the device can last up to 20 hours in the 4K Netflix streaming test, narrowly beating the 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro in this scenario.
This claim has not yet been confirmed by independent tests, but it is clear that one of the areas that Framework focused most on when developing this model was the battery. The thickness of the Laptop 13 Pro remains the same as the existing Framework Laptop 13, that is, 15.85 mm. The weight has increased slightly. While the new model weighed 1.4 kg, the current model weighed 1.3 kg. Despite this, the preservation of case dimensions has become the main factor that makes part compatibility with old systems possible.
The most striking move of the Framework was that the new model did not compromise its physical compatibility with the existing Framework Laptop 13. If the user wishes, he will only be able to install the new Intel motherboard into his existing system. If he wants, he can buy only the screen, only the keyboard and touchpad set, only the new case, or only the bottom cover and the big battery. This shows that Framework continues its modular laptop approach not only at the theoretical level, but also with concrete upgrade paths.
On the price side, Laptop 13 Pro is at a higher level than previous 13-inch models. The price of the pre-installed entry model was announced as $ 1,499. This version has an Intel Core Ultra 5 325 processor, 16 GB LPCAMM2 memory and 512 GB storage. The DIY, user-assembled version starts at $1,199. The $2,099 model, which is one step higher, includes the Core Ultra X7 358H processor, 32 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD. In this version, the number of CPU cores increases from 8 to 16, while the integrated graphics cores increase from 4 to 12.
Separate motherboard prices were also shared for current Framework Laptop 13 owners. The motherboard with the Ultra 5 325 processor will be sold for $ 449, and the motherboard with the Ultra X7 358H processor will be sold for $ 799. The X9 version is not currently offered separately. The company has opened pre-orders for Laptop 13 Pro. The first shipments are planned to start in June. It is also stated that the high-end variant with Intel X9 processor will be offered in limited numbers at first and will be sold out in a short time.
During the promotion, it was also shown that an example with a high-end processor could run Cyberpunk 2077 at around 70 FPS with adaptive image upscaling support. The main message that the Framework gives with this model is clear. While the company maintains its strong structure in terms of repairability and upgradeability, it is reaching a more assertive level in areas such as case quality, touchpad feel, screen fluency and battery life, where it has been criticized so far.
Therefore, Laptop 13 Pro stands out not only as a new Framework model, but also as a move by the brand to reposition itself in the premium class.
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