Laptops don’t change. Every year is the same tired story. Laptops grow thinner by millimeters or boost performance by small percentage points. Framework, the makers of some of today’s most modular laptops, now has a new device that’s so promising, it could change the game for all notebooks going forward. Now that we’ve had a chance to analyze what’s coming with this upcoming Framework Laptop 16, it’s possible that the device’s modularity could make all mobile setups far better—not just laptops.
On Tuesday, Framework shared two major upgrades that push the Framework Laptop 16 beyond its first 2023 iteration. The most novel upgrade is an all-new graphics module that slots into the back of the device, built with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU. While most modern laptops’ APUs—aka accelerated processing units—have some amount of graphics processing capability, a discrete GPU can tackle more intensive tasks at higher resolutions. Only compared to practically every laptop available now, this one can be taken out and swapped with one of Framework’s other expansion bay shells or a less-powerful graphics module. This implies that, in the future, gamers and creators can simply buy a new GPU module rather than a whole new laptop every few years.
The Framework module is the first instance of a swappable laptop GPU fully supported by Nvidia. Alienware proposed a similarly modular GPU back in 2019 with the Area-51m, which ended with lawsuits against the Dell-owned brand and the company abandoning the dream of fully modular laptops with swappable CPUs and GPUs. As much as this is a big deal for laptops, there are more use cases for a small laptop GPU with built-in thermals. Framework has already experimented with a few.
In a video, Framework showed off a separate shell that would turn its RTX 5070 module into an eGPU. Essentially, think of this as an external graphics processor hooked up with a suite of I/O ports that can connect into any PC-like device without a discrete GPU. Most of today’s eGPUs involve taking massive desktop-level graphics cards and sticking them in giant boxes with fans. Big setups like this are far from ideal, but that’s where laptop-level graphics can completely remodel how we think about external graphics. The prototype that Framework showed off is more compact and flat than most of today’s offerings. The benefit of this design is that users could simply take their graphics module off their laptop, stick it into the eGPU dock, and then hook up a Steam Deck-like gaming handheld or some other mini PC for a console-like gaming experience.
Framework founder Nirav Patel said one of the big hiccups with this eGPU design is cost, especially if they try to source high-quality parts for its frame. He implied this framework would be more for DIYers who want to reuse those old graphics modules. I’m of a different mind. If I buy the $650 RTX 5070 module and eGPU mount, I could possibly turn future handheld PCs like the upcoming Asus ROG Xbox Ally X into both my mobile and home-bound PC setup. All I would need is an easy docking station for all my devices.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. That slim GPU module could have more applications that I haven’t even considered yet. A recent Linus Tech Tips build that put a gaming PC on the underside of a large wood desk would have benefited from a Framework’s low-key GPU module.
Framework’s laptop will be the first laptop with native 240W USB-C charging. Most modern gaming laptops use a proprietary port for high-capacity charging. The company described the power brick as “compact,” and while it will still take up a sizable portion of the average backpack, it’s not much larger than the 180W brick of the 2023 Laptop 16. The new ultra-repairable gaming laptop will still only support up to 100W TGP, or total graphics power, so the rest of the brick will also need to power the CPU and other components while pushing juice to the battery. Gizmodo reached out to Framework to see if it had any specs on expected charging time, and we’ll update this post when we hear back.
There are a few other 240W USB-C power adapters available, as first noted by The Verge. The Ugreen Nexode Desktop Charger can technically handle a power output of 500W, along with a single port for 240W. That device is built for stationary desktop setups rather than mobile computers. Instead, the modular laptop maker is selling its power brick separately for $110. All this promise belies the big problem, which is cost. The Framework Laptop 16 starts at $1,500 and will demand well over $3,000 if you want to kit out the device with the highest-end specs. Most consumers may still edge toward more straightforward pre-built designs. But for those looking for the future, the Framework Laptop 16 may offer way more opportunities for more than laptops down the line.