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‘The MacBook Pro for Linux users’ both copies and contrasts with Apple

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Why This Matters

The Framework Laptop 13 Pro introduces a modular, repairable alternative to Apple's MacBook Pro, tailored for Linux users and emphasizing customization and upgradability. Its design and features aim to combine premium build quality with user-centric flexibility, challenging traditional laptop paradigms and appealing to tech-savvy consumers seeking longevity and personalization.

Key Takeaways

The new Framework Laptop 13 Pro has been described by the company’s CEO as “the MacBook Pro for Linux users” (though you can also run Windows on it). It even claims to beat the 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro for battery life.

The new machine copies a number of key Apple features, but is the complete opposite in terms of its underlying philosophy …

The same …

The Verge got a hands-on with the new machine, and highlighted a number of features which could have been taken direct from Apple’s website.

It’s the company’s first laptop to be fully machined out of blocks of 6000-series aluminum, its first with a haptic trackpad, and its first with a fully custom 13.5-inch, 3:2, 2.8K, variable refresh rate (30-120Hz) IPS screen that comes color-calibrated right out of the box.

This is in stark contrast to the company’s previous machines, which have not been noted for either sleek design or Apple-like build quality.

Framework CEO Nirav Patel says its goal for this computer is to be “the MacBook Pro for Linux users.” And — especially in anodized black, though it also comes in silver — it looks like it could play the part.

But radically different

This is where the similarities end, however. While MacBooks have frequently been criticized for lack of repairability and the high cost of upgraded specs, the latest framework laptop retains the modularity and upgradability for which they are known.

You can replace both the RAM and the SSD, and can configure it with a completely different CPU.

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