RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.When Framework announced the in April 2026, CEO and founder Nirav Patel called it the "MacBook Pro for Linux users", highlighting its thin and light form factor as much as its performance.But now that I've gone hands-on with it, I wouldn't be so quick to relegate it solely to the power user crowd. On the contrary: the Laptop 13 Pro has the most crowd appeal of any of its devices to date, with a dramatically sleeker build, a larger 74Wh battery, haptic touchpad, and the latest Intel Series 3 processors. Also: Framework Laptop 13 Pro vs. MacBook Neo: These Windows rivals are more similar than expectedIt represents a new approach for Framework and a maturation of the brand's catalog. Having perfected the DIY assembly process through its own robust collection of guides and QR-coded components, Framework turns to a more mature design. This laptop brings a premium set of features to a workstation that would resemble a ThinkPad, MacBook, or XPS… if not for the signature DIY aesthetic. Mature design, good engineeringUnder the hood, it's still fully a DIY machine, with Framework's full range of customization across selectable hardware: the CPU, RAM, storage, and its four expansion card slots. When it comes to OS, sure, you can buy Windows, but it's really "Linux first", earning Ubuntu certification and pre-loaded with Fedora 4.4 or Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, with community support for Fedora, Bazzite, NixOS, Linux Mint, CachyOS, and more. The design of the Laptop 13 Pro is largely a response to user feedback with a more lightweight, refined product that offers significantly more efficient battery life. In alignment with the brand's ethos, however, it's backwards-compatible with the (non-Pro) Laptop 13 -- users can replace or upgrade the mainboard (the motherboard unit) by following the steps in this guide. Replacing the mainboard requires a bit more steps than setting up a new DIY laptop, but Framework has made the entire process as streamlined as it can possibly be. If you buy a new DIY Framework laptop, the mainboard and display come pre-installed in the chassis -- all you have to do is pop in the memory, SSD, keyboard, bezel, and the expansion slots.It's all very well engineered, and the result of several generations of iteration. Last year, for example, the Laptop 16 I tested had multiple plates on the keyboard unit, a design that had some natural build inconsistencies: slight asymmetry or gaps in the plating that looked, well, DIY. Not necessarily a bad thing, but these laptops aren't cheap (more on that later). Also: How this DIY Windows laptop stole my heart from more expensive models (and it works with Linux)Anyway, that's not the case here. The build on the Laptop 13 Pro is sleek and airtight, with no gaps, spaces, or evidence that was even put together by your hands at all. The refined CNC aluminum chassis is solid without any flex whatsoever, and the unibody keyboard input cover magnetically snaps into place with just five screws on the underside. At its thickest point, it's only 0.6 inches, on the scale, it's 3.1 pounds. Hardware and performanceThe Framework Laptop 13 Pro comes with the Intel Core Ultra 5, X7, or X9 Series 3 "Panther Lake" processors for improved performance and battery efficiency -- one of the biggest critiques I had with last year's Framework Laptop 16. Here, battery longevity is excellent, easily getting an entire day in the office on one charge, and then some. Framework breaks its advertised battery life metrics by use case, which is nice to see: 20 hours of battery while streaming video at half brightness, 17 hours of web browsing, and 11 hours while video conferencing. In my testing of intermittent periods of intense use, video calls, and periods of inactivity, I got a little over nine hours on one charge. Memory speed and efficiency is also improved from previous generations. The 13 Pro features modular LPCAMM2 LPDDR5X memory -- a low-power format that is easily accessed and removed with three screws, securing easy upgradeability down the road. It also supports PCIe Gen 5 NVMe storage via an upgradeable M.2 2280 slot on the mainboard, enabling up to 8TB of storage.My review unit paired 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage with the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, a baseline configuration for pros or power users. Performance is snappy and responsive, with plenty of power to multitask across demanding workloads: programming, data science, software development, or creative tasks. The touchscreen display is also a big improvement from the other Framework ultraportable I tested last year, the Framework Laptop 12. Here, things are looking more vibrant, with a 2.8K resolution, 600-nit brightness, 120Hz variable refresh rate, and 100% of the sRGB color gamut. The display does lie completely flat, but it doesn't bend back, as this isn't a convertible. Although the touch functionality works fine, the panel is particularly wobbly, resulting in lots of movement with any kind of on-screen touch navigation. This is one I'd stick to the trackpad with. Also: Not enough people are talking about this Windows laptop beast that I assembled in just minutesGood thing, because the piezo-based haptic touchpad rocks. It's sensitive, responsive, feels premium, and has just the right amount of depth to support quick movements and snappy multitasking. The keyboard is excellent as well, with 1.5mm key travel and acceptable backlighting. Framework nailed the black/gray/orange aesthetic or a unique design language that looks every bit premium as it does DIY. To DIY or not to DIY... Listen, like I mentioned above, Framework has made assembling a laptop as easy as it can possibly be. Even if you have no experience doing this, Framework's detailed collection of guides (both text and video) are very good at walking you through the steps. The benefits of assembling it yourself include familiarity with upgrading your device down the road, and saving money bo...
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