For six years, Framework has been quietly perfecting its modular laptop formula, and the new Framework Laptop 13 Pro appears to be nearing its final form. This complete ground-up redesign addresses the most significant user complaints, beginning with battery life, and goes beyond just that.
Does it truly outlast a MacBook Pro on battery?
You read that correctly. Framework states that the Laptop 13 Pro can last over 20 hours while streaming Netflix 4K content. This represents a 12-hour improvement over the previous Framework Laptop 13 and, notably, slightly exceeds the battery life of Apple’s 14-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro.
FrameworkWhile Apple advertises up to 22 hours of video streaming for its latest M5 Pro MacBook Pro—a figure slightly higher than Framework’s claim—this discrepancy may stem from different testing conditions. Framework has promised to upload comprehensive battery test videos to its YouTube channel, allowing users to verify the claims independently.
FrameworkWhat truly excites me about the battery is that it now boasts a 74Wh capacity, marking a 22% increase from the previous generation, and includes a 100W GaN charger in the box for quicker charging.
FrameworkBeyond the larger battery, the significantly improved battery performance is also due to the new Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors, which feature dedicated Low Power Efficient cores. These cores activate during lighter tasks like streaming to keep the fans completely silent.
FrameworkThere are three other chip options available: Core Ultra 5, Core Ultra X7, and Core Ultra X9. According to Framework, the X7 and X9 versions can even handle AAA games like Cyberpunk 2077, which is impressive for an ultrabook with integrated graphics.
What else has been updated?
Almost every component is new in the Framework 13 Pro laptop. The device now utilizes LPCAMM2 memory, a new format that brings power-efficient LPDDR5X RAM in an upgradeable module. You can choose 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB, and swap it out later if needed. Storage capacity reaches up to 8TB with PCIe 5.0 NVMe support, which is fast enough to make most desktop drives look slow.
FrameworkThe display has also been updated, featuring a 13.5-inch 3:2 panel with touch support, 700 nits of brightness, 1800:1 contrast, and a variable refresh rate between 30Hz and 120Hz.
Framework
FrameworkThe chassis is now fully machined from aluminum, there’s a new haptic touchpad, and Ubuntu comes pre-loaded as an option for the first time. You can of course get it with Windows 11 if that’s the operating system you prefer.
FrameworkWhat about the pricing?
The Framework Laptop 13 Pro starts at $1,199 for the DIY Edition and $1,499 for pre-built (pre-built Windows version start at $1,699). Considering that every other laptop manufacturer has increased their prices, this seems a good enough price. Pre-orders are open today, and shipments begin in June.