I'm using an old Thinkpad right now, but would be ok with a no-keyboard laptop plus a separate keyboard, whether wired or Bluetooth. Framework has always seemed kind of meh to me despite the good intentions.
this post was submitted on 06 Jun 2026
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Isn't the framework 12 made sturdy?
Unless you work on an oil rig or similar, a better bag will fix most of your concerns. The laptop compartment should always be suspended off the bottom. Ruggedized electronics simply aren't worth the extra weight for most people.
Or if you have cats or a clumsy partner that trips over the Ethernet cable, dropping it 1 meter in a very-much-not-an-oil-rig type of home office with tile floors
For this kind of contingency, cable management is a far better solution. I mean go wild, buy a toughbook for all i care. But your wife/cat will find a way to wreck that too, if you don't set it up to avoid trip hazards.
Yeah I tend to agree. Framework is going after the consumer enthusiast market.
The Thinkpad is rugged because employees don't take care of laptops that they didn't pay for. Businesses aren't going to pay someone at $50-80/hr to upgrade the RAM in 3000 laptops. They're just going to send them to ewaste or auction and buy all new ones from their stupid Dell Vender.
If you want the Framework experience but a more rugged chassis, you might actually want to look into their 12-inch model. It's a 2-in-1 made with rubber and plastic. The specs aren't very impressive, but I mostly use mine for web and email and rely on an SSH connection to one of my desktops if I need some more compute for something.
You could likely replace the aluminum case with a thicker, plastic one if you designed and 3D printed it. Plastic covers also exist for laptops.
I hadn't thought of that, I mean it's not like I have a 3D printer or know how to do that but it would be awesome if people started doing third party shells. Could at least make the design and have one printed somewhere I guess edit: oh, the keyboard might be tough though. might be weird to have plastic shell with aluminum keypad
https://www.printables.com/contest/449-framework-computer-mainboard-case
A while back they partnered with Prusa on a 3d printing contest. There are some neat cases in there, including a steam deck style one, but no direct laptop replacement.
It wouldn't be THAT hard, it just seems like nobody thought it would be useful, you wouldn't get any additional functionality out of a bigger case, you're still locked into the same connectors, battery, and modules.
I’m actually surprised custom cases aren’t already a thing.
Manufacturing a laptop case is not cheap despite the simple appearance, especially if limited run. Alt case for Framework would likely be non-factory machinig affair. And that shit is very expensive. Probably cheaper if done in PRC but still. I think that's why noone has done it.
In addition to the physical design which would take number of prototypes to fit the rest of it correctly, you'd need to redesign EMI shielding and RF if metal case so radios function well.
helps with adoption and having an ecosystem too. cements the standard.
I'd like a beefier fw16 chassis option to exist, but I would probably get the current one. also if they want to make it stronger like that it'll probably need to be less modular too, at least so far as the keyboard and touchpad area goes. would be nice to offer as an enterprise-focused thing though, like for companies to use as company laptops or in industrial areas.
Reduced modularity to appease corporate purchasers doesn't really sit well with me. Kind of the opposite of their ethos.
Like a dark path that leads to profits over sustainability, where framework takes their momentum and pivots into just another laptop manufacturer.
No thanks. I love my fw13 just the way it is.
I meant reduced modularity for the sake of increased durability, because the keyboard and touchpad modules on the fw 16 are more liable to come loose and let dust in. the 13 would just need a new chassis, but I was talking about the 16.
Oh, didn't they make a new fw16 top plate that's all one piece? Or is that not released yet?
theres a one piece keyboard and a one piece touchpad, but they still come off pretty easily which you wouldn't want in a beefier version.
windows 🤮
laptops with framework like that have 110% chance of stealing your password
I was never a thinkpad lover so I don't think it would make me want one. The only thing I want out of a portable is for it to be as thin and light as possible if I need power I'll just use my desktop. I would love to see a company especially framework to build an entire chassis out of carbon fiber with a fanless CPU.