Framework's Compact Laptop Just Got Faster Chips, Better Battery, and Linux Built In
Framework has updated its Laptop 12, a small convertible laptop with parts you can swap yourself. The new version gets Intel Core Series 3 processors, faster memory, Thunderbolt 4 connections on two of its four swappable Expansion Cards, and Linux as the default operating system. Pre-orders are open now, with shipments planned for October. Engadget
The new chips are built for smaller, lower-power, lower-priced laptops, according to Framework. Framework Blog The processor runs up to 4.8GHz and uses a mix of two performance cores and four efficiency cores to balance speed and power use. Framework Three pre-built versions are available: a Core 3 with 8GB RAM, a Core 5 with 16GB, and a Core 7 with 32GB. You can push to 48GB of RAM via a $659 upgrade. Engadget
Battery life gets a concrete claim from Framework. The company says the Core 5 model delivered 70 percent better battery life while streaming Netflix compared to the Core i5 version of the original Laptop 12. Engadget That is a single-vendor, single-workload figure, but the improvement is large enough to matter for anyone considering the 12.2-inch convertible as an everyday laptop.
The screen is unchanged. The 12.2-inch display carries over from the prior model without modification. Engadget
The biggest shift is the operating system. Framework says over 80 percent of original Laptop 12 owners run Linux, so the updated model ships with Fedora Linux pre-installed. Windows 11 is available as a $100 upgrade. Engadget Pre-built Core 5 and Core 7 models with Linux include a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader by default. Windows configurations can still add those features as optional extras. Engadget
Pricing reflects the Linux-first approach. A pre-built Linux configuration in green starts at $699. The DIY version, where you assemble it yourself, comes in black, gray, light purple, pink, or green and starts at $549. Engadget
The expansion-card system, Framework's signature feature, gets a meaningful upgrade. Think of it like ports you can snap in and out — USB, HDMI, storage, whatever you need. Two of the four slots now support Thunderbolt 4, a faster standard for data, video, and charging, up from the slower USB-C-only options on the prior model. Engadget
The broader context is that Framework is leaning harder into the Linux crowd with a machine that started as a general-purpose compact laptop. An 80-percent Linux adoption rate among existing owners is the kind of signal most PC makers only dream about for an alternate operating system, and Framework is responding by making Fedora the default rather than an afterthought. The hardware upgrades are standard for a 2026 refresh, but the battery-life claim on the Core 5 is the figure that will catch the attention of anyone considering the Laptop 12 as a portable work machine.
The unchanged display is the one corner Framework appears to have cut. For a laptop that folds into a tablet, screen quality matters, and buyers who care about stylus input or watching media may want to compare the 12.2-inch screen against alternatives before committing.
Framework is also positioning a Laptop 13 Pro alongside this refresh, pairing Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors with a 21 percent increase in battery capacity and higher energy density cells. Framework That device targets a different buyer, but the parallel refresh suggests Framework is working through its product line systematically rather than updating a single model in isolation.
