Framework's sleek new Laptop 13 Pro is built for power users, but it shares similar ambitions to the Neo: Windows users seeking alternatives.
ZDNET's key takeaways
- The Laptop 13 Pro is Framework's latest modular laptop.
- Some consumers are seeking alternatives to Windows.
- The 13 Pro and the MacBook Neo differ, but there is overlap.
When Framework CEO Nirav Patel announced the company's new Laptop 13 Pro, he called it the "MacBook Pro for Linux users", highlighting its sleek new build and premium touches -- combined with the modularity and customization Framework's laptops are known for.
You can certainly draw comparisons to the MacBook Pro. However, the more timely comparison here is to the MacBook Neo, Apple's 13-inch, $599 laptop that has shaken up the affordable PC market not just because of its price, but also because of its improved repairability.
Also: I saw Framework's new 'MacBook Pro for Linux users,' and it may entice Windows fans, too
Other PC makers have admitted the Neo is a big deal for budget laptop makers; Nick Wu, CFO of Asus, called the MacBook Neo "a shock to the entire market". But Framework's Patel told me in a recent video call that his company is well-situated to take on the Neo.
An alternative to stock Windows PCs
"Of all the PC brands out there, we're probably the least impacted," he said. "We launched the [Framework] 12 a year ago in response to the sub-$1,000 market, which is pretty dismal."
He's not wrong. Framework's entire _modus operandi_ is to offer an alternative to stock Windows PCs, both at the lower and higher ends. In that sense, Framework is not really a part of the product demographic that the Neo has in its crosshairs; it's actually working toward the same goal as Apple.
Budget PCs, in particular, have offered consumers too little for too long, resting on their laurels with dingy displays, plasticky builds, and excessive bloatware, while upselling Microsoft 365 and potentially soonsubscriptions to the Windows OS itself. Now, consumers are increasingly looking toward alternatives.
Also:After using MacBook Neo, it's clear Windows needs to rethink its PC strategy (and fast)
"This industry wants you to own nothing and be happy," Patel said in the Laptop 13 Pro's livestream. "We're fighting for a future where you can own everything for free." By _"free_," he means a starting price of $1,199 for the DIY version of the Laptop 13 Pro with your own OS (including Linux), a laptop that's forward- and backward-compatible, entirely modular, and deeply customizable.
MacBook Neo in silver.
This approach is not just theoretical. Patel actually reviewed the MacBook Neo himself, taking it apart side-by-side with the new Laptop 13 Pro to compare the two laptops' ease of access and repairability. It's no surprise that the Framework was fully disassembled long before the Neo's mainboard was remotely accessible. However, it should be noted that the Neo is Apple's "most repairable laptop in 14 years,"as iFixit dubbed it.
I have not yet gone hands-on with Framework's Laptop 13 Pro, but I've seen private demos, and so far, it looks like a win for consumers seeking a modular, repairable laptop that doesn't feel like it was slapped together with random parts and mismatched screws. I reviewed Framework's 12- and 16-inch laptops last year, and they're fantastic.
But their modular design creates physical inconsistencies, and the 85Wh battery in the 16-inch didn't even last the entire workday for me.
Also: The case for buying a MacBook Neo right now - especially for students
I wasn't the only one to make these critiques. Patel placed customer feedback at the center of the 13 Pro's design approach, resulting in a svelte, three-pound chassis, a single-plate bottom cover with a haptic touchpad, a custom LCD display, and a marathon battery, thanks in part to its Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors.
If this laptop is to be the "ultimate portable developer and power user machine", it needs to look and feel the part. Apple nailed this approach with the Neo, and it looks like Framework may have done the same.
These companies may be traveling on different sides of the road, but Framework's Laptop 13 Pro and the MacBook Neo may have more in common than the Windows PCs that are in their crosshairs.
