Budget-friendly laptops may save you money in the near term, but if they’re cheaply made and quickly outdated, you may end up needing to replace them soon after. That’s why Framework’s ethos is such a perfect fit for budget laptops. Being able to upgrade or replace nearly every component on the device yourself, in theory, means many more years of life for your laptop, keeping devices out of landfills.
The new Framework Laptop 12 starts at just $549 for the DIY Edition, a fantastic deal for the price, but also a laptop that could potentially last much, much longer than your average machine.
Plastic Please
Photograph: Luke Larsen
The Framework Laptop 12 is the third major product in the lineup so far. The company first launched the Framework Laptop 13 in 2022, followed by a larger (and more powerful) 16-inch model. But the 12-inch laptop is unique, however, as it’s not only the smallest but also the cheapest, bringing the Framework philosophy to a whole new demographic. The Framework Laptop 12 bears a resemblance to student laptops, especially Chromebooks. These are designed to withstand some abuse, making it an appropriate fit for schools.
Although it uses just a 12.2-inch screen, its overall footprint on the table is a bit bigger than you’d assume. Due to the almost comically large bezels around the display, the device is larger in some dimensions than some 13-inch laptops, like the Dell XPS 13. It’s so thick (and the bezels are so chunky) that it’s even taller than the 13-inch MacBook Air with the lid open, despite having over an inch less screen to work with. It’s a tiny screen to work on, especially compared to how large the device feels to carry.
There are a few interesting bits about the screen. It’s the first Framework device to feature a 16:10 aspect ratio and a glossy touchscreen. The Framework Laptop 13 and 16 both have matte displays. But the reason for the touchscreen is that this is a 2-in-1 laptop, meaning the hinge can rotate around 360 degrees. There’s even a stylus you can buy for taking notes or drawing, though mine did not come with it.
Photograph: Luke Larsen
Photograph: Luke Larsen
That also means it can’t open easily with one hand. There’s no lip for your finger either, so you’ll need both hands to pry it open. Thankfully, the build quality is decent. It’s made out of plastic, yes, so there’s some give in the keyboard and lid. But Framework says it has an “inner metal structure” that gives it its fairly robust feel. It doesn’t feel flimsy at all. Framework is also using “overmolded, shock-absorbing” thermoplastic to reinforce the edges, ensuring it doesn’t get nicked or dented. That’s not unlike what you see on budget Chromebooks meant for the classroom.
The quality of the display is hit or miss. The colors are the biggest detriment to the display and the laptop as a whole. It has an ugly green tint, which I confirmed with my Spyder colorimeter. It’s typical for laptops of this price, but still disappointing to see. The good news is it’s plenty sharp at 1,920 x 1,200-pixel resolution and quite bright, maxing out at 434 nits of brightness. That helps.
While the display has its deficiencies, the Framework Laptop 12 has some strong points in its favor. The first is the keyboard, which feels fantastic to type on with its 1.5-millimeter key travel. Perhaps even more surprising is the touchpad. It’s common to see unresponsive touchpads at this price that feel clunky to swipe across or have stiff, loud click mechanisms. That’s even true on cheap laptops I like, such as the Asus Vivobook 14. But the Framework Laptop 12 has a high-end touchpad that’s every bit as smooth and responsive to use as a MacBook or Microsoft Surface. It doesn’t offer haptic feedback like those, but the click mechanism is quiet and precise. This might feel like a small reason to like the Framework Laptop 12, but as the parts of the laptop you interact with directly the most, they go a long way toward making it feel premium rather than cheap.
