I upgraded my laptop!

I purchased a Framework laptop about 6 months ago. It’s been a lovely experience from purchase, to build/setup, to repair. I do have some qualms with the device, one of which I recently eliminated, but it gets 90% to being the perfect laptop either way. Maybe after a few more upgrades it will be the perfect one?

Let me start by explaining the qualm that was recently squashed. Anytime I moved/lifted the Framework while holding an edge of the bottom-case, its hinge couldn’t support the display’s weight, so the screen would tilt open/closed on its own. The hinge my device shipped with has an actuation force of 3.3kg. In Framework’s defense, the hinge was designed with one-handed-opening in mind but I digress. Luckily Framework started selling a new hinge kit with an actuation force of 4.4kg! I scooped one up as soon as it was available and when it arrived, with the help of an easily obtainable repair guide, had it installed in about 45 minutes. I wanted to take things reaaal slow the first time I completed the repair (to avoid any accidental breakage). If I need to complete the repair again, It’ll probably take ~20 minutes.

When the repair was done I had a realization that this was my future with personal computing. I won’t need to replace my entire laptop when the time to upgrade comes: Framework sells CPU/board upgrade kits. I don’t need to max out any specs at the time of purchase: all of the components can be upgraded or replaced as needed. I don’t even need to be satisfied with how the laptop currently looks/feels: there are existing ways to personalize the device, likely more ways to come, and I’ve already improved the thing with a new hinge! Knowing that, in theory, this laptop will be around indefinitely is pretty refreshing.

Did I mention that I can re-purpose the components I replace - including the main board - without any fuss from Framework? Sure, it’s unlikely that I’ll solve the increasingly important issue of e-waste by upgrading my laptop instead of replacing it. But to be succinct, I think the change that Framework is hoping to make has potential to be the catalyst of something much more impactful.