Hear me out: The modular Framework Chromebook is worth the $1,000 (for some)

In a world the place most laptops are solely sealed, with no actual option to tweak the {hardware}, Framework’s modular units stand out. The corporate’s first Home windows laptop computer was a strong laptop contemplating the worth – and that’s earlier than you consider the truth that you possibly can swap ports, simply add extra storage or RAM and even improve the processor down the road.

It’s been a bit of over a 12 months because the first Framework laptops launched, and now the corporate has a brand new mannequin, the Framework Laptop computer Chromebook Version (which I will confer with because the Framework Chromebook from right here on out). It presents the identical advantages as its Home windows sibling – specifically, strong industrial design and specs coupled with the promise of customization and future expandability. That mentioned, it’s additionally one of many costlier Chromebooks out there, beginning at $999. That’s some huge cash for a Chromebook – but when it might probably final you 5 years or extra, it could be value the associated fee.

{Hardware}

Visually, the Framework Chromebook has little to differentiate it. That’s not essentially a foul factor, however it is rather utilitarian, with a silver aluminum chassis that resembles so many different units on the market. Nonetheless, it’s a fairly compact system, lower than two-thirds of an inch thick and weighing underneath three kilos. A cultured reflective Framework brand on the lid is the one factor distinguishing it from an Acer, ASUS and different manufacturers’ laptops.

A day or two later, I found that the Framework Chromebook does have one little bit of aptitude: the black bezel across the display is magnetic and simply detachable. Framework truly supplied me with a enjoyable orange possibility, which I left on. It’s also possible to get a silver bezel in order for you, however orange is a private favourite. I’m hoping the corporate provides a couple of extra colours sooner or later as effectively.

Inside that bezel is a 1080p webcam that’s completely superb for video calling. Additionally of curiosity is the truth that there are {hardware} switches for disabling the digicam and microphones. This isn’t only a software program trick both; the switches truly minimize the facility to these modules, making it a reasonably safe possibility (although a bodily cowl over the digicam can be fairly impenetrable, too).

Whereas Framework units are upgradeable, a couple of issues are extra everlasting – specifically, the show and keyboard. (You’ll be able to change each in the event that they break, however there aren’t extra superior variations to improve your laptop computer with right now. That would change, in fact). Happily, each are wonderful, as you’d hope for in a laptop computer at this worth. The 13.5-inch show has a excessive decision of two,256 x 1,504, which interprets to  a taller 3:2 facet ratio that I want have been extra frequent.

The principle draw back is that it’s not a touchscreen, one thing you’ll discover on most Chromebooks. That makes putting in touch-driven Android apps much less interesting, although at this level a lot of the apps I take advantage of (Lightroom, Todoist, Spotify and video apps like Netflix) work superb with a keyboard and mouse. That minor disappointment apart, the display is nice. Textual content and pictures are sharp, and its 400-nit max brightness is greater than enough until you’ve got daylight coming by way of and shining proper on the show.

As you’d anticipate, Framework swapped out the Home windows keyboard structure for one that can really feel acquainted to Chromebook customers, with the “every little thing” button on the left instead of caps lock and the perform row shortcuts like again, refresh and screenshot proper the place I anticipated. There’s no Google Assistant key, however you possibly can simply entry the Assistant within the ChromeOS search bar should you’re so inclined. The keyboard itself is great; the backlit buttons have 1.5mm of journey and are strong and exact. The important thing caps are a bit small, nevertheless it didn’t take me lengthy to regulate. I do want that Framework included the fingerprint sensor discovered on its Home windows laptop computer, although. Provided that loads of different Chromebooks help fingerprint unlocking, I’m stunned it isn’t out there right here.

At $999, the Framework Chromebook isn’t low cost, however the firm didn’t spare any expense with the processor. It options Intel’s Twelfth-generation Core i5-1240P CPU, together with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage on the bottom mannequin. Most Chromebooks with comparable specs are equally priced, so Framework’s laptop computer isn’t excessively costly – however the query, as at all times, is whether or not spending that a lot cash on a ChromeOS system is a good suggestion in any respect.