The Framework Laptop 16 Is Trying To Bring Back Snapon Removable Batteries

© Image: Framework Framework Laptop 16's docking station is also known to be designed to hold a secondary battery.

I might have changed my mind about buying a Framework 13 laptop this year, but I'm not satisfied with the company's products. Hell, I'm even more excited than ever, because it looks like Framework is seriously considering putting a second removable battery into the laptop.

A week ago today, the modular laptop company promised you could replace your entire 16-inch laptop with a decent graphics chip, an extra fan or a pair of SSDs, and/or a replacement frame to add a 16-key laptop keyboard, such as a numeric keypad or LEDs or virtual piano keys. He promised more details later that year.

But the framework doesn't stop there, it also publishes its design specification on GitHub for all to see. This is what I learned while digging.

Long battery life is back on the menu

If you need a graphics card, slide it directly into the back of the laptop - power, data, work - you may need extra pins. As you will soon see, the laptop framework 16 connector has 148 contacts between the laptop motherboard and daughter boards, which you will find in each module. And the framework showed what works.

On GitHub, Framework shares all the pins, and I would like to draw your attention to numbers 41 and 63: the first " allows power to return from the docking station to the laptop in the battery state . The second can, among other things, " check that the 2nd battery is removed ". Oh, and Pin #62 is specifically labeled "Second Battery I/O Pin ".

While the pinout also indicates that the Framework Laptop 16 can use a USB-C PD port connected to a docking station module in the same way , the company thinks it can use two batteries with this notebook .

A big load?

Speaking of USB-C PD power, another part of the pinout indicates that FrameWork predicts that this laptop could one day exceed 100W of charging power. Pin #39 " goes high when connected to a power source PD>=180W, " according to the company.

Also pin no. 1 says " When Vsys 20V is connected to a high power adapter, the maximum is up to 10.5A" , which means that the framework estimates that a power supply of up to 210 W can be connected to this machine - although this is the case. The mod can use the connector barrel for power instead of the 240W PD 2.1 USB-C cable.

You may also be happy to hear that there are dedicated PWM speed controls for the two independent fans - so in theory you should be able to adjust the expansion module's sound level - and "to the GPU" control pins. At a minimum power level. As with most laptops, you can save battery life by attaching a separate GPU and switching to integrated graphics.

The pinout confirms the expected range of the expansion unit module. In case you missed it in the CEO blog post, you'll find eight PCI Express lanes for the GPU and SSD. It's not the 16 lanes you'd get from a desktop computer, but it's better than the PCIe x4 that occupied early external GPUs.

Hey modders - the entire keyboard collection is available

I didn't realize it until I saw the Linux Tech Tips video, but the entire laptop surface is input module town. It's a big canvas. Here's a screenshot of Linus' video, as he (as an investor in the company) is the only one who has shown Framework so far:

On GitHub, the company explains that you can create three types of forms, all using the same spring contacts that you see in the center.

Keyboard size module (width 283.16 mm)

Keyboard size module (width 67.85 mm)

Half format module (width 33.825 mm)

Each is 3.7mm tall and approximately 114.35mm deep and can handle up to 500mA at 5V and 100mA at 3.3V. The system tells them when the computer is idle and shuts it down just like a normal computer. Laptop touchpads and keyboards are waiting for you to type to activate the machine.

No need to drive the module! At last week's frame work event, I saw small pieces of wood, metal, plastic, and even marble that can be placed next to a keyboard or trackpad to give your machine a unique look.

But Framework has created a few sample modules for those who want some juice, each running on a Raspberry Pi RP2040 chip. And Linus touched on something we didn't get to try last week: an ultra-low-power second display.

The framework calls this prototype module the B1 Display, and the 4.2-inch 300 x 400 pixel black and white display is designed to be anything but a bit dim at first glance, and to be updated only once. year. seconds (or alternatively up to 32 fps) with very low power consumption. Think PalmPilot or the original Game Boy.

It can display your animated GIF, switch to an inverted color dark mode, and default to a screen saver, in part because "the current panel is subject to image retention," the framework writes.

Looking for something small or bright? Get the LED Framework matrix. The company's GitHub shows that it has nine columns and 34 rows with a total of 306 LEDs, supports grayscale and black-and-white images, and can already play animated templates, scroll content vertically, display a clock, or rotate images. . Game.

Here's a moment from Pong :

According to the documentation, it can run Tetris , Snake , and even a working copy of Conway's Game of Life . Yes, in theory you could run a full Turing simulation next to the keyboard as you type.

It is programmed to turn off the light slowly when the laptop is in sleep mode. Here's the back of the LED Array Module prototype so you can see how it sits:

Remember, it's not clear how many modules the framework will build itself or decide to actually sell. The 40-member company doesn't invest as much as it can and doesn't produce many of its own modules. The reason he released the documentation and pre-launched Laptop Framework 16 was because he didn't want to do it himself. Everyone from large corporations to individual hackers wants to create great new coins for the ecosystem.

The Laptop 16 framework is the best computer concept I've seen in years, so I hope it works. We'll have full official details, pricing and more later this year.

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