Upgradable Framework Laptop Gets Marketplace to Buy Swappable Parts

Upgradable Framework Laptop Gets Marketplace to Buy Swappable Parts

The fully customizable Framework Laptop now has an online store, where owners can buy swappable modules and other components to upgrade the PC. 

Framework Computer announced the opening on the marketplace on Tuesday, and it covers a whole range of products, including expansion cards, storage, motherboard replacements, and even the frame around the laptop’s screen. 

Some of the products are still listed as “coming soon,” but the company has big ambitions for the store. “Replacement parts and upgrades are of course just the start of the Marketplace,” the California-based vendor wrote in a blog post. “We’ll be adding a broad range of additional customization modules like keyboards in a range of languages and bezels in a variety of colors through the rest of the year.”


(Framework)

The marketplace will also feature components from third-party vendors and “community developed modules” too. 

The modules refer to the four bays under the Framework Laptop, where you can slot in expansion cards. Options currently include more memory and ports for a USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, microSD, and DisplayPort. But the company is hoping other developers build on the expansion cards with additional functions that buyers will be able to easily swap in and swap out. 

The four bays underneath the laptop.

“We’re already seeing some fantastic projects coming out of the Expansion Card Developer Program, and we’re looking forward to seeing the continued creativity there and on other parts of the Framework Laptop,” the company added. 

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In addition to selling brand new parts, the Framework Marketplace is going to be a place where owners can resell refurbished products and modules. “Our vision for Framework Marketplace is to keep every physical object in our product ecosystems in active and productive use for as long as possible, instead of sitting in a drawer or going into the landfill,” the company said. “We’ll have much more to share on this topic over the next year.” 

The Framework Laptop received an “Excellent” score in our review for being the rare notebook you can customize and repair on your own. The big question is how the upgradability will fare over time as next-generation CPUs and components enter the market.

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https://www.pcmag.com/news/upgradable-framework-laptop-gets-marketplace-to-buy-swappable-parts