Framework, a modular laptop manufacturer, has just unveiled a major upgrade to its Laptop 13, now powered by AMD's Ryzen AI 300 'Strix Point' processors. This marks the company's second laptop to feature AMD processors, offering improved performance, AI capabilities, and gaming chops. The new laptop is available in various configurations, including a DIY option starting at $899 and a prebuilt version starting at $1,099.

The Ryzen AI 300 'Strix Point' processors bring a significant boost to the laptop's performance, with options ranging from the Ryzen 5 to the Ryzen 9 HX 370, featuring 12 CPU cores. This upgrade also makes the Framework Laptop 13 the company's first Copilot Plus PC, enabling advanced AI capabilities. Additionally, the laptop inherits the upgrades from last year's Intel Core Ultra model, including an optional 2.8K 120Hz screen and an improved webcam.

Other notable upgrades include a new cooling system with a single larger 10mm heatpipe, similar to the one found in the Core Ultra model, and a Honeywell PTM7958 phase change thermal interface material. The laptop's ports have also been enhanced, allowing users to power four external displays from each of its four ports, up from three on the previous AMD model. Furthermore, the laptop features Wi-Fi 7 connectivity and a new key structure on the wide keys, such as the spacebar and shift, which reduces buzzing when the speakers are cranked up.

The laptop's keyboard is also noteworthy, as it features Microsoft's mandatory Copilot key if purchased as a prebuilt Windows 11 laptop. However, users can opt for a DIY version without the Copilot key. Framework has also introduced translucent bezels in new colors, including purple, green, and black, as well as matching translucent USB-C expansion cards.

The new Framework Laptop 13 boards and laptops are available to order today, with shipping expected to begin in April. As a result, the company is reducing the price of its previous-gen AMD notebooks. Framework's CEO, Nirav Patel, expressed his confidence in the company's growth, stating that it is now the fastest-growing laptop brand and "probably the only company that can announce a product that looks the same four years in a row and get cheers."

Patel emphasized the company's commitment to product longevity, saying, "We're proving it's possible to build a company around product longevity by actually doing it." This focus on sustainability and upgradability has been a core aspect of Framework's approach to laptop design, setting it apart from other manufacturers in the industry.

The upgraded Framework Laptop 13 is an exciting development in the world of modular laptops, offering users a powerful, customizable, and sustainable computing solution. As the company continues to innovate and push the boundaries of laptop design, it will be interesting to see how its competitors respond to this new benchmark.