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Cake day: October 27th, 2023

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  • ShirleyMarquez@alien.topBtoFrameworkFactory Seconds
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    1 year ago

    Any 11th gen system you bought recently from Framework comes with a newer BIOS than the one that shipped with early systems. But the hardware is unchanged, including the top cover, hinges, and speakers. You might get a mainboard with either the original Realtek audio chip or the newer Tempo chip depending on what they have in stock. (Framework had to switch because of unavailability of the Realtek chips at the time; you can read more at https://frame.work/blog/solving-for-silicon-shortages 12th and 13th gen Intel have the Tempo chip; AMD has the Realtek.) Expansion modules are sold separately; you can still buy the original HDMI and DisplayPort modules at a reduced price or go for the new ones.

    I still have the original hinges in my Framework 13 that is now upgraded to Ryzen. But I did buy the CNC top cover when that came out.



  • I advise not buying 100W USB-C cables any more. Step up to 240W cables, which also work at the 100W level. Same current rating (5A), but the construction is certified for use at 48V for 240W power delivery. For less demanding applications like charging your phone on the go you can buy 60W cables; they’re rated for less current (3A) so they can be thinner.


  • ShirleyMarquez@alien.topBtoFrameworkAMD vs Intel
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    1 year ago

    CPU performance is in the same ballpark. Intel is a tad better at single-core, Ryzen is better at multi-core. You won’t be unhappy with either.

    Ryzen appears to be somewhat better for battery life. But no Framework configuration is a champion in that category, in part because of the socketed RAM. LPDDR4X and LPDDR5X use less power than standard DDR4 and DDR5 but they’re not available in modules, they have to be soldered onto the motherboard. (I think the issue is the super-low voltages they use; there isn’t enough noise margin for socketed memory.) I’m willing to accept that in exchange for easy repair and expansion.

    The Ryzen 7000 series blows 13th generation Intel out of the water at graphics performance; you can expect somewhere near double the frame rate at comparable game settings if the game is GPU-bound. (14th generation Intel may get them back in the game [sic] but that hasn’t been announced yet; based on Framework’s past record it will come in spring or summer 2024.) If you care about graphics you’ll want to switch the Ryzen BIOS to gaming mode; that allocates 4 GB to graphics instead of 512 MB. If you have only 16 GB of RAM you might want to switch back and forth (requires a reboot) depending on what you are doing; if you have 32 GB or more just leave your system in gaming mode all the time, you’ll still have plenty of RAM for everything else.


  • That RAM should be fine, and 32 GB is enough for most users. I played safe and got mine from Framework, but it is less expensive elsewhere. You want DDR5-5600 for the Framework; some people have had trouble with RAM with lower specs. The CL specification isn’t important for it working or not, but lower is better for speed. You bought the 7640U so you’re probably not concerned with absolute maximum speed.

    I went with a 2 TB Solidigm P44 Pro in mine. They also have smaller versions. The SK Hynix P41 Platinum is essentially the same drive, but the Solidigm version is usually less expensive. (Solidigm used to be Intel’s SSD division until they sold it to SK Hynix. Some Solidigm drives use designs left over from the Intel days but the P44 Pro does not.) It gets high scores for both speed and power efficiency.

    Unless you’re trying to get as much battery life as possible, any high quality SSD should be fine. A Gen 4 drive will be faster and use more peak power, but since it gets its job done in less time the total power consumption is comparable.