Framework Laptop 13 With Intel Core Ultra Series, 2.8K 120Hz Display
The Core Ultra Series 1 option for the Framework 13 also comes just a matter of weeks before the Intel Core Ultra Series 2 (Lunar Lake) is launching and will begin appearing in laptops. It will be interesting to see how Lunar Lake performs and how the Linux support is -- it should be good at launch, but the big open item is the Xe2 integrated graphics still stabilizing -- so a bit unfortunate to see the Meteor Lake motherboard for the Framework 13 coming out just a month prior to the next-generation Intel laptop launch.
Hopefully moving forward Framework will be able to keep-up with launching new motherboard/SoC options in a more timely manner following the new SoC announcements from both Intel and AMD.
👁 Framework 13 motherboard installation
The Ryzen 7 7840U tended to deliver better performance overall than the Core Ultra 7 155H but this Meteor Lake option for the Framework 13 is nice for those preferring Intel cores, wanting to leverage OpenCL / Level Zero with more robust GPU compute support than the RDNA3 integrated graphics support with the AMD motherboard, the Intel Arc Graphics delivering better OpenGL/Vulkan performance in some areas, or wanting to make use of the Meteor Lake NPU. Intel continues to lead right now for the upstream and mainline Intel NPU support compared to the Ryzen AI XDNA NPU not yet being found in the mainline Linux kernel and the overall software AMD XDNA software support not yet as well versed yet on Linux as the Intel NPU/iVPU stack.
Besides the new Intel Core Ultra Series 1 motherboard/laptop option, the other great aspect of today's launch is the new 2.8K 120Hz display that is beautiful. It's worth upgrading on its own if a current Framework 13 laptop owner otherwise if purchasing a Framework laptop for the first time that display option is really the way to go if wanting a high resolution, high refresh rate display.
Those wishing to check out these new Framework products can do so at frame.work. Thanks to Framework Computer for supplying the new hardware for review in advance of today's embargo lift. More Framework Laptop Linux benchmarking still to come on Phoronix.
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