June 3, 2023

interteiment

Innovation Leader

My favorite laptop of the year was completely unexpected

The Framework Laptop has been on my mind a lot these last few weeks. As 2021 winds down around us, I’ve been thinking about all the notable things that happened in the laptop market this year. It’s my job to care about that stuff here at Tom’s Guide, and 2021 has been a good year to be in this position because there’s been a slew of intriguing developments pushing the industry forward.

This was the year Apple blew away our expectations of what a MacBook can do with its bespoke M1 chips. It was the year Intel Tiger Lake arrived, helping Windows laptops achieve new heights of power and efficiency. And of course, this was the year we met Windows 11, the follow-up to Windows 10 we never expected.

But for me, the most exciting thing that happened in the world of laptops this year was the debut of the Framework Laptop. In our Framework Laptop review we called it the anti-MacBook, and with good reason: the Framework is designed from the ground up to be customizable and repairable, the antithesis of Apple’s MacBooks with their soldered-on components and chassis intentionally designed to be hard to open. 

Framework Laptop review

Unlike most laptops, the Framework is not hard to open. (Image credit: Future)

Of course, it’s unfair to single out Apple for such behavior. Most laptop manufacturers don’t design their products to be easily repaired or modified by the owner, though it has been nice to see more laptops hitting the market with upgradeable memory and storage.

The Framework truly is the most owner-friendly laptop I’ve ever used.

https://www.tomsguide.com/opinion/my-favorite-laptop-of-the-year-was-completely-unexpected