Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition Review

When Framework announced its first user-repairable and upgradable laptop, it was the sort of thing that made us sit up and pay attention. The laptop world is full of beautiful, slim machines that can't really be modified much after purchase, leading to heaps of old laptops winding up in landfills every year. So, we were eager to revisit our review of the Framework Laptop to see how well the startup could reimagine the laptop with more accessibility and sustainability. Even more exciting was hearing about Framework's next project: a Chromebook with all the same repair and upgrade options.

The Framework Chromebook (starts at $999, $1,106 as tested) uses the same general design as its Windows counterpart, with upgradable memory, storage, ports, and even a swappable display. This is all built on top of a motherboard that can be replaced when you need to bump up to the next generation of CPU. But, with ChromeOS, it's a little cheaper, a little longer-lasting, and a better long-term investment. The result is one of the best Chromebooks you can buy—and a unique one, at that.

The Framework Design, Chromed Over

Framework's laptop design starts with a simple core concept: Everything is user-accessible, right down to the motherboard. Simple screws hold it together instead of the inscrutable Torx screws and layers of glue that hold together components in some modern laptop designs. Plus, everything isn't just accessible, every part can be removed, swapped, and upgraded: RAM, storage, battery, display panel, touchpad, keyboard, webcam—even the display bezel and I/O ports can be swapped out.

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

That sort of design means that you can customize your machine at the component level, something that is rare enough in Windows machines, but flat-out unheard of in a Chromebook.

It's also a win for sustainability, and not only because component upgrades translate into fewer laptops being discarded. It's also because everything is made with recycled materials, with a focus on using post-consumer recycled plastic and aluminum wherever possible, and recycled paper in all of the packaging materials.

As mentioned before, using ChromeOS can stretch the life of this hardware before even considering upgrades or repairs. Google's cloud-based operating system is already a smart choice if it provides the capabilities you need, since it supports Chromebooks for eight full years—this is comparable with Windows support but without the extra expense. Even better, because ChromeOS is less reliant on the latest hardware to stay relevant, Framework's upgradable design promises a Chromebook that can feel ahead of the curve for years to come. A Windows machine might start to feel dated much sooner as it gets bogged down with updates to an already large OS, fragmented data, and digital cruft from old files and programs.

Measuring 0.62 by 11.7 by 9 inches, the Framework is surprisingly slim and, at 2.9 pounds, it's also light. Those are the same dimensions as the Windows model, and nearly every upgrade and component option available on the Framework Laptop is also there for the Framework Chromebook. For the end user, this means you'll be able to customize your Chromebook in a number of ways.

The Swappable-Ports Concept

The most accessible upgrade option on the Framework design is the port selection. With a pair of modular bays on either side of the laptop, you can mix and match port modules to get exactly the mix you want.

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

You get a pretty good mix to start with, though; in every bay is a USB-C port, and each of those can be used for charging, DisplayPort-over-USB-C video-out, or Thunderbolt 4 functionality. As a standard, the Framework Chromebook comes with those four USB-C port modules, but you can also opt to buy different modules, with options for USB Type-A, full-size HDMI, full-size DisplayPort, Ethernet, and microSD.

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

Need an Ethernet connection when Wi-Fi won't cut it? You can add that. But when you're done, you could also swap that Ethernet jack for an HDMI output, so you can connect your Chromebook to an external monitor or TV. Need both? It's just a matter of changing modules from one slot to another. Prices for the individual port modules range from $9 to $149, depending on your choice of port.

Wireless connectivity should be just fine, however. The Framework Chromebook comes with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 built-in standard.

A Look at the Display (and Bezel)

Just like the original Framework model, the Framework Chromebook has a 13.5-inch IPS panel with a 2,256-by-1,504-pixel resolution and a 3:2 aspect ratio—all surrounded by a swappable screen bezel. This basic-black bezel that comes with the laptop can be switched out for light gray or orange versions, both sold through the Framework marketplace for $49.

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

The magnetically attached screen bezel can be easily peeled away from the lid without tools. Despite this, the bezel holds in place securely enough that you don't have to worry about it accidentally shifting out of position or getting snagged on the sleeve of someone squeezing past your desk.

Upgrades Galore, and Our Test Configuration

This upgradability extends to virtually every component on the laptop. The modules let you change the port selection, and detachable mainboards let you upgrade when new processors come out. Likewise, the RAM and storage can be scaled up, and you can also swap out the keyboard for different language layouts. Framework even sells keyboard modules with black or clear keycaps for a truly distinctive look…that, admittedly, would be difficult in real-world use in the latter case.

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

Perhaps more important, this also means that every part is accessible for repairs. Wi-Fi antennas, cooling fans, lid hinges, speakers, touchpads, webcams, battery, fingerprint reader: Quite literally, every part of the laptop is user-replaceable and sold for surprisingly reasonable prices through the Framework marketplace(Opens in a new window).

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

Making things even easier for tinkering, individual parts inside the Framework's chassis are clearly labeled and have handy QR codes, so it's simple and instant to find replacement parts for purchase.

Our test model for the Framework Chromebook is outfitted with a 12th Generation Intel Core i5-1240P processor with Intel Iris Xe Graphics, along with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD for storage. Though Framework sells only one configuration of the Chromebook, it can be customized with a collection of ports (using the port-module system), as well as optional upgrades for storage and RAM.

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

With this in mind, our test model went off the “four USB-C modules” standard and came with three USB-C ports, one HDMI output, a USB-A port, and an Ethernet expansion card, along with a swappable orange screen bezel. This all brings the price up just a bit from the base $999 to $1,106.

Testing the Framework Chromebook: Top-Notch ChromeOS Performance

With its Intel Core i5-1240P processor and Intel Iris Xe Graphics, the Framework is one of the better-equipped Chromebooks we've tested, but it's not alone. To see how it stacks up against other premium Chromebooks, we're comparing it with several top models that feature similarly capable hardware.

Some of these are quite similar, like the Acer Chromebook 516 GE, a gaming Chromebook that matches the Framework almost spec for spec, but also adds some gamer-friendly extras, like a high-refresh-rate display and an anti-ghosting keyboard. Others, like the HP Elite Dragonfly and the Acer Chromebook Spin 714, may not have any gaming-specific features, but they still deliver high-end performance, with an Intel Core i5 CPU and Iris Xe graphics.

Plus, because Chromebooks have a longer shelf life than the average laptop, we had no problem finding older units that are still regular recommendations on our “Best Chromebooks” pages, like the Asus Chromebook CX9 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 Chromebook (2021), which use 11th Gen Intel hardware but still deliver an enjoyable Chromebook experience.

Productivity Tests

We test Chromebooks with three overall performance benchmark suites: one ChromeOS, one Android, and one online. The first, Principled Technologies' CrXPRT 2, measures how quickly a system performs everyday tasks in six workloads, such as applying photo effects, graphing a stock portfolio, analyzing DNA sequences, and generating 3D shapes using WebGL.

Our second test, UL's PCMark for Android Work 3.0, performs assorted productivity operations in a smartphone-style window. Finally, Basemark Web 3.0 runs in a browser tab to combine low-level JavaScript calculations with CSS and WebGL content. All three yield numeric scores; higher numbers are better.

In CrXPRT 2 and Basemark Web 3.0, the Framework Chromebook manages to produce higher scores than even other Chrome laptops with the same processor and graphics, such as the Acer Chromebook 516 GE, and it delivers top scores across both tests.

Framework doesn't post the top score for PCMark for Android, but a longer look at that chart will show little variation in the test results. Regardless, Framework's Chromebook still finds itself at the head of the pack with the second-best score we've seen on a Chromebook.

Component and Battery Tests

Oddly, the Framework wouldn't run our Android CPU benchmark, Primate Labs' Geekbench. This was likely due to a software glitch, not a deficiency with the laptop specifically—we saw the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook balk at the same test. The Framework is able to run our Android GPU test, GFXBench 5.0, which stress-tests both low-level graphics routines, like texturing, and high-level, game-like image rendering that exercises graphics and compute shaders, reporting results in frames per second (fps).

Finally, to test a Chromebook's battery, we loop a 720p video file (Tears of Steel(Opens in a new window)) with screen brightness set at 50%, volume at 100%, and Wi-Fi and keyboard backlighting disabled until the system quits. As with most models of this caliber, the Framework has ample room to run the video file off of internal storage. (Systems with less storage will run the same test from an external SSD.)

Here we see the Framework slide down the comparison ladder, as it brings up the rear in the GFXBench 5.0 graphics tests at 1440p (though it holds its own at 1080p). While that may occasionally translate into a noticeable difference if you're working with image-heavy files, the differences are mostly academic on a Chromebook, where browser performance is the main effectiveness indicator. You may not see the best performance when rendering Android games, but that's hardly the most common use case on a Chromebook without a touch screen.

More pertinent to the user experience is battery life, and here the Framework again sits at the bottom of the comparisons with 8 hours and 44 minutes of tested battery life. While nearly 9 hours of battery is nothing to sneeze at, it does fall short of the 10-to-13-hour battery-life numbers put up by some competitors. It will get you through a day of work or school just fine, but if extensive use away from an outlet is your priority, then the Framework isn't the Chromebook to choose.

Verdict: Getting Green With Chrome

The Framework Chromebook is an excellent ChromeOS laptop in terms of performance and features, a success similar in practice to its Windows counterpart. The laptop's well-appointed processor and graphics make it just as ready to stream games as the best gaming Chromebooks, and its chassis is portable without sacrificing sturdy construction or (too much) battery life. The overall Framework package isn't far off from any other premium Chromebook.

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

Of course, the Framework's primary selling point is how it puts the power for repairs, upgrades, and customizations squarely in your hands. The ability to change up the port selection in moments, the option to swap out the keyboard or bezel, and the sheer accessibility when repairs are needed are all things that are largely impossible on any other Chromebook (or most laptops, for that matter). If you want to truly make a Chromebook your own, this is the model to buy. Even better, because ChromeOS systems are less reliant on using the latest hardware to stay relevant, Framework's upgradable design promises a Chromebook that can stay ahead of the times for years to come.

We were happy enough to hear that Framework was applying its design to Chromebooks because it meant that the Framework Laptop was more than just a one-off proof of concept. We're even more delighted to find that the second Framework product is not only another fantastic example of a repairable design that works, but a superb Chromebook in its own right.