Framework review
Updated September 30, 2026 · GizmoCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026
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Our verdict
Framework suits buyers who plan to keep a machine for years and like choosing their own parts, and it scores 8.8 overall. Framework starts at $499 for a laptop, which is not the lowest figure among the brands compared, while warranty cover runs 1 year.
Key facts
- Best for
- Buyers who set their own specification and keep a machine for years rather than swap it.
- Price from
- $499 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Build to order
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Warranty
- 1 year (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Return window
- 30 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Most memory (GB)
- 128 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Markets
- AU, AT, BE, BG, CA, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GE, GR, HR, HU, IE, IT, LT, LU, LV, MT, NL, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, SE, SG, SI, SK, TW, US (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Framework Computer Inc (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Founded
- 2020 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Products
- Laptop, Gaming laptop, Mini pc, Gaming pc
- Operating systems
- Windows, Linux
- Graphics
- Amd, Intel, Nvidia
- Official website
- frame.work
Pros and cons
Pros
- Build to order is offered, so the specification is settled when you order rather than picked for you.
- The range spans laptop, gaming laptop and mini pc, so several computer types come from the same maker with a similar approach.
- Memory reaches 128 GB in the desktop, so a heavier memory load is a decision taken at order time.
- Both Windows and Linux are offered, so Linux and Windows buyers are served by the same maker.
- Framework lists AU, AT and AU, so buyers inside that spread of markets can order directly.
Cons
- Warranty cover of 1 year is the weak side of the deal, and the upper quartile for warranty length on the site runs 2, so buyers keeping a machine longer feel it.
- Support runs on email, help centre and community only, while 53.9% of brands on the site add phone support.
- Framework's entry price of $499 is not the cheapest figure in this comparison, so a buyer on a tight budget has other machines to weigh.
Who it suits
- Buyers who settle on their own specification, since build to order is offered.
- Linux users as much as Windows users, because both Windows and Linux are offered.
- Shoppers inside AU, AT and AU who want several computer types from the same maker.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who want a machine off a shelf rather than a specification set at order, where GEEKOM's mini pc and laptop are the closer fit for a quick small PC purchase.
- Readers who want every computer type compared side by side, since Scan lists laptop, gaming laptop and desktop under a single roof while Framework is built to order.
- Gaming desktop buyers, since CyberPowerPC lists laptop, gaming laptop and desktop and Framework's laptop, gaming laptop and mini pc does not list a desktop.
Where it sits among rivals
On price from, Framework sits at 21 of 34 brands in the comparison, which puts the entry figure in the middle of the field rather than at either end. Warranty length reads friendlier by comparison, at 14 of 34. Both lists cover the same 34 brands, so a reader weighing price against cover sees a mid-priced brand that does not extend warranty length as far as the names above it.
What it does well
Build to order is offered, so the specification is settled when you order rather than picked for you. Memory reaches 128 GB in the desktop, which means a heavier memory load is a decision taken at the point of order rather than a search through fixed models. Returns of 30 days carry more weight for a machine assembled this way, since there is no shelf stock to step in while you decide. Warranty cover of 1 year is the part to weigh against rivals before committing to a machine you expect to keep for years.
Who runs it
Framework is run by Framework Computer Inc, a company founded in 2020 and based in the US. The warranty is backed by a named company rather than a trading name. Support runs on email, help centre and community, so questions are answered in writing, through the help centre or by other owners in the community. Buyers who prefer to pick up the phone are better served by a rival that offers it.
How Framework compares
- 8.8 vs 9.1
- 8.8 vs 8.6
8.8 vs 8.7
8.8 vs 8.8- 8.8 vs 8.6
- 8.8 vs 9.1
8.8 vs 8.8
8.8 vs 9.2- 8.8 vs 9.1
- 8.8 vs 8.9
- 8.8 vs 9.2
8.8 vs 9.0
8.8 vs 9.3- 8.8 vs 9.5
8.8 vs 9.5
8.8 vs 9.4- 8.8 vs 9.3
- 8.8 vs 9.1
8.8 vs 9.0- 8.8 vs 9.0
- 8.8 vs 8.9
8.8 vs 8.8
8.8 vs 8.6
8.8 vs 8.6
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Frequently asked questions
How much does a Framework machine cost at entry?+
Pricing starts at $499 for a Framework laptop, and that figure places the brand at 21 of 34 in the price ranking. The same maker covers laptop, gaming laptop and mini pc, so a mini PC or a gaming PC is configured rather than bought as a separate budget.
How long is the warranty?+
Warranty cover runs 1 year, which matches 1 across the brands on the site, while the upper quartile sits at 2. Buyers keeping a machine for years should weigh that gap carefully, because cover is the part that ages worst.
What is the return window?+
Returns of 30 days apply, which matters more here than at many rivals because the machine is built to order rather than pulled from a shelf. If the specification turns out to be wrong, that window is the time available to change your mind, and 30 days is the figure to plan around.
Which operating systems can I run?+
Both Windows and Linux are offered, so a Linux build and a Windows user can order from the same maker. Across the site, Windows appears on 48.6% of brands and Linux on 8.3%, which leaves Framework on the less common side of the field for Linux.
Where does Framework sell and how is it supported?+
Framework is based in the US and lists AU, AT and AU, so buyers inside those markets have a direct route to order. Support runs on email, help centre and community, which means written replies and community answers rather than a phone line. Anyone buying from outside that list should read the terms for their own country first.
What can I actually configure?+
Build to order is offered, so the specification is chosen when you order. The range spans laptop, gaming laptop and mini pc, and memory reaches 128 GB in the desktop, so a buyer who needs a larger memory load can ask for it at the point of ordering rather than searching a fixed list of models.
Is Framework the right choice for me?+
Framework suits buyers who intend to keep a machine for a long stretch and want to set the specification themselves, since build to order is offered. A bargain shopper on a small PC may prefer GEEKOM, which lists mini pc and laptop, while Scan suits readers who want every computer type compared at once with laptop, gaming laptop and desktop.
Which graphics options are on offer?+
Framework offers amd, intel and nvidia, which spans the mainstream choices rather than a single supplier. Nvidia appears on 70.3% of brands, AMD on 67.6% and Intel on 59.5%, so the graphics list sits with the field rather than apart from it.
Sources
- frame.work checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Graphics, Products, Support channels
“Framework Laptop 16 is an endlessly customizable laptop with upgradeable graphics, powered by NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 and AMD's latest Ryzen AI 300 Series Processors.”
- frame.work/about checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Build to order, Founded, Headquarters
“our DIY Editions where you can bring your own memory, storage, and OS”
- frame.work/desktop checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Most memory (GB)
“AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 - 128GB 128GB LPDDR5x-8000 memory (soldered)”
- frame.work/laptop12 checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Operating systems, Price from
“Choose between pre-installed Fedora 44 KDE Plasma or Windows 11 Home or Pro”
- frame.work/locale/edit checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Markets
“Choose Location and Language: Canada, United States, Singapore, Switzerland, Ireland, United Kingdom, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Poland, Spain, Malta, Finland, Slovakia, Hungary, Luxembourg, Austria,...”
- frame.work/terms-of-sale checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Return window
“You have the right to return a Product that is purchased on the Marketplace within 30 days from the date of receipt of the Product without giving any reason or justification.”
- frame.work/warranty checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Legal entity, Warranty
“Framework Computer Inc, 447 Sutter St, PMB 135, San Francisco, CA, 94108-4618, United States”
Compiled from 7 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.
What changed
- September 30, 2026: axisScores cost was 9.1, now 9.0
Framework
Buyers who set their own specification and keep a machine for years rather than swap it.