Review: Framework Laptop 13 (AMD, 2025)

If you bought a Framework Laptop 13 at its original launch in 2021 (or even later), it required a lot of blind faith. The idea of a laptop you could upgrade yourself was spectacular in theory, but whether Framework could deliver on that promise wouldn’t be known for many years.

But here we are, more than four years later, seeing Framework’s grand ambitions come to fruition. Framework has launched new Mainboards—the core component of the laptop with the motherboard, CPU, GPU, and other crucial components—with the latest AMD Ryzen AI 300 series chips. That means you can upgrade your old Framework Laptop 13 to bring it into the modern computing era. While the Mainboard upgrade lacks the battery life improvements of some other laptops in 2025, the Framework Laptop 13 remains a wholly unique PC thanks to its incredible repairability.

For DIY Lovers

As always, there are several ways to buy the Framework Laptop 13. The DIY Edition, my review unit, is the cheapest approach. However, many components arrive separated, meaning you have to piece them together. More on that later. If you own a Framework Laptop 13, you can spend even less by purchasing only the Mainboard, with prices between $449 and $999.

This DIY Edition starts at $899 for the base Ryzen AI 5 340, without RAM or storage, though that does include a display, keyboard, and trackpad. That’s a bit expensive if you don’t already own the storage and memory. Framework charges $80 to add 16 GB of RAM and $69 for 500 GB of storage. Those are solid prices, though you can always save extra cash by shopping around. That’s one of the many benefits of the Framework Laptop 13. Compare that to Microsoft, which charges $200 to double your storage on the Surface Laptop 7.

If you don’t want to install the components yourself, you can always opt for the “Pre-built” model, which costs an extra $200. But let’s be honest: If you’re interested in a Framework machine, putting it together is not just more affordable; it's part of the appeal. Installing the components couldn’t be simpler.

The design of the Framework Laptop hasn’t changed since its original launch. On its own, it’s nothing special. It’s 0.62 inches thick and 2.9 pounds—about average for a laptop of this type. It is slightly wedge-shaped with a generic silver color. The bezels around the screen aren’t as narrow as I’d like, especially along the top and bottom. Most laptops around this price will offer thinner bezels. The thick bezels are there for a reason. Since nearly every aspect of this laptop can be replaced and customized, each element requires an extra degree of engineering. That, after all, is this laptop’s calling card.

The Wi-Fi card is preinstalled this go around, but the DIY Edition comes with the Input Cover Kit separately, meaning you’ll need to attach the keyboard and trackpad after installing the RAM and SSD. Unlike the new Framework Laptop 12, which the company calls its “easiest product ever to repair,” the Framework Laptop 13 uses the older system of installing the input cover, which involves attaching the keyboard with a ribbon connector.

You can easily replace any other already-installed components, such as the battery or speakers. They’re all labeled with QR codes, which link to helpful corresponding videos, making assembly snappy. All the screws are fasteners, meaning you’ll never lose an important screw. The only tricky thing about the DIY Edition is installing Windows 11 (or Linux, if you prefer) and the necessary drivers to get it up and running.

The Framework Laptop 13 has a unique Expansion Card system for ports. You get four slots, two on each side, along with the headphone jack. My unit has three USB-C, one USB-A, and one microSD slot. You’ll need at least one of those USB-C ports for power, meaning you only have three extra ports available. When you order a DIY Edition, you can choose whichever arrangement you want, including more uncommon options like DisplayPort and Ethernet.

I’d probably opt for two USB-C, one USB-A, and a full-size SD card slot. But if I knew I needed an HDMI, I could always swap that in. That’s the beauty of these Expansion Cards, though having one more would be helpful. If more ports are necessary, take a look at the Framework Laptop 16, which offers six Expansion Card slots.

Framing Performance

My test unit came equipped with the Ryzen AI 7 350—an 8-core CPU—the middle option between the 12-core Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and the 6-core Ryzen AI 5 340. It also has a 1-terabyte solid state drive and 16 GB DDR5 RAM. Outside of gaming laptops like the Razer Blade 16, this is my first time testing these new Ryzen AI 300 series chips, as they haven’t been available in many laptops. Framework has yet to announce support for Intel’s latest Core Ultra Series 2 chips. That may come eventually, but your only option is AMD for now.

A lot has changed in the world of Windows laptops in the past year. Thanks to the pressure from Qualcomm’s highly efficient new Snapdragon X chips, Intel and AMD are forced to match the battery life of these new Arm-powered laptops. That's why this is such an important upgrade for the Framework Laptop. Instead of buying an entirely new machine to gain the benefits of longer battery life and on-device AI, you can replace the Mainboard in your Framework Laptop 13 with one of these new AMD chips. The problem is that you can buy a brand new laptop for around $700. That laptop might be one step below the entry-level DIY Edition Framework Laptop, but it’s also $200 less, and about the same as just the Ryzen AI 7 350 Mainboard.

The Ryzen AI 7 350 is on par with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus or Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, give or take. It’s slightly behind in single-core performance, as measured by Cinebench R24, and a half-step ahead in multi-core. These processors aren't known for being a powerhouse. Rather, the focus is all on efficiency. Here’s where the AMD chip is solidly in last place. Battery life on the Framework Laptop 13 is improved from prior models, but it’s not as long as what you get on a Snapdragon X or Core Ultra Series 2 PC.

The light battery test I ran on the Laptop 13 lasted roughly 11 hours, looping a local video at max display brightness. That's eight to 10 hours behind some of the competition, showing how much Intel, Qualcomm, and Apple have raised the bar in the past year. For my typical workload, real-time battery life sank to around 7 and a half hours. That’s around the same as on the original Framework Laptop 13 I tested in 2021. If battery life is your main concern, it may be worth waiting to see if Framework introduces an Intel Core Ultra Series 2 Mainboard.

Peripheral Woes

There are some aspects of the laptop you’ll always be stuck with, namely, the chassis. Laptop designs that take full advantage of the more efficient chips in the future should result in thinner laptops without losing performance. We're already seeing this in effect with thinner gaming laptops than ever.

But it's also worth noting that some of the other components are somewhat outdated as they are right now. The webcam is a good example. In 2021, when this laptop was first designed, 2-MP webcams at 1080p were a good resolution to expect. Many PCs are moving to 1440p or higher, like the recent M4 MacBook Air. Apple has been upgrading the webcam from 720p in 2020 to 1080p in 2022, and now to 12-MP in 2025. The MacBook Air today costs the same as the MacBook Air from 2020.

The lower-resolution screen in the starting configuration is outdated compared to the competition as well. My unit has a higher-resolution 2,880 x 1,920 IPS panel with a 120-Hz refresh rate, which is more than sharp, fast, and color-accurate enough. The matte finish is great for deflecting glare. But that’s in a configuration that costs over $1,500. For that price, many laptops offer even sharper OLED panels with significantly higher contrast, and maybe even a touchscreen.

The good news is that there's a strong chance Framework will offer newer components to reflect the current standard. The company sells webcam modules, speaker upgrades, and display kits for older machines, and there's no reason to expect there won't be newer versions soon. But those upgrades will cost extra, and once again, you're putting your faith in Framework to deliver.

Fortunately, the Framework Laptop 13 is still a great starting place, and it’ll be many more years before it feels truly outdated. Today, it’s more than just a practical answer to the problem of electronic waste. It’s a truly one-of-a-kind laptop.