Enlarge / Framework is testing and servicing refurbished laptops at a facility in New Jersey and selling refurbished expansion cards to go with them.

Framework, makers of the modular, repairable Framework laptop , has started offering a refurbished version, along with packs of its signature USB-C expansion cards. Lots of hardware makers offer refurbished goods, but Framework's unique position in the laptop market makes this announcement a bit different.

Framework's blog post announcing the new market notes the company's commitment to "remaking consumer electronics to respect people and the planet," and that the company's work to offer previously purchased devices is part of that. Buying refurbished means the laptop (and the planet) sees more use for its already-manufactured parts. And, of course, there's a discount: Refurbished 11th-generation DIY Edition laptops start at $600 in Framework's refurbished marketplace , while a new 11th-generation model is at least $680.

Most of the refurbished models come from returns within the laptops' 30-day guarantee, Framework writes in its post. The laptops go through testing and cleaning in a New Jersey service center, then have parts replaced as needed. Framework notes that it can do this work in Europe or Australia, too, but—in a subtle bit of QA marketing—claims it has "received so few returns" that it can't build that inventory.

Enlarge / It's not specific to Framework, but a number of Framework-owning Linux enthusiasts saw a kernel quirk set their screens flickering this week, potentially with lasting damage. (credit: Andrew Cunningham)

For desktop Linux users, updating to a new Linux kernel typically carries relatively small, contained risks: wonky drivers, GRUB pain, maybe a full wipe and reinstall. For one subset of laptop owners on rolling release distributions, however, kernel version 5.19.2 could cause actual LCD screen damage.

"After looking at some logs we do end up with potentially bogus panel power sequencing delays, which may harm the LCD panel," wrote Intel engineer Ville Syrjälä in a discussion on the issue . "I recommend immediate revert of this stuff, and new stable release ASAP. Plus a recommendation that no one using laptops with Intel GPUs run 5.19.2."

One day later, kernel 5.19.13 was released. But there's a distribution chain between kernel work and distribution desktops, and certain laptop owners were caught up in it.

Enlarge / The Chromebook Edition of the Framework Laptop. (credit: Framework)

Fans of the modular Framework Laptop who also prefer ChromeOS to Windows or Linux are in for a treat: Framework and Google are announcing a Chromebook Edition of the Laptop today . It has the same basic hardware design and works with most of the same parts as the regular Framework Laptop but with tweaks to make it a full-fledged Chromebook.

While you could always take a standard Framework Laptop and install ChromeOS Flex on it, the standard version of ChromeOS still has a few features that Flex doesn't, including Android app support via Google Play, automated firmware updates, and a few other security and device management features .

Framework says that the Chromebook Edition laptop will be available for preorder starting today —a version with a Core i5-1240P CPU will cost $999, although you'll only need to put down $100 to reserve your preorder. Orders begin shipping in December. Framework is also putting parts specific to the Chromebook Edition laptop into its Framework Marketplace parts store .

Enlarge / The Framework Laptop motherboard's 3D-printed case design. Lenovo has a bone to pick with the circular power button design. (credit: Framework)

If you bought the original Framework Laptop and wanted to upgrade its motherboard to the new version so you can benefit from the extra performance of a 12th-generation Core CPU , the company doesn't want you to throw your old motherboard out. To that end, Framework designed and released an open source design for a 3D-printable motherboard case , making it easy to repurpose an old Framework motherboard as a makeshift mini desktop PC.

But Lenovo has taken issue with this case design, according to a legal complaint shared via Framework's Twitter account yesterday. At issue is the design of the case's power button, pictured above, which looks like a circle or letter "O" segmented into three parts by straight lines. Lenovo's legal team thinks that circle looks like the stylized "O" in Lenovo's Legion brand logo . And they have a point, even if we don't think it's very likely that people would mix up a gaming laptop from a major PC manufacturer and a cheap 3D-printed plastic case for a niche laptop motherboard.

The segmented letter "O" appears in marketing materials and printed on the lids of Lenovo's Legion laptops. (credit: Lenovo)

Fortunately for Framework, the "broken O" that Lenovo is upset about doesn't appear anywhere on the Framework Laptop—it uses the company's standard gear-shaped logo on its lid and keyboard, so Framework won't need to make costly changes or dump any components it has already spent money on.

Enlarge / The Framework Laptop is back with internal and external upgrades. It largely follows through on its promises of repairability and upgradeability. (credit: Andrew Cunningham)

It's one thing to say you're making a fully user-serviceable, upgradeable laptop. It's another thing to actually follow through with it.

The original Framework Laptop we reviewed last year did a lot of things right. It's easy to open and work on, the ports can be swapped out to suit your needs, and it's sturdy and well-built enough to stand up to traditional, less-upgradeable-and-repairable ultrabooks like Dell's XPS 13 or Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon.

But making "one surprisingly good laptop" isn't the same as creating a laptop ecosystem with upgradeable, interchangeable, user-serviceable parts. To do that, you need to keep up with new component releases. You need to address the shortcomings of your original design (or even release new revisions) without ending support for or breaking compatibility with previous versions of your design. And your small, independent company needs to continue to exist so it can keep getting all that work done, year after year, for a few years.

Enlarge / The Framework Laptop is getting its first major upgrade today. (credit: Framework)

We were fans of the Framework Laptop when we reviewed it last year . This was partly because its modular design prioritizes repairability and upgradeability when most other laptops don't. But we also liked it because you didn't need to make huge tradeoffs to get that repairability—the Framework Laptop is lightweight and has a high-quality screen, keyboard, and touchpad, helping it stay competitive with big-box thin-and-light laptops like Dell's XPS 13 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon.

An upgradeable laptop is only worthwhile if you can actually upgrade it, though, and Framework is making that possible starting today: The company is introducing a new iteration of the Framework Laptop's motherboard that uses 12th-gen Intel CPUs. A brand-new 12th-gen Framework Laptop starts at $1,049 for a Core i5-equipped base model, or $819 for a build-it-yourself kit with no memory or storage. These products will be available for preorder starting today , and shipping will start in July.

The 12th-generation Core processors use Intel's latest Alder Lake CPU architecture , which combines high-performance P-cores and high-efficiency E-cores to maximize performance under heavy load and reduce power usage when your computer is mostly idle. The base Core i5-1240P CPU includes four P-cores and eight E-cores, a big boost in core count compared to the quad-core 11th-gen CPUs. The Core i7-1260P upgrade has the same CPU core count with boosted clock speeds and a small increase in integrated GPU performance, while the top-end Core i7-1280P option will get you six P-cores and eight E-cores.