Framework Laptop 13 Pro
pros and cons
- Framework’s sleekest, most premium laptop to date.
- The haptic touchpad and keyboard are excellent.
- Very good battery life.
- The RAM shortage raised prices for the pre-built as much as $800.
- It already wasn’t cheap, especially for higher-end components.
- Speakers are just alright.
- Wobbly display panel works against the touchscreen.
jul / 2026
on Google.
When Framework announced the Laptop 13 Pro
It’s all very well engineered, and the result of several generations of iteration. Last year, for example, the Laptop 16 I tested had multiple plates on the keyboard unit, a design that had some natural build inconsistencies: slight asymmetry or gaps in the plating that looked, well, DIY. Not necessarily a bad thing, but these laptops aren’t cheap (more on that later).
Also: How this DIY Windows laptop stole my heart from more expensive models (and it works with Linux)
Anyway, that’s not the case here. The build on the Laptop 13 Pro is sleek and airtight, with no gaps, spaces, or evidence that was even put together by your hands at all. The refined CNC aluminum chassis is solid without any flex whatsoever, and the unibody keyboard input cover magnetically snaps into place with just five screws on the underside. At its thickest point, it’s only 0.6 inches, on the scale, it’s 3.1 pounds.
Hardware and performance
The Framework Laptop 13 Pro comes with the Intel Core Ultra 5, X7, or X9 Series 3 “Panther Lake” processors for improved performance and battery efficiency — one of the biggest critiques I had with last year’s Framework Laptop 16. Here, battery longevity is excellent, easily getting an entire day in the office on one charge, and then some.
Framework breaks its advertised battery life metrics by use case, which is nice to see: 20 hours of battery while streaming video at half brightness, 17 hours of web browsing, and 11 hours while video conferencing. In my testing of intermittent periods of intense use, video calls, and periods of inactivity, I got a little over nine hours on one charge.
Listen, like I mentioned above, Framework has made assembling a laptop as easy as it can possibly be. Even if you have no experience doing this, Framework’s detailed collection of guides (both text and video) are very good at walking you through the steps. Of course, whether or not that components you want are actually available is another story. Particularly as prices skyrocket.
Also: I saw the ‘MacBook Pro for Linux users’ for the first time, and it’s a legit Windows threat
For example, the Framework Laptop 13 Pro DIY version starts at $1,199, but that’s before you select a CPU or add in memory and an SSD. Even with the low-end configuration of 16GB of RAM, 500GB of storage, and an Intel Core Ultra 5 325, you’re looking at around $1,700.
By contrast, the pre-built starts at $1,599 and only goes up from there. If you want the higher-end Intel Core Ultra X7 processor on a pre-built, it surpasses $3,000 once you’ve paid for Windows and your expansion ports. At that point, you’re entering top-tier workstation territory. Bringing your own OS, memory, or SSD, can reduce the cost, but the benefits of a pre-built MacBook Pro might look just as compelling.
ZDNET’s buying advice
The physical build, haptic touchpad, and unibody keyboard are every bit as premium as its competitors, barring the wobbly display panel. When it comes to performance, my testing ranks it among other premium workstations, and with the fantastic battery life, it’s a stand-out device even if you were to ignore its modularity and DIY nature.
Also: I tested Lenovo’s new modular ThinkPad, and it renewed my faith in repairable laptops
However, it already commanded a “pro” price, and now that cost is significantly higher thanks to the looming RAMpocalypse. Moreover, many customers who had already placed pre-orders have been forced to downgrade the RAM they had initially selected, and isn’t that the whole point of buying a modular device, anyway?
There are still options for workarounds, particularly with Framework’s forward and backward compatibility, but I ultimately I would only recommend this laptop to users who are committed to the modular nature. For those users — particularly those running Linux — the Framework Laptop 13 Pro is one of the best there is.
Why the Framework Laptop 13 Pro gets an Editors’ Choice award
The Laptop 13 Pro is the successful result of user feedback and a robust DIY ethos. Not only is the engineering here a major upgrade, but the premium touches (haptic touchpad, keyboard, better display) work together to deliver a thin and light, battery-efficient laptop that would stand out even without its DIY nature.