Who is aware of if Google will ever make one other Pixelbook? But ChromeOS is getting one thing higher: modularity. Framework, the corporate behind the swappable modular laptop computer, has announced the Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition. It prices $1000 for the bottom mannequin and options the identical customization and repairability because the authentic model, which runs Windows and Linux.

The laptop computer is obtainable for pre-order within the U.S. and Canada, although shipments will begin someday within the winter. Framework says it’s utilizing a batch pre-order system, so that you’ll must fork over a refundable $100 deposit to get your house in line. The Framework substitute elements may also be obtainable for pre-order within the market.

Looking on the spec sheet, the Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition seems well-equipped. The 13.5-inch display has a 3:2 show, which works with ChromeOS’s specific desktop surroundings. It comes with a Twelfth-gen Intel Core i5-1240P processor, as much as 64GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. The pre-built mannequin comes with 8GB of reminiscence and 256GB of storage, which ought to be sufficient for a fundamental, day-to-day life with a Chromebook. Of course, if you happen to determine to extend the RAM or storage in a while—perhaps you’re a developer and wish extra reminiscence—that’s configurable with sold-separately modules. The Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition additionally comes with a 30W charger.

The marquee characteristic of the Framework laptop computer is its modularity, and the corporate affords extra choices for ports than you’d often discover on ChromeOS. The Chromebook Edition works with Framework’s current growth card system. You can select between USB-C, USB-A, MicroSD, HDMI, DisplayPort, and Ethernet port modules, although the Framework laptop computer is proscribed to 4 modules at a time. I complained about that in my assessment of the principle laptop computer final yr, since some third-party Chromebooks are likely to go ham with port choices.

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The upside is that the Framework is not less than a skinny piece of package. In specific, the Chromebook Edition is about 15.85 mm thick and weighs 1.3 kg, or about 2.8 kilos.

The Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition may very well be a formidable college or work laptop computer. It has upgradeable elements, is self-repairable, and you may even hack it into one thing else. In specific, the Framework Laptop’s kind issue is considerably paying homage to the 2017 Pixelbook’s, which was mild and skinny sufficient to cart round in a tote bag.

While the {hardware} of the Framework Laptop principally takes after its PC counterpart, it’s lacking a number of the signature ChromeOS taste. Namely, it lacks a touchscreen and/or stylus help. But a touchscreen would additionally add to the complexity of the whole lot the Framework Laptop is about, which is that it’s virtually solely user-serviceable.

As it stands, Chromebooks haven’t been promoting particularly well this yr. At least with Framework within the combine, it provides an choice that doesn’t look like it’s going to run out on account of withering demand. It would even be good to see this sort of modularity make its manner into training, so colleges can extra simply improve ageing {hardware}. That’s what I hope for this know-how, anyway.