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Ars Technica Apr 21, 2026 at 18:15 Big Tech Rising Hot

Framework Laptop 16 upgrades make it look less like an unfinished prototype

A lower-end Ryzen AI 340 CPU option will also bring the price down, for now.

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By Andrew Cunningham Original source
Framework Laptop 16 upgrades make it look less like an unfinished prototype

When Framework launches a new laptop, it usually takes the opportunity to put out some other refinements to its designs. Although its updates for the Framework Laptop 16 aren't as significant as the changes to the new Framework Laptop 13 Pro, they address a number of complaints and requests that will make the upgradeable workstation look and function better. The Laptop 16 is getting one new CPU option, though it’s in the same Ryzen AI 300 chip family that Framework used in its late-2025 refresh. The six-core Ryzen AI 5 340 option slots in below the eight-core Ryzen AI 7 350 configuration, and it brings the Laptop 16’s current starting price down to $1,599 for a pre-built system or $1,249 for a DIY Edition (down from $1,799 and $1,499, respectively). Continued RAM or storage price increases could eventually reduce or nullify those savings, but they're available for now. Many of the Laptop 16’s other upgrades are primarily cosmetic. One is a new “Translucent Smoke Gray Bezel” option, which joins the existing black, orange, and lavender bezels. Read full article Comments

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Framework Laptop 16 upgrades make it look less like an unfinished prototype

A lower-end Ryzen AI 340 CPU option will also bring the price down, for now.

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