Framework Laptop 12 drops to $699 with Linux option

Choose the green base model, pay $699, and Framework’s refreshed 12-inch convertible laptop arrives with Fedora Linux, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Preorders are open now; the first wave of deliveries is expected to ship in October. The price is $100 lower than the previous version’s launch price.

Framework is also changing what sits inside the machine. The Intel Core Series 3 processors are designed for smaller, lower-power, entry-priced laptops, and Framework says the more powerful chip options should bring better battery life, lower temperatures and less fan noise. The base Core 3 304, however, has only one performance core. The Verge says the only laptop it has tested with this Intel Wildcat Lake processor left its reviewers disappointed.

The platform adds practical connectivity. Memory can run at speeds of up to 6400 MT/s, Wi-Fi 7 R2 is supported, and Thunderbolt 4 — a high-speed connection standard — comes to the two rear Expansion Card slots. Framework says those slots can drive two 4K 60Hz displays or connect external graphics processing units. All four slots still accept power for charging, although the front pair now uses USB 3.2 Gen 2.

For buyers choosing Core 5 or Core 7, a fingerprint reader in the power button and a backlit keyboard are now standard. The keyboard can also be added to the DIY Edition, which starts at $549 and offers more color choices. The older Laptop 12 remains available, starting at $699 pre-built or $499 in DIY form.

And so what, concretely? A buyer who already prefers Linux gets a cheaper ready-to-use configuration, while people who assemble their own machine retain more customization options. The rear ports also make the small laptop useful with two external 4K displays or an external graphics unit. But the lower price comes with a processor whose real-world performance remains uncertain, and the updated model has not yet reached its first preorder customers.