Overview
- Framework announced the updated Laptop 12 across Aug. 18–19 and opened pre-orders with new Wildcat Lake Core 3/5/7 mainboards and listed base DIY prices.
- The company claims the Wildcat Lake boards deliver big battery improvements—57% more browsing and 70% more streaming—despite the unchanged 50 Wh battery, but those figures are company‑provided and not yet independently verified.
- New hardware and connectivity upgrades include Wi‑Fi 7, optional Thunderbolt 4 on rear expansion slots, a backlit keyboard, a fingerprint reader on Core 5/7 SKUs, and a Fedora 44 KDE Plasma preinstalled option aimed at the large Linux user base.
- Framework says existing Laptop 12 owners can swap in the new mainboard instead of buying a new shell, though some modules such as the backlit input cover may ship later and certain features require higher SKUs.
- The Laptop 12 remains an entry‑level, low‑power 2‑in‑1 for study and light work with limited gaming ability due to only two Xe GPU cores on top SKUs, and observers note the Wildcat Lake shift follows Intel trends toward greater platform energy efficiency.