Framework Opens Pre-Orders for Its Repairable Chromebook

Prepare yourself for a repairable and upgradable Chromebook. As spotted by @LinkofHyrule89, Framework accidentally listed a Chromebook Edition laptop on its website. The listing, which went live at around 1 AM ET on September 21st, has since disappeared.

Update: Framework announced its Chromebook just a few hours after we published this story. Pre-orders are open for a $999 configuration. We’ve left this story in-tact, though we updated the section on specs.

Screenshots captured by @LinkofHyrule89 show that the Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition costs $999. It looks very similar to the Framework Laptop, though it uses a Chrome OS keyboard layout. (These screenshots were verified by Ryne Hager of OSOM Privacy, who caught the accidental listing while it was live.)

@chromeunboxed @9to5Google @AndroidAuth @KevinCTofel Sooo ummm this just happened. pic.twitter.com/HA9RMY58wU

— Matthew (@LinkofHyrule89) September 21, 2022

We didn’t know the Framework Chromebook’s specs when we originally published this story. Framework now says that its Chromebook only comes in one configuration—you get a 12th gen Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and Wi-Fi 6E support. (The same core specs as Framework’s base-model Windows laptop.)

Additionally, the Chromebook uses the same expansion card system as Framework’s Windows laptops, so you can hot-swap SD card readers, USB ports, and other components. The 13.5-inch display has a 2256 x 1504 resolution and swappable bezel, though it isn’t a touchscreen.

We expect the Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition to be a hit among enthusiasts. Google recently announced that it won’t make another Pixelbook, and judging by the reaction on social media, power users are dying for a new high-end Chromebook.

And if we cross our fingers, the Framework Chromebook may find a home in schools. A laptop that’s easily repairable and upgradable could save schools thousands of dollars each year. They just need to make the initial investment, which may be a hurdle.

Pre-orders for the Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition are fixed at $999. Orders ship in “batches,” so the earliest orders should arrive in December.

Source: LinkofHyrule89