tl;dr: A 16" laptop with modular dedicated graphics (PCIe x8 either v4 or v5 with fans on the module), expansion bay cards (dual m.s SSDs), a new 'input system' with multiple keyboards in multiple languages and optional RGB lighting as well as support for numpads and secondary displays. Target launch is 'late 2023'.
While I'm glad they are actually making a product for their actual niche...
Personally, looking at the 16...it's just a 'You were supposed to be the chosen one.' gif.
Damn near everything is proprietary, even if they were to open source it, they have basically created their own new standards for everything from the GPU to the new RGB modules that seem like insane distractions. Also those trackpad spacers are a solution but yikes that looks like trash.
All I see is SKU overload and inventory problems all while they are distracted with solving RGB for some wild reason.
MXM is an 'open-ish' standard that others build for. My real weird view is that they have really went a different direction and their GPU upgrade has a whole rear deck you install and all that rather than building it into the product. That deck will only ever work with the Framework 16.
Like, this isn't a standard at all, it's just open for Framework to gain from. It reminds me of Google's Project Ara but for the wrong reasons.
MXM is alright for upgrading, but it's not modular the way this aims to be.
This includes cooling, so a small GPU could have smaller heatsinks and a beefy GPU could have huge heatsinks.
And if you don't want the GPU and the associated power draw plus the size and weight of the heatsinks, you can swap it for another module if you don't want to game on the go.
As they said in their presentation, it's not just for GPUs. You could have a supplemental battery. They will offer a storage expansion that gives you more M.2 slots. Hypothetically you could even just make a module that lets you fit a desktop GPU on the back, if you provided external power.
tl;dr: A 16" laptop with modular dedicated graphics (PCIe x8 either v4 or v5 with fans on the module), expansion bay cards (dual m.s SSDs), a new 'input system' with multiple keyboards in multiple languages and optional RGB lighting as well as support for numpads and secondary displays. Target launch is 'late 2023'.