Framework-Laptop-13 VS ExpansionBay

You definitely could. All the details are available on the FrameworkComputer github org and you could either use what they have as a basis for a chassis or design your own custom chassis that fits the framework parts.

https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/Framework-Laptop-13

You can also buy mainboards[1] and expansion cards[2] (usb-c, hdmi etc.) from the same website. Depending on how beefy of a computer you want there are mainboards from 299 USD to 700 USD. So for ~500 USD you can get a very powerful tiny-ish computer. It obviously won't have the IO capabilities of pi-like hobby boards but it'll function great as a thin client for running linux / home automation stuff.

[1]: https://frame.work/marketplace/mainboards

Framework themselves do sell older mainboards at a discount.

So if this isn't the EC firmware flash, where is that? I peeked under all the components on the top side of the board that I could (fan, etc.) but couldn't find any other flash chips. I tried looking at the schematic, and while it mentions two flash ROMs, it doesn't mention where to find them. Reluctantly, I took out the mainboard and checked the under-side.

You can also buy a framework mainboard. It’s basically the motherboard of a laptop without screen, keyboard and trackpad.

And I don't mean ideologically, though that's good too. Their top end AMD Ryzen 7 main board upgrade kit is $700 and that's what you'd pay for a mid range business laptop. Add $40 for a mainboard case which basically gets you a new computer and it's not a bad deal at all.

What I don't get about your comments is that you're opposing upgradeability and repairability, when it's really just the same concept stretched further: instead of there being one spare part for anything that can break in a given model, you have multiple tiers for parts that effectively make the laptop more of a modular series than a single model, like Framework does. And to answer your question from a further comment, you can indeed upgrade to a later gen mainboard, in fact you can even go AMD.

If you are still looking for a place to start you should check out framework's github. They have a bunch of 3d models already designed. You can modify them and framework even has a process to submit possible upgrades for their designs. https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/Framework-Laptop-13

There is potential for an external battery. It doesn't exist yet, but the connector supports power going from the expansion bay to the laptop[0], so someone could build a battery module or potentially even a hot-swappable adapter to use a removable battery for a more common laptop.

[0] See pins 41-51 on https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay/tree/main/...

We've designed the Expansion Bay module system to be able to handle power bi-directionally. One of the main reasons for this was to enable secondary batteries. This specific module isn't something we've shared any plans around, but it's something that either we or a third party would be able to build.

https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay

According to the spec doc on their github, the gpu rail, while on AC, caps out at 10.5A @ 20V (allthoug that is the peak burst cueewnt, max sustained is not mentioned but is likely slightly lower), so we will likely eventually see some higher wattsge GPUs over time, especially give. The headroom between the 175W max burst draws we see from top end laptop chips today and a 210w limit. Thermals will liley be more of a concern than power at that point tho.(https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay/blob/main/Electrical/README.md)

I don't think anybody outside Framework knows for sure yet (maybe not even internally) but my impression from what they've shared so far is that the expansion bays are intended to be very easily swappable (external, a click & push kind of thing) but probably not hot-swappable while the machine is powered on.

They do have some initial specs at https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay that somebody more knowledgeable than me might be able to glean some practical info from.

According to the Framework Github (https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay/tree/main/Electrical) expansion bay modules (e.g. second battery or GPU) are connected via two 74-pin connectors.

Framework is doing brilliant work. They create reusable computer formats that anyone can hack against. Strongly considering a Framework 13 as my next computer.

- Expansion cards: https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionCards

- Expansion bay: https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay

I know it's niche but it would be cool if they could attach an expanded battery pack into its expansion module.

Mybad, according to https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay/tree/Main/Electrical ,the maximum wattage with the 'high power adapter' is 20v*10.5A which suggests 210w max for the entire device.