Framework Laptop 13 Pro brings Panther Lake power, bigger battery and a touchscreen
Framework has officially unveiled the Laptop 13 Pro, and honestly, this looks like the company’s most polished take yet on the upgradeable laptop idea.
The big story is that Framework is not ditching the thing that made it popular in the first place. Even with the new Pro model, the company says most of the parts still work across the wider Laptop 13 family, including older machines going back to the first-generation model from 2021. For anyone who has already bought into the Framework ecosystem, that is the real win here.
This new version is being pitched as a full redesign of the existing 13-inch model. Framework says it built the Laptop 13 Pro around user feedback, and the changes are pretty substantial: a larger 74Wh battery, a new chassis, LPCAMM2 memory, a haptic touchpad, and a custom 13.5-inch touchscreen display. It also comes in black, which gives it a more serious, ThinkPad-style vibe that actually suits the brand quite well.
Battery life was one of the biggest complaints on older Framework machines, so the jump to 74Wh matters a lot. The original Laptop 13 started with 55Wh, then moved up to 61Wh, and now the Pro pushes even further. Framework claims up to 20 hours of Netflix streaming in 4K, which is a bold number, but if it holds up anywhere close in real-world use, that would be a big step forward.
There is one catch for existing owners looking to upgrade piece by piece. The new battery is not a simple drop-in upgrade for older laptops. Because the battery is larger and thicker, users will also need the new bottom cover and the new input cover with the haptic trackpad. Even so, Framework says the parts remain retrofit-friendly, which is still better than the usual laptop industry move of forcing a full replacement.
Performance-wise, the Laptop 13 Pro will launch with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chips, based on Intel’s new Panther Lake platform. Buyers can choose between Core Ultra 5, X7 or X9 options. Framework says these chips should deliver better efficiency while still having enough muscle for demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077. There will also be an AMD Ryzen AI 300 series mainboard option, the same board used in the 2025 Laptop 13.
Another important change is the move from standard SO-DIMM memory to LPCAMM2. That lets Framework use LPDDR5X RAM, which should help with both efficiency and bandwidth. Crucially, it is not soldered down, so users can still upgrade later. In 2026, when laptop makers love locking everything in place, that is a pretty big deal.
Framework also says it has worked on cooling again, which is worth watching because thermals have been a weaker point on some earlier models. CEO Nirav Patel said the unit he used during a call had stayed quiet for half an hour without the fans kicking up. Good sign, but yeah, we will need proper hands-on testing before calling that settled.
The display sounds properly premium too: 13.5 inches, 3:2 aspect ratio, 2880 x 1920 resolution, 30Hz to 120Hz variable refresh rate, 700 nits brightness, 1800:1 contrast ratio, plus per-unit colour calibration. Touch support is also finally here after Framework initially resisted the idea back in 2021. The company says user demand, plus lessons learned from the Laptop 12, pushed it to add the feature.
For Malaysian and wider SEA buyers, this is the part that matters most: laptops here are not cheap, and plenty of people want one machine they can stretch for years instead of replacing every cycle. That makes Framework’s approach extra attractive. If you are a developer, student, creative worker or even a gamer who wants a compact machine that can still handle heavier workloads, the Laptop 13 Pro is shaping up as a more future-proof option than the average thin-and-light.
Framework says the Laptop 13 Pro is up for pre-order now, with first shipments expected in June. Pricing starts at $1,699 for a pre-built Windows model, while the DIY edition starts at $1,199.
Source: Engadget
