Review: Framework Laptop 16 (RTX 5070)

Framework has earned itself a reputation. It’s one of the few electronics companies in the world trying to fix the e-waste problem with repairable and upgradable laptops. The Framework Laptop 16 series is the largest and most powerful laptop in the company's lineup, featuring faster chips, more hot-swappable ports, and even more customization options.

But its most impressive feature, when it first launched in early 2024, was the promise of upgradable graphics. It was an ambitious idea at the time, as you typically can't upgrade or swap many of the internal components of a laptop outside of memory. However, with the introduction of the RTX 5070 Graphics Module, Framework is making good on that promise.

A Utopian Upgrade System

Photograph: Luke Larsen

The design of the Framework Laptop 16 hasn’t changed since its initial launch. That’s both good and bad. Although Framework doesn’t market it as a gaming laptop, there are a number of dead giveaways. You’ve got per-key RGB backlighting, large bezels, and a fairly thick, 0.71-inch chassis. It also has the Graphics Module on the back, which resembles the “thermal shelf” used in gaming laptops for ventilation, and sometimes even port placement. On the Framework Laptop 16, it houses the graphics module, which lets you upgrade the GPU in the future, separate from the laptop. That’s exactly what I did.

I upgraded a 2024 Framework Laptop 16 with both the new mainboard and graphics module, which gave me a good sense of how involved the process is. It’s not bad, thanks to the thoughtful design and helpful guide. Getting into the device is innovative, starting with unlocking the spacers to the left and right of the touchpad. The spacers, touchpad, and keyboard can then all be removed without any screws or finicky ribbons. Then there’s a metal plate that shields all the components below, and requires 16 screws to be removed, and a ribbon connector. Once you’ve done that, it’s just a few screws for the battery, and you’re basically there.

There are two open slots for storage, stacked right on top of each other. The secondary SSD goes underneath and needs to be the smaller, square format (M.2 2230), while the longer, standard M.2 2280 format goes on top. Just like before, it comes with six expansion slots, which are Framework's hot-swappable ports, letting you arrange them in whatever way suits your needs. The graphics module also has an additional USB-C port at the back, meaning you get up to seven total ports.

Photograph: Luke Larsen

If you're upgrading the entire mainboard like I was, there are a couple of trickier parts of the upgrade process, namely the power button and speakers. These both require carefully inserting a couple of small ribbons into a connector. The Wi-Fi module’s antenna cables also gave me some trouble this time around. They’re tiny, and they don’t click in like most of the other connections. Overall, there are more moving parts here than on the Framework Laptop 13, but I was still impressed by how quickly I swapped out the entire motherboard of this laptop.

Most importantly, there’s the new graphics module itself, which now comes with an option for an Nvidia RTX 5070. It’s a dead-simple upgrade. Once you have the spacers, keyboard, and touchpad off (which takes seconds), it’s just three screws hidden under the compartment to release the old module. You don’t even have to remove the metal plate. Pop in the new module, which snaps in with a satisfying click (like most of the laptop’s parts). And just like that, you've gone from integrated graphics to discrete. Never has there been such an inventive and successful implementation of adding discrete graphics to a laptop.

Quality Where It Counts

Photograph: Luke Larsen

None of this would matter if the various components of the laptop weren’t high-quality. I’m happy to report that the touchpad and keyboard are excellent; the touchpad feels smooth and responsive, as does typing on the keyboard. I know not everyone appreciates the RGB aesthetic, but the backlighting is consistent and has three brightness levels.

The customization of the keyboard is neat too, allowing you to add a number pad or RGB macropad module to the right. I’d still like to see more options available in the future, though. I was hoping Framework would add different keyboard layout options, perhaps one with full-size arrow keys—or maybe even an add-on with large macro keys. The ability to customize this part of the laptop has a lot of potential, but it still doesn’t feel fully realized.

There’s a lot to like about this display. It’s sharp, with a 2560 x 1600-pixel resolution and a 165-Hz refresh rate. There are gaming laptops with faster refresh rates, but for an RTX 5070, 165 Hz is plenty. It’s more than just a good gaming screen, though—it’s one of the best IPS screens you’ll find on a laptop. It maxes out at 480 nits of brightness, and the color coverage is fantastic (100 percent sRGB and 99 percent Adobe RGB). I was impressed with the calibration, with an average color error of 0.88. Content creators, photographers, and video editors may not love the matte display, but it's an otherwise beautiful screen.

The speakers and webcam are only average. It uses a 1080p webcam that's pretty subpar. The audio is decent for only stereo speakers, good enough for video calls, and the occasional video or music playback. But they aren't as well rounded as other high-end creator laptops like the Dell 16 Premium or Razer Blade 16, which have up to six-speaker sound systems.

Adding Graphics

Photograph: Luke Larsen

Upgradable discrete graphics are a big deal. I want to give Framework all the accolades for achieving this, because it's been a dream for so long. But performance does matter, because upgrading to the Nvidia RTX 5070 graphics module isn't exactly cheap. It costs an extra $650 if you're buying the system fresh, whereas it's a $699 upgrade if you're coming from the original Framework Laptop 16.

Between that and the potential $300 CPU upgrade you'll want to get—the AMD Ryzen 9 HX 370—the laptop will start at $2,449, and it'll only go up once you add other components like memory and storage. To put things in perspective, the extremely high-end Razer Blade 16 with the RTX 5070 is around $2,300 (though it frequently dips on sale below $2,000). With the Framework Laptop 16, you're paying extra for the ability to swap out parts in the future.

Fortunately, what you get in return is solid gaming performance. It's good enough to give you an option of playing in native resolution in some games, such as Cyberpunk 2077. The frame rates you see above were all tested at the highest graphics preset without enabling upscaling or ray tracing, so you can get higher frame rates by dropping the settings. I like that there's enough performance to let gamers choose smoother gameplay or sharper visuals depending on the game and the style of play. Of the games I tested, Black Myth: Wukong was the only title that couldn't run smoothly at the max graphics settings. The RTX 5070 only has 8 GB of VRAM, which is its biggest deficiency in AAA titles, unlike the desktop GPU of the same name, which has 12 GB.

The trade-off in adding a discrete graphics card is in battery life, though it's not as bad as you might think. Despite having just as powerful graphics, the Framework Laptop 16 still nets around 25 percent more battery life than the cheaper gaming laptops out there. In my testing, it lasted for close to nine hours in local video playback. That will equate to much less in a real-life workload—I was getting closer to five hours in my typical daily work. One unique benefit of the system is that you can always remove the graphics module if you want to get a few more hours of battery life while traveling, and you don't plan to play games.

One of the impressive things about the Framework Laptop 16 is that it runs entirely off USB-C power. The 240-watt GaN power charger is no bigger than a standard charger, yet it can power the entire system, graphics included. Just make sure to actually use both sides of the included charger to get the full performance.

The Framework laptops were conceived and designed before the recent changes in laptop pricing. You can now buy a really great laptop for $650—even less during big sales events. Unfortunately, Framework's pricing doesn't tend to change, and the company doesn't sell through third-party retailers. But there's an audience for a repairable, sustainable, and now more powerful laptop—whether you want it to run Linux or Windows. Just be ready to pay a premium.