Framework’s new motherboard lets Laptop 12 owners upgrade to newer Intel processors without replacing the rest of the laptop.
Framework has released a new motherboard for its Laptop 12 convertible, built around Intel’s Wildcat Lake (Core Series 3) processors. The upgrade allows existing owners to replace the motherboard while retaining the laptop’s display, chassis, keyboard and battery, giving the repairable design a way to gain newer processing hardware without replacing the entire machine.
The upgraded board comes in three Wildcat Lake variants: the Core 3 304, with a five-core CPU, 9 TOPS of graphics performance and a 15 TOPS neural processing unit (NPU); the Core 5 320; and the Core 7 350, with six CPU cores, up to 21 TOPS of graphics performance and 17 TOPS of NPU performance. All three operate within a 15 W power envelope. The board supports up to 64 GB of DDR5-6400 memory through a single SO-DIMM slot and up to 2 TB of NVMe storage through an M.2 2230 slot. Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, one Thunderbolt 4 port and two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports.
Framework offers the motherboard separately from $299, while complete systems start at $699 with 8 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD. The DIY Edition starts at $549 without an operating system and takes around 10 to 20 minutes to assemble. Buyers can choose Fedora 44 with KDE Plasma or Windows 11. Framework says Fedora received more than 10 times as many first-day pre-orders as Windows, partly because Windows 11 Home and Pro add $100 and $150, respectively, to the price.
Unlike a conventional laptop, where the processor and core system components are tied to a single motherboard, the Laptop 12 allows the computing platform to be replaced independently. The 12.2-inch touchscreen, 360-degree hinge, keyboard, four swappable Expansion Card ports and chassis can remain in use across motherboard upgrades. An owner whose processor has become outdated can therefore replace the motherboard for $299 instead of buying an entirely new laptop.
Framework does not currently list direct sales or an official warranty channel for India, so Indian buyers would need to account for the costs and compliance involved in importing the laptop or motherboard. Complete laptops under the relevant computer category generally attract 0 per cent Basic Customs Duty and 18 per cent IGST, but the treatment of a motherboard-only shipment should be confirmed separately with customs before ordering. The new board also includes Wi-Fi 7, and while India permits the lower 6-GHz band for compliant Wi-Fi 6E/7 equipment, an India-specific WPC Equipment Type Approval for Framework’s motherboard could not be verified. Buyers should therefore confirm the applicable WPC requirements before importing it. Framework says the new configurations are available for pre-order, with Batch 1 shipping scheduled for October 2026.
India’s e-waste challenge makes repairability increasingly relevant as laptops and other personal electronics become more widespread. The government’s Right to Repair India portal now includes laptops alongside mobiles, tablets, batteries and printers under its covered electronics categories. Framework’s approach fits this broader push towards extending product lifetimes by allowing the screen, keyboard and chassis to remain in use while the computing hardware is upgraded. Instead of discarding working components when the processor becomes outdated, users can replace the motherboard and continue using the rest of the machine.
However, Framework’s modular motherboard approach may remain difficult for most Indian buyers to access directly because the company does not currently offer an official Indian retail channel. Its underlying design philosophy still offers a different way of looking at laptop upgrades: a working screen, keyboard, battery and chassis do not necessarily need to become obsolete just because the processor has aged. By separating the computing platform from the rest of the machine, Framework gives the Laptop 12 a path to remain useful across multiple processor generations.
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