Framework Laptop 13 Pro Review: Premium Feel, RAM Pricing Woes

I've had the Framework Laptop 13 Pro on my desk for about three weeks, and the first thing that hits you is that haptic touchpad. It's not just a gimmick — it genuinely feels like a MacBook trackpad, which is the highest compliment I can give a Windows laptop. The clicks are uniform across the entire surface, and the palm rejection is spot-on. But the more I used it as a daily driver, the more I ran into the thing that actually defines this machine in 2025: the RAM situation.

Let me back up. The chassis itself is excellent. Framework's modular design still means you can swap ports, storage, and the mainboard, and the 13 Pro refines that with a smoother CNC aluminum finish. Battery life surprised me — I'm getting a comfortable full workday, around 10-11 hours of mixed browser, docs, and SSH sessions. The 3:2 display at 2256x1504 is also great for code, and the keyboard is solid even if the travel is a bit shallower than the older Framework 13.

So why "RAM crisis"? The problem isn't the performance — it's the price and availability. When I configured mine, the 32GB option was both hard to find and absurdly marked up compared to the 16GB SKU. Framework sells RAM as a separate upgradeable module on other models, which is great in theory, but the 13 Pro has soldered LPDDR5x. That's a notable departure from Framework's repairability ethos, and a real philosophical shift.

• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (Lunar Lake)
• RAM: Fixed 16GB or 32GB LPDDR5x — not upgradeable, which is the core issue
• Storage: Two M.2 2280 slots, still user-swappable
• Ports: Four modular Expansion Card slots, just as flexible as before
• Battery: 61Wh, genuinely strong endurance

That soldered RAM is the kind of thing that makes a Framework fan pause. The whole pitch has been "buy once, upgrade forever," and this model walks that back. Framework argues that LPDDR5x performance requires onboard placement, and for the slim 13 Pro that's technically true. But it also means the 16GB base config feels risky if you want to keep this laptop for five or six years. And 32GB is the only safe buy — which brings you right back to that price premium.

Availability has been the other headache. The 13 Pro has been in and out of stock on Framework's Marketplace, and third-party resellers are inflating prices well beyond MSRP. In practice, you're often paying ultrabook prices for a machine that, while lovely, is no faster than a well-configured 13-inch ultrabook from Lenovo or ASUS.

Would I still buy it? If you value modular ports, that display, and the haptic touchpad, yes. The 13 Pro is the most premium device Framework has ever shipped. But treat the RAM decision like a one-way door: get 32GB or skip this generation and wait for the next revision with replaceable memory. In the current market, that's not just a preference — it's the difference between a long-term laptop and an expensive compromise.