For a lot of users, buying a laptop as-is with everything you need is a convenient strategy. However, you often pay more for some of the hardware than if you had purchased and installed it yourself. This usually means storage and memory - SSDs and DRAM. Often users can go minimalistic and then swap or upgrade the parts later, possibly recouping some of the cost. However, there are some vendors who offer a do-it-yourself (DIY) experience, like with the Framework Laptop. An informed buyer can make the most of the situation, even if that means upgrading an existing machine instead.
While many parts of the laptop are not directly upgradeable or serviceable - although sometimes they can be replaced - there are elements that can be changed. Some of these are pretty basic, like the Wi-Fi module. The most expensive elements include storage and memory, as mentioned above, but it’s important to know the capacity allowed by the board. A laptop will likely have one or more M.2 sockets, most of which support PCIe NVMe SSDs, so make sure to plan ahead when buying by capacity. The board may support DDR4 or, increasingly, DDR5. The number of memory sockets is one limitation, but there may be a limit of capacity per slot as well.
Framework motherboard showing storage and memory slots. Source with guide.
It’s also possible to extend your laptop’s functionality with hubs and other accessories. While the Framework Laptop is modular, other laptops may be more limited. It’s not difficult to expand the amount of USB ports, for example, or to add external displays and storage. The ability to output additional features through USB-C and Thunderbolt has increased laptop flexibility. Even devices similar to laptops - tablets, all-in-ones, convertibles, etc. - can make use of external upgrades, if not internal ones.
We offer innumerable solutions for your mobile devices. This includes a wide range of NVMe SSDS up to even huge capacities, both internally and externally including through docks. If your machine has a card reader we have SD and CFexpress cards, and if it doesn't you can use our products to add one. We have DDR4 and DDR5 designed to upgrade your amount of memory. If you need hubs or accessories like enclosures, we have you covered there, too, with just about every feature you could want. Don’t overspend on a new machine or force yourself to get a new computer - we can help you get more life and productivity out of your hardware...and hopefully save you some money.
