I’m ready to switch from my Macbook Pro 14-inch, and I would like to ask for some advice and/or experience on this topic. Let’s just focus on the hardware experience itself, because letting go of the Apple ecosystem won’t be a big problem, but the hardware… So what I really like in my machine:
display size and quality
"horsepower "
touchpad & keyboard
mobility & weight (traveling a lot)
battery life
quality & look
Let’s take a look at my 3 top areas of use:
Networking, DevOps and Software development
Local AI & machine learning—use, some development playground
Casual gaming
Key factors in decision-making:
Linux focus
mobility & flexibility (display size)
“horsepower”
battery life
keyboard
quality & look
Here is a kind of ordered list about the brands and models. I’ve also added a link to the top 3 choices:
Overall, I really like the Framework laptop and the philosophy of the company. It’s compact and nice looking—especially with some customization.
I also really liked the V54 Series, 140-inch with the dedicated graphics card, in addition the similar philosophy and privacy options.
I’d love to hear your ideas, experiences, or any different angles you’ve got before I make up my mind.
I think Framework is the way to go. Perhaps if they release an ARM version with good performance, that would be even better.
I personally really enjoy the design of the Laptop 12", although I haven’t purchased one. For your usecase, it will not be fast enough though, so the 13" sounds like the better choice.
May I ask why you want to ditch your MacBook Pro though ?
I’m actually considering getting one with the M5 Pro once it releases in 2026.
A lot of people say that while the Framework quality is fine, there are sacrifices that come from making the machine modular and easily upgradeable. In short, the build quality will not feel like anything close to an Apple product. That said, I don’t think any of the options will match Apple’s “feel” anyway. Personally, I kind of like System76 as they have their own distribution that is thoroughly tested on their machines. They’re the most Apple-like of the companies listed in that they offer both the hardware and software (though obviously without the whole walled garden). I also like Framework, though I’m a bit wary of the build quality. If you’re based in the US, you may find issues with tariffs right now on some of the non-US-based companies.
Framework user here. Just so you know, Framework laptops were recently affected by a Secure Boot vulnerability that specifically targeted Linux. You might want to consider a different brand if your threat model requires getting critical firmware updates on Linux.
Aside from that though, I only have good things to say about my experience. I have a Framework 13, it’s very compact and lightweight, and the keyboard and touchpad feel great to use even during long sessions. I love the 3:2 screen aspect ratio and the fact that it has hardware kill switches for the microphone and camera. I’ve been running Fedora Silverblue on it for the past year or so and have had no issues. The only downsides I can think of are that the keyboard and touchpad tend to attract fingerprints and that the battery life might not be as good as on a MacBook.
Was the vulnerability specific to Framework or just Linux in general ?
Because otherwise, BSD distributions can work on Framework laptops and might be an alternative, although, they are far less popular than Linux (which is already niche).
I’ve been daily-driving a framework 13 (fedora silverblue) for ~10 months now after a 14" m1 pro. zero regrets on linux/privacy, keyboard+touchpad actually hold up for long sessions, 3:2 screen is great for terminals.
downsides: 6-7 h battery max under real load (vs your mbp’s 12-14), matte finish is a fingerprint magnet, and secure boot is still a bit janky on most distros.
I’m curious what’s pushing you off the mbp? if you want something more “polished” out of the box, system76 or novacustom might be less diy hassle.
According to the article I linked it seems that the vulnerability was present in the UEFI firmware shipped by Framework so this would be a Framework-specific issue.
