We are not sustainable And neither is any other device maker. This industry is full of “feel good” messaging, but generates 50 million metric tons of e-waste each year. We believe the best way to reduce environmental impact is to create products that last longer, meaning fewer new ones need to be made. Instead of operating on feels, we operate on data and actions. With funding from Intel, we commissioned Fraunhofer IZM to do a detailed life cycle analysis (LCA) on Framework Laptop 13 to help us understand where we are today and where we can continue to improve. Check out our thoughts on reducing environmental impact and download the LCA report here…
I’ll tell you what Framework’s IO modules truly are: Dongles.
They plug into USB-C ports on the mainboard, just like the bundle of IO dongles a Mac user has to lug around. But in Framework’s case, they’re “inboard.” They snap into the chassis of the Laptop to present the form factor of a built-in port. So unlike pigtail form factor dongles that stick out of the machine, you can leave them plugged in while the laptop is in your bag.
And because the module is supported by the chassis, that relieves the strain on the USB-C port itself, so if you drop the laptop with something plugged into a module, it might break the module but not the mainboard. Modules are cheaper and easier to replace than the mainboard.
