Framework Laptop 12 Refresh and $199 Una Watch Lead Repair Push

Two products, one argument

This fall, two new gadgets point to the same conclusion: building devices that owners can fix is becoming a sellable feature. One is Framework's refreshed Laptop 12, a small convertible notebook. The other is the Una Watch, a $199 GPS sports watch that its maker says can be opened and repaired with ordinary tools. They come from very different parts of the consumer electronics market. Together they show that the approach Framework has spent years building, with modular parts, published documentation and swappable components, is no longer limited to laptops for hobbyists.

The coverage of both products agrees on the main point. Repairability is no longer just a principle that buyers are asked to pay extra for. It is part of how these products compete. Where the reporting differs is on what buyers give up to get it.

What Framework changed in the Laptop 12

Framework refreshed its 12-inch convertible in August. The update brings Intel's Core Series 3 processors, more hardware options and a prebuilt configuration that ships with Linux.13 The cheapest prebuilt model now starts at $699, which is $100 less than the original model cost at launch. Preorders opened with the first deliveries expected in October.13 That base model comes only in green and has a Core 3 304 chip, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. It ships with Fedora 44 using the KDE Plasma desktop. Choosing Windows 11 Home instead adds $100.13

The Linux default is the most telling change. Framework says nearly 80 percent of Laptop 12 owners already run some version of Linux.13 Another report says Framework claims its Fedora-powered laptops are outselling Windows ones.15 Most PC makers treat Linux as an afterthought. Framework is shipping the hardware its buyers actually use and charging extra for the operating system they skip.

The new chips also bring other upgrades. These include faster DDR5 memory at up to 6400 MT/s, Wi-Fi 7 and Thunderbolt 4 on the two rear expansion card slots, which can drive two 4K 60Hz displays or external GPUs.13 There is one small step back: the two front slots now top out at USB 3.2 Gen 2, though all four can still charge the laptop.13 Core 5 and Core 7 models now include a fingerprint reader in the power button and a backlit keyboard as standard. The DIY Edition starts at $549.13 The full spec list shows a 12.2-inch 1920 x 1200 display, stylus support, a single SODIMM memory slot and four hot-swappable expansion cards.15

Why iFixit gave it a perfect score

The repair case is strong. iFixit's teardown of the Laptop 12 gave it 10 out of 10. The site said the laptop meets every item on its repairability wishlist and adds a few extras it hadn't thought to ask for.1 Framework removed some fragile ribbon cables entirely. Copper pads and pogo pins connect the keyboard to the mainboard, and the battery attaches with prongs instead of a cable.1 Memory uses standard DDR5 SODIMM sticks. Storage is a short M.2 2230 SSD held in by a tool-free clip, the same drive size the Steam Deck uses.1 Spare screws are stored inside the case, and parts carry QR codes that link to repair guides.1

Framework also built the laptop to take abuse. The company tested it to the US military's MIL-STD-810 standard. That included drops from 1.2 meters onto plywood and a million taps on the touchscreen.1 It also wrapped the chassis in a shock-absorbing thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) shell.1 iFixit's scorecard summary praises the near-total modularity, the labeled parts and Framework's supply of repair instructions and replacement parts.4

The caveat on the cheapest model

The reviews diverge on the cheapest model, and buyers should notice. The Verge points out that the Core 3 304 in the $699 base model has only one performance core. It adds that the only other laptop it has tested with the same Intel Wildcat Lake chip was a bitter disappointment.13 Framework says the Core Series 3 line was designed for small, low-power, entry-priced laptops and should improve battery life, heat and fan noise.13

My reading is that the entry price is real, but the entry model is mostly a starting point. The Laptop 12 is easy to open, so a weak configuration matters less than it would in a sealed machine. Framework's longer-running promise is that owners can swap the mainboard instead of replacing the whole laptop. One profile notes that owners of the 2021 Framework model can still install current processors in the same chassis.9 Still, "you can upgrade it later" doesn't fix a sluggish laptop on day one. Buyers who want good performance out of the box should look past the base chip.

The watch built the same way

The second gadget brings this design approach to fitness wearables, where sealed, glued-shut devices are the norm. The Una Watch says it is the first GPS fitness smartwatch that is both modular and repairable, with open-source hardware and software.5 Its price fell from $350 during its Kickstarter campaign to $199, which undercuts most Garmin watches.5 It has a 1.2-inch MIP LCD screen and up to 10 days of battery life.5

Una says every part of the watch can be reached with a standard tool, so owners can repair or upgrade it themselves.5 The SDK, housing and circuit boards are all open-source. The open mechanical design means users can 3D-print their own accessories or modifications, such as turning the watch into a cycling computer.5 The Verge compares it to Pebble's revived watches but notes that Una offers more fitness features out of the box.5 Una even encourages owners to write apps with AI coding assistants pointed at its developer documentation.5

The Una Watch borrows Framework's model and applies it to a much smaller device. The open hardware and community-made accessories mirror how Framework handles its own products. Framework has published CAD design files for custom builds and runs a developer program around its open-source wireless keyboard.11 That makes Framework's approach look less like one company's quirk and more like a template other hardware makers can copy.

The wider Framework lineup

The Laptop 12 refresh followed Framework's spring event, where the company introduced the Laptop 13 Pro. That model has a CNC-machined aluminum chassis, a touchscreen, a haptic touchpad, Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chips and a claimed battery life of more than 20 hours.19 The DIY Edition starts at $1,199 and prebuilt units at $1,499.19 Framework designed it so current Laptop 13 owners can install new parts such as the mainboard, display and battery in their existing machines.19 Community discussion adds some detail: the new battery won't fit an older laptop unless the entire bottom cover is replaced too.17 A PC Pro review called it the best Framework laptop yet. The reviewer noted that you could build one around an old Framework mainboard, in the spirit of the Ship of Theseus.18

The Framework Desktop shows where the approach reaches its limits. iFixit praised its thumbscrew-and-magnet panels, swappable 120mm fan and accessible M.2 slots. But the memory is soldered to the board, because removable RAM could have roughly halved bandwidth.2 iFixit accepted Framework's explanation and gave the company credit for being upfront.2 The desktop's own design admits that full repairability sometimes gives way to performance.

Mainstream brands are catching up

The most significant context is that big manufacturers are now matching Framework's scores. Lenovo's new ThinkPad T14 Gen 7 and T16 Gen 5 earned a 10 out of 10 from iFixit. It is the first time the T-series has received the top rating.6 These laptops use upgradeable LPCAMM2 memory, standard M.2 storage and individually replaceable Thunderbolt ports.6 iFixit discloses that it consulted on the design of several Lenovo product lines and sells Lenovo parts. It says its scoring does not reward companies for working with it.6 Readers should still keep that relationship in mind.

Phones are moving the same way. The Fairphone 6+ also holds a 10 out of 10.10 The iPhone 15, 16 and 17 series have improved to a 7 out of 10.10 iFixit has also started scoring wireless headphones. Fairphone's Fairbuds XL is the only pair in the first group to earn a perfect score, while several popular models scored 2 out of 10.7 Retailers say repairability now helps sell products well beyond laptops, and they name Framework as the example that proved buyers will pay for it.8

The takeaway

Neither the Laptop 12 refresh nor the Una Watch is a technical breakthrough on its own. Together, though, they show that repairable design now reaches cheaper laptops and products outside computing. The Laptop 12 has a lower price, ships with Linux by default and holds a perfect repair score. The Una Watch applies the same ideas to a $199 wearable. Lenovo's perfect scores suggest the major manufacturers have noticed. The next test for Framework is whether being repairable is still enough to stand out once competitors with much larger manufacturing operations can make the same claim.