this post was submitted on 19 Jul 2023
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I just picked two good computers, one that’s pretty modular. How are thinkpad motherboards not replaceable anymore? I was under the impression they have an fru number and everything still…
I haven’t seen any framework modules up on eBay, but maybe I didn’t use the right p/n search.
ThinkPad motherboards are replaceable per se. However it's more work and you have to actually find a board. When I said they're not replaceable I meant easily replaceable, I should have qualified it. Framework's boards are sold directly by Framework. You know what you're getting. There's availability. There's warranty. The replacement is trivial. Thanks to the internally standardised form factor you don't even need the exact board gen to get going. Say if yours dies in 4 years and they no longer make it, a later gen board that fits the chassis will be available as a drop-in replacement.
I had a USB port fail on my 11th gen Intel Framework. They sent me a replacement motherboard along with a link to the instructions for replacing it. It took me under 10 minutes to swap it. It was amazing. Just opening up a ThinkPad these days without breaking a plastic clip could take as much.
What are you gonna do when the framework company goes under or runs out of parts?
Most likely the same as what I would do when Lenovo stops making spare boards for the model I have and I can no longer find any on eBay - bin it.
Except in the case of Framework going under, it's much easier for another manufacturer to release a compatible motherboard since the form factor is published and fairly simple. Similar to why it's easy to replace my desktop's motherboard even when the original one is no longer made. If anything, the current OEM making the motherboards could keep making replacements on the same tooling after Framework is gone, so long as there are people buying them.
I wonder if theres a jlcpcb/pcbway/whatever equivalent for board assembly. Like if you have the gerbers getting boards is easy and cheap but the gcode for pick and place and reflow machines is specific and has spin up costs.
What I’m getting at is: does open sourcing the layouts and boms help?