Framework upgrades SSD storage for preorders at lower prices
💡Hardware storage speed is a bottleneck for local LLM inference; see if these new SSDs improve your dev workflow.
⚡ 30-Second TL;DR
What Changed
Preorders for 500GB SSD configurations are being upgraded to 1TB at a lower price point.
Why It Matters
This pricing adjustment improves the value proposition for developers using Framework laptops for local AI model development. Lower costs for high-speed storage make local LLM inference and dataset management more accessible.
What To Do Next
If you are building a local AI workstation, check the Framework configurator to see if the new PCIe Gen 5 SSD options meet your throughput requirements for local model fine-tuning.
Key Points
- •Preorders for 500GB SSD configurations are being upgraded to 1TB at a lower price point.
- •Framework secured a new supply agreement with Adata for PCIe Gen 5 SSDs.
- •New 1TB and 2TB SSD configuration options are now available for order.
🧠 Deep Insight
AI-generated analysis for this event — not the original article.
🔑 Enhanced Key Takeaways
- •Framework is leveraging the transition to PCIe Gen 5 storage to improve the price-to-performance ratio across its modular laptop lineup.
- •The Adata supply agreement specifically targets the high-speed NVMe market, allowing Framework to bypass previous supply chain bottlenecks that kept SSD prices artificially high.
- •Existing customers who already placed preorders for the 500GB model are being automatically upgraded at no additional cost, reflecting Framework's commitment to its 'right-to-repair' and customer-centric philosophy.
- •The integration of PCIe Gen 5 SSDs requires updated thermal management solutions within the Laptop 13 Pro chassis to handle the increased heat output of faster drives.
- •Framework's move aligns with broader industry trends where modular laptop manufacturers are increasingly commoditizing storage components to compete with traditional OEMs like Dell and Lenovo.
📊 Competitor Analysis▸ Show
| Feature | Framework Laptop 13 Pro | Dell XPS 13 (2026) | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage Upgradability | Fully Modular (User-replaceable) | Soldered (Non-upgradable) | Soldered (Non-upgradable) |
| SSD Interface | PCIe Gen 5 | PCIe Gen 4 | PCIe Gen 4 |
| Base Storage Price | Lower (via Adata deal) | Premium | Premium |
| Repairability Score | 10/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 |
🛠️ Technical Deep Dive
- The new Adata SSDs utilize the PCIe 5.0 x4 interface, theoretically doubling the bandwidth of previous Gen 4 drives to approximately 10-14 GB/s sequential read speeds.
- Implementation involves a dedicated M.2 2280 slot with enhanced thermal pads to mitigate the higher power consumption and thermal throttling common in Gen 5 controllers.
- The drives utilize 3D TLC NAND flash memory, optimized for the Framework Laptop 13 Pro's power management firmware to ensure battery efficiency during idle states.
- Framework has updated its BIOS to support the NVMe 2.0 specification, ensuring full compatibility with the advanced features of the new Adata storage modules.
🔮 Future ImplicationsAI analysis grounded in cited sources
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Original source: The Verge ↗
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