[m01]

Can you upgrade the storage of your XPS laptop?

Maybe check out the Framework laptops? For example the Framework 13's new screen is 2.8k @ 256PPI apparently [1], which has slightly more pixels than the Macbook Air M4[2] (obviously pixels isn't everything), but you can get up to 8TB NVMe storage + an extra storage expansion cards if you're happy to sacrifice ports and up to 96GB RAM. [3]

[1] https://community.frame.work/t/framework-laptop-13-deep-dive...

[2] https://www.apple.com/macbook-air/specs/

[3] https://frame.work/gb/en/products/laptop-diy-13-gen-amd/conf...

EDIT: typo + formatting

[reissbaker]

Personally I've been a huge fan of my Framework 13, and am planning at some point to swap out the mainboard with the new one they released — it's pretty nice that you can do that (and they sell a desktop case to put the old mainboard in, so you end up with a faster laptop and a spare desktop afterwards!).

Battery life is the main downside, although it doesn't bother me too much — running manufacturer-supported Linux is very nice and worth having to charge more frequently. It uses USB-C anyway, so it's just one cable for all my devices — doesn't feel like that big of a deal.

[filmgirlcw]

Yeah, I love Framework (disclosure, I invested in their community funding round) and I pre-ordered the desktop and have strongly considered upgrading my Intel laptop of theirs to an AMD mainboard (or just getting a whole new unit since I'll have to get new RAM and would like the higher DPI screen) and compared to other Windows or Linux options right now, I think they are pretty strong for thin and light HOWEVER I would be a liar if I said I think it can compare to a MacBook Air right now.

Which to be honest, is fine -- plenty of people want something different from a MacBook Air, whether it is the ability to run Windows or Linux without compromises (tho VMs on Apple silicon are pretty good, it's not going to be ideal for everyone), the ability to upgrade storage, or just wanting repairability.

But the battery life on a MBA is not something Framework or any of the Windows laptops can compete with right now. I thought we might get there with Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips last year -- and maybe the next iteration will (and ARM64 chips have their own trade-offs for Windows and Linux (whereas if you're committed to Mac, those trade-offs don't exist anymore)) -- but right now, unfortunately, Mac is where it is at for the true all-day performance and battery place.

Even there, however, I would specify that it is the MacBook Airs that have the best battery life. My 16" M4 Pro with 48GB of RAM has great battery too -- don't get me wrong. But my original 14" M1 Max and the 14" M3 Max I replaced it with both have exceptional battery life for what they can do, but I can definitely drain that battery in under 5 hours if I'm working on it hard enough. Whereas the Air just lasts and lasts and lasts.

[reissbaker]

I would love better battery life, but personally, running manufacturer-supported Linux is worth the tradeoff: every Linux tool I'd run in production works for every program on my laptop (no need to set up VMs, and even then, the Linux tools can't work with or inspect what's running on the macOS host...); containers run at full, native performance; games on Steam work much better than macOS (it's literally just a bigger, better Steam Deck!); plus the niceties of upgradeability.

If I usually worked from cafes, or spent many hours a day working on planes or trains, all-day battery life would be at the top of my list. But I usually work in workspaces that have power, so... It would definitely be nice to have better battery life, but other features are higher priority for me.

[_factor]

I would love it if they made it easy to split 16x PCI-e 5 16x/8x/4x slots into gen3 or gen4 breakouts.

The chips may not have the lanes, but they have the bandwidth if only 10GbE / 4xm.2 / storage controllers could plug in. I wonder if power is an issue.

[cosmic_cheese]

The main problem with the Framework 13 at this point is underwhelming battery life. I have one of the newly announced models reserved in hopes that the new CPU improves that to a reasonable degree, but if reviews come out and that turns out to not be the case there’s a substantial chance I’ll cancel.

[buildfocus]

I upgraded to the AMD board and the larger batteries and this improved significantly - 7/8 hours of real usage now, which for me is fine. On linux with minor tweaking. Depends what you need, but surely for most people a full workday without power is manageable!

[cosmic_cheese]

Are those numbers with power saver mode turned on? For what this laptop is being used for I don’t need much muscle and would rather need to charge less frequently.

[buildfocus]

No, normal usage with no special power saver options. Turning off WiFi+minimal brightness+power saving etc pushes it further, but I'm rarely in a scenario where I want to do that for more than a couple of hours anyway.

I've heard Windows defaults or more advanced Linux games can do better, but at this stage I don't feel the need.

[CoolGuySteve]

It’s annoying that Asus is shipping 14” laptops with 75Wh batteries while the Framework 13 maxes out at 61Wh and doesn’t use LPDDR. On the other hand, it’s annoying ASUS doesn’t ship models with more ram.

[cosmic_cheese]

It’s also annoying that the latest Intel/AMD Zenbooks don’t offer a non-PWM IPS panel screen option. The OLED panels they use apparently bother some people at low brightness settings with flickering and of course there’s the usual longevity concerns with the technology.

[user_7832]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t LPDDR require soldered RAM (or a CAMM module)?

[BearOso]

Yes, and the bus speed lower, so you're losing a bit of performance.

[alwillis]

I was surprised to see the Framework 13 didn't support wide gamut (Display P3) color, compared to the less expensive entry level MacBook Air.

[intrasight]

I honestly don't understand battery complaints. Cafes have plugs. Airplanes have plugs. Were are people working for hours without power?

[cosmic_cheese]

There’s a number of benefits to long battery life besides being able to work for long stretches unplugged.

- Longer cycles means cycle count accruement and thus degradation is slower (sometimes dramatically so)

- For longer trips, charging can be done overnight with a tiny trickle-charging phone brick, which is also better for battery health

- No need to bring a brick, cable, or power bank for shorter trips

- Impact of phantom drain during standby is greatly mitigated

- Laptop will more often than not have enough charge to be used whenever you pick it up, without having to leave it plugged in all the time

- Bluetooth and wifi can be used liberally without fear of chewing through battery too quickly

- You as a user spend a lot less time thinking about your laptop’s battery

There’s also secondary effects, like a machine being efficient enough to have long battery life generally also reducing its heat output and making it more practical to keep cool with a slow fan or passive heatsink.

[intrasight]

I'm confused as you just listed a bunch of benefits to batteries.

[turtlebits]

Once you can go through a full workday without having to charge, it's a game changer. Same reason why an Apple watch that can't make it a full day would be a dealbreaker.

[filmgirlcw]

As others have said, I think it is more than just "when can I plug in, it is also "what is my performance when I'm not plugged in."

My Framework and my HP Spectre (that I bought last year) both perform differently if they aren't plugged in and both make more noise than a MacBook Air. Whereas my MacBook Pros are usually silent (tho they can def turn the fan on if I'm pushing them a lot) and I can definitely run the battery down, but I never have to worry about having to have it plugged in just so I can do what I want without worries.

And on Windows anyway (Linux power management is its own nightmare), having to triage to figure out "how much time do I have before I have to move to a different seat in an airport lounge or find a plug at a coffee shop or snoop around at an office if I'm not at a set desk" to make sure I have enough time left to make that video call is like not a small thing.

Yeah, you can often find a plug -- but a) sometimes those plugs don't work. and b) sometimes the effort to find and look for one really interrupts your flow, versus just being able to to trust that my laptop has enough power to operate.

[twilo]

MBA is passively cooled. One of it's biggest advantages...

[ivangelion]

Not all airplanes have plugs and at cafe's people tend to prioritize seating near the precious outlets. Its a small thing but having to pack up or go home when you are in the zone is a hassle I will pay a little extra to avoid.

[mort96]

Being restricted to seats with plugs sucks. Not finding a place to sit because all the places with plugs are already occupied sucks. Needing to take a power brick out of the bag and fumble around on the floor to plug it in sucks. Being unable to use the laptop on plane or train rides without plugs sucks.

[cheeze]

Same reason I like wireless headphones. It makes wires a non-issue a majority of the time.

Carrying around a charging brick sucks. Now you have to get a table at the cafe by the wall. Or hope the airplane power is functional.

I want to bring my laptop to work, not think about charging it, and not worry about what I'm doing on the laptop throughout the day (video calls, compiling, etc.)

[saagarjha]

It's less so having access to plugs and more not needing to carry a charger.

[ninetyninenine]

its a huge convenience to never need one.

[lostlogin]

Has anyone ever been disappointed to have long battery life?

[klaas-]

I'd say the primary problem of framework is security updates for bios etc

[noisy_boy]

Depending on where you live, the main problem is they don't ship to a lot of places.

[walterbell]

Were they delayed?