I've always thought of the value proposition of the framework as being it's capacity for upgrade.

You should obviously start from a level of compute that meets your requirements, but the additional cost for the framework was always the price of the ability to change out parts later (at the very least the idea of it)

It feels like an apples to oranges comparison but with the only success criteria being the things an apple is designed for (pun intended).

If performance to price ratio was the only criteria they are interested in , the framework shouldn't even be in the race.

Its hard for me to justify framework for a variety of other reasons, but the value proposition was always upgradability / diy options in the first place. That said I'd rather go with a thinkpad right now or an MNT if I wanted to support open design.

I'd still love to get a pocket reform, but I've got 3 thinkpads, 2 of which have had some big upgrades/repairs, and another on the way. At the very least the T/P/etc series are great for repairing and upgrading. Even third party extras are pretty common.

Kids like being cool and trendy. Much more than adults (don't believe me? Go to an opensource conference and count the macs). Anything from the fruit store has been successfully marketed as lit (or whatever the kids say these days). And Geerling, for all the good he does, doesn't care about spyware, lock-in, monopolies, or big tech. He's a pragmatist. Whether that means his godson in "the land of freedom" ends up in the walled garden or not isn't any concern to him.

Of course the nephew chose the Neo.

this is a bit off topic but I wish framework would make a dumb keyboard screen that you could plug into hosts. Manufacturers of these price them way high because the demand for them is mostly in data centers but man I have wanted something like that for awhile and I kinda figure they already have the case and such. just need like a part that gives kb and trackpad out along with video in. Heck might be nice to have wireless to.

It’s pretty easy actually. The framework is meant to be a forever laptop, and every other option is destined for the landfill

I bought ny eldest a decent Lenovo laptop, but when the power port started playing up it required a full replacement motherboard to fix.

I bought Framework 13's for the eldest 2, and will buy another this year for the next one.