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| The Framework Laptop 13 Pro is the latest Framework notebook. |
The upstart repair-friendly PC maker is rattling the industry’s giants, and Dell allegedly isn’t taking it lying down.
Since launching its first laptop, the 13-inch Framework Laptop 13, back in 2021, Framework has become one of the most exciting laptop OEMs on the market. The company aims to make “great products you can easily customize, upgrade, and repair,” and it is so far doing exactly that. Its latest laptop is the Framework Laptop 13 Pro, which is meant to be an Apple MacBook Pro replacement running Linux. But it isn't just Apple that seems to be feeling the heat—it’s the Windows stalwarts, too.
Naturally, well-established laptop OEMs appear to be taking Framework seriously now. In a recent post on X, the company dropped a bombshell allegation that has the tech community buzzing.
"Every time we engage with an influencer on X dot com, Dell sends them an XPS," Framework wrote.
The post has gained some decent traffic, with over 320K views at the time of writing. You can read the exact wording of the spicy claim here.
This has prompted a lot of people jokingly asking Framework to interact with them in the hopes of getting a free premium Dell XPS laptop from the Texas-based giant. The implication is clear: Dell is so concerned about losing high-end market share to Framework that it is actively trying to steer "influencers" (reviewers, YouTubers, and tech pundits) back toward its own products before they even get a chance to review Framework’s hardware.
A David vs. Goliath Story for the Laptop Era
While it will still take many years of hard effort for Framework to go mainstream and compete with OEMs like Dell and HP at the same level, the company is well on its way. Dell recognizes this threat to its XPS lineup, and if Framework’s assertion is accurate, the response is aggressive.
We don’t blame Dell for allegedly doing so, as the competition in the laptop market is already very intense. With the launch and the subsequent success of the Apple MacBook Neo (powered by next-gen ARM chips), things have become even tougher for Windows laptop OEMs. It is now looking very likely that the MacBook Neo will eat into the market share of Lenovo, HP, and Dell, the top three laptop makers by market share.
Dell’s XPS line has long been the gold standard for Windows productivity and creator laptops. Having a new player like Framework not only match that build quality but also offer modular ports and repairable motherboards is a nightmare scenario for a company that prefers you to buy a completely new device every two years.
Will Framework Survive the Big Boys?
That said, whether Framework succeeds in convincing the masses to give the Framework laptops a shot depends on the company continuing to successfully execute on its vision while refining each new launch. The Framework Laptop 13 Pro seems to be doing just that. Early reviews praise the Linux compatibility and the modular design that allows you to swap out the CPU, RAM, and storage as if you were building a desktop.
However, software optimization and customer support scale differently than hardware manufacturing. We need to see a lot more of this in the years to come.
Of course, if all this controversy has actually made you curious about what a traditional flagship feels like, you can check out the competitor that started the fire drill.
Source: Framework on X
