Framework Laptop 13 Pro vs. MacBook Neo: These Windows rivals are more similar than expected

["ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.", 'When Framework CEO Nirav Patel announced the company\'s new Laptop 13 Pro, he called it the "MacBook Pro for Linux users", highlighting its sleek new build and premium touches -- combined with the modularity and customization Framework\'s laptops are known for.

You can certainly draw comparisons to the MacBook Pro. However, the more timely comparison here is to the MacBook Neo, Apple\'s 13-inch, $599 laptop that has shaken up the affordable PC market not just because of its price, but also because of its improved repairability.', 'Other PC makers have admitted the Neo is a big deal for budget laptop makers; Nick Wu, CFO of Asus, called the MacBook Neo "a shock to the entire market". But Framework\'s Patel told me in a recent video call that his company is well-situated to take on the Neo.

"Of all the PC brands out there, we\'re probably the least impacted," he said. "We launched the [Framework] 12 a year ago in response to the sub-$1,000 market, which is pretty dismal."', 'Patel\'s approach is not just theoretical. He actually reviewed the MacBook Neo himself, taking it apart side-by-side with the new Laptop 13 Pro to compare the two laptops\' ease of access and repairability.

It\'s no surprise that the Framework was fully disassembled long before the Neo\'s mainboard was remotely accessible. However, it should be noted that the Neo is Apple\'s "most repairable laptop in 14 years," as iFixit dubbed it.', "The Framework Laptop 13 Pro starts at $1,199 for the DIY version with your own OS (including Linux), offering a laptop that's forward- and backward-compatible, entirely modular, and deeply customizable. This approach may appeal to consumers seeking a modular, repairable laptop that doesn't feel like it was slapped together with random parts and mismatched screws.", 'If this laptop is to be the "ultimate portable developer and power user machine", it needs to look and feel the part.

Apple nailed this approach with the Neo, and it looks like Framework may have done the same. These companies may be traveling on different sides of the road, but Framework\'s Laptop 13 Pro and the MacBook Neo may have more in common than the Windows PCs that are in their crosshairs.']