So several people asked me what I thought of the Framework laptops, since I kept bringing up the MNT Pocket Reform / MNT Reform Next recently.
Framework's laptops seem better than many other options on the market, but they don't excite me as much as MNT's stuff.
What MNT has going for it that Framework's doesn't:
- Actually open hardware
- Much, much more community oriented
- Designs feel oriented to long term view of repairable computing
- Built by a small shop of lovely queers
Now that said, MNT's stuff still requires "enthusiast" level care, participation. I think this is going to get better with the MNT Reform Next; each device has been more polished than the last.
But what I'm looking for is a "way forward" for computers people can own, participate in, feel a part of.
MNT's stuff feels like that to me, more than any other hardware company I've encountered. I really want them to succeed! I want this to be the future.
And since I *didn't* link to it, foolishly, here's MNT's website: https://mnt.re
The MNT Pocket Reform especially is cool today https://www.crowdsupply.com/mnt/pocket-reform
And the MNT Reform Next is the cool thign of the future https://mntre.com/media/reform_md/2024-09-09-introducing-mnt-reform-next.html
@cwebber the next only supports OpenGL 3.1
@aeva @cwebber you can get experimental GL 3.3 support with env PAN_MESA_DEBUG=gl3
which generally works ok in my experience! and i believe the drivers are still being worked on, including vulkan support https://www.collabora.com/news-and-blog/news-and-events/panvk-v10-support.html
@cwebber mnt reform next looks so cool!! i just really wish the performance was competitive with laptops with cpus from intel/amd, would be awesome if some day they could make a processor module with one (although cooling might be a challenge with that?)
@m04 I guess I feel the CPU performance is actually pretty good there! 2.2 ghz with 8 cores! I mean, by comparison the Apple M2 used in current gen macbook airs (which feels like the fair comparison, also fanless) is 3.49 ghz yeah?
Sure, it's slower, but personally I find that's plenty fast to do the kind of work I do day to day!
@cwebber I keep being tempted by the Pocket Reform, and then noticing that battery life. :( I am just spoiled by things that run for 10hrs plus in the closed-laptop space.