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Framework Laptop 13 (DIY Edition) vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)
Framework Laptop 13 (DIY Edition) ($849) vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) ($803) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right modular laptop.
Spec-by-spec
| Spec | Framework Laptop 13 (DIY Edition) | Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $849 | $803 |
| Weight | 1300g | 1240g |
| Chip | AMD Ryzen AI 300 series, up to 12 cores | M4 |
| Display | 13.5" 3:2, 2.2K or 2.8K matte | 13.6" Liquid Retina |
| Ports | 4 swappable Expansion Cards | MagSafe 3, 2x Thunderbolt, headphone |
| Repairability | Every part replaceable, guides published | — |
| Thickness | 15.85 mm | — |
| Weight | Under 1.3 kg (Framework's published figure — no exact number given) | 1240g (Apple published) |
| Camera | — | 12MP Center Stage |
| Cooling | — | Fanless |
Pros & Cons
Framework Laptop 13 (DIY Edition)
- Genuinely repairable, with real parts availability
- Choose your own port layout
- Mainboard upgradeable across CPU generations
- 3:2 matte screen is better for work than 16:9
- Excellent Linux support
- DIY ships unassembled with no OS
- Battery life and trackpad trail a MacBook Air
- Framework publishes only "under 1.3 kg", not an exact weight
- Fan is audible where the Air has none
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)
- M4 performance in a fanless 1240g body
- 12MP Center Stage camera
- Launched cheaper than the M3 did
- Excellent battery life
- Still throttles on sustained heavy work
- No ProMotion display
- Holds value, so used discounts are modest
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) is the better value at $803. Both are part of our curated modular laptop index — tap through to check current pricing.
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