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Comment by ex3ndr | Hacker News Reader

What’s the difference from original?

ChromeOS! Specifically, the Mainboard is custom-designed for ChromeOS. This means it uses coreboot instead of a proprietary BIOS and has Google's Titan C security chip.

There are some other smaller differences. To keep the cost down, the top cover is aluminum-formed instead of CNCed, for compatibility reasons we weren't able to bring our fingerprint module in, and we were able to improve both audio quality and speaker loudness with an improved audio CODEC and louder transducers.

Interesting - does this mean it'll be possible to create a Coreboot edition of the original Framework motherboard design, or is that capability related to Titan C?

It is technically possible to, and we've provided development systems to a few coreboot developers. This is something we'll be putting more energy into next year as we grow the Framework team.

That's wonderful to hear! I'm very excited about where Framework is going these days.

System76 have done work on enabling CoreBoot support on several laptops (which AFAICT are rebranded and certified versions of ODM whitelabel devices).

Would any collaboration with them regarding CoreBoot be helpful/desirable/possible/planned/etc. ?

Bummer just bought one was very not pleased to find “intel vpro corporate” force enabled in the firmware.

> coreboot instead of a proprietary BIOS and has Google's Titan C security chip

This is what I was hoping when I got the announcement via email. The question is if this will be locked down to chromeos or if it's possible to install your own keys to load a linux distro while still retaining verified boot capabilities.

I believe all Chromebooks are capable of having custom keys installed.

> To keep the cost down, the top cover is aluminum-formed instead of CNCed

Forging is in no way inferior to CNC, on the contrary, a forget aluminium part should have more rigidity per unit of thickness, depending on the alloy.

I guess, you got to volumes big enough to open the mould for forging?

If you need an audio engineer, I can refer you one fellow. He worked at Apple, Harman, Asus, BBK, and is now looking to relocated from the East Bloc.

He meant formed not forged.

The formed top covers are thick aluminium foils that are folded by machines.

They did show signs of lack of rigidity in the usage of the laptops (it was shipped with the first Framework laptops, and later replaced by CNC for this very reason).

Will it be possible to buy and use these new audio components to improve a standard FrameWork?

In the Markeplace I can see the new speakers but not the new audio board (or is the codec actually on the motherboard?).

Can you elaborate what you mean with improved audio quality? My headphone jack on the 12th gen. (batch 1) model has a constant loud static/white noise which is very audible when listening to music even at max volume.

FYI — I emailed your support team and was told the Chromebook did have a fingerprint reader. Which surprised me because I hadn't see it on the product page at https://frame.work/products/laptop-chromebook-12-gen-intel

They pointed me to this /gb/en/ url, which has the same chromebook slug but seems to just describe the regular 12th gen laptop: https://frame.work/gb/en/laptop-chromebook-12-gen-intel

So to be clear, no fingerprint reader for the Chromebook? Any chance of adding that in the future?

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