May 29, 2026
Repairable vs irresistible
It's hard to justify buying a Framework 12
Framework gets roasted as commenters split between repairable hero and overpriced headache
TLDR: Jeff’s test made the Framework 12 look tough to recommend next to Apple’s much cheaper MacBook Neo, and even his nephew chose the Mac. Commenters are split between people mourning Framework’s value problem and fans insisting repairability matters more than getting the best deal today.
Jeff Geerling didn’t exactly drag the Framework 12 — he politely demolished it. His comparison with Apple’s cheaper MacBook Neo landed like a reality-TV elimination: the Neo was faster, quieter, better built, had a nicer screen, and cost less. Even the final plot twist stung: when Jeff let his newly graduated nephew choose, the kid picked the Neo without much drama. For a laptop aimed at students, that price gap was the comment section’s first gasp-worthy moment.
But the real fireworks came from the crowd. One camp basically said, of course the Mac wins if all you care about is what comes in the box today. They called Apple’s machine an “appliance” and Framework a “tool,” arguing that the whole point is being able to repair, swap parts, and keep it alive for years instead of tossing it when something breaks. The opposing camp was far less sentimental: if a machine is slower, noisier, thicker, and more expensive right now, why should regular people pay extra for a future upgrade fantasy?
And yes, there was snark. One commenter called the review a “brutal but polite” Midwestern takedown. Another dropped the bleak joke that both options feel “suicidal” at 8GB of memory, which is internet-speak for “painfully cramped.” The mood? Equal parts sympathy for Framework, admiration for its mission, and panic that Apple just crashed the budget-laptop party.
Key Points
- •Jeff Geerling compares the Framework 12 with Apple’s MacBook Neo and says the Neo offers better overall value for a student laptop buyer.
- •The article states that the MacBook Neo is faster in most tests, more efficient, silent in operation, better built, and has a better display than the Framework 12.
- •Geerling says the Framework 12 is more repairable and upgradeable, and also offers a touchscreen and 360-degree hinge.
- •The article lists Framework 12 pricing at $749 for a DIY build and $799 for a pre-built model, versus $499 for Apple’s student-priced base MacBook Neo.
- •In benchmark discussion, the article says the Framework 12 performs slightly better in sustained heavy workloads due to active cooling, but loses on most CPU and GPU results overall.