ExpansionBay

Published here: https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay

There is potential for a extra battery module. It doesn't exist yet, but the connector supports power going from the expansion bay to the laptop[0], so someone could build a battery module or potentially even a hot-swappable adapter to use a removable battery made for a more common laptop. [0] See pins 41-51,63-64 on https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay/tree/main/...

We try to keep the newsletter/blog posts as accessible and digestible as we can, but we have deeper technical detail on the interconnect scheme on GitHub: https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay

If anyone wants to lend us access to a CT machine, we’d love to share that! We do have some CAD at https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay

PCIe 4 x8. We have documentation around it here: https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay

We've published documentation around the interface, and are happy to work with anyone who wants to develop a new module: https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay

We've designed the Expansion Bay module system to be able to handle power bi-directionally. One of the main reasons for this was to enable secondary batteries. This specific module isn't something we've shared any plans around, but it's something that either we or a third party would be able to build. https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay

I don't think anybody outside Framework knows for sure yet (maybe not even internally) but my impression from what they've shared so far is that the expansion bays are intended to be very easily swappable (external, a click & push like the expansion slots) but almost certainly not hot-swappable while the machine is powered on. They do have some initial specs at https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay that somebody more knowledgeable than me might be able to glean some practical info from.

It's not a desktop PCIe slot on the back of a laptop, but the interface is already documented. The electrical, shell-fit PCB, and general form-factor specs of the 16" laptop's expansion bay are already published under a CC-BY license by Framework: https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay Direct link to the pinout PDF: https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay/blob/main/... It's a 4th-gen x8 interface, so there are limits to what "any old GPU" might be capable of performance-wise, but creating a passthrough-port accessory seems possible.

Framework is doing brilliant work. They create reusable computer formats that anyone can hack against. Strongly considering a Framework 13 as my next computer. - Expansion cards: https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionCards - Expansion bay: https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay - Input modules: https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/inputmodule-rs

We've developed a new interface and released it publicly on GitHub: https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay

Yes, the interposer connector we use is similar to what Dell used for DGFF. They didn't publish specs or pinouts though, so we developed our own and released them publicly on GitHub: https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay/tree/main/...

See [1] I too wish they'd answer this more clearly or show more pictures to give a proper impression, but it seems it covers the back and under-side, so if extending thickness presumably they'd cause the keyboard to tilt accordingly, and extending the depth would just mean more of it would hang out the back. This article seems to show of what I assume is the GPU expansion with a "larger butt" [2] [1] https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay [2] https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/shopping/framework-annou...

Seems like pcie connection to the mainboard > The Framework Laptop 16 has an Expansion Bay system that contains both the cooling fans and an interface for high-power, high-speed PCIe peripherals like GPUs. Expansion Bay modules can extend in both thickness and depth to accomodate higher power requirements. https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay

Works for me, thanks. But the linked Github repos for the (GPU) expansion bay and the input module are still private/dead. :/ https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/InputModules