The Framework Laptop 16 is a modular laptop with an Expansion Bay designed to let you add a discrete GPU to the notebook.. or swap out one GPU for another. But later this year Framework plans to give users another way to use that Expansion Bay.
An upcoming Framework OCuLink Dev Kit makes it possible to connect an external GPU or other accessories.
External graphics docks are nothing new – PC makers and gaming companies have been selling models for years, including some that leverage a Thunderbolt connection and others that make use of OCuLink, an external cabling solution for PCIe.
But so far most OCuLink products designed for consumers have been limited to 4 lanes of PCIe 4.0 The Framework Laptop 16’s Expansion Bay supports 8 lanes though. That means it supports data transfer speeds up to 128 GT/s, which is twice as high as the theoretical max for a PCIe 4.0 x4 connection.
Framework’s OCuLink Dev Kit basically lets you leverage that speed for external hardware and not just for a GPU designed to plug directly into the back of the laptop. Keep in mind that doubling the number of PCIe lanes won’t necessarily double the overall graphics performance, but you’ll likely see at least some difference for certain tasks.
Framework says the kit includes four components:
- OCuLink Expansion Bay Adaptor: This gives you an OCuLink 8i port on the back of the computer
- OCuLink 8i cable: This cable provides 8 lanes of PCIe 4.0
- Graphics Module OCuLink Dock: Instead of placing a Framework Laptop 16 graphics module directly in the expansion bay, you can place it in this dock and use it with the Framework Laptop 16 (or other supported devices
- PCIe OCuLink Dock: This dock allows you to connect a full-sized desktop graphics card or other PCIe expansion cards to the Framework Laptop 16.
Framework hasn’t announced how much the dev kit will cost, or if there are plans to sell the components individually rather than as a complete kit. But you can sign up at the Framework website to be notified when the kit goes on sale.
Fun fact, by the way: this isn’t the first OCuLink adapter for the Framework Laptop 16. While the company itself only recently announced an official adapter, a community member designed and built a DIY version late last year.
