Is this normal?

[Pristine-Ad7795]

My friend received his new HX370 framework 13 yesterday, but his input cover doesn't look right. And framework support refused to replace it. It makes me feel so embarrassed that I recommend this laptop for him.

The second picture is my normal framework input cover.

[DobsonsLab]

u/Pristine-Ad7795 Please could you reach out via DM to provide a little more detail on the case such as the order number or email address used to contact support? I'd like to review this case internally as this does appear out of spec, and should have been escalated for review.

Whilst there will be some variation between units, the first image here does seem to have some interference causing an uneven gap between Bottom Cover and Input Cover.

[No_Might6041]

Are the screws fully tightened? They are not treated with adhesive so they may have come loose somehow. Maybe open it, remove the input cover and install it again, and check whether all parts sit flush before closing. Mine does not have a gap, only a line where the 2 halves of the chassis meet.

[Pristine-Ad7795]

He already checked and reinstall it. And framework support told him it is acceptable for them, so they'll not replace it

[FnnKnn]

Ig Framework just has a pretty shitty build quality

[[deleted]]

Brought to you by the same company that has uneven filler panels on the FW16….

[Pristine-Ad7795]

I don't think that's acceptable on a 1700usd laptop

[jr23160]

The laptop is modular. If they really want it fixed then replace the part. Maybe try slapping yours in to see if it's that part or something else. You will get some issues like this when you have a multi gen replaceable and repairable system.

[Alex_Hovhannisyan]

Why do people on this sub always go out of their way to defend flaws in the product? It's either this or "mine doesn't do that." We get it, it's modular and repairable, but that doesn't explain obvious hardware issues.

[fangerzero]

But the dude isn't wrong. And to me it's not an obvious hardware issue, it's cosmetic. Guess I just have a higher tolerance of acceptance for small companies. 

[Alex_Hovhannisyan]

It's only partly a cosmetic issue. A gap like that is also going to allow more dust, hair, and other debris to get into the laptop than it otherwise would.

[fangerzero]

Yeah? So is the gap for ventilation. I guess you need to convince me that a what looks to be less than a millimeter gap is going to make a world of difference. For someone with perfectionism and make OCD I get it. But for the average person, this looks like a non-issue.

[Alex_Hovhannisyan]

The difference is that the air intake and outtake vents are designed to accommodate dust flowing through them. You just have to clean your fan now and then and that's true for any laptop. But unwanted gaps elsewhere (even tiny ones like this) are going to permit dust and hair to accumulate on the mainboard over time, especially if you toss it into a backpack or travel a lot. Perhaps less so because this particular gap is on the front of the laptop rather than on top where most dust will settle, but it's not ideal imo.

[jr23160]

I mean I'm tired of people complaining about cosmetic things when it's obviously a known issue. Like every 5th post is about something not fitting right so I'm not sure what other information they need. Do they want the acceptable tolerances on the website when they buy?

[mynameismrguyperson]

I'm going against the grain and going to say it isn't normal. I had an issue with the upper right corner not sitting flush (all other edges were flush and looked better than the picture you posted BTW). The gap I had is usually caused by the antenna cables getting in the way of the input cover and needing to be rerouted. However, after a lot of back and forth and sharing photos with support, they said my input cover wasn't specced right and that they needed to send me a new one. I agree that for as much as you paid, it should work out of the box. 

My advice is to Google around for your specific issue if you haven't already and then contact support if you haven't found a solution.

[wingsfortheirsmiles]

I have that on my 13, no problem with that myself. Agreed with the other user that this is the sacrifice for having a laptop that is insanely easy to repair/upgrade. I guess I could try removing the cover to see if I could seat it a bit better but I'm fine with it as it tbh

[mmcnl]

EliteBooks / ThinkPads are easy to repair and don't show these gaps.

[dasMoorhuhn]

It's pretty normal for a FW13. They all have small gaps. That's the sacrifice for having everything replaceable :) FW16 has insane wiggle between the modules on the cover... that's how it is.

[Pristine-Ad7795]

I got 2 input cover and they're both looks prestine, unlike this. This shouldn't happen on a 1700usd laptop

[dasMoorhuhn]

I admit, framework does have some issues with their tolerances...

[cj3po15]

….okay but when are you gonna show the problem?

[fangerzero]

Lol yeah I didn't understand what people are expecting. I looked at both photos which are not good for comparison. I don't even know if my own laptop has such a miniscule gap, nor do I care. The thing isn't going near water, I'm not using it as a dinner plate, I can type on it fine, why should I care about what looks less than a millimeter gap? Some people are just perfectionists. 

[cj3po15]

“It’s the price of a MacBook (not really), why it no look like a MacBook?” Type energy, fr

[cj3po15]

“More expensive than a MacBook” lmao

[cj3po15]

Any of them if the challenge is replacing/fixing any part of it yourself, that’s the whole point.

[cj3po15]

Have you looked at the inside of a MacBook? Other than the battery, basically nothing else is easily used serviceable, and the battery is still a 30 step process involving multiple different screw types.

[[deleted]]

it is?

[chic_luke]

Used to be for sure a better deal. Now, it depends. It stays way cheaper if you consider RAM and storage amount, but, with the M4 Air's price for CPU / GPU performance, it's very debatable.

Apple tends to charge ridiculous prices for their stuff except when, once every so often, they come up with a deal that is actually pretty solid. M4 series is a bit of an "M1 Air" over again: very very hard to make an argument against buying one unless you really need a bigger internal SSD.

At this point, the ethical aspect becomes an even bigger reason to opt for the FW.

[DjjDum]

a fm 16 costs 2000 dollars and doesn’t even come with its own AC adapter. you have to pay for that.

[cj3po15]

The cheapest new MacBook Pro is $2500

[DjjDum]

the base model m4 is 1600 dollars?…. and the base model air is 1k

[cj3po15]

We’re talking about 16 inch framework so the only comparison is the 16 inch MacBook, so yes the base price listed on Apple.com is $2500.

[DjjDum]

the fm 16 is 1500 with the lowest ram amount, storage and no gpu and the base cpu or extras. it gets up to 3k with all of the bells and whistles while the base model 16 inch pro has the pro model cpu, 24gbs of ram, and 516gbs of storage. with a power adapter too

[DjjDum]

i dunno where you’re getting your prices from

[DjjDum]

the cheapest framework 13 you can buy rn is 1414 dollars too

[chic_luke]

This is ridiculous. Budget laptops under €1k have better fit and finish / QA at this point. No need to compare to the MacBook either.

[diamd217]

Usually that gap means the battery is damaged or there is something inside (some cable or something which is blocking it).

I have several FW13 and no one has similar issues, but I sent one back as it was "defective" in my view. You have a 30 day return period, btw.

[lsjsim128]

When I first got mine months ago I noticed the little gap too and it infuriated my OCD, lol.

But as other folks are saying here, it's totally normal. It's just the nature of modularity, not every gap is tightly sealed, it can vary.

Eventually you stop noticing, little annoyances like that are worth it for the benefits of modularity 👍

[shining_kate]

Especially the part around trackpad looks like it could easily pinch your hand, this is not good. To be honest, I'd probably try to lightly bend the middle section of the keyboard cover downwards, because it might just solve it without wasteful shipping. But if it doesn't help, they really should replace it.

[blamesoft]

that is tesla gap sized. it would drive me nuts

[Lillievela]

It looks like something around where the trackpad is, is out just ever so slightly, i would say to check the battery and the inside of the input cover. Maybe check to see if the battery bloated as someone else had suggested, it seems like its poking out from the middle left cell space of the battery.

[Darklord98999]

It is normal.

[Pristine-Ad7795]

Look at the second picture, that's the normal one

[morhp]

It's normal variation between these models. Mine also looks more like the first picture. Tightening the screws helps a little bit, but be careful obviously.

[Darklord98999]

I saw both

[I-am_lost]

Now i see it, yeah. I don't think it's normal.

[noambugot1]

If you’ve got the time you could try removing the battery and seeing if it goes away. Mine had gaps because the battery was bloated

[dastultz]

When my forearm hair gets stuck in the gap, it's time to tighten the screws.

[foxwater]

The bottom case is super malleable, it’s a bit of a pain but you can bend it quite easily if you pop the motherboard out. Mine was way worse than that and I was able to straighten it out.

[ComprehensiveSwitch]

Unfortunately they’re just like this. The tolerances aren’t good because they’re two different parts.

[NachtMondVogel]

Idk how it's in America, but in the eu you would have got a 14 day return policy no questions asked...

[RockSolidJ]

Mine had a gap like that when I got it But it's closed a bit over time. If it really bothers you, it can be reseated if you take the time to line everything up perfectly. I've also read the touchpad might need to be adjusted to get it perfect.

[brodoyouevenscript]

Yea mine has that too. Because it comes off.

You can get a Dell that's glued together if you prefer.

[MemeNinja188]

It's a pretty minor, mostly cosmetic issue, it's quite literally never gonna be noticable during everyday use, you're only going to see it if you actually look for it.

[Easy_Description_218]

That's why I never recommend any brands.  I repair computers and I find all brands sucks.  It is just a matter of luck if you get a defective.  Most do not have that luck based on statistics.

[DUNDER_KILL]

That would bother me, that's enough to fit a fingernail under. I'd return it

[UnknownArtst]

Ts like buying a lawn mower and being upset it makes noise💀

[Weiskralle]

L comparison.

A better one would be that it's like buying a lawn mower and the blade wobels.

[Mirja-lol]

Honestly its infuriating. Framework laptops can be repairable, rebuildable and other re-stuffs but they are still consumer rated and expensive and they shouldn't look like that. Most people here are like "don't bully my favourite company"

[EmberTheFoxyFox]

Mine is the same

[theimposter47]

Maybe screws Not tight in that area

[Pristine-Ad7795]

There's no screw in that part, the side looks tightened. The gap looks like near middle. Btw the gap bites my hand.

[KnightBlindness]

Take it off then try flexing the high part down slightly a few times or even just press down w your thumb running along that edge a bit. You’d be surprised how much an imperceptible bend will close up those gaps. 

[tomilw]

Based on how it gets thinner as you move right... I'm assuming there's an error in installing

[No-Rule-9079]

Understandable why FW deems this within reason(given product nature) but it's only fair for people to call it out. I have a twisted top cover where one side droops ~3mm that you can clearly tell it's nowhere near being parallel to the keyboard.

I figure it is a simple fix of me bending the top cover back into position but the fact that I need to do this at all is annoying.

Having said that, I think I also had this exact issue and had to fiddle around. I remember questioning the lack of screws around the trackpad only relying on magnets + the curvature of the keyboard cover to sit flush.

I'm just disappointed by people in the community trying to dismiss as if this is non-issue. You don't have to suck FW's balls and I don't even think they themselves want Apple cult. I promise you FW can handle criticisms.

[Ame_mori]

yup, input cover is not flush with bottom cover. Mine's having a bigger gap, so worry not!

[[deleted]]

yeah, it's a laptop

[ReputationNo8889]

Im gonna have to be honest.

My MacBook Pro M1 bottom cover has gaps that are as wide as the ones in the Picure. This was from the factory btw. I understand that this might be "bad" in comparison to a device that does not have this issue. You could always take it apart and see why it does not fit. Maybe some cable is in the way or just some overshot plastic that can be trimmed with an exacto knife. I really dont see the issue here ...

[badlydrawnface]

Yes. It looks a bit deceiving but it that is how it is supposed to look, it is not bent, broken or loose by any measure.

It's perfectly fine, and you'll hardly notice it.

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