risc-v business Framework Laptops RISC-V board for open source diehards is available for $199 With soldered RAM and eMMC storage, this is not "a consumer-ready experience." Andrew Cunningham Feb 4, 2025 3:31 pm | 9 Framework and DeepComputing have collaborated to create a RISC-V motherboard that fits in the Framework Laptop 13's chassis. Credit: Framework Framework and DeepComputing have collaborated to create a RISC-V motherboard that fits in the Framework Laptop 13's chassis. Credit: Framework Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreWe've covered the Framework Laptop 13 primarily as a consumer Windows laptop, reviewing versions with multiple Intel and AMD processors. But the system's modular nature makes it possible to expand it beyond Windows PC hardware, as we've seen with experiments like the (now-discontinued) Chromebook Edition of the laptop.Today Framework is expanding to something even more experimental: a DeepComputing RISC-V Mainboard targeted primarily at developers. RISC-V is a fully open source and royalty-free instruction set, making it possible for anyone to adopt and use it without having to license it (unlike x86, which is a maze of cross-licensed Intel and AMD technologies that other companies can't really buy into; or Arm, which is licensed by the company of the same name).First announcedin June 2024, the board is available to order today for $199. The board is designed to fit in a Framework Laptop 13 chassis, which means that people who would prefer a desktop can also put it into the $39 Cooler Master Mainboard Case that Framework offers.Made in concert with DeepComputing, the board uses a StarFive JH7110 processor with four 1.5 GHz SiFive U74 CPU cores. The board can officially run either Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or Fedora 41, with tech support provided by DeepComputing.The RISC-V board isn't being offered in a pre-built laptop, but Framework is also introducing a barebones boardless $399 laptop chassis with a screen, 55 WHr battery, speakers, and a keyboard for $399. It can be used for the RISC-V Mainboard or any other Framework Laptop 13 motherboard model.RISC-V is currently used more extensively in low-level chips like microcontrollers rather than consumer-grade PCs or phones, and Framework's positioning of the new board makes it clear that it's still targeted primarily at a developer audience. Framework CEO Nirav Patel says the board"is focused primarily on enabling developers, tinkerers, and hobbyists to start testing and creating on RISC-V," and processor limitations mean it uses soldered-down RAM and eMMC storage rather than the user-replaceable RAM and storage that the other Framework boards use. Framework doesn't list detailed specs on its product page, but the DeepComputing specs page indicates that it includes 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.Most other mainstream operating systems don't support running on RISC-V processors, at least not yet. Microsoft has yet to publicly display any interest in running Windows on RISC-Veven Windows on Arm has only become truly viable as a mainstream x86 Windows replacement within the last year or so. Google was briefly talking about making RISC-V a "tier-1" architecture for Android in 2023, but RISC-V support was then removed from the kernel in a series of patches in April 2024. For people interested in tinkering with the promising but relatively nascent CPU architecture, the Framework board will at least make it easier, even if it's not ready for mass-market adoption just yet.Andrew CunninghamSenior Technology ReporterAndrew CunninghamSenior Technology Reporter Andrew is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica, with a focus on consumer tech including computer hardware and in-depth reviews of operating systems like Windows and macOS. Andrew lives in Philadelphia and co-hosts a weekly book podcast called Overdue. 9 Comments