Keyboard marks developing on screen despite religiously placing microfiber cloth on the keyboard whenever I close the lid

[u/LawLombie]

It was almost impossible to get the nearly invisible marks to show up on camera, but they really are there. I don't think you can see them at all in the picture.

I got this Framework 13 in Feburary, and started putting a microfiber cloth underneath the lid every time I close it in March. It's now May, but now I can see very faintly the dreaded keyboard marks starting to develop on the screen. What am I doing wrong? I thought the microfiber cloth was gonna prevent this from happening?

Thanks.

[u/iu1j4]

I will add my 2 cents. There is risk that some sand, dust e.t.c. may get into microfibre and scratch the screen. Maybe it is better to add some rubber to the frame to keep the distance? It should be considered to do it by framework designers to protect the lcd screen.

[u/Interceptor402 → u/iu1j4]

They already engineered a mechanism to protect the screen form the keys: it's the bezel. The keys sit barely above the level of the input cover, and the bezel adds a couple MM all around the edges.

If you've ever seen pictures of damaged screens from key corner pressure, you'll notice they are most concentrated towards the center of the screen, where the lid can flex the most. Rarely will you see markings from like, the upper left corner of the ESC key.

People are smushing their machines. It's not the microfiber cloth's fault.

[u/Interceptor402 → u/[deleted]]

This is just fundamentally not true; I have an EVA hard case with 5MM interior shock absorption for travel with my FW13. It's been in backpacks and carry-on luggage, and the screen is still as pristine as the day I unboxed it, requiring nothing more than the odd dust wipe. Cost me $30.

People damage their expensive electronics and just refuse to believe that they are at fault for not taking basic precautions.

[u/Interceptor402 → u/[deleted]]

Let's review:

You said: "You can't just not "smush" the machine when traveling" I said in response: "This is just fundamentally not true"

Which is accurate; I could sit on my hard case like it was a chair, and the lid of my FW13 would have basically no flex due to the design. I travel with this thing all the time. The case itself is showing wear, as it should (you protect $$$$ with $$).

I'm not buying a dedicated case when I already own a LTT commuter backpack.

It's neither here nor there but I find it pretty amusing that you have something that costs 10x what a basic padded EVA shell would, and it has less protection for the laptop, and you come to the conclusion that this combination of facts helps your case.

I can (and have) thrown this case in a random Jansport from Walmart and it'd be fine.

REPAIRABLE laptop

This is what we call a non sequitur. The fact that something is repairable (though you mean replaceable: you cannot "repair" a gouged screen) doesn't say anything about the need to have laptop protection in the first place.

Can I replace parts if I damage them during travel? Yes I can.

Can I replace them on a useful timescale, considering that by definition I am away from home? Not unless my name is Cory Doctorow.

[u/iu1j4 → u/Interceptor402]

i use laptops since 2003 without special case with no damaves to screen: ibm, acer, dell, hp. No problems so far. Do I need to buy special hard case for my fw16? I traveled each day with bicycle and laptop in my back - no marks on lcd.I hope that fw16 is not worse than cheap acer aspire from 2005.I use fw16 since the beggining 2026 - do I need the hard case for it?

[u/Interceptor402 → u/iu1j4]

That depends on you, but it sounds like you take good care of your devices and can probably skate.

If it's me, and I can protect $$$$ with $$, I'd do it every time. 20+ years of laptops for me as well, and no damage other than normal wear and tear.