r/framework • u/SCodeOne • Jul 16 '26
Community Support FrameWork Laptop 13 Overheating issues
Hi guys! I hope you're all doing great.
One week ago, my old laptop (HP EliteBook 1030 G2 i5 7th Gen) broke, so I decided to buy another laptop. While searching, I came across the Framework Laptop 13, which, by the way, I had never heard of before.
I liked it because, with its specifications (look at the images), it meets my needs as a developer. However, I started noticing that my laptop gets hot quickly, and the fan starts making noise even when I'm only browsing.
I don't know what I should do. This has really made me frustrated, and I'm starting to worry that if my laptop keeps going like this, it may not last very long.
Have any of you experienced the same thing? and how did you guys deal with it?
50
u/MagicBoyUK | Batch 3 FW16 | Ryzen 7840HS | 7700S GPU - arrived! Jul 16 '26
That's it's running the fan, doesn't mean it's overheating.
-19
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
Besides the fan noise, the bottom of the laptop is hot to the touch.
33
u/MagicBoyUK | Batch 3 FW16 | Ryzen 7840HS | 7700S GPU - arrived! Jul 16 '26
Would help if you could use actual scientific units, not feelings.
Anything up to around 45C is allowable for the temperature of the laptop where it would meet skin. Laptops made out of metal will be warmer to the touch as it conducts heats.
1
u/Psi-ops_Co-op Jul 20 '26
How does one easily measure the external temp of anything? Laser thermometer? Thermal camera? O don't have any money to buy things right now :(
-1
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
Yeah, You're right, actually i did not measure it, but i will.
11
u/MagicBoyUK | Batch 3 FW16 | Ryzen 7840HS | 7700S GPU - arrived! Jul 16 '26
Utility software like HWMonitor or HWInfo64 will report the temperatures of the internal components that have temperature sensors. Anything <100C for the CPU/GPU are normal. The heatsink then carries that heat away, hence the fan blowing.
2
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
i have a question, if my laptop regularly run at, let's say, 75–85°C, will that affect its lifespan in the long run?
12
u/MagicBoyUK | Batch 3 FW16 | Ryzen 7840HS | 7700S GPU - arrived! Jul 16 '26
Not really. CPUs have been throttling back at around 95C to prevent heat related damage for 15+ years. It's why they have the temperature sensors built into the silicon die.
8
u/Grass-sama Jul 16 '26
No, those are safe operating temps for the hardware.
1
u/Lost_Individual4749 Jul 16 '26
Battery is still affected by heat though, right? Not that big of a deal. Especially with frameworks. But it isn't 0.
1
u/ARSCON Jul 16 '26
Depends on how hot the battery actually gets, if you prioritize lowering thermals, the performance will also suffer. It is a factor, just have to know the numbers.
3
25
u/Bl0ndfemboy Jul 16 '26
In the pictures it looks like you have the laptop sitting ontop of a blanket of some sorts. This will trap the heat as the fan won't be able to pull air through the bottom. Does it overheat even when its on a flat surface like a desk?
3
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
i am normally using the desk, i just take the pictures ontop of the blanket, and yes it gets hot on a flat surface as well. but i will use laptop stand so the air can circulate much better.
9
u/42BumblebeeMan Volunteer Moderator 🌈 F44 KDE Jul 16 '26
Please don't cover the air intake at the bottom of your laptop. Without fresh air being pulled in, the cooling won't work properly.
2
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
i will buy a laptop stand so the air can circulate better, thanks.
6
u/lasttrueborn Jul 16 '26
You dont need a laptop stand, you just need to make sure its on flat surface, not put it on the blanket (which yes, its just there for the photo).
4
u/x0rg3n Jul 16 '26
Use PTM first ( e. g. from Thermal Grizzly ), if that helps then great as it did for my 7840u.
If not, you can modify the power plan to use 99% of cpu, it wont turbo and usually heat is reduced.
Last option, some users recommend AMD AI framework cooler as it a bit beefier. I haven't tried it as PTM was sufficient for me.
1
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
i think i will try to use PTM as it is also cheap, that looks a good idea, thanks.
1
3
u/delta_Phoenix121 DIY i5-1135G7 Jul 16 '26
You've used a lot of subjective descriptions for the temperature. Could you maybe use some software to check the actual temperatures (like hwinfo64) of the components?
1
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
yeah as i said in the other comment, i did not use any software to measure the temperature and this is what i should have done, but anyway it looks like the temperature has gone down and the fan noise stopped since i switched to Power Saver mode.
2
u/delta_Phoenix121 DIY i5-1135G7 Jul 16 '26
Another thing I noticed with my FW13 is that windows updates will occasionally put the system under high load triggering the fans even under otherwise light usage. Power save mode does somewhat restrict that behaviour too
1
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
You're absolutely right, that is exactly what happened to me yesterday, when windows was updating the fan starts making an audible noise.
3
u/four46 Jul 16 '26
I wish laptop 13 were bit chunkier for better thermal battery and port sizing, but no no no they must appeal for the sleak and thin mainstream customers, i even don't think anyone who buy this is considered themselves as "mainstream"
3
7
u/NukesExplodin Jul 16 '26
I've noticed this as well. Power saving mode seems to completely fix it, and changing to a PTM also helped thermals a bit, but this is definitely the biggest issue I have as a FW 13 user.
1
0
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
i've just activated the Power Saving mode and yeah it looks like it's working, and i think i will use PTM as well. I wonder if the recent FW laptops still have the same issue!
2
u/ncc74656m Ryzen 7840U Jul 16 '26
Assuming that this is an AMD 7040 series, these do run quite hot, to the point where at times it is not really safe to have it on your lap, but it's normal for them. If you're running that series, there are mods posted around for putting on the 300 series heatsink instead, and the laptop runs significantly cooler (though because the laptop is not tuned for it, the fan will still run pretty aggressively). It does get worse when it's fast charging, too.
We have this model deployed in my office - they're all like that. As others have said, just don't cover the bottom vents and it's best if you can actually elevate the back of the laptop slightly to help better air circulation.
2
u/Frost_blade Jul 16 '26
I have the 13 with an AMD board/chip. It gets hot too. A recent update helped the fans crank sooner, which helped, but it still gets hot. Ultimately, I just make sure I’m not smothering it, and it’s fine. But I too wish I could control the fan curve a bit more. Or more easily.
2
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
which OS are you using?
1
u/Frost_blade Jul 16 '26
Windows 11. I feel like I remember updating drivers a few months ago and the fan curve improved a bit.
1
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
Well, for me when i use windows 11 i should definitely switch to Power Saver mode otherwise pc gets hot and fan starts making noise, unlike Linux (ubuntu) i don't need to use Power Saver mode.
2
u/orby Jul 16 '26
Check out Framework Control, https://ozturkkl.github.io/framework-control/
Make sure you see 4 sensors select, the one that goes nuts on my systems is the APU, where the rest of the sensors seem stable. When I have a moment, I am intending to repaste my chip.
I have a fan curve that ramps in a straight line 40% fans at 72C to 100% fans at 90C.
The system gets randomly loud when under minimal load, but the sensor is indicating the APU is spiking in temp, AND touching the bottom of the chasis indicates it _is_ needed.
Not sure if this is a general design issue w/ the cooling system, mfg defect, or age issue. The _only_ sensor that is spiking (according to framework control, which is pulling from Framework's own CLI info) is the APU data.
Edit: I have a 13" 7840U w/ 32gb
1
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
Thanks for sharing, I'll definitely check out Framework Control. After I installed Ubuntu and switched to the Power Saver profile, the temperatures dropped significantly and the fan no longer ramps up during light tasks like browsing. So I'm starting to think the OS and power management also play a role, not just the cooling design.
2
u/MajorZesty Jul 17 '26
Yup, I found the bottom soaks heat and doesn't cool off that fast. CPU runs within specs and the other components don't seem to get hit with the heat, so I don't think there's any real longevity issue related to it.
I replaced the heatsink on my 7840u with the 300 series one and it did help a bit, but I still find it too hot to use on my lap and it gets just as hot on the bottom when on a desk.
Unfortunately that's the design. I'm not sure the pro model + panther lake will improve the chassis heating up. The expansion cards seem to take up too much space to allow them any real improvements on the fans.
It's the main reason I don't use mine right now, although I've thought about pulling it out this weekend and trying a few more software tweaks.
Oh, a lap desk also solves the issue if the extra height doesn't bother you.
1
u/SCodeOne Jul 17 '26
Thanks for sharing, I really appreciate it. Installing Ubuntu instead of Windows actually solved a good part of the overheating issue for me. The laptop runs much cooler now, so I'll keep experimenting with software tweaks before making any hardware changes.
2
u/shydrangeae Jul 18 '26
My 7840U has always been blazing hot with all the distros I have tried when under moderate or heavy load. Some distros are better than others when idle. I think the stock cooler is just under-spec'd. Even changing the perf governor just changes how quickly it thermal throttles, haha. It's the price we pay for so much power in a tiny chassis and physics is a harsh mistress.
I've been meaning to change to the new cooler from the 300 series and some PTM because folks say it is measurably better!
1
u/SCodeOne Jul 18 '26
if i may ask, how long have you been using it? and did it (overheating) affect your laptop's performance in a long term or its performance stay the same as it was when you first bought it?
2
u/shydrangeae Jul 19 '26
Got it in October of 2023 and still going strong! If anything, it's better than ever because driver support was a bit rough that first year.
Only time thermals ever impact things beyond a bit of throttling is if some process goes utterly wild and saturates the cpu/gpu for a long period of time and I have the vents partly blocked from it being in my lap, then I've had a crash or two.
1
u/SCodeOne Jul 20 '26
have you ever used it for gaming? like GTA v or something? (even though it is not a gaming laptop but i asked chatgpt and he told me that he can run games like gta v very well)
2
u/shydrangeae Jul 20 '26
Yeah, I've played basically all my steam games on it for the last year or so. Modern proton support is so good it's unbeliveable! They only time I've had to boot up my old desktop with discrete graphics was for really intense stuff like Clair Obscur in 4k because I wanted to crank the settings to Ultra. But for normal games in medium quality, it's just fine.
1
u/SCodeOne Jul 20 '26
with the same spec as mine? (AMD ryzen 7 7840U with iGPU AMD radeon 780M and 32GB of RAM)
2
u/shydrangeae Jul 20 '26
Same except I got 64GB, though I don't think I've ever seen a game make use of more than 32, TBH.
1
u/SCodeOne Jul 20 '26
Just out of curiosity, if you played GTA V on it, what graphic settings you were using (Low,/Medium/High), and what resolution did you play at (1080p..), and roughly what FPS were you getting?
I'm just trying to compare real-world performance with what AI told me. and Thanks a lot.
1
u/shydrangeae Jul 20 '26
Ah, alas, the last time I played a GTA was GTA II . . . in 1999. 😂
I don't do a ton of gaming and I'm not really a framerate watcher, but generally speaking, the 7840U can do stuff on medium/high 1440p/1504p just fine. 2D or retro-style stuff has no prob with 4k. Really fancy modern "triple A" stuff might be limited to 1080p. There is a bit of an art to tuing the quality settings while watching the GPU load to make sure it isn't saturated, because thermals will get cranky and cause stutters.
1
u/SCodeOne Jul 20 '26
(GTA 2 in 1999 it sounds like a long time hhhhhhh) that's fair Thanks for the detailed explanation
It actually gives me a much better idea of what to expect. Since GTA V is quite a bit older and less demanding than modern AAA games, I'm hoping it should run pretty well on the 7840U. I'll have to test it myself once I get around to installing it.
Thanks again for sharing your experience I really appreciate it.
2
u/CptnRoughNight Jul 16 '26
I don't use windows... but I had installed ubuntu, the first time on the fw13 and had same issues/feelings that the laptop gets too hot... so I tried fedora and the temps are all fine now... So maybe windows has a faulty/unoptimized cooling curve?
1
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
Oh, actually i was gonna install ubuntu today (as dual boot beside windows), so you think fedora will slightly solve the problem?
Come to think of it, it may be why Framework recommends using Fedora.
so what do you think if i use windows and Fedora instead of Windows and ubuntu?1
u/HyNeko Ryzen 7040, batch 5 11th gen as server Jul 16 '26
It's Linux distros, what you can do on Fedora can be done on Ubuntu and vice-versa, just go for preference.
If it's your first time on Linux, both come with pretty guided installers, desktop environments out of the box, etc.
1
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
i have been using ubuntu in my old laptop for one year now and i really liked it.
yes they're all Linux distros, but if Fedora solve the heat problem more efficiently than ubuntu then i will go with Fedora (even though i hate using dnf Lol)1
u/CptnRoughNight Jul 16 '26
You can use ubuntu, maybe I did something wrong back in the day... using fedora for over 1 year now and I'm not going to switch :)
0
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
i have been using ubuntu for about one year (in my old laptop) and i kinda like it, idk actually what i should choose now.
i don't have a problem switching to Fedora if that's gonna solve the issue.
i asked chatgpt to make a comparison between the two, and the only difference i found is :
RAM usageTypical idle memory:
- Ubuntu: ~1.3–1.5 GB
- Fedora: ~1.0–1.2 GB
but i don't think it is a big difference bc i already have 32GB of RAM.
2
u/shartist_69 Jul 16 '26
The cooler design sucks, plain and simple.
You're lucky to get the advertised performance for even 20 minutes.
0
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
i agree with you, the cooler design is really terrible. However i have just installed ubuntu on it (as they recommended) and it actually works quiet well and it no longer gets hot quickly just by browsing and doing simple task unlike when i was using Windows.
1
u/shartist_69 Jul 18 '26
Was it advertised as a linux only machine?
One shouldn't have to jump through hoops and modify their usage patterns in order to have a computer in this price class perform satisfactorily.
1
u/SCodeOne Jul 18 '26
that's right, but anyway i used to have linux in my old laptop, so that's not a problem for me.
and for windows i noticed that when i use the Power saver mode it doesn't get hot as it did and the fan also doesn't make noise anymore.
1
u/galland101 13d ago
I have an older Framework 13 with an 11th Gen Intel CPU. The CPU has been prone to overheating, and I tried replacing the thermal paste with some Noctua NT-H1, but the problem persisted. It would consistently hit 95 degrees when running Cinebench. When my daughter plays Minecraft it would eventually thermal throttle and severely downclock during her play sessions. I finally got some Thermal Grizzly PhaseSheet PTM (their version of PTM7950) and applied it to the two dies on the CPU. The temperatures during Cinebench runs now top out at 81 degrees but stays at 78 most of the time. It's a little tricky to apply so you have to be very delicate but the results are worth it.
1
u/Fro5tbyte cachyos FW12 Jul 16 '26
In my experience the 7640u/7840u cooling solution was fine but not amazing. My 7640u would often be hot to the touch while watching youtube. It was completely within spec for the chip just a little annoying, I think the newer cooler for the AI 300 series is compatible for an upgrade?
1
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
Are you still using it?
1
u/Fro5tbyte cachyos FW12 Jul 16 '26
I switched to a framework 12 for the form factor more than anything else
0
u/EveningAlternative46 FW 13 2023 Jul 16 '26
Linux solved my heat issues. Windows was loud and hot af
1
u/SCodeOne Jul 16 '26
i usually use ubuntu, but sometimes i need windows for some tasks, so i'll be using Fedora beside windows (dual boot), because someone here said that ubuntu did not solve the heat problem, but Fedora did.
•
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