(Credit: Mark Stetson)
Want to reuse the old mainboard from a Framework laptop? Or do you want to roll your own mini PC out of a new Framework board, skipping the laptop form factor entirely? Regardless, Framework has teamed up with Cooler Master to let you do just that, showing off the result of this partnership at Computex 2024.
The Cooler Master Framework Mainboard Case turns the primary components of a 13-inch Framework laptop into a standalone device, letting you repurpose it as a mini PC, a retro game console, or any clever use you can think of. Check it out in the video above, and read on for more details below.
How Does the Cooler Master Framework Case Work?
Thanks to the Framework laptop's modular design, the mainboard is ready to use as a standalone computer, requiring only USB-C power and storage, a networking adapter, and a display to function as a PC. You could even use it as-is, literally pulling it from a Framework Laptop, plugging in the necessary stuff, and running it with the naked mainboard sitting on your desk—but this is not an ideal solution.
(Credit: John Burek)This Cooler Master case gives you a tidy enclosure for the mainboard, measuring a compact 11.7 by 5.2 by 0.59 inches. Made of ABS plastic and clear polycarbonate, you can protect and show off the Framework hardware at the same time, and the case includes both a stand and a 100mm VESA mount, giving you multiple ways to set it up for use, whether you want to lay it flat, prop it up at an angle, hang it on a wall, or hide it behind a monitor or under a desk.
(Credit: Framework)The mainboard is fully enclosed in the half-transparent case, which has cutouts for ventilation that line up with the mainboard's built-in cooling fan. Matching ventilation on the back ensures airflow, and the integrated power button makes it easy to boot up and get running. (Anyone who's experimented with a Raspberry Pi knows what a pain it is to have that button missing in many third-party cases.)
(Credit: Mark Stetson)Perhaps most importantly, the case has four slots for Framework's expansion card system, letting you mix and match ports for exactly the connections you need. Because the expansion cards are hot-swappable, you can change the port selection as needed without even shutting down the machine. A push-button lock keeps the slotted cards secure in the machine and easily releases when pushed.
(Credit: John Burek)Different options for Wi-Fi and Ethernet are built into the case, with an included bracket and cutout for an external Wi-Fi antenna, or you can use an Ethernet expansion card to get a proper RJ-45 LAN connection. However, the Wi-Fi module isn't included, so you'll need to bring your own.
(Credit: Mark Stetson)How Does the Cooler Master Framework Case Feel?
Even though Framework teased this case more than a year ago, this is our first chance to go hands-on with the case, and we were impressed by the ease with which you could make the conversion.
Of course, you can 3D print your own case if you like since Framework makes the specs and 3D files available for free, but Cooler Master gives you a slick, ready-to-go solution for just $39. That's a cheap way to turn an old mainboard into a usable second device, and it helps Framework deliver on its biggest promise: sustainable, reusable, and upgradable tech.