The Framework 16 to MXM GPU Adapter is an open-source community project by Joe Shapiro (GitHub: JJ-Shapiro) that aims to create a custom PCB adapter allowing standard MXM mobile GPU modules to be used in the Framework Laptop 16's expansion bay. If successful, it would enable users to install a wide range of mobile GPUs — including Nvidia MXM modules such as the mobile RTX 4090 — into their Framework 16.
The Framework Laptop 16 is a larger, performance-oriented laptop announced at the Next Level event in March 2023. It features an expansion bay that can attach PCIe components such as a dedicated GPU, a fully customizable keyboard with interchangeable input modules and optional numpad, and 6 expansion card slots. Initially planned to ship in Q4 2023, it began shipping in February 2024 with AMD Ryzen 7040 series processors. It was named a TIME Best Invention of 2023.
Announced in August 2025, the second generation Framework Laptop 16 features AMD's Zen 5-based Ryzen AI 300 series processors. It adds an optional Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU module with 8 GB GDDR7 (and a 12 GB GDDR7 variant added April 2026), both backwards compatible with the 2024 model. Shipments began in December 2025 (delayed from the original November target).
The Framework OCuLink Dev Kit is a modular adapter and dock system for the Framework Laptop 16, previewed on April 21, 2026 at Framework's next-gen hardware event. It uses the OCuLink 8i interface to provide up to 128 Gbps bidirectional throughput for external PCIe devices, making the Framework Laptop 16 the first laptop to expose an 8-lane OCuLink interface. The kit enables connecting external GPUs, network cards, video capture cards, and other PCIe peripherals with very little performance penalty compared to a desktop PC.
The FW16 PCIe x16 Expansion Bay is an open-source community hardware project by Ether-Nova that provides a fully powered PCIe x16 physical slot on a board designed to sit in the Framework Laptop 16's expansion bay shell. The slot provides x8 electrical (PCIe Gen 4) since the Framework 16 exposes a maximum of 8 PCIe lanes through its expansion bay interface, and can deliver up to 75W of power.
The Minisforum DEG1 is an OCuLink-to-PCIe x16 dock that connects a desktop graphics card to a host over a native OCuLink connection — bypassing the Thunderbolt/USB4 protocol overhead entirely. On the Framework Laptop 16 it pairs with the community M.2-to-OCuLink Expansion Bay adapter (or the official OCuLink Dev Kit) to deliver full PCIe bandwidth. Framework 16 users report it as more stable than USB4 eGPU enclosures like the AOOSTAR AG02, and it ships with a longer, more compatible cable.
The MXM GPU + Dell E-Port Expansion Bay Adapter is an open-source community hardware project by WifiCable (GitHub: a-little-wifi) that combines an MXM GPU slot with a Dell E-Port dock connector on a single board designed for the Framework Laptop 16's expansion bay. The project was started when the Framework 16 was announced, but the author states it is "very unfinished" and they do not plan to continue development since they did not purchase the laptop.
The OcuLink eGPU Expansion Bay Module is a community-developed hardware project that adds OCuLink (Optical-Copper Link) external GPU connectivity to the Framework Laptop 16 via its Expansion Bay. OCuLink provides a direct PCIe connection to the laptop's GPU slot, offering significantly higher bandwidth than USB4/Thunderbolt — up to ~63 Gbps for 4i (x4 PCIe 4.0) and ~126 Gbps for 8i (x8 PCIe 4.0), compared to ~32 Gbps for USB4. The project was initiated in June 2023 after Framework CEO Nrp greenlit community exploration of OCuLink for the Expansion Bay, and has since evolved through multiple design approaches, commercial preorders, and open-source hardware iterations.