Framework Laptop 12 vs Dell 14 Plus Comparison

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Framework Laptop 12

12.2 inches | February 2025

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Dell 14 Plus

14 inches | January 2025

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Framework Laptop 12 vs Dell 14 Plus Comparison Overview

Framework Laptop 12

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Dell 14 Plus

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Framework Laptop 12

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Dell 14 Plus

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In this review, we will be comparing Laptop 12 and 14 Plus, two laptops from Framework and Dell. Framework Laptop 12 was introduced to market in February 2025 and Dell 14 Plus was launched in January 2025. There is only 1 months difference between Laptop 12 and 14 Plus so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Laptop 12 and 14 Plus are members of Dell's series of laptops. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

Framework Series History

		Release Date	Screen Size	Dimensions	Weight
	Framework Laptop 12	February 2025	12.2"	287 x 213.88 x 18.45 mm	1.3 kg (2.87 lbs)

Here is a brief look at the main features of Framework Laptop 12 and Dell 14 Plus before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Framework Laptop 12 Key Specs

Launched in February 2025
12.2" TouchScreen - IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i3 1315U,Intel Core i5 1334U
GPU: Intel UHD Graphics (64 EU)
8GB,16GB,32GB,48GB Ram
287 x 213.88 x 18.45 mm (11.3 x 8.42 x 0.73 inches)
Weight: 1.3 kg (2.87 lbs)

Dell 14 Plus Key Specs

Launched in January 2025
14.0" Touchscreen - IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5 226V
GPU: Intel Arc 130V
16GB Ram
314 x 226.15 x 14-16.95 mm (12.36 x 8.9 x 0.55-0.67 inches)
Weight: 1.55 kg (3.42 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Laptop 12 and 14 Plus compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Framework Laptop 12 over Dell 14 Plus

Weight	1.30 kg vs 1.55 kg	0.25 kg lighter
Contrast Rate	1500:1 vs 800:1	more pleasing colors
Screen PPI	186 ppi vs 162 ppi	More pixels per inch
Max Brightness	400 nits vs 300 nits	Brighter Screen
Replaceable Battery	Yes vs No	Easily replace the battery when needed
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs No	More RAM Options
Number of USB-A Ports	4x USB 3.2 vs 1x USB 3.2	Connect more device at the same time
Number of USB-C Ports	4x USB 4.0 vs 2x USB 4.0	Connect more device at the same time
Display Port	Yes vs No	Option to use Display port to connect to external monitors
Ethernet RJ45 Port	Yes vs No	Connects to the local network via Ethernet RJ45
SD Card Reader	Yes vs No	Read & Write SD Cards with the built-in reader
Key Travel	1.5 mm vs 1 mm	Better typing feel

Reasons to choose Dell 14 Plus over Framework Laptop 12

Screen-to-Body Ratio	~80% vs ~70.3%	Larger screen area ratio
Side Bezel Thickness	6.3 mm vs 12.1 mm	5.8 mm thinner bezels
Display Size	14 inches vs 12.2 inches	Larger Screen Estate
CPU Fabrication Process	3 nm vs 10 nm	Newer Generation CPU
GPU Fabrication Process	3 nm vs 10 nm	Newer Generation GPU
GPU FLOPS	3.3 TFLOPS vs 1.3 TFLOPS	3D Surround Sound Support
Dolby Atmos Speakers	Yes vs No	More advanced Wi-fi connectivity
WiFi Standard	v7 vs v6E	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Bluetooth	v5.4 vs v5.3	Support audio, data, power and video all through one single port
Thunderbolt	v4 vs No	Better HDMI connectivity
HDMI Version	2.1 vs 2.0	Easily see the keys under low light
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs No

Common Strengths of Dell 14 Plus and Framework Laptop 12

Launch Dates	February 2025 vs January 2025	Both laptops are recent models
Screen Type	Touch Screen vs Touch Screen	Interact with your fingers
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
RAM Type	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
HDMI Output	4x HDMI 2.0 vs 4x HDMI 2.0	Connect to External Displays via HDMI cable
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable

Common Weaknesses of Dell 14 Plus and Framework Laptop 12

HDR Support	No vs No	No HDR Support

Framework Laptop 12 vs Dell 14 Plus: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Framework Laptop 12 and the Dell 14 Plus.

Physical Specs
Weight	1.3 kg (2.87 lbs)	1.55 kg (3.42 lbs)
Surface Area	614 cm2 (95.1 inches2)	710 cm2 (110 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~70.3%	~80%
Side Bezel Thickness	~12.1 mm	~6.3 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.11 kg/inch	0.11 kg/inch
	0.242 lbs/inch	0.242 lbs/inch
Colors	Black, Gray, Green, Purple	Blue

Comparison of the Framework Laptop 12 and the Dell 14 Plus External Dimensions

Weight

Laptop 12 weighs 1.3 kg (2.87 lbs), whereas the 14 Plus weighs 1.55 kg (3.42 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. However, it's important to consider that comparing their weights directly may not provide a complete picture since they also have different display sizes.

Weight Comparison

Framework Laptop 12 1.30 kg

Avg: 12.0-12.9" 1.11 kg

Dell 14 Plus 1.55 kg

Avg: 14.0-14.9" 1.42 kg

Thickness Comparison

Framework Laptop 12 18.45 mm

Avg: 12.0-12.9" 14.24 mm

Dell 14 Plus 16.95 mm

Avg: 14.0-14.9" 17.12 mm

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the Framework Laptop 12 is 0.11 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Dell 14 Plus is 0.11 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Microsoft Surface Pro 12: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

Framework Laptop 12 vs Dell 14 Plus: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i3 1315U Intel Core i5 1334U	Intel Core Ultra 5 226V Intel Core Ultra 5 228V Intel Core Ultra 7 256V Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Intel Core Ultra 9 288V
Base Frequency	1.2 GHz	2.1 GHz
Turbo Frequency	4.5 GHz	4.5 GHz
Number of Cores	6 (2P + 4E)	8 (4P + 4E)
Number of Threads	8	8
L3 Cache	10 MB	8 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel UHD Graphics (64EU)	Intel Arc Graphics 130V
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	3 nm

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the Framework Laptop 12 and Dell 14 Plus.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPU ( Intel Core Ultra 5 226V ) and compare them:

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics (64 EU)	Intel Arc 130V
Base Clock Frequency	300 MHz	600 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1250 MHz	1850 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	15 W	30 W
Type	Integrated	Integrated
FLOPS	1.3 TFLOPS	3.3 TFLOPS
Memory Size	System Shared	System Shared
Memory Type	DDR5	LPDDR5X
Memory Speed	5.2 Gbps	8.53 Gbps
Shading Units Cores	512	896
TMUs	32
ROPs	16

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. Framework Laptop 12 has a FLOPS value of 1.3 TFLOPS whereas the Dell 14 Plus ' has a FLOPS value of 3.3 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Dell 14 Plus may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	8GB 16GB 32GB 48GB	16GB 32GB
Memory Bus	1x8 GB	2x8 GB
RAM Clock	5200 MHz	8533 MHz
RAM Type	DDR5	LPDDR5X
Upgradable	Yes	No
Max RAM Size	48 GB
Total Slots	1
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

The 14 Plus provides a larger RAM capacity of 16 GB, which allows for smoother multitasking and improved performance in memory-demanding tasks compared to the Laptop 12's RAM capacity of 8 GB.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	Framework Laptop 12	Dell 14 Plus
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✔ Run smoothly.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✔ Good performance.	✔ Good performance.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 MoE Models: Some models like Mixtral 8x7B and Qwen3-30B-A3B use a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design, activating only part of the model during inference. This means they can often run efficiently on laptops with 12–16 GB of VRAM when quantized.

BATTERY

BATTERY	50 Wh	64 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Ion	Li-Po
Replaceable	Yes	No
Fast Charging	Yes	No
Charging Port Position	-	Left
Charge Power	60 W	65 W

On the other hand, the 14 Plus features a higher battery capacity of 64 Wh, delivering longer usage time compared to the Laptop 12's 50 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Framework Laptop 12 50 Wh

Avg: 12.0-12.9" 43.28 Wh

Dell 14 Plus 64 Wh

Avg: 14.0-14.9" 55.79 Wh

STORAGE
Both laptops, the Laptop 12 and the 14 Plus have similar max. storage capacities of 2 TB, allowing for ample space to store files and applications.

Storage Options	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	1	1
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

Framework Laptop 12 vs Dell 14 Plus: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Framework Laptop 12 and Dell 14 Plus since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. Laptop 12 has a display size of 12.2".On the other hand, 14 Plus has a larger14.0" display.The total usable screen area of the Laptop 12 is 432cm² / 67inch² whereas the 14 Plus's total usable screen area is 568cm² / 88inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the Laptop 12 features a higher pixel density with 186 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Framework Laptop 12 186 PPI

Avg: 12.0-12.9" 199 PPI

Dell 14 Plus 162 PPI

Avg: 14.0-14.9" 173 PPI

Refresh Rate
Both Laptop 12 and 14 Plus offer the same refresh rate of 60 Hz.

Brightness
The Laptop 12 offers a higher maximum brightness of 400 nits, delivering a brighter screen.

Brightness Comparison

Framework Laptop 12 400 nits

Avg: 12.0-12.9" 370 nits

Dell 14 Plus 300 nits

Avg: 14.0-14.9" 383 nits

Framework Laptop 12 vs Dell 14 Plus Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
14 Plus features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v7, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to Laptop 12 (v6E).

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Both Laptop 12 and 14 Plus have USB-A ports. Laptop 12 has 4x USB 3.2 USB-A ports, while 14 Plus has 1x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both Laptop 12 and 14 Plus have USB Type-C ports. Laptop 12 has 4x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports, while 14 Plus has 2x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
14 Plus is equipped with Thunderbolt 4 port. Laptop 12 does not have Thunderbolt port.

HDMI
Both Laptop 12 and 14 Plus feature an HDMI port. Laptop 12 offers 4x HDMI 2.0, while 14 Plus offers 1x HDMI 2.1.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
Laptop 12 is equipped with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards. 14 Plus does not have an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both Laptop 12 and 14 Plus are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6E	v7
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.3	v5.4
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	4x USB 3.2	1x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	4x USB 4.0	2x USB 4.0
Thunderbolt (latest: 5)	No	Thunderbolt 4
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	4x HDMI 2.0	1x HDMI 2.1
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	4x v1.4	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	No	Optional
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	Yes	No
SD CardReader	Yes	No
Proprietary Charging Port	No	No