The modular Framework Laptop 13 is about to gain its third RISC-V brain transplant. Deep Computing has opened pre-orders for the DC-ROMA RISC-V Mainboard III, an octa-core board built around the SpacemiT K3 that slots directly into the existing Framework Laptop 13 chassis and replaces whatever Intel, AMD, or earlier RISC-V silicon was previously inside.
The K3 is the headline here. It pairs eight 64-bit RISC-V X100 cores running at up to 2.4 GHz with eight A100 AI cores that handle 1024-bit RVV1.0 vector operations. SpacemiT rates the chip at 130 KDMIPS, putting it in the same general performance band as the Rockchip RK3588, and the AI cluster is quoted at up to 60 TOPS (INT4) thanks to dedicated TCM and DMA acceleration channels. Graphics come from an Imagination BXM4-64-MC1 GPU with Vulkan 1.3, OpenCL 3.0, and OpenGL ES 3.2 support, while the video block handles 4K at 120 FPS decode for H.265, H.264, and VP9. The cores are RVA23 compliant, which matters for software compatibility as the broader RISC-V ecosystem standardizes around that profile.
The board ships with either 16GB or 32GB of LPDDR5, an optional 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD, a microSD slot, and three USB-C ports (one of which supports USB PD 3.0 charging up to 65W and DisplayPort 1.4 alt mode for 4K60 output). When fitted into the Framework chassis, you get the familiar 13.5-inch 2256x1504 display at 400 nits, a 1080p60 webcam, a fingerprint reader, and a 55Wh battery in a 1.3 kg package measuring 296.6 x 229.0 x 15.9 mm (11.7 x 9.0 x 0.6 inches). Wireless is optional and handled by an Intel AX210, AX200, or RZ616 module. Ubuntu Desktop 26.04 is the default OS, with Canonical offering Ubuntu Pro subscriptions for developers who want security maintenance. Canonical has formally validated Ubuntu 26.04 LTS on the K3 as one of the first RVA23-compliant platforms to receive that level of support, and Deep Computing backs the open-source ecosystem further through a public GitHub repository of hardware documentation and software demos alongside its 100 Open Source Projects on RISC-V initiative.
Three configurations are on offer. The Basic bundle starts at $699 (640 euros) and includes the K3 mainboard, a Framework and Cooler Master case, a debug expansion card, and a WiFi module. The Standard tier starts at $899 (830 euros) and adds the 1TB NVMe, USB-C, and HDMI expansion cards. The Pro bundle starts at $1,499 (1,380 euros) and ships with a full Framework Laptop 13 2nd Gen chassis, US English keyboard, two USB-C expansion cards, and the WiFi module. Pre-orders are open now on the Deep Computing store, with the first batch scheduled to ship at the end of June 2026.
