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Something I found interesting: The Reform 2 uses a system on module with soldered RAM and processor on a carrier board, while this uses a motherboard with soldered processor but replaceable RAM. They have two different models of upgradability, both with pros and cons.
You can only replace the entire compute module at once on the Reform but (AFAIK) the interface is an industry standard so there is more than one manufacturer, whereas with the Framework, you have to hope that they keep making upgraded, and more importantly, compatible main boards, but you can upgrade the RAM in the meantime.
Thoughts on which one is better?
I think reform is bound to this method because they need open-source processor, which means arm, which means compute modules with soldered ram. They would certainly have done it with swappable ram if there was a way I bet.
Compute modules also have some other advantages, like being able to add extra hardware if the user's workload requires them. It also means upgrading the compute hardware doesn't mean also having to replace peripherals on the carrier board. Plus, with the demise of Moore's law, I feel like by the time a processor becomes so outdated that it needs to be upgraded, the RAM would need to be, too.
I had this hypothetical idea of a hybrid system where you had a compute module with some RAM, and then a RAM slot on the carrier board that you can populate, so you get the best of both worlds. Not sure if it's possible with current hardware, but what would you think of that?
How is ARM open source? It's proprietary "IP"