Same resolution. Same megapixels. Seven times the quality score. This week I swapped the first-generation webcam in my Framework 13 for the second-generation module, and the spec sheet tells you almost nothing about the difference.

Framework’s webcam replacement guide rates the job “moderate” and estimates five to ten minutes. The bezel is held on by magnets and lifts off with a fingernail. Two screws hold the module in place, the ribbon cable comes free when you flip up a latch, and the new module goes in the same way.

One tool did the whole thing: the Framework screwdriver, with a T5 bit on one end and a spudger on the other.

On paper, the two modules are twins. Both are 1080p, and both report 2.07 megapixels. So I ran each one through the same online webcam test.

The old module:

Webcam test results for the first-generation Framework webcam

The new one:

Webcam test results for the second-generation Framework webcam

Side by side:

  1st Gen 2nd Gen Change
Quality rating 212 1526 7.2x
Frame rate 17 FPS 23 FPS +35%
Bitrate 24.57 MB/s 37.71 MB/s +53%
Number of colours 63,958 115,911 +81%
Brightness 49.02% 57.12% +8 points
Saturation 1.60% 6.36% 4x
Resolution 1920×1080 1920×1080 Same

I don’t know how the test calculates the quality rating. A jump from 212 to 1526 says something improved, but not what.

The new camera picked up nearly twice as many distinct colours, and its saturation went from 1.6% to 6.4%. You can see it in the average colour swatch on each screenshot: a flat grey square for the old module, a warm grey-brown for the new one.

Frame rate went from 17 FPS to 23. Neither camera reached 30, and my guess is that both were slowing down to collect more light in an ordinary room. If so, the new sensor needs less time to do it. Most of the bitrate gain comes from those extra frames: 35% more frames accounts for most of the 53% more data.

What Didn’t Change

Resolution, megapixels and aspect ratio are identical. The file sizes barely moved: the JPEG grew from 1.46 MB to 1.62 MB, and the PNG went from 3.02 MB to 2.98 MB. On a spec sheet, these are the same part. What changed is how much light the sensor gathers and what the camera does with it, which is exactly what a spec sheet leaves out.

A caveat: this was one test in one room, and I didn’t control the lighting carefully. A few points of brightness could come from the time of day.

This is the point of a Framework

On most laptops, a better webcam means a new laptop but on this one, it meant a small box, two screws and a magnetic bezel. Simple upgrades like this makes total sense, less waste, no fuss.

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