LG Gram 17 (2023) review

There are a great deal of laptops to select from in 2023, however the overwhelming majority have a show between 13- and 15-inches. If you happen to want one thing a bit larger, your choices are much more restricted. 

One of many important gadgets on this class is the Gram 17, LG’s largest laptop computer. Its key promoting level is an extremely light-weight design – it weighs an unbelievable 1.35kg, making it extra transportable than many 14-inch laptops.

However are the compromises in different areas price it, given its excessive price ticket? The quick reply is sure, however just for a really particular sort of person. Listed below are my ideas after testing it for a couple of weeks. 

Design & Construct 

• Weighs simply 1.35kg
• Chassis doesn’t really feel premium
• Nice port choice

Let’s get the plain out of the way in which first: the Gram 17 is a really massive laptop computer. LG has tried to make the bezels across the 17-inch show as slim as potential, however the chassis nonetheless measures 14.91 x 10.19 x 0.7 inches. 

Nonetheless, that is to be anticipated while you need such a giant display. There are 14-, 15- or 16-inch LG Gram laptops out there for those who’d want them. 

However one space the Gram 17 excels is its whole weight, or lack thereof. It’s simply 1.35kg, which is extra consistent with what you’d anticipate from a 14-inch laptop computer. Examine that to the two.53kg Dell XPS 17, and I do know which one I’d somewhat carry round with me. 

It means the Gram 17 is way extra transportable than you’d ever anticipate, with the principle limitation being the scale of your bag. Many laptop computer backpacks solely help gadgets as much as 16 inches. 

There’s nothing unsuitable with the supplies used to make the Gram 17. However you can simply mistake the carbon-magnesium alloy for plastic, and vital flex within the show makes me involved for long-term sturdiness. It doesn’t really feel practically as premium as many high-end laptops. 

Aesthetically, although, the Gram 17 nonetheless appears to be like the half. It’s solely out there in black, however the smooth, minimalist design is well-suited for enterprise use. 

That’s very true when you think about ports. Each USB-C ports help Thunderbolt 4 (for quick knowledge switch) and USB PD (for quick charging), and so they’re joined by two USB-A, full-size HDMI, microSD and a 3.5mm audio jack.  

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

The one actual factor lacking is ethernet, nevertheless it’s among the best port choices on any non-gaming laptop computer. 

Display & Audio system

• Stable 17-inch LCD show
• No excessive refresh price or contact help
• First rate twin stereo audio system

If you happen to’re shopping for such a giant laptop computer, the show must be good. And whereas not fairly top-tier, I completely loved utilizing the one on the Gram 17. 

You’re getting a 17-inch, 2560×1600 LCD panel, giving it the 16:10 facet ratio we’ve come to anticipate in fashionable laptops. It’s a disgrace to not see OLED on the Gram 17, however you may nonetheless anticipate an awesome viewing expertise.  

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Color accuracy is an actual power, one thing borne out within the knowledge. In response to the SpyderXPro calibration software, it covers the complete sRGB color gamut, plus 99% of DCI-P3 and 91% of AdobeRGB. 

Consequently, most content material appears to be like impressively true to life. The synthetic oversaturated look you get from some OLEDs is prevented, although you additionally miss out on these wealthy, deep blacks. 

Brightness isn’t a difficulty, although. I recorded a most of 439 nits, so you may get away with some outside utilization, supplied it’s not in direct daylight. 

However the refresh price remains to be caught at 60Hz, regardless of many premium laptops having moved to 120Hz or greater. You gained’t discover it as a lot right here as on a smartphone, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a disgrace. 

There’s additionally no touchscreen help, although that is much less of a difficulty. I wouldn’t need to jab at such a big display anyway, and the trackpad is lots good in its place. 

The Gram 17 options twin stereo audio system, and so they carry out fairly effectively. There’s a depth and heat to the sound that you just don’t at all times get on laptops, and so they keep away from any audible distortion. 

However don’t anticipate room-filling sound, and bass is severely missing, in order that they’re higher suited to voice content material than music or films. For the latter, I’d suggest connecting headphones. 

Keyboard, Trackpad & Webcam

• Gratifying keyboard and trackpad
• Stable 1080p webcam
• No fingerprint sensor

The sheer dimension of the Gram 17 means there’s loads of room for a full-size keyboard and separate quantity pad. If you happen to’re coming from a laptop computer with out one, you’ll want to regulate your grip barely, however there’s nothing unsuitable with the typing expertise. 

Every key’s clicky and responsive, providing a pleasant degree of suggestions. Inside a couple of minutes, I used to be again typing at my regular velocity. 

One factor some individuals gained’t get pleasure from is the restricted key journey. However that is nearly inevitable in such a skinny and light-weight gadget, and appears like a smart trade-off for LG to make.  

Every key’s backlit, and there are two completely different brightness settings to select from. Nonetheless, there doesn’t seem like a technique to preserve the backlighting turned on completely – it solely prompts while you begin typing and for a couple of seconds after. 

LG provides fast entry to some further settings through the row of perform keys on the high. These embody LG’s Good Assistant app, an airplane mode toggle and reader mode, which shifts the show in direction of hotter tones. 

Beneath the keyboard is a large trackpad. The scale of the Gram 17 means there’s nonetheless loads of area to relaxation your palms both facet. And it’s impressively exact, permitting to you simply choose giant parts of textual content or click on one thing very particular. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

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Nonetheless, there’s one massive characteristic lacking from the keyboard: a fingerprint reader. The ability button it’s usually constructed into is correct there within the top-right nook, so I can’t perceive why LG didn’t embody it.  

As an alternative, you’ll be counting on Home windows Good day face unlock. It makes use of a mixture of the webcam and separate IR sensor, and is usually quick and dependable. Nonetheless, you’ll must place your face so it’s instantly in line for it to unlock. 

The Full HD webcam itself is among the higher built-in laptop computer cameras. Element and hues are usually correct, and it handles publicity effectively in some difficult lighting situations. Alongside twin microphones, it means the Gram 17 is an effective possibility for video calls. 

Specs & Efficiency

• Intel Raptor Lake P-series CPUs
• Nice on a regular basis efficiency
• No discrete GPU

As a 2023 laptop computer, it’s no shock to see the Gram 17 powered by Intel’s Raptor Lake processors, the newest on the time of launch.  

Particularly, you’re getting a selection between the i5-1340P and i7-1360P, each from the P-series class. These are particularly designed for skinny and light-weight gadgets, however I’m nonetheless disillusioned there’s no possibility for the extra highly effective H-series. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Nonetheless, efficiency remains to be stable. The mannequin I examined combines the i7-1360P with a bumper 32GB of RAM, guaranteeing it breezes via all on a regular basis duties.  

My workflow contains plenty of net looking, electronic mail, Slack and occasional video calls, all of which the Gram 17 dealt with with ease. That features whereas a number of apps had been working concurrently.

Mixed with the big display, it’s an awesome possibility for multitasking. It additionally by no means bought greater than barely heat to the contact, and the followers had been barely audible.  

In fact, that can change throughout demanding duties similar to video enhancing or gaming, however the Iris Xe built-in graphics limits what’s potential right here. If you happen to’re critical about both, I’d suggest a laptop computer with a discrete GPU as an alternative. 

LG Gram 17 (2023) benchmarks

Benchmarks counsel the Gram 17 is consistent with different big-screen laptops, though the 2023 Dell XPS 17 isn’t included right here. 

When it comes to storage, you may select between 512GB, 1TB and 2TB. The previous is lots for most individuals, particularly for those who use a cloud storage supplier. 

And whereas Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 aren’t absolutely the newest requirements, each ship quick and dependable connections. 

Battery Life & Charging 

• 80Wh battery
• All-day battery life
• First rate 65W charging

Whatever the mannequin you select, the LG Gram 17 is supplied with an 80Wh capability. 

That’s one of many bigger capacities round, and it performs effectively, regardless of such a giant show. In our 720p video loop battery take a look at, it lasted a formidable 15 hours and 43 minutes. 

Nonetheless, that’s with brightness set to a comparatively low 120 nits, and no web entry. A extra sensible determine is round eight or 9 hours of normal utilization, that means most individuals will likely be ready get a full working day on a single cost. It could be potential to increase this with battery saver mode turned on. 

The Gram 17 helps 65W charging, and LG contains the required charger within the field. I recorded 32% in half-hour and 57% in an hour, with a full cost taking just below 2.5 hours. That’s consistent with what I used to be anticipating. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Software program

• Home windows 11 Residence
• Annoying further pre-installed apps

The Gram 17 runs Home windows 11 Residence out of the field. Microsoft’s working system is essentially unchanged right here, and its multitasking options are at their greatest on such a big show. 

Nonetheless, there’s an excessive amount of further pre-installed software program for my liking. I counted no fewer than seven LG apps, plus essentially the most annoying of the lot: McAfee. It’s antivirus app, however not when it’s always bugging you to pay for a subscription. 

All these further apps could be uninstalled, however it is best to have the choice to not set up them within the first place. 

Microsoft hasn’t revealed when it would cease supporting Home windows 11, nevertheless it’ll probably be for a lot of extra years. Supplied you repeatedly replace your gadget, it’ll proceed being protected. 

Value & Availability

As you may anticipate, the LG Gram 17 doesn’t come low-cost. It begins at £1,721.24/$1,549 for an Intel Core i5 mannequin with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. 

However the top-spec mannequin I examined, which mixes the Core i7 with 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD, prices $2,099. It isn’t out there within the UK. 

Except for LG, you may as well purchase them from Currys within the UK and Adorama within the US.

Nonetheless, that’s nonetheless extra inexpensive than the 2023 Dell XPS 17, which begins at £2,698.99/$2,499. However there are many different nice laptops which might be barely smaller however lots cheaper, even if you’d like one thing for enterprise. 

Must you purchase the LG Gram 17 (2023)?

The LG Gram 17 is a formidable laptop computer, nevertheless it’s solely proper for a really particular sort of particular person. If you really want a 17-inch show however nonetheless need to have the ability to take your laptop computer in every single place with you, it’s your best option on the market. 

However for those who’re in search of a efficiency powerhouse, this isn’t it. The Gram 17 remains to be lots quick throughout on a regular basis duties, however the lack of a discrete GPU limits what it’s able to. 

And pretty much as good because the show is, the shortage of OLED, a excessive refresh price and contact help means it falls in need of the most effective laptop computer screens round. Alongside a flimsy construct and that prime price ticket, most individuals will likely be higher off with one thing smaller and cheaper. 

Nonetheless, battery life and ports are each nice, and I nonetheless can’t recover from how gentle this factor is. That alone means it’s price contemplating. 

Specs 

• Show: 17-inch, 2560×1600 IPS non-touch, 60Hz 
• Processor: Intel Core i5-1340P, i7-1360P 
• Graphics: Intel Iris Xe 
• Reminiscence: 16/32GB LPDDR5 RAM 
• Storage: 1/2TB SSD 
• Ports: 2x USB-A (3.2), 2x USB-C (4), HDMI, 3.5mm audio jack, microSD 
• Digicam: 1080p front-facing with Home windows Good day help 
• Wi-fi: WiFi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.1 
• Battery: 80Wh with 65W charging 
• Working system: Home windows 11 Residence 
• Colors: Black 
• Weight: 1.35kg