LG Gram 17 Review Lightweight Laptop : A Powerhouse in a Featherweight Body

The LG Gram 17 is a premium offering in the laptop market, balancing cutting-edge performance with an ultra-lightweight design. Featuring a 17-inch display, Intel’s 13th Gen Core i7 Evo Platform, an NVIDIA RTX 3050 GPU, 32GB RAM, and 2TB SSD storage, it’s built to deliver exceptional performance across various use cases. From content creation and professional work to light gaming, this laptop promises a lot. But how does it perform in reality? Let’s dive into an in-depth review of the LG Gram 17 Lightweight Laptop.

Design & Build Quality

The LG Gram series is known for its ultra-lightweight build, and the 17” model is no exception. Weighing in at under 3 pounds (approximately 1.35 kg), it is remarkably light for its size. For a 17-inch laptop, this is a major selling point, especially for professionals who need the extra screen real estate without the bulk of traditional larger laptops.

The build quality is solid, though it’s made of a magnesium alloy, which feels different from typical metal builds like aluminum but offers impressive durability. The black finish provides a sleek and professional aesthetic, appealing to users looking for a balance between style and performance. Despite its lightweight nature, the laptop meets military-grade durability standards (MIL-STD-810G), making it resistant to pressure, shock, and high temperatures.

Display

The 17-inch WQXGA (2560×1600) display is one of the standout features of this laptop. Offering a 16:10 aspect ratio, it gives more vertical space for productivity tasks like editing documents, programming, or working on spreadsheets. The display is sharp, color-accurate, and offers excellent brightness and contrast. Whether you’re watching videos, editing photos, or just browsing the web, the screen’s clarity and vibrancy stand out.

For professionals who need accurate color reproduction, like photographers or graphic designers, the display will not disappoint. The combination of a high-resolution panel with the larger screen size is a productivity boon, making multitasking much easier.

Performance

At the heart of the LG Gram 17 is Intel’s 13th Gen Core i7 Evo Platform. The Evo certification means that the laptop delivers consistent responsiveness, excellent battery life, and fast wake times, which are essential for everyday productivity. The processor is a powerhouse with enough cores and threads to handle demanding tasks like video editing, coding, and heavy multitasking.

Paired with 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM, this laptop is more than capable of running multiple applications at once, handling demanding software, and running complex tasks without breaking a sweat. The ample RAM also ensures that the laptop remains future-proof, with plenty of room to handle memory-intensive applications for years to come.

The addition of an NVIDIA RTX 3050 GPU is a significant step up from the integrated graphics often found in lightweight laptops. This discrete graphics card allows the laptop to handle tasks like 3D rendering, video editing, and even gaming. While the RTX 3050 is not a top-tier gaming GPU, it is more than capable of running modern games at medium to high settings, depending on the game. For creative professionals, the GPU can accelerate tasks in applications like Adobe Premiere Pro or Blender, making the LG Gram 17 a versatile tool for both work and play.

Storage

The laptop comes with a massive 2TB SSD, which provides ample storage for virtually any user. The SSD ensures that the laptop boots up quickly, applications load instantly, and file transfers happen in the blink of an eye. Whether you’re storing large media files, working with 4K video content, or simply need a lot of space for professional projects, the 2TB SSD is more than sufficient.

Battery Life

One of the most impressive aspects of the LG Gram 17 is its battery life. Despite its large screen and powerful internals, the laptop manages to deliver impressive endurance. Thanks to the 80Wh battery and the power efficiency of the Intel Evo platform, you can expect up to 12 hours of real-world usage on a single charge, depending on your workload.

This makes the Gram 17 ideal for long workdays, traveling professionals, or anyone who needs reliable all-day battery life without being tethered to a power outlet.

Connectivity

The LG Gram 17 is well-equipped in terms of ports. It includes:

• 2 x USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports
• 2 x USB-A 3.2 ports
• 1 x HDMI port
• 1 x microSD card reader
• 1 x 3.5mm audio jack

The inclusion of Thunderbolt 4 is a huge bonus, allowing users to connect to external displays, transfer data at high speeds, and even charge the laptop through the USB-C port. For content creators or business professionals who require multiple external devices, this ensures that you won’t run into limitations.

Keyboard & Trackpad

The keyboard on the LG Gram 17 is comfortable, with a good amount of travel and satisfying feedback. It is also backlit, which is helpful for working in dim environments. However, the keyboard layout can take some getting used to, especially if you’re switching from a different brand or size.

The trackpad is large and responsive, making navigation smooth and efficient. The precision drivers work well with Windows 11’s gestures, providing a fluid experience.

Software & Features

Running Windows 11 Home, the LG Gram 17 offers the latest in Microsoft’s OS, which brings a modern user interface, enhanced multitasking capabilities, and better security features. Windows 11 feels snappy on this hardware, and the laptop’s high-resolution display makes the new UI look even better.

LG also includes some useful software, such as LG Glance, which offers security features like face recognition and presence detection, which can automatically lock the laptop when you step away from it.

Pros of the LG Gram 17:

• Incredibly Lightweight: For a 17-inch laptop, it is astonishingly light, making it easy to carry around.
• Excellent Display: The 17” WQXGA screen is sharp, vibrant, and offers great color accuracy.
• Strong Performance: The Intel Core i7 Evo platform, 32GB RAM, and RTX 3050 GPU make it a powerhouse for most productivity and creative tasks.
• Long Battery Life: Up to 12 hours of battery life is impressive, especially given the hardware inside.
• Large Storage: The 2TB SSD provides ample space for all types of users.
• Versatile Connectivity: Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, HDMI, and a microSD slot ensure you’re covered in most connectivity situations.

Cons of the LG Gram 17:

• Price: With these premium features comes a premium price. It may be out of reach for casual users or those on a tight budget.
• Keyboard Layout: Some users may find the keyboard layout and key spacing take a bit of time to get used to.
• GPU Limitations: While the RTX 3050 is a solid addition, it is not ideal for heavy gaming or the most demanding graphical tasks.

Final Verdict

The LG Gram 17” Lightweight Laptop is an exceptional choice for professionals and creatives who need a balance between performance and portability. It offers a stunning display, powerful internals, and excellent battery life, all in a featherlight form factor. While the price may be a hurdle for some, those who prioritize a large screen, high performance, and portability will find it worth the investment. If you’re looking for a laptop that can handle demanding workloads without weighing you down, the LG Gram 17 is a top contender in 2024.