LG Gram 17 (2022) assessment

If you’d like a Home windows laptop computer with as massive of a display as doable, your choices are principally the Dell XPS 17 or the LG Gram 17. The calculus between the 2 is sort of easy. For those who care extra about energy, go XPS; in the event you care extra about portability, go Gram.

This newest Gram 17 isn’t any exception. At 2.98 kilos in a 17-inch chassis, that is certainly one of many lightest and longest-lasting laptops within the big-screen sphere. It achieves that mixture with out asking a fortune in value — my unit (with a twelfth Gen Core i7-1260P, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage) is currently listed at $1,799, however Grams can be found for as low as $1,599. These actually aren’t low-cost costs, however they make the Gram miles extra reasonably priced than the XPS.

For these looking for the additional house of a 17-inch display with out the additional weight that comes with many big-screen rigs, the LG Gram stays the unambiguous selection. Whereas the product has its limitations (particularly in relation to efficiency), there’s actually nothing else prefer it available on the market. Right here’s what you possibly can count on in the event you purchase the factor.

The first draw of the LG Gram 17 is that it’s below three kilos. I can not overstate how mild this factor feels. While you choose this up, it feels such as you’re selecting up a hole chassis with nothing inside. I’d generally fear that I’d forgotten to place it in my backpack once I was carrying it round. This factor is mild.

(I’ll add, simply so that you’re not misled, that the Gram’s thinness shouldn’t be as distinctive — at 0.7 inches, it’s not too far off the thickness of the XPS 17. However in the event you’re going for a 17-incher, I don’t think about that backpack house is your largest concern.)

Then you definitely open this system up, and it’s display all the way in which down. A lot display. I don’t have all that a lot to say about this a part of the laptop computer that the phrase “17-inch” doesn’t already suggest, however only for the document — it’s beautiful to have this a lot house. I can have two and even three home windows and apps open at a time. I can zoom all the way in which in on the phrases I’m studying or writing. I can match a lot on this panel that I’m already dreading going again to my 13-inch private system. The truth that it’s high-resolution (2560 x 1600) and matte, with no glare in sight, is icing on the cake.

Different issues to know concerning the Gram:

• The case might be the weakest a part of it. It’s obtained fairly a plasticky really feel, and the obsidian black end picks up fingerprints fairly rapidly, although it didn’t scratch throughout my pretty tough time with it. Important flex within the keyboard and display.
• The keyboard is sort of nice to sort on. The underside of the stroke feels a bit more durable than some laptop computer keyboards, however the click on is sort of satisfying, and the keys are roomy, with an expert however enjoyable font. There’s even a numpad, which the XPS 17 doesn’t have. I do hate how distant the amount keys (F10 and F11) are from the Fn key — it requires me to make use of two fingers to regulate the amount, which I don’t love needing to do.
• Ports embrace two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, one HDMI, and one headphone jack on the left, in addition to two USB 3.2, a microSD reader, and a lock slot on the correct. (One of many USB-C ports will generally be occupied by the 65W charger.) That’s about every little thing you want; no complaints.
• The touchpad is large and has an ideal click on. It really feels fairly just like clicking on the XPS (and that’s excessive reward).

Relating to efficiency, the Gram’s Core i7-1260P is a step down in energy from the processor that powers Dell’s machine. Other than the load distinction, the delta in energy is the first differentiator between the Gram and the XPS. It offers the XPS a bonus in skilled workloads and gaming however offers the Gram an enormous win in battery life.

The 1260P is greater than satisfactory for workplace and web functions, which covers most of my very own workload. Whereas the Gram doesn’t have a discrete GPU, it might additionally assist in content material creation if wanted. The system scored an inexpensive (for built-in graphics) 323 on PugetBench for Premiere Professional, and it accomplished our typical export check in 10 minutes and 45 seconds (which is gradual however not agonizingly so). I wouldn’t, to be clear, advocate this system in the event you’ll be utilizing Adobe software program like Premiere loads as a result of I typically discovered it to be a bit unresponsive and gradual.

That is additionally a satisfactory however not nice choice for gaming. I obtained 28FPS from Shadow of the Tomb Raider, 13FPS from Pink Lifeless Redemption 2, and 14FPS from Horizon Zero Daybreak (all on the highest graphic preset, with decision bumped right down to 1920 x 1200). For those who fancy some gaming, you’ll wish to bump the settings down on these demanding titles (however lighter stuff, like esports, must be tremendous).

However, the Gram’s battery life was exemplary. I obtained a mean of 12 hours and 6 minutes of constant work use out of the system with medium brightness, which is the longest lifespan I’ve seen from a non-Apple laptop computer this yr. That is fairly refreshing, provided that this technology of Intel-powered laptops has been having some… issues on that front.

Whereas the LG Gram doesn’t fairly have the graphics energy that I personally want, I’m very a lot going to overlook utilizing it as my work driver. The additional display house was heaven, and the load made strolling round with it a breeze. The lengthy battery life was the cherry on prime — I by no means wanted to fret about plugging this machine in.

The first compromises to think about are construct high quality (if that’s your prime precedence, the XPS is your selection) and the computing wants of your individual workload. For those who’re searching for a 17-incher, you don’t thoughts these compromises, and also you don’t thoughts the marginally steep price ticket, then you definately gained’t be upset within the Gram.