Experience And Analysis Of The LG Gram 17 After A Month Of Use

Talking about the LG Gram 17 being a lightweight laptop is an understatement. We are talking about a computer with a 17-inch format that weighs just 1.3 kilos, making it by far the lightest ultrabook on the market in screen-to-body ratio. This model has a configuration with an Intel Core i5 processor and a more powerful one with a Core i7, 16 GB of RAM, and half a storage term. In both cases, you have an extra slot available to increase the available space, an addition that is very rare to find in ultrabooks.

Despite this effort to make it light, the Korean company has not skimped on connectors. In addition to three full-size USB ports, we have a USB Type-C port that supports Thunderbolt 3 technology to send data at speeds of up to 40 GB/s. And all this, with a range of up to 19 hours of use (a very optimistic figure on a day-to-day basis), will allow you to take this equipment anywhere without worrying about looking for a plug. I have had the opportunity to test this laptop for about a month. This is the analysis of the LG Gram 17 with its user experience and main features.

LIGHT, VERY LIGHT

Undoubtedly, the main attraction of the LG Gram 17 is its weight. The Korean company has achieved a laptop with an astonishing weight since it is only 1.35 kilos for a 17-inch screen. In addition, it has achieved it without compromising its performance, autonomy, or heat dissipation. The LG Gram 17 works as expected from a regular laptop but at half the weight. A nanocarbon and magnesium chassis has been used to achieve this mark, making it quite resistant. It has passed seven resistance tests of the MIL-STD810G military certification. Among them are those that check the resistance to blows, extreme temperatures, or humidity.

Lifting this model with one hand surprises and makes it a piece of equipment that is very easy to take anywhere. Of course, it must be said that the part of the screen is more flexible and gives a certain feeling of flimsy, although in practice I have not had any problem. I also liked the design that the screen opens a lot, it does not reach 180 degrees, but it is quite close. That is very useful when you use this laptop on trips, such as on your knees when traveling by train. Of course, we must remember that this laptop can sometimes overheat, something understandable considering its fineness of 1.7 centimeters. The heat is concentrated in the upper part of the keyboard.

The full keyboard is quite comfortable, with the keys quite far apart. Perhaps I would have liked a little more height and resistance in them, although it is easy to get used to and work with. We have a numeric keypad on the right that can be activated or deactivated depending on how you use the equipment. The only drawback I put to the team is that the enter key seems a bit small to me for how much it is used, although, after a few days of getting used to it, the measure is well taken. The keyboard is backlit with two levels of brightness.

Another point that seems to be a clear success on the company’s part is having maintained most of the physical connectors assumed for a device of these characteristics. The only thing missing is an Ethernet connector to have Internet via cable. Otherwise, it includes three full-size USB ports (all USB 3.1 type), a USB Type-C port, and an HDMI port. The USB Type-C port is compatible with Thunderbolt 3 technology, which allows you to transfer data eight times faster than USB 3. Specifically, transfer rates of up to 40 GB/s can be achieved. And take advantage of this connection to connect the laptop to a second 4K screen using an adapter.

We also have a headphone jack and another to insert a microSD card. As for wireless connections, this model incorporates dual-band WiFi 6 and Bluetooth. The Bluetooth version depends on the configuration you choose since the most basic one remains at Bluetooth 4.1, while if you opt for the model with the most powerful processor, Bluetooth also goes up to version 5.0. This version is useful for connecting several peripherals simultaneously, such as a wireless mouse and a wireless headset.

17 INCH SCREEN

Thanks to the game of bobbins with the design, we can enjoy a 17-inch screen in this LG Gram. The screen is flanked by fairly thin frames on the sides and somewhat thicker at the top and bottom, so you don’t feel like being in front of an infinite screen of other models on the market.

It is an IPS LCD-type panel. This technology’s main advantage is wide viewing angles of up to 178 degrees, both horizontally and vertically. Regarding the level of detail, this panel is committed to a WQXGA resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 pixels, which gives us a density of 178 ppi. This panel is of the matte type, a decision that seems to be a success in avoiding difficulties when we use it outdoors or with the direct impact of a light source. As for the brightness, it has a maximum of 300 nits. My experience with the LG Gram 17 has been good. The truth is that you can work with it without problems anywhere. In addition, it can cover 96% of the sRGB color space, ensuring that the colors displayed on the screen are very close to the source.

AUTONOMY UP TO 19 HOURS

According to official data, the LG Gram 17 can hold up to 19 hours of use on a single charge. (on model with Intel Core i5 processor). In the case of the configuration with the most powerful processor, this time drops to 17 hours. As usual in these cases, it is an official measure but does not reflect the normal use of the equipment daily. My experience with the test unit running the more powerful processor is closer to seven to eight hours of continuous use with Internet browsing, videos, and office tools, with the computer’s brightness above half. Be that as it may, they are still really attractive figures, even more so if we consider both the weight and the lightness of the LG Gram 17. This makes it an ideal laptop to take on trips and long journeys.

GOOD POWER AND EXPANDABLE MEMORY

In the technical section, it should be noted that you can choose various configurations in Spain. The most basic is the one that includes a quad-core Intel Core i5-1035G4 processor with a speed that varies from 1.1 GHz to 3.7 GHz at times of greatest energy need. This chip has 8 GB RAM and a 256 GB SSD to store content. You also have a more powerful one that bets on a quad-core Intel Core i7-1065G7 processor with a clock speed that varies from 1.3 GHz to 3.9 GHz. This processor joins 16 GB RAM and 512 GB internal memory in SSD format. In both cases, you have the very interesting addition of a second slot to expand the memory in case you need more space.

If there is a section in which the LG Gram 17 leaves something to be desired, it is that of audio. You can’t expect great things from a laptop either (unless it’s serious about audio), but the Gram 17 is pretty weak. And perhaps you can not ask for much more considering how much they have reduced their design and weight. The main problem is that the sound is distorted from a fairly low audio level (over 60%). The audio quality itself is not very remarkable either, and the surround audio that other teams have is missing.

PRICE AND OPINIONS

The LG Gram 17 is available in two different configurations. The most basic is the one that combines an Intel Core i5 processor with 8 GB of RAM. Currently, you can find it on sale for just under 1,100 euros, although its official price is 1,450 euros. Meanwhile, the most powerful version with an Intel Core i7 chip and 16 GB of RAM raises the price to 1,750 euros. We have found an offer to get him for 1,600 euros.

In short, this is a very attractive laptop if you don’t want to give up having a large screen or easily transport it anywhere. The guys at LG have done a great job in its design since it is a fairly robust model despite how light it is. Of course, the part of the screen gives a certain feeling of flimsy since it bends easily. It has everything you are looking for in an ultrabook, such as acceptable performance (despite not having a dedicated graphics card), a lot of autonomy, and a bright screen to enjoy both applications, such as videos and movies. If you are looking for a laptop with a large screen that you can take with you, this is one of the best options you will find on the market today.

FEATURES OF THE LG GRAM 17 17Z90N