LG Gram 17 (2021) review: Still the benchmark for 17-inch portability Review

LG’s selection of Gram laptops has expanded significantly for 2021, with a new sixteen-inch model and convertible 14-inch and sixteen-inch equipment, all powered by eleventh-era Intel Core processors. The 17-inch Gram 17 exemplifies LG’s three core values across the selection: a quality screen, long battery daily life, and mild excess weight. Does it provide on all three requirements, and does it boost on last year’s model?  

First up, the Gram 17’s excess weight is astonishing: a 17-inch notebook just shouldn’t weigh one.35kg (2.98lbs), but it does. Every time I picked up my evaluate device, the shocking absence of excess weight messed with my head. What this indicates in practice is that if your backpack can choose the dimensions (380.2mm x 260.1mm x 17.8mm / 14.97in x 10.24in x .70in), you need to have no problem carrying this notebook about on what ever travels you can undertake ideal now. 

That explained, you might require to include some safety. The foundation is strong ample, and LG suggests the magnesium alloy chassis has undergone MIL-STD-810G testing, including drop tests. Even now, there’s ample flex in the lid to propose that a protective sleeve is necessary. 

LG has released 2-in-one convertibles to the Gram selection this year, but the 17-inch model is strictly notebook-manner only, and the screen hinges back again about halfway concerning 90 degrees and flat on the desktop. This is not a deal-breaker for a large-screen notebook missing a contact-screen solution. 

The screen has negligible bezels all spherical, which are a bit narrower than on final year’s model. The resolution is 2560 by 1600 (sixteen:10 factor ratio, 177.6ppi). That is a ton of viewing place, and I fortunately labored with two paperwork side by side — returning to my more compact day to day notebook screen was a wrench. For the report, the screen-to-system ratio is 83.four%, compared to 82.five% for final year’s model. 

The good quality of the IPS screen is fantastic as well — vibrant and sharp, even though extremely reflective, with a extensive colour gamut (99% of DCI-P3). Stereo seem arrives from a pair of 2W speakers with grilles on the underside of the chassis. This can muffle the seem if you perform with the Gram 17 on your lap, even though seem also outputs up by way of the keyboard. There is ample volume, even though bass tones — as so normally — are a minimal missing. 

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The chassis provides plenty of place for the backlit keyboard and a different range pad, and the QWERTY keys are notably large. Keys have ample travel, and the action is bouncy. As at any time when I use a keyboard with a range pad, it took some time before I acquired to strike the Enter critical accurately each time, and in this situation its relatively little dimensions did me no favours. Otherwise, typing was a snug, if not fully silent, expertise. There is a fingerprint scanner constructed into the ability switch, permitting for ‘one-touch’ biometric login. 

The touchpad is huge (131.5mm x 82.6mm) and its factor ratio matches that of the screen, creating it straightforward to manipulate the cursor in a solitary sweep. 

The LG Gram 17 is an Intel Evo-branded notebook, powered by eleventh era Intel Core processors. There are four types detailed at the LG’s Uk website at the time of creating. The entry-amount £1,149 (inc. VAT) model runs on a Core i5-1135G7 processor with 8GB of RAM, when the remaining three, including my evaluate device, are based mostly on a Core i7-1165G7 with 16GB of RAM. My £1,559 (inc. VAT) evaluate device had 1TB of SSD storage, when other variants have possibly 512GB or 256GB. In the US, my evaluate configuration costs $one,799.99. 

All four 17-inch types run Windows 10 Home and use Intel’s integrated Iris Xe Graphics. 

LG is fairly generous with ports and connectors. On the still left edge there are two USB-C ports with USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 support, a comprehensive-dimensions HDMI port and a three.5mm headset jack. On the ideal edge you will obtain a pair of USB three.2 ports and a MicroSD slot. You can ability the notebook by way of possibly of the USB-C/Thunderbolt four ports making use of the supplied 65W AC adapter, or plug in a Thunderbolt four hub — maybe one with an RJ-45 port for wired network relationship – and ability it that way. 

SEE: Windows 10 Start off menu hacks (TechRepublic Premium)

LG quotations up to 19.five hrs of daily life for the Gram 17 working on its 80Wh battery. Having said that, my day to day workload check, involving creating into website apps, streaming media and website browsing, observed the battery drop from a hundred% to sixty three% in a common three-hour session, suggesting much more like 8 hrs. Luckily, charging is very quick: when I noticed the battery had dropped to 37% I plugged in, and in 50 % an hour it was up to sixty one%. 

Conclusions 

LG’s three pillars of the Gram notebook selection — a quality screen, long battery daily life and mild excess weight — are two-thirds fulfilled. The 17-inch IPS screen is a enjoyment to perform with, and the one.35kg excess weight is exceptional, but battery daily life does not match LG’s claimed ‘up to 19.five hours’ — even though all-day daily life (~8 hrs) is achievable. 

The keyboard is straightforward to use after you might be acquainted with the layout, and the sixteen:10 touchpad will work well. If you want a prime-finish processor, RAM and storage configuration, then this notebook is just not low cost — £1,599/$one,799.99. That explained, in the environment of 17-inch laptops, the LG Gram 17 without doubt sets the regular for portability. 

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