In 2023, there are several laptops to select from, but the great majority have a display size between 13 and 15 inches. If you want something a little larger, your selections are much more limited. The LG Gram 17, is the biggest laptop, is a key gadget in this category. Its main selling feature is its exceptionally light design; it weighs only 1.35kg, making it more portable than many 14-inch computers.
But, considering the hefty price tag, are the tradeoffs in other aspects worth it? Yes, in a nutshell, but only for a very specific sort of user. Here are my opinions after a few weeks of testing.
Design & Build
- Weighs just 1.35kg
- Chassis doesn’t feel premium
- Great port selection
Let’s start with the obvious: the Gram 17 is a massive laptop. LG attempted to keep the bezels surrounding the 17-inch display as thin as possible, but the chassis measures 14.91 x 10.19 x 0.7 inches.
This is to be anticipated when you desire such a large screen. If you prefer, there are 14-, 15-, and 16-inch LG Gram laptops available.
However, the Gram 17 shines in one area: its total weight, or lack thereof. It weighs 1.35kg, which is about what you’d expect from a 14-inch laptop. When compared to the 2.53kg Dell XPS 17, I know which one I’d want to carry about with me.
It means that the Gram 17 is significantly more portable than you may think, with the only constraint being the size of your backpack. Many laptop backpacks only accommodate devices up to 16 inches in size.
The materials utilized to create the Gram 17 are flawless. However, the carbon-magnesium alloy might easily be mistaken for plastic, and the display’s pronounced flex worries me about long-term durability. It doesn’t have the same luxury feel as many high-end laptops.
The Gram 17 is far more portable than you’d ever expect
However, the Gram 17 still looks the part in terms of aesthetics. Although it is only available in black, the sleek, minimalist style is ideal for corporate use.
This is especially true when it comes to ports. Both USB-C ports feature Thunderbolt 4 (for rapid data transmission) and USB Power Delivery (for fast charging), and are joined by two USB-A, full-size HDMI, microSD, and a 3.5mm audio input.
The only real thing missing is ethernet, but it’s one of the best port selections on any non-gaming laptop.
Screen & Speakers
- Solid 17-inch LCD display
- No high refresh rate or touch support
- Decent dual stereo speakers
If you’re buying such a big laptop, the display needs to be good. And while not quite top-tier, I thoroughly enjoyed using the one on the Gram 17.
The 17-inch, 25601600 LCD display has the 16:10 aspect ratio that we’ve come to expect in contemporary laptops. It’s unfortunate that the Gram 17 lacks OLED, but you can still anticipate a terrific viewing experience.
Color accuracy is a real strength, as evidenced by the statistics. The SpyderXPro calibration tool claims that it covers the whole sRGB color gamut, as well as 99% of DCI-P3 and 91% of AdobeRGB.
As a consequence, most content appears amazingly realistic. The artificially oversaturated appearance of certain OLEDs is avoided, but you lose those rich, deep blacks.
However, brightness is not an issue. I measured a maximum of 439 nits, thus you may use it outside as long as it’s not in full sunshine.
However, the refresh rate remains at 60Hz, despite the fact that many luxury laptops have switched to 120Hz or higher. It’s not as noticeable here as it is on a smartphone, but it’s still a pity.
It’s a shame not to see OLED on the Gram 17, but you can still expect a great viewing experience
There is also no touchscreen support, which is less of a problem. I wouldn’t want to jab at such a huge screen anyhow, and the trackpad is a fine substitute.
The Gram 17 has twin stereo speakers that function admirably. The music has depth and richness that you don’t typically hear from computers, and there’s no apparent distortion.
However, don’t anticipate room-filling sound, as bass is severely missing, making them better suited to spoken material rather than music or movies. I’d recommend attaching headphones for the latter.
Keyboard, Trackpad & Webcam
- Enjoyable keyboard and trackpad
- Solid 1080p webcam
- No fingerprint sensor
Because of the Gram 17’s size, there’s enough area for a full-size keyboard and a separate number pad. If you’re coming from a laptop without one, you’ll need to modify your grip somewhat, but the typing experience is fine.
Each key is clicky and responsive, providing good feedback. I was back to typing at my normal speed in no time.
Each key is clicky and responsive, offering a nice level of feedback
The restricted key travel will irritate some folks. However, on such a slim and light gadget, this is nearly unavoidable, and it appears like LG made a wise trade-off.
Each key is lighted, and there are two brightness options available. However, there doesn’t appear to be a method to keep the backlighting on all the time – it just appears to activate when you start typing and for a few seconds thereafter.
LG provides easy access to a few more options via the top row of function keys. LG’s Smart Assistant app, an airplane mode toggle, and reading mode, which adjusts the display to warmer tones, are among them.
Below the keyboard is a huge trackpad. The size of the Gram 17 means there’s still plenty of space to rest your palms either side. And it’s impressively precise, allowing to you easily select large portions of text or click something very specific.
However, one significant feature is absent from the keyboard: a fingerprint reader. I’m not sure why LG didn’t add the power button, which is usually located in the top-right corner.
Instead, you’ll use Windows Hello face unlock. It works with a camera and a separate IR sensor and is typically quick and dependable. You must, however, position your face such that it is precisely in line for it to unlock.
The Full HD webcam is one of the finest built-in laptop cameras available. Detail and colors are typically precise, and exposure is handled nicely in certain challenging lighting settings. With twin microphones, the Gram 17 is an excellent choice for video conversations.
Specs & Performance
- Intel Raptor Lake P-series CPUs
- Great everyday performance
- No discrete GPU
As a 2023 laptop, it’s no surprise to see the Gram 17 powered by Intel’s Raptor Lake processors, the latest at the time of launch.
Specifically, you’re getting a choice between the i5-1340P and i7-1360P, both from the P-series category. These are specifically designed for thin and light devices, but I’m still disappointed there’s no option for the more powerful H-series.
Nonetheless, performance remains strong. The model I tested combines the i7-1360P with a generous 32GB of RAM, ensuring that it easily handles all routine chores.
My routine consists of a lot of web browsing, email, Slack, and sometimes video conversations, which the Gram 17 handled with ease. This included when numerous apps were operating at the same time.
My workflow includes lots of web browsing, email, Slack and occasional video calls, all of which the Gram 17 handled with ease
When combined with the huge screen, it’s an excellent choice for multitasking. It was also only slightly warm to the touch, and the fans were scarcely loud.
Of course, this will alter during intensive jobs like video editing or gaming, but the Iris Xe integrated graphics limit what is achievable in this case. If you’re serious about either, I’d choose a laptop with a dedicated GPU.
LG Gram 17 (2023) benchmarks
Benchmarks indicate that the Gram 17 is competitive with comparable large-screen laptops, while the 2023 Dell XPS 17 isn’t mentioned.
You may select between 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB of storage. Most individuals will be OK with the former, especially if they utilize a cloud storage service.
While Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 aren’t the most recent standards, they do provide fast and dependable connectivity.
Battery Life & Charging
- 80Wh battery
- All-day battery life
- Decent 65W charging
Regardless of the model you choose, the LG Gram 17 is equipped with an 80Wh capacity.
That’s one of the larger capacities around, and it performs well, despite such a big display. In our 720p video loop battery test, it lasted an impressive 15 hours and 43 minutes.
Most people will be able get a full working day on a single charge
However, it is with the brightness set to a low 120 nits and no internet access. A more realistic figure is roughly eight or nine hours of continuous use, which means that most individuals will be able to go through a full working day on a single charge. With battery saver mode on, this might be extended.
LG offers the appropriate charger with the Gram 17, which enables 65W charging. I got 32% in 30 minutes and 57% in an hour, with a full charge taking slightly less than 2.5 hours. That was just what I expected.
Software
- Windows 11 Home
- Annoying extra pre-installed apps
The Gram 17 ships with Windows 11 Home. Microsoft’s operating system remains substantially intact, and its multitasking functions perform admirably on such a wide screen.
However, there is much too much unnecessary software pre-installed for my tastes. I counted seven LG applications, plus the most vexing of them all: McAfee. It’s a fantastic antivirus tool, but it’s annoying when it repeatedly asks you to pay for a membership.
All of these unnecessary programs can be removed, but you should be able to avoid installing them in the first place.
All these extra apps can be uninstalled, but you should have the option to not install them in the first place
Microsoft hasn’t said when it would cease supporting Windows 11, although it will most likely be for a long time. Your gadget will remain secure as long as you keep it up to date.
Price & Availability
As you might expect, the LG Gram 17 doesn’t come cheap. It starts at £1,721.24/$1,549 for an Intel Core i5 model with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD.
But the top-spec model I tested, which combines the Core i7 with 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD, costs $2,099. It isn’t available in the UK.
Aside from LG, you can also buy them from Currys in the UK and Adorama in the US.
Specs
- Display: 17-inch, 2560×1600 IPS non-touch, 60Hz
- Processor: Intel Core i5-1340P, i7-1360P
- Graphics: Intel Iris Xe
- Memory: 16/32GB LPDDR5 RAM
- Storage: 1/2TB SSD
- Ports: 2x USB-A (3.2), 2x USB-C (4), HDMI, 3.5mm audio jack, microSD
- Camera: 1080p front-facing with Windows Hello support
- Wireless: WiFi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.1
- Battery: 80Wh with 65W charging
- Operating system: Windows 11 Home
- Colors: Black
- Weight: 1.35kg
