The LG Gram – Super Light 15.6″ Laptop

The LG Gram – Super Light 15.6″ Laptop

The LG Gram absolutely decimates its competitors in the 14″ and 15.6″ laptop category. At 980 grams, it’s even lighter than a 11.6″ Macbook Air. Surprisingly lightweight, it packs a punch as well, with an 6th-gen Intel Core i5 or i7, full HD 1920 x 1080 IPS screen, and an SSD. All of these come together to create a compact, lightweight, high-performance laptop that can really boost any user’s productivity. Will be available in Singapore from mid-August.

980 Grams!

The design team achieved this remarkable feat by shedding weight through creative design updates, such as minimizing the bezel size. The body is also made from magnesium alloys, materials widely used in manufacturing racecars or spacecraft. These materials were chosen for their lightweight and durable qualities. It is offered in an eye-catching gold colour.

LG Gram Laptop_Moodshot 1

Features

There will be 4 models in Singapore, with a 14″ and 15.6″ option, which is strange, considering that the weight of the 14″ and 15.6″ is the same at 980g. I would pick the bigger screen. Price ranges from 1,499 to 2,199 SGD, with the souped up version offering Core i7 6500U, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD and in-built Intel Graphics. The keyboard comes with a keypad as well, for enhanced productivity. In terms of connectivity, there’s USB-C, 3 uSB ports (of which 2 are USB 3.0), HDMI (Useful!), and Micro SD.

It sounds like the perfect laptop so where are the trade offs?

The magnesium alloy doesn’t offer the most premium of feeling, and the lightness doesn’t convey a sense of robustness. I would be rather careful with this laptop, and a good protective bag would be in order.

Online reviews in terms of performance indicate that while the processor, SSD are top notch, it’s the RAM configuration that loses out in benchmarks. It operates in a single channel, which results in lower bandwidth compared to dual channel design laptops. But it’s not too significant.

The positioning of the webcam is a little weird though, it’s at the hinge, not the most flattering angle when doing video-conferencing, as you give the other party a look up your nostrils, or your fingers, if you happen to be typing.

LG gram also has seven hours of battery life, giving on-the-go professionals mobility freedom and an ease of mind. It’s not the longest, but it will get by a typical day. LG says you can charge it with a portable battery bank too via USB-C, but the speed and practicality would need to be further tested.

 

Model name

15Z960-G.AA7CA3

15Z960-G.AA7BA3

15Z960-G.AR5BA3

14Z960-G.AR5AA3

SRP (SGD)

$2,199

$1,899

$1,699

$1,499

Screen Size

 15.6″

 15.6″

15.6″

 14″

FHD IPS

FHD IPS

FHD IPS

FHD IPS

Material

 Super Magnesium Alloy

 Super Magnesium Alloy

Super Magnesium Alloy

 Super Magnesium Alloy

CPU

 Core i7-6500U

 Core i7-6500U

Core i5-6200U

 Core i5-6200U

RAM

 8GB

 8GB

4GB

 4GB

SSD

 512GB

 256GB

256GB

 128GB

Graphic Card

 Intel HD

 Intel HD

Intel HD

 Intel HD

Graphics 520

Graphics 520

Graphics 520

Graphics 520

Web Cam

 1.3M HD

 1.3M HD

1.3M HD

 1.3M HD

Interface

 USB-C x 1

 USB-C x 1

USB-C x 1

USB 3.0 x 2

USB 3.0 x 2

USB 3.0 x 2

USB 3.0 x 2

USB 2.0 x 1

USB 2.0 x 1

USB 2.0 x 1

USB 2.0 x 1

HDMI

HDMI

HDMI

HDMI

Micro SD

Micro SD

Micro SD

Micro SD

Weight

 980g

 980g

980g

 980g

Color

 Gold

 Gold

Gold

 Gold

Thoughts

Overall, a fine-looking laptop and pricing looks reasonable (for it’s class). LG is making its entrants back to the Singapore laptop market with what looks to be an impressive laptop.