Balance form and function with the 2021 LG gram laptops, minus the compromises

In the eyes of the modern consumer, the “best laptop” on the market at any given time is no longer one that merely excels at what it is supposed to do. It must go far above and beyond the call of duty, while still retaining the convenience and portability demanded by our fast-paced lifestyles.

This has resulted in fierce competition between today’s tech companies to engineer the best possible notebooks for its users. But in the pursuit of doing so, many of them end up piling on the weight unknowingly, making them bulky and cumbersome. Others might over-prioritize on sleekness or appearances and miss out on other essentials. It’s a simple trade-off that’s easy to gloss over in view of the potential benefits.

Notably, only a handful of brands have managed to keep their eye on the proverbial ball, and that’s why LG pivoted to address the consumer’s desired balance through its LG gram line-up, now sharpened with updated gear under the hood.

Providing a canvas anytime, anywhere

Ask any creative you know, and they’ll probably tell you that the most infuriating thing in their line of work is not being able to seize a flash of inspiration when it strikes. Heavier notebooks can be annoying to lug around for such purposes, and quite frankly it defeats the point of doing so in the first place as it disregards the convenience and portable utility that it was meant to offer. 

Fortunately, users won’t have to worry about that with the LG gram. It features three different display sizes, all of which pass the MIL-STD-810G set of tests to certify its toughness to take on the daily grind, while still being incredibly light. In fact, the lightest model, the LG gram 14 clocks a mere 999 grams on the scales - a fine testament to the notebook’s namesake.

Accordingly, it should be clear that LG’s emphasis is on keeping these notebooks portable, and their owners nimble. By making the LG gram a breeze to carry around, users can remain productive even on the go, which would certainly help creatives to strike while the proverbial iron is hot. 

However, creatives aren’t the only ones who will benefit from such a versatile, reliable and lightweight partner. Whether you are an office executive sitting down for a video conference or a student working on a project at their nearby cafe, not having to worry about tugging along a bulky notebook frees up more mental room for you to focus on the tasks that are important.

Speaking of focus, you’ll also be glad to know that the LG gram offers a wide range of connectivity without needing converters, dongles and other complications. Almost all the LG gram 2021 models offer two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports as well as two USB-A USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports.

There's also a full-size HDMI port, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. With the LG gram, you’ll hardly need a USB hub or a docking hub – the notebook is your hub of connectivity.

There’s a lot going on under the hood

The 2021 LG gram line-up comes in four models, each constructed to suit the users’ specific needs: LG gram 17, LG gram 16, LG gram 14 and LG gram 14 2-in-1. All of them come with 16:10 aspect ratio displays, which offer a sizable upgrade in vertical screen real estate compared to the conventional 16:9 displays on other notebooks. This allows creators a lot more room, not to mention that the keyboards and touchpads have also been enlarged to enable quicker typing without sacrificing that all-important portability factor.

Furthermore, their high-resolution displays cover 99% of DCI-P3 colour space, which delivers pinpoint colour accuracy - a staple requirement for content creation and design tasks. A four-sided super-slim bezel design also gives the LG gram notebooks their distinctive sleek and sophisticated appearance, meaning users will fit right into both corporate and casual settings while enjoying more out of the immersive display. Additionally, the LG gram 17 and LG gram 16 feature 80Wh high-density batteries, offering up to 19.5 hours and 22 hours of usage respectively, so you’ll get to bring them on all-day excursions with peace of mind. No power adapter? No problem.

But what use is portability and battery life if it doesn’t come with the power to match your needs? That’s also been accounted for. The LG gram models are all Intel Evo Platform-verified, powered by an 11th Gen Intel Core processor with Iris Xe Graphics and fast LPDDR4x memory, letting them blow through even the most taxing projects with ease. Indeed, it is this impressive firepower coupled with their unimaginably lightweight hardware that made it a very strong contender for the Best Ultraportable Notebook of 2021 and we rated it quite highly.

 

A “digital pen” for digital paper

Next up is the LG gram 14-inch 2-in-1 convertible notebook, which offers users a whole new level of creative freedom thanks to its swivelling 360-degree hinge. This feature allows it to transform into a canvas for sketching or note-taking on the go, while still maintaining the unmatched portability that the LG gram line emphasises. In fact, this model comes in at a mere 1,250g, and there’s much more to it than meets the eye. 

Among other unique features, the 2-in-1 notebook comes with a stylus pen, making them ideal partners for artists and designers who travel around often for work or inspiration. Accuracy and control are no issue either, as the stylus offers full compatibility with Wacom AES 2.0.

In a nutshell, LG has every right to be proud of the LG gram line, and of themselves as well. No innovation comes without good foresight, and being able to identify common pitfalls like weighty notebooks has allowed LG to retain both form and function within the LG gram.

Essentially, you will be hard-pressed to find other notebooks that are able to juggle both factors simultaneously. LG has their sights set on creating amazing experiences for users, and what’s more impressive is that they’ve been able to deliver on it as well.

So, where can you get one or get up close to try it? The 2021 LG gram lineup is available to purchase at Best Denki, COURTS, Harvey Norman, Gain City, Challenger as well as LG Lazada and LG Shopee online stores.

Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.