The LG Gram 17 is the best Windows machine I’ve used for overall productivity. Its ridiculously light design makes it a pleasure to tote around. I’ve been testing out the Gram 17 for three months, and its giant, bright screen gives Apple a run for the money. I have to admit that I had my doubts about the Gram 17 when I first started using it. The keyboard is slightly quirky, even though it’s large and generously spread out. And the colors on the display are markedly more cartoonish than those on the MacBook Pro.
Better Than a MacBook Pro?
I’ve been mostly happy with my MacBook Pro over the years, but there are certain things that Windows just does better. Take the email and calendar app Outlook, for example. The Windows version is far more capable than the one that’s available for the Mac. The LG Gram 17 flies through every program I need. Admittedly, the list of apps I use doesn’t include any games or photo or video editing software that might really tax its i7 processor and integrated graphics card. But for web browsing, Slack, and word processing, there is essentially no difference in speed between the Gram and my MacBook Pro. Working with a dozen tabs open in both Chrome and Microsoft’s Edge browser didn’t cause the Gram 17 to stutter. The build quality on the Gram 17 is also a delight. I’ve gotten so used to the elegant but harsh Apple aluminum frames that I had forgotten that the magnesium alloy on the Gram could be enjoyable. The Gram certainly doesn’t weigh me down. It’s only 0.7 inches thick and weighs a hair under 3 pounds. It doesn’t seem possible that such a slight frame could contain the computing power and great screen that the Gram offers.
It’s All About the Screen
The crowning glory of the Gram 17 is its vast screen. It’s less than an inch bigger than the display on my MacBook Pro, but somehow seems much more extensive. As someone who uses my laptop for hours at a time and is often on the go, having a great screen is critical. With the Gram 17’s real estate, I was able to have multiple windows open and view large spreadsheets. The one area where the Gram 17 let me down is that its shiny display reflects way too much light. This can make it hard to view the screen in anything but the most subdued lighting conditions. As a result, I found myself constantly adjusting the angle of the screen to try to reduce reflections. On the other hand, the glossy screen makes the colors pop. I found myself turning to the Gram 17 instead of my MacBook when I wanted to watch movies on Netflix. While videos often eat up power, the battery life on the Gram 17 is surprisingly decent. LG claims that the 80-watt battery inside the Gram can last up to 17 hours. That estimate is a stretch, but I could easily get through an entire workday on a single charge with juice left over to watch a TV show after hours. Are all the great features on the Gram 17 enough to make me switch to Windows? After spending three months working on the LG, I’m not sure that it matters anymore unless you are a gamer. I spend most of my time working on Chrome or other apps that work for both Mac and Windows. The Gram proves that Windows laptop manufacturers have caught up with Apple’s superb build quality. At $1,849, the Gram 17 isn’t cheap, but it’s less expensive than Apple’s flagship model. You can’t beat the convenience of having a laptop this light and with such a great display.
