LG Gram 16 (16Z90Q) review – The 16-inch ultrabook as light as a 13!

After having conquered our interiors with its TVs, refrigerators and other everyday appliances, LG has been offering a range of laptops for several months. Grouped under the name LG Gram, and available in 14, 16 and 17 inches, these laptops rely on their lightness to stand out. But is this enough in a market where competitors are numerous and sometimes well established?

As light as a MacBook Air but with a 16-inch screen!

LG Gram. Even before having it in hand, LG announces the color. Despite everything, it’s impossible not to be surprised by the featherweight of the LG Gram 16 when it comes out of the box. Lightweight laptops, we had the opportunity to test some but none could boast of displaying less than 1.2 kg on the scale while offering a 16-inch screen. That is 400g less than its first competitor! To achieve this feat, LG engineers therefore had to hunt for superfluous grams.

Magnesium chassis, motherboard reduced to its simplest form (but still with a second slot for a second SSD) and a single fan. Choices that are not without consequences, we will come back to them. But for the moment, impossible not to be impressed by this lightness. A few areas, especially around the screen, show some sensitivity to pressure, but as the fable says, the reed bends but does not break. LG also indicates that its LG Gram laptops are certified to meet the US military standard MIL-STD-810G. Something to reassure about its resistance to shocks and dust (within the limits of reasonable use of course, it is not a rugged laptop).

A featherweight therefore but an uncompromising chassis. This results in the presence of a complete connection. Two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports to infinitely extend the possibilities of peripheral connection while ensuring recharging but also a full-size HDMI without forgetting two USB-A ports and a micro-SD reader.

As for those who wonder what is the point of competing with the weight of 13/14 inch ultrabooks. First enjoy a larger screen.

The LG Gram 16 has a 16-inch IPS panel in 16:10 format. A ratio higher than the usual 16:9. A plus in everyday life, especially since the screen also benefits from a definition of 2560×1600 pixels. Higher density than a Full HD panel. The result is finer characters and a feeling of increased sharpness. We also welcome the extended colorimetry with full coverage of sRGB and DCI-P3 spaces (and 98% of Adobe RGB). The contrast ratio is more common (1324:1) and the native white point (around 7200K) implies having recourse to a characterization for those for whom more accurate colors are essential (DeltaE of 1.91 after this stage ). The only downside is the brightness of the panel, which is more marked than average and a maximum brightness (366 nits) not high enough to counter reflections as soon as the conditions are no longer optimal.

But the display isn’t the only advantage of a 16-inch chassis. It is also more space for the keyboard and therefore the key, the possibility of integrating a numeric keypad. A detail for some but a major argument for others. And despite more compact keys for the latter (13.9×15.2 vs 16.2×15.2 mm) this remains an indisputable plus when it comes to entering numbers in numbers.

As for the comfort of the keyboard, despite its chassis of only 1.7 cm thick, the LG Gram offers a very comfortable typing thanks to a generous stroke (1.6 mm), a spacing in the medium high (3.2 mm ) and excellent damping. Backlighting (adjustable according to three intensities) and fingerprint reader for Windows Hello are present like any self-respecting premium laptop. The touchpad also benefits from generous dimensions (13×8 cm).

Absolute discretion

In terms of performance, the LG Gram 16 unsurprisingly features a low-power Intel processor. This is the Core i7-1165G7 (or even a Core i7-1260P soon).

A well-known and proven Quad Core CPU. In terms of performance, they are able to meet the needs of office / Web-based use. Some more complex tasks are possible but this is not its primary vocation. Especially since the potential of the Core i7-1165G7 is not fully exploited as our tests show.

A logical situation. To achieve such a weight, LG had to make choices including that of being satisfied with a single fan. Other competitors are therefore able to offer a little more, but the differences remain insignificant in practice and will not open up more possibilities. The LG Gram, on the other hand, benefits from an advantage with its cooling system reduced to its simplest expression. His discretion. The fan is most often inactive or inaudible. It is only by activating the “Perf” profile that the latter begins to be heard in a silent environment.

Remember to switch to the “Perf” profile in order to exploit the potential of the Core i7.

But with 39 dBA at its strongest, it remains acceptable and is not likely to disturb your open space neighbors. As for temperatures, during extended calculation phases, the CPU runs around 90°C. Again, nothing out of the ordinary.

Our review of the LG Gram 16, the lightest 16-inch laptop

Beyond the simple announcement effect of offering the lightest 16-inch laptop of the moment, LG responds to nomads who cannot bring themselves to sacrifice the comfort of a generously sized screen. Mission accomplished here with a diagonal of 16 inches, the LG Gram also comes in a slightly heavier 17 inch (1.4 kg). But the weight is not everything and the autonomy must also be in keeping. Again, contract completed hands down with more than 12:30 measured.

Quite imposing power supply unit (10x6x3 cm – 240g) in view of its contained power of 65W.

But these are not the only assets of the LG Gram 16. The latter can also count on its comfortable keyboard with numeric keypad, its well-defined 16:10 format screen without forgetting complete connectivity and an acceptable audio system for an ultrabook.

LG Gram 16 scores 4/5

Compare the different available configurations of the LG Gram 16

Features of LG GRAM 16Z90P-G.AA75F (Intel Evo)