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I tested this crazy portable 17-inch laptop — and it’s lighter and lasts longer than the MacBook Air
The new LG Gram 17 (starting at $1,699) is one of the lightest laptops I’ve ever tested. The lightweight design is the main selling point, but this ultraportable also offers strong Intel Core Ultra 7-driven performance and long-lasting battery life.
I like the large 17-inch (2,560 x 1,600) display, which gives me more than enough room for all the windows I need open for work. And though it’s not an OLED, the panel is still plenty bright and colorful. Whether it’s websites or movies, everything appears nice and clear.
The Intel “Lunar Lake” processor inside gives the LG Gram 17 enough power for the basics, such as word processing and watching videos. It’s able to handle my everyday workflow without a problem and can even tackle some light gaming. Intel’s efficient processor also gives this Windows laptop battery life that’s comparable to the best MacBooks.
I’m used to reviewing heavy laptops, so carrying the LG Gram 17 around is a nice change of pace since it’s so thin and light. If you frequently travel or like working outdoors, you’ll appreciate how easy it is to travel with this laptop. Unfortunately, the plastic-feeling chassis that allows the LG Gram 17 to be so light can also make it feel cheap in your hands.
Though I’m not enamored with the chassis and wish the price were lower, the new LG Gram 17 is an overall good device for folks looking for a 17-inch Windows laptop with strong performance and dependable battery life. I’ll explain why in my full review.
LG Gram 17 (2025) review: Cheat sheet
- What is it? The LG Gram 17 is a thin and light 17-inch laptop featuring an Intel Lunar Lake CPU.
- Who is it for? For folks who need a thin and lightweight Windows laptop with strong performance and long battery life.
- What does it cost? The LG Gram 17 costs $1,699 on LG’s website.
- What do we like? We like the lightweight design, vivid 17-inch display and long battery life.
- What don’t we like? We don’t like the cheap-feeling plastic chassis and the steep asking price.
LG Gram 17 (2025) review: Specs
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | LG Gram 17 (2025) |
Price | $1,699 |
Display | 17-inch (2,560×1,600) 16:10 touch IPS |
CPU | Intel Core Ultra 7 256V |
GPU | Intel Arc Graphics 140V (8GB) |
Memory | 32GB |
Storage | 1TB |
Ports | 1x HDMI, 1x headphone jack, 2x USB-A, 2x USB-C |
Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 7 |
Dimensions | 14.9 x 10.1 x 0.7 inches |
Size | 3.2 pounds |
LG Gram 17 (2025) review: The ups
The LG Gram 17 (2025) is an exceptionally lightweight laptop that’s tailor-made for working on the go. It also features a large 17-inch display, strong Intel Core Ultra performance and phenomenal battery life.
Lightweight design
The LG Gram 17 might not weigh a gram, but it’s still extremely light. Sure, 3.2 pounds is just a shade lighter than a 15-inch MacBook Air M4, but LG’s notebook feels even lighter given its 14.9 x 10.1 x 0.7-inch size. This is the lightest 17-inch laptop I’ve ever tested.
Aside from the etched “gram” logo on the back, this laptop is free of any embellishments. While the all-black chassis isn’t much to look at, it’s still elegant. The chassis has a slightly rough texture that makes the laptop easy to hold, though it catches fingerprints too easily.
You get a decent amount of ports here, including two USB-A, a pair of USB-C, an HDMI and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The HDMI port is ideal if you want to connect this laptop to an external monitor, and I appreciate that it has not one but two USB-A ports for legacy devices.
Large display
Besides the lightweight design, the LG Gram 17’s other main selling point is its large 17-inch display. The sharp 2,560 x 1,600 resolution lets you see everything clearly, whether it’s a long spreadsheet or a YouTube video.
Speaking of YouTube videos, I was impressed with how vibrant the latest Fantastic Four trailer appears on the 17-inch display. Though said display isn’t OLED, its oversaturated colors make everything appear crisp and bright. I’ve seen better laptop displays, but this one doesn’t disappoint.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | LG Gram 17 (2025) | Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 5 | MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 |
Nits (brightness) | 358 | 381 (SDR) | 556 (SDR) |
sRGB | 161.2% | 117.5% | 113.3% |
DCI-P3 | 114.2% | 83.3% | 80.2% |
Delta-E | 0.3 | 0.32 | 0.19 |
Our lab tests correspond with my anecdotal experience. As you can see, the LG Gram can get decently bright despite lacking HDR. Color reproduction (sRGB and DCI-P3) is decidedly oversaturated since it goes beyond the 100% target. Color accuracy (Delta-E) isn’t the best, but it won’t make a huge difference for most folks.
This laptop’s touchscreen is impressive, rivaling even the best tablets. It makes tapping and dragging feel smooth and intuitive. I don’t use touchscreens on laptops much, but it’s a nice feature for anyone who wants (or prefers) touch controls.
Strong performance
Most of the laptops featuring Lunar Lake CPUs we’ve reviewed have delivered solid performance, and that’s also true with the LG Gram 17.
This laptop is powerful enough to handle my daily workload, which usually consists of over 30 open Chrome tabs with the occasional YouTube video running in the background. Firing up additional apps (like GIMP) for photo editing or even listening to Spotify doesn’t slow this laptop down.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | LG Gram 17 (2025) | Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro | MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 |
Geekbench 6 (single-core) | 2,757 | 2,760 | 3,807 |
Geekbench 6 (multi-core) | 10,560 | 11,115 | 15,114 |
Handbrake (video transcode) | 7:02 | 6:16 | 4:27 |
LG’s laptop performed well in our lab tests. On Geekbench 6, which tests overall CPU performance, the LG Gram 17 scored decently in single- and multi-core performance. The Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro, which also has a Lunar Lake chip, scored better in the multi-core portion of the test, but single-core is effectively the same. The M4-powered 14-inch MacBook Pro outperforms both, however.
In our Handbrake video editing test, which involves transcoding a 4K video clip to 1080p, the LG Gram 17 took longer to complete the task than Samsung’s notebook. While surfing the web won’t be an issue, don’t expect to transcode videos as easily.
Excellent battery life
The LG Gram 17 has exceptional battery life for a Windows laptop. While there are still some MacBooks that endure longer, you won’t be disappointed with how long LG’s laptop lasts.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Time (hours:mins) |
LG Gram 17 (2025) | 15:31 |
MacBook Air 15-inch M4 | 15:22 |
Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro | 12:25 |
In our lab test, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi with the display set to 150 nits of brightness, the LG Gram 17 lasted for an incredible 15 hours and 31 minutes. That’s slightly longer than the MacBook Air 15-inch M4, and nearly 3 hours longer than the Galaxy Book 5 Pro, though the latter’s OLED screen does negatively impact its battery life.
LG Gram 17 (2025) review: The downs
The LG Gram 17 has a lot going for it, but it’s not a perfect laptop.
Plastic-feeling chassis
The LG Gram 17 has a sturdy chassis that doesn’t easily bend or flex. But while I love the LG Gram 17’s lightness, that same featherweight combined with the plastic-feeling chassis can make this notebook feel cheap.
According to LG, this laptop’s chassis is made of aluminum alloy, which is interesting considering how it feels like plastic. The laptop even produces a hollow sound when I tap it, which is usually what happens with a plastic chassis. This might not be a deal breaker, but it prevents this laptop from feeling premium.
Steep price
Though the LG Gram 17 offers great performance and stellar battery life, its $1,699 asking price is a bit hard to stomach.
For $1,599 (or $1,299 at time of writing), you can get the Galaxy Book 5 Pro, which has a more premium-feeling chassis and a gorgeous OLED touchscreen. $1,599 can also get you a 14-inch MacBook Air M4, which offers significantly better performance and battery life.
The LG Gram 17 would be more appealing at $1,399 or lower. But at its current price, it’s for folks who are dead set on a super lightweight 17-inch Windows laptop.
LG Gram 17 (2025) review: Verdict
Despite its faults, the LG Gram 17 is still a great laptop for what it offers. The 17-inch display delivers a sizable canvas, and its performance and battery life make it perfect for everyday work.
Lowering the price by $200-$300 would make this an easy recommendation. That said, you’ll be hard-pressed to find such a lightweight 17-inch notebook. If that’s important to you, then the LG Gram 17 won’t disappoint. However, if you’re looking for better performance, battery life and display quality, there are better options out there.
