The first time I picked up LG Gram I thought it was fake, a mockup accidentally ended up in our hands. But then I opened it, pressed the power key, and Windows 10 made an appearance. At that point I understood: if it's called Gram there is a reason. Gram because it weighs 995 grams and this makes it so light that it looks like a fake. Yet LG Gram 14 ″ - the 14-inch version of the new series of laptops from the Korean company - is real, powerful and with a truly surprising autonomy. We talk about it in detail in this review.
LG Gram 14 review: light but strong!
Lightweight isn't the only feature that makes this laptop extremely portable. Its dimensions are in fact very compact: we are talking about 323 x 212 mm and a thickness of 15 mm. All this allows you to transport it with a very small footprint and without going to weigh on your shoulders.
But don't think that LG Gram 14 is fragile. First of all it boasts MIL-STD-810G military certification, which means it can withstand shocks, dust and extreme temperatures. It is also what makes it possible the shell in magnesium alloy and nano carbon which not only makes the device solid but also terribly stylish. LG has decided to really wink at everyone by opting for the dark silver color, but also for the chromed gram writing (no LG logo) and for a general propensity for minimalism. Even the dedicated cooling grids are concealed, hidden along the back profile of the notebook.
The right side instead hosts a USB-A 3.1 input, the 3,5 mm jack and the microSD card reader. On the left we have the proprietary connector for charging, another USB-A 3.1, another USB-C (with support for the Thurderbolt 3 standard) and even an HDMI. All this makes the device perfect even for those who work with the notebook: you can in fact connect keys, accessories and even external monitors without major problems and without the anxiety of occupying the only USB port available.
There is no touch but is it really needed?
Coming from a touchscreen laptop I spent the first two days unnecessarily pressing LG Gram's 14-inch display. Once I got used to it, however, I stopped missing it and began to appreciate what the Korean notebook put at my disposal.
The panel in fact is a 14-inch IPS LCD with Full HD resolution and aspect ratio 16: 9. The yield is really good with a coverage of the RGB space that touches 100% ed a very high brightness. What really convinces is the blacks, which are surprisingly deep for an LCD.
A note of merit also for the anti-reflective treatment. You will not be able to use it in direct sunlight but on any other occasion you will have no problems.
LG Gram Laptop 14Z990 Notebook, Display 14" Full HD IPS,...
- Processore Intel Core i5-8265U (1.6 GHz, turbo fino a 3.9 GHz, L3 cache 6 MB, 15 W)
- Display 14" IPS Full HD (192 0x 1080), RAM 8 GB DDR4 (2400 MHz), 256 GB SSD
- Chassis in magnesium alloy and nano carbon for a solid and light structure (weight 995 g)
Writing with LG Gram 14
Let's start with an observation-based consideration: LG Gram's keyboard could have been bigger. In fact, there are 2 cm left on each side that could have been used to give us slightly more generous keys. Not bad, however, in the end you will not have major problems while typing.
Looking at the keyboard we notice two other elements. The first is the power button in the right corner, button that integrates a convenient fingerprint reader - perfect for using Windows Hello - and which is slightly lowered, so you don't accidentally turn off your PC.
The other element that catches the eye is the double coloring of the Function keys, with a bright orange that helps you distinguish them easily. The choice of shade, however, seems to clash a bit with the minimalism that characterizes the terminal. Maybe I would have preferred something more sober but, in the end, you get used to it very quickly.
I was also not thrilled by the choice of the Fn buttons. Personally I would have given up on the commands dedicated to launching LG Control Center and Reader Mode, a mode that makes the display temperature turn towards warmer shades. Undoubtedly the usefulness to preserve your sight but enough to dedicate a dedicated button to it?
The small trackpad that is precise, clickable anywhere and in addition does not retain fingerprints at all, like the rest of the body, has been promoted with flying colors.
LG Gram 14 review: how does it behave?
Let's talk now about hardware. LG Gram 14 is equipped with a 5 GHz Intel Core i8265-1.60U processor, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD. No graphics card but only the Intel UHD Graphics 620 integrata.
This year the variant with the tenth generation Intel processors should arrive but in the meantime we have to "settle" for the eighth generation i5. We used the Office suite, opened dozens of tabs with Edge, edited images with Photoshop and watched multimedia content - while enjoying good audio - without any kind of difficulty. But don't think about dedicating yourself to more demanding activities like video editing. For that you will need a more performing machine.
It turns out instead excellent autonomy that allows you to reach 10 hours without major difficulties and without excessive sacrifices. In short, a really excellent result that makes this laptop perfect for those who spend a lot of time away from home, for those who work on trains and planes and for university students.
The software aspect is less exciting. In fact, we have 6 LG programs on board which could easily be incorporated into a single software. They are also not particularly intuitive and the graphics leave something to be desired. For the future, therefore, we hope that the Korean company will work a little on this aspect. After all, the world of laptops is relatively new to Asian society and they have plenty of time and space to improve.
LG Gram Laptop 14Z990 Notebook, Display 14" Full HD IPS,...
- Processore Intel Core i5-8265U (1.6 GHz, turbo fino a 3.9 GHz, L3 cache 6 MB, 15 W)
- Display 14" IPS Full HD (192 0x 1080), RAM 8 GB DDR4 (2400 MHz), 256 GB SSD
- Chassis in magnesium alloy and nano carbon for a solid and light structure (weight 995 g)
The technical sheet
Before arriving at the necessary conclusions, let's see the technical data sheet of the product:
Display: 14” IPS LCD – Full HD
CPU: Intel Core i5-8265U @1.6 GHz
RAM: X
Internal Memory: 256 GB SSD SATA 3.2
Graphic card: Intel UHD Graphics 620
Webcam: 720p
Audio: 3W 2.0
Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0
Ports: 2x USB-A 3.1, HDMI 1.4, USB-C, Thunderbolt 3, microSD, jack audio
Battery: 72 Wh (9360mAh
Weight: 986 grams
Operating system: Windows 10 Home
LG Gram 14 review: buy it or not?
Over the past couple of weeks, I've seen the price of our version of the LG Gram 14 - hence i5, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage - fluctuate slightly. Now, as I'm writing this review, it's a 899 euro, a few days ago it was stable at 949. In both cases it is a more than fair amount for what this notebook offers: solidity, lightness, lots of autonomy and all the connectivity you need.
Who is it suitable for? As we said before to those who need autonomy and portability more than real power.
LG Gram 14
Pro 
- Lightweight but strong
- Incredible autonomy
- Top connectivity
Cons 
- Performance solo discrete
- Proprietary software that can be improved
