LG Gram 2022 and LG View, analysis and opinion

If a man were to travel back in time, say to the late 1990s, he would see that towers and laptops in electronics stores look the same as they do now. With fewer lights, less tempered glass and much thicker and coarser. But same form factor.

This is for one reason only: the original design is good enough to last almost three decades without suffering along the way. Just a few small changes here and there. Just enough to update and continue to be attractive to the general public. LG knows this and, without inventing the wheel, gives it a spin.

For this new breath of fresh air, LG has launched its Gram laptop, a full-size device -that is, 16 inches- but which stands out for its lightness and finesse. Next to it we have the View, a 16″ portable monitor to work on a double screen no matter where.

Next, we are going to see if LG can convince with its weapons those who need mobility, above all, but without sacrificing the comfort and efficiency of working with two screens. The LG Gram+ View has, in theory, a lot of potential. And these are our conclusions.

Sections of the analysis of the LG Gram + View

Elegant, very light and all plastic

The LG Gram has a professional side that is undeniable. Its design reveals what the target audience is: professionals or students who have to make a lot of use of a computer that is light and powerful, but without the need for a dedicated graphics card.

Several million people fall into this definition. And LG has made an ideal laptop for everyone who needs mobility, lightness and power. The equipment is made entirely of plastic, but the black color makes it not look bad, just simple and elegant. That if, does not draw attention.

Something very positive about the laptop is that its size, Despite being a 16″ (something increasingly common in the sector), it does not feel bulky. The space is very optimized, with a sensational panel / screen ratio. The laptop hardly has frames, which is in tune with its concept of “infinite screen”, as we will now see.

The thickness of the equipment once the lid is closed is 1.8 cm to which is added a weight of 1.1 kg. With these data we can assure you that it is a laptop to take to the end of the world. In the briefcase it does not take up any space, you can carry it on your arm as a folder and in the backpack there is no difference between carrying it or not.

If you are one of those who needs a laptop with a large screen for work needs, but at the same time that it weighs and occupies little because you spend the day moving from one place to another, the LG Gram is one of the best models in the entire market.

By the way, the ports enter its construction, so remember that it has: two USB-C ports and two traditional USB 3.2 ports. Next to them we have a MicroSD card reader and an HDMI 2.0. And a 3.5 mm jack that does audio and microphone, of course.

A screen that is valid for absolutely everything

We have to talk about the screen. And as you can guess, twice. But first we focus on the screen that the LG Gram comes with as standard. Summing it up quickly, it is an off-road screen that will delight anyone. We explain the reasons.

First for its use, as we explained before, its screen ratio is very large, 90%, so we hardly have frames and that is appreciated. This means that in the space of a traditional 15.6″, here we go to 16″. On such small screens, half an inch more is a world.

Secondly, its resolution stands out: 2,560 x 1,600 px. This is a 2.5K that for a size of 16 inches. Or what is the same, a very high pixel density (although we do not know the exact number because LG does not specify it on its website).

Third, the panel technology: an IPS with a color range up to 99% of DCI-P3. Not only does this give a color-reliable display with good calibration as standard, but more importantly, it allows photo professionals to use the equipment to retouch images accurately.

This screen is ideal for everything, so much so that now our professional monitor does not seem so important to us (things of the sharpness that those 1,600 px give in a panel of only 16 “). It is a joy to work with, no matter how many hours we are in front of the screen. By the way, its 350 nits are perfect for indoors.

Intel’s 12th gen is great news for the industry

We had been waiting for years for Intel to take the step of launching an architecture at the level of AMD and its Ryzen processors. We can already say that the Intel 12th is what we have been crying out for since 2017.

In this case we carry the i7-1260P under the hood (3.4 GHz in the E-Core and up to 4.70 GHz in the P-Core). The best thing is that it already has the architecture of mixing two chips, one with high-performance cores, and the other with efficient cores.

That is, we carry 4 high-performance cores and 8 efficient cores, which is a total of 12 cores and 16 threads that consume, on average, about 20 W. Although the maximum consumption reaches 64 W if we are performing very demanding tasks. Remember that in these watts it does include the integrated graphics.

Next to this micro we have two 16 GB tablets of LPDDR5 RAM at 5,200 MHz that work wonderfully, despite being low-power RAM. As a curiosity, the DDR5 RAM makes its own Dual Channel per chip that improves their power, although the improvement is not like the traditional Dual Channel.

And speaking of graphics, This team has the Intel Iris Xe, very designed for undemanding professional use. But don’t be fooled, its low consumption is compensated by how well it is optimized via software with programs from the Adobe environment. Of course, you forget to play with it, it does not work.

For a demanding office use, with some editing programs, the LG Gram meets seamlessly. And the i7-1260P is great news. Of course, we also have to be clear that in terms of power / efficiency, even the previous generation AMD 6000 beat Intel’s 12th.

It works perfectly, but there is room for improvement

Here we are talking about autonomy, something that is key for any team that claims to be mobile. In this sense, the LG Gram complies, although it does not shine.

In our tests, with the laptop in high performance, high brightness and using Wi-Fi, we have been able to extend the 6 hours of use without any problem. It’s okay? Yes Is it enough? Yes Could it be better? Definitely. Things as they are.

If we use it as usual, which is the LG Gram with the external View screen, this performance drops to 3:40 hours. No complaints here, as the laptop’s battery is having to power two screens at high brightness.

The charger that comes with the equipment works through a 65 W Type-C port that is not too powerful, but that allows you to work and charge at the same time (if you are not in a hurry, of course). In an hour and a half the equipment goes from 0% to 100% if we do it with the laptop turned off.

In its favor we have to say that it will be rare when, due to mobility, going with the laptop and the external screen, we do not have a plug nearby. The concept of this equipment is that it can be used without connecting to the current if necessary, but understanding that it will not be the norm. Comply.

A perfect addition to any outfit

LG’s View is an ideal complement. We say it in the title of this section and we confirm it again. Really, what a great job of LG engineers in developing this external display.

to get started It has the same panel as the laptop, that is, a 16″ screen with IPS technology and 2.5K resolution.. If we put them side by side, a infinity view from manual: same brightness, same quality and almost no borders. A delight.

The screen works through two USB-C ports (one on each side)and to boot you just have to plug it via a Type-C cable to a laptop with video output. It works, in that case, with any laptop regardless of brand.

Along with that ease when using it, without annoying drivers or compatibilities, The monitor comes with a magnetic cover that acts as a rear support. It weighs very little, stretched it does not take up space, and allows us to play with it in two positions in case we want the monitor straight or slightly inclined.

The conclusions that the View leaves us is that we do not know how we have been so many years without screens of this type. Working on a laptop, anywhere, with a second monitor that doesn’t take up any space, isn’t heavy, and looks so good is just great.

LG has achieved a team that smells like new

To finish in analysis, yours is to ask yourself: Is the equipment we have put to the test worth it? In this case the answer is definitely yes.

In the time that we have been using the LG Gram and its external View screen, we have not missed our desktop computer, despite the fact that it is much more powerful than the LG laptop. But, for the professional use that we have given it on a daily basis, it has nothing to envy.

Taking into account that it is a team to work on office automation tasks or Adobe package at a low level, the LG Gram offers: great performance, extraordinary lightness, a very acceptable battery and mobility that almost no 16″ laptop gives you. Let’s not forget that it even has a numeric keypad.

But we do not end here: Carrying the laptop in a briefcase, together with the external screen and the cover / support, would mean a weight of 2.3 kilos and a thickness of 3.5 cm.. In terms of mobility, there is nothing like it on the market and that is key for many users.

With all its pros and cons well explained and detailed, now your turn: is the LG Gram + View what you are looking for for your day to day life? If the answer is yes, do not hesitate, it is a great team that offers something quite unusual.