LG Gram 17 (2021): Light Weight, Giant Screen

The case for choosing a laptop with a jumbo screen—one larger than 15 inches—has never been stronger. The much-improved LG Gram 17, with a gorgeous 17-inch QHD display, is exhibit number one.

- TOM BRANT

This laptop is fresh for 2021 with an 11th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, a redesigned keyboard and touchpad, and a sleek black livery. Even better, it continues to stay below 3 pounds (2.98 pounds, to be precise). It’s unquestionably the best 17-inch laptop you can buy if you’re not a gamer or multimedia content creator.

THE SCREEN’S THE THING

Once upon a time, it made little sense for mainstream users to consider the largest-screen laptops, which were invariably heavy and bulky. Five or more years ago, a gaming rig with a 17-inch display and a reasonably powerful CPU and graphics card would set you back around $3,000 and weigh at least 6 pounds. But what if you don’t want all that processing power and expense? What if you just want a big display, and everything else is secondary?

Enter the Gram 17. When LG first introduced this unique ultraportable, there was little to recommend it other than an impressive screen and weight that seemed to defy the laws of physics. But the underwhelming 2019 model has ceded the stage to an all-new edition for 2021. The lightweight chassis and brilliant QHD screen remain, but LG got serious about the rest of the user experience. This means not only a better keyboard and touchpad but also a better-looking laptop that boasts Intel’s latest silicon and incredible battery life.