LG Gram 17 (2022): Light, but No Lightweight

‘Alder Lake’ arrives on the lightest 17-incher around.

- BRIAN WESTOVER

Most of the lightest laptops are compact little machines with 13-inch screens, but the LG Gram 17 breaks the mold by offering a spacious 17-inch screen, full keyboard and numeric pad, and performance that just won’t quit. The new model is still the lightest 17-inch laptop you can buy, but it steps things up over last year’s model with a 12th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and battery life that stretches past the 20-hour mark. Throw in a few upgraded features, including a 1080p webcam, and it’s easy to name this our favorite big-screen ultraportable laptop.

A FEATHERWEIGHT WHOPPER BY DESIGN

The Gram 17 is defined by two key features. The first is weight, or lack thereof. Measuring 0.7 by 14.9 by 10.2 inches (HWD), it’s about the same size as the Dell XPS 17 (9720), but it’s a full 2.3 pounds lighter. In fact, it’s light enough to sneak under the 3-pound limit in order to be considered an ultraportable laptop, an impressive achievement considering that most laptops in this category have far smaller screens.

Much of that featherweight appeal is due to the magnesium-alloy chassis, which manages not only to shave off the ounces but also to stand up to some abuse—enough to meet MIL-STD-810 durability tests for shock, vibration, temperature, and more. It’s not tough enough to call it a rugged laptop, but the Gram 17 can handle life on the road, and the jet-black finish will keep it looking business-ready in all situations.