LG Gram Hands-On: A 16-Inch AI Laptop That Weighs Just Four Pounds

The ultrabook market is fiercely competitive, but products that manage to keep a 16-inch display under four pounds (roughly 1.8 kg) are genuinely rare. The LG Gram markets itself as "the world's lightest laptop," obsessing over weight reduction from the packaging to the chassis — while still squeezing in dual AI, long battery life, and a touchscreen. This article draws on a hands-on video review to break down its core highlights and real-world impressions.

Weight Savings Start at the Box

The "lightness" of this laptop is apparent from the moment you open the box. The reviewer noted it uses a "press-to-pop" cardboard tray packaging, described as "the world's lightest packaging for the world's lightest laptop." This more cost-effective packaging approach reflects the machine's positioning — preserving the core LG Gram experience while bringing the price down to a more accessible level.

The first impression when picking it up is that it feels "light as a frisbee." A 16-inch screen at four pounds is an exceptional size-to-weight ratio for its class. For frequent travelers who need a large display on the go, this is meaningful weight relief.

Full Port Selection — No Dongle Hunting Required

Ultrabooks are often criticized for cutting ports, but this Gram is actually a strong performer in that area. The reviewer specifically highlighted the port variety: one side features two Type-C ports with Thunderbolt support plus an analog audio jack; the other side retains two USB-A ports.

"Not having to reach for a dongle" — that line cuts right to a common ultrabook frustration. The reviewer made an indirect comparison to other brands, noting that this kind of port diversity is exactly what he missed on competing products. For users who need to connect a monitor, plug in a USB drive, and use legacy peripherals simultaneously, this port configuration eliminates the need to carry a bag full of adapters.

Matte Touchscreen: Almost Zero Glare

The display is another standout feature. The chassis is black inside and out, and the screen uses a matte finish. The reviewer demonstrated this live: with bright overhead lighting and a large lamp directly above, virtually no glare was visible on the screen.

What makes it even more unusual is that the screen also supports touch input. The reviewer admitted "this kind of combination isn't common" and expressed relief that it's anti-glare — because a glossy touchscreen would be a miserable experience. In practice, the touch response "works quite well." The matte-plus-touch combination is a genuine differentiator in the large-screen ultrabook space.

Keyboard, Battery Life, and Storage Expansion

The keyboard uses a chiclet-style layout and the reviewer noted it's remarkably quiet — typing on a flight to Tokyo wouldn't disturb fellow passengers.

Battery life is one of the machine's headline specs, with LG claiming up to 26 hours. The reviewer joked that this runtime "could get you all the way to Tokyo." For frequent long-haul travelers or all-day workers away from outlets, that kind of endurance significantly reduces charger dependency.

On the storage side, it includes dual SSD slots for easy self-upgrades down the line — a practical design choice for users who want to extend the machine's useful life.

Dual AI: Copilot Plus Local Gram Chat

For AI features, this machine doesn't rely on a single solution — it takes a "dual AI" approach. Alongside Microsoft Copilot, LG includes a locally-run AI called Gram Chat that processes everything directly on the device.

On-device AI means certain tasks don't require an internet connection and data stays on your machine — offering potential advantages in both privacy and response speed. The cloud-based Copilot plus local Gram Chat combination gives it broader AI coverage in the current AI PC landscape.

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A note on Thunderbolt: Thunderbolt is a high-speed interface protocol developed by Intel. The current mainstream version, Thunderbolt 4, offers a theoretical bandwidth of 40 Gbps and supports simultaneous data transfer, video output, and power delivery. It's physically compatible with USB-C but far more capable: it supports daisy-chaining multiple devices, driving 4K/8K external displays, and connecting external GPU enclosures (eGPUs). For ultrabook users, a single Thunderbolt port can replace multiple dedicated ports — one cable handles charging, video output, and storage simultaneously, which is exactly why the reviewer emphasized not needing a dongle.

A note on on-device AI vs. cloud AI: The key difference is where computation happens. Cloud AI uploads your data to a server for processing and returns the result — it requires an internet connection and carries inherent privacy risks since data leaves your device. On-device AI runs model inference directly on the device's CPU, GPU, or dedicated NPU (Neural Processing Unit), working offline. As chips with built-in NPUs — like the Qualcomm Snapdragon X and Intel Core Ultra — become mainstream, on-device AI has become a core selling point of "AI PCs." As a local model, Gram Chat's practical capability ceiling is typically lower than large cloud models like GPT-4, but it holds clear advantages for document summarization, private conversations, and offline scenarios.

The Verdict: A Well-Rounded Ultrabook That Earns Its Price

The reviewer's summary was straightforward: the core pitch is value for money. A 16-inch display, AI integration, exceptional battery life, and an ultra-slim "take it anywhere" form factor all represent the familiar LG Gram experience — but at a more approachable price point.

While it's clearly not a gaming laptop, the reviewer found it can handle light gaming, hitting frame rates in the 80–90 fps range — "playable if you want to play." This suggests its performance has headroom beyond everyday productivity and media consumption.

Overall, this LG Gram strikes a fairly balanced blend of portability, display quality, battery life, port selection, and AI features. It's not chasing peak performance — it's finding the sweet spot between portability and practicality, making it a compelling option for users who want a large screen on the go without sacrificing expandability or endurance.