LG Gram Book Review: A Midrange Laptop That Struggles to Justify Its Price

Introduction: When “Affordable” Doesn’t Mean “Worth It”

The idea sounds compelling on paper. Take a premium laptop lineup known for its ultra-lightweight design, strip away some high-end features, and introduce a more affordable option for everyday users. That’s exactly what LG attempted with the LG Gram Book. Positioned as a midrange alternative within the traditionally premium Gram series, this device aims to attract students and office workers who want simplicity without paying top-tier prices.

But here’s the real question: does cutting corners while keeping a relatively high price actually create value, or just disappointment?

Summary: A Practical Laptop That Fails to Impress Where It Matters

The LG Gram Book enters the market as a more accessible version of LG’s premium Gram lineup, typically known for ultra-lightweight builds and high price tags. While traditional Gram laptops often exceed $1000, this model starts at $799, attempting to hit a sweet spot between affordability and functionality. However, the compromise between price and performance becomes immediately noticeable.

Weighing 1.65kg, the Gram Book deviates from the “Gram” identity, which has always emphasized portability. While still reasonably portable, it no longer feels exceptional in this category. The design itself is minimalistic, featuring a matte plastic chassis with a simple gray finish. It doesn’t aim to impress visually, but it does feel sturdy enough for daily use. The inclusion of a full keyboard with a numpad is practical, especially for productivity-focused users.

The display is a standard 15.6-inch Full HD IPS panel with a 60Hz refresh rate. It performs adequately in well-lit environments but lacks vibrancy and sharpness compared to competitors. The webcam is basic at 720p, though the addition of a physical privacy shutter is a welcome feature in an era of increasing privacy concerns.

Performance is powered by a 13th-generation Intel Core i5-1334U processor, paired with 16GB of RAM and integrated Intel UHD Graphics. For basic tasks such as web browsing, document editing, and video streaming, the laptop performs reliably. Multitasking with multiple browser tabs and applications is manageable, making it suitable for office workflows and student use.

However, the limitations quickly become apparent when pushing beyond basic usage. Creative tasks like video editing or heavy image processing expose the system’s lack of power. Gaming performance is particularly weak, with even moderately demanding titles struggling to run smoothly. Benchmark scores reflect this, placing the device firmly in the lower midrange category.

Battery life is another major drawback. In controlled testing, the laptop lasts just under seven hours, and in real-world usage, it often falls below six hours. This falls short of the standard full workday expectation, making it less reliable for users on the go. Charging speeds are also average, taking around two hours for a full recharge.

Despite these shortcomings, the Gram Book does include some modern touches. A dedicated Copilot AI button allows quick access to Microsoft’s AI assistant, though the lack of a dedicated NPU means AI tasks rely on cloud processing rather than local execution. This limits functionality compared to newer AI-focused laptops.

Connectivity is one of the stronger aspects, with multiple USB-A and USB-C ports, HDMI, and a headphone jack. Wireless features include Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, which are adequate but not cutting-edge.

Ultimately, the LG Gram Book feels like a laptop designed for simplicity but priced too high for what it offers. While it delivers a stable everyday experience, better alternatives exist in the same price range, offering stronger performance, better battery life, and superior build quality.

What Undercode Say: The Real Problem Isn’t Performance, It’s Positioning

The LG Gram Book is not a bad laptop. That needs to be said clearly. It works, it’s stable, and it handles everyday computing tasks without major issues. But the real issue lies deeper, in how this device is positioned in the market.

LG built its Gram brand on a very specific identity: ultra-lightweight premium laptops. That identity created expectations. When a product carries the Gram name, users expect innovation in portability and high-end refinement. The Gram Book breaks that identity without offering a compelling alternative advantage.

At 1.65kg, it’s no longer exceptional in weight. At $799, it’s not truly budget-friendly. And in terms of performance, it doesn’t outperform competitors in the same price range. This creates a confusing middle ground where the device lacks a clear competitive edge.

The biggest flaw is the price-to-performance ratio. In today’s laptop market, users are extremely sensitive to value. Brands like Acer and ASUS have aggressively optimized their midrange offerings, delivering better CPUs, improved displays, and longer battery life at similar or even lower prices. That makes the Gram Book feel outdated before it even gains traction.

Another key issue is the battery life. In a world where remote work and mobility are essential, a laptop that cannot reliably last a full workday feels like a step backward. Battery performance is no longer a bonus feature, it is a baseline expectation. Falling short here significantly impacts the device’s practicality.

The inclusion of AI features through Microsoft Copilot is interesting but somewhat superficial. Without dedicated hardware for AI processing, the feature relies heavily on cloud connectivity. This not only limits performance but also raises questions about privacy and long-term usability. It feels more like a marketing addition than a transformative feature.

From a design perspective, simplicity is not inherently negative. In fact, many professionals prefer minimalistic devices. However, simplicity should not translate into a cheap-feeling touchpad or an underwhelming display. These are daily interaction points, and cutting corners here directly affects user experience.

Where the Gram Book does succeed is in reliability for basic tasks. It’s a machine that can handle emails, documents, and browsing without frustration. For certain users, especially those with very light workloads, that might be enough. But even then, the question remains: why pay more for less?

The competition makes this device even harder to justify. Apple’s entry-level MacBook Neo offers better performance, build quality, and battery life at a lower price. Microsoft’s Surface lineup delivers a more refined user experience within a similar price bracket. These comparisons highlight a fundamental issue: the Gram Book doesn’t just fall short, it gets overshadowed.

In the end, the LG Gram Book feels like a transitional product. It represents an attempt by LG to enter the midrange segment, but it lacks the aggressive pricing or standout features needed to succeed there. It’s not flawed in isolation, but in context, it struggles to stay relevant.

Fact Checker Results

✅ The LG Gram Book delivers stable performance for everyday tasks like browsing and office work.
❌ It does not offer strong value compared to similarly priced competitors.
✅ Battery life consistently falls below a full working day in real-world usage.

Prediction

📊 The LG Gram Book is unlikely to dominate the midrange laptop market unless LG significantly reduces its price or upgrades performance in future revisions.
📊 Growing competition from budget-friendly premium devices will continue to pressure LG’s positioning strategy.
📊 Future versions may shift toward stronger AI integration and improved battery efficiency to remain competitive.