Deutsch
Español
Français
Italiano
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Русский
Türkçe
Svenska
Chinese
MagyarLG Gram 16 (2022) Laptop review: Lightweight device with stability issues
At 1300 Euros, the model we tested (16Z900) certainly isn't the cheapest deal you'll find in the office segment. The device is equipped with a Core i7-1260P from Intel's Alder Lake generation, 16 GB of soldered DDR5 RAM (5200 MHz) and a 1-TB NVMe SSD in M.2 format. Images are displayed on a 16-inch 16:10 IPS screen with 1560 x 1600 pixels which supposedly covers just under 100% of the P3 color space (unlike the 15-inch model we tested recently). The operating system is Windows 11 Home 64 Bit.
The LG Gram 16's competitors (most of them heavier) include other 16-inch notebooks equipped with a Core i7-1260P, such as the Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 and the Dell Inspiron 16 7620, although these devices are actually convertibles/2-in-1 notebooks. We have also included the Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 with a Core i5-1240P in the comparison. This device's iGPU only has 80 instead of 96 EUs.
Possible competitors compared
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86.6 % | 01/2023 | LG Gram 16Z90Q i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 1.2 kg | 16.8 mm | 16.00" | 2560x1600 | |
| 86.3 % | 06/2021 | LG Gram 16 (2021) i7-1165G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 1.2 kg | 16.8 mm | 16.00" | 2560x1600 | |
| 88.7 % | 08/2022 | Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 2 kg | 19.2 mm | 16.00" | 2560x1600 | |
| 85.7 % | 06/2022 | Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 2.1 kg | 18.41 mm | 16.00" | 1920x1200 | |
| 89.3 % | 09/2022 | Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 i5-1240P, Iris Xe G7 80EUs | 1.9 kg | 20.5 mm | 16.00" | 1920x1200 |
Case
With the exception of a few minor details (shape of the camera, key labeling), the case looks exactly the same as last year's version. According to LG, it is made of a magnesium alloy, which sounds great on paper. In practice, we were not particularly impressed by the material. It feels and sounds more like plastic to us, and – and this is the bigger issue – isn't very rigid and stable. Particularly the center of the base unit is very sensitive to pressure and the display cover warps easily. The laptop would probably have benefited from slightly thicker (which also means heavier) materials.
No device can compete with the Gram 16's low weight. At 1.2 kg, it is very easy to carry around with you. Competitors weigh quite a lot more at around 2.0 kg, although this also makes them more stable. We are very pleased with the 16-inch device's looks. Thanks to its narrow bezels and elegant yet discreet design (the Grams are available in white, gray, or black, depending on the model), the notebook will look good in any scenario. The workmanship is satisfactory and the hinges do a good job, although the lid tends to slip quite quickly when subjected to vibrations.
Connectivity
Port selection
The port selection is similar to that of the old Gram 16. While the left side harbors an HDMI port (with no further specifications), an audio jack, and two modern USB 4 ports with support for Tunderbolt 4, DisplayPort and Power Delivery, the right side features a microSD card reader, a Kensington lock and two classic USB A ports (3.2 Gen2). All ports are positioned towards the back of the device, which gives users plenty of space when working with an external mouse. Unlike other Grams, the device does not come equipped with a USB-to-LAN adapter.
SD Card Reader
The card reader's performance is average. It reaches a speed of 87 MB/s during sequential reading and 76 MB/s when transferring photos with our reference SD card. These results are very similar to those of the Lenovo Yoga 7.
| SD Card Reader | |
| average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60) | |
| Average of class Office (8 - 82.7, n=49, last 2 years) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB) | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60) | |
| Average of class Office (25 - 90.5, n=43, last 2 years) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
Communication
The new Gram sets itself apart from its predecessor in terms of Wi-Fi speed. LG has upgraded this device from an Intel Wi-FI AX201 to a Wi-Fi AX 211. At a distance of 1 m to our current reference router (Asus ROG Rapture AXE11000), the 16-inch laptop achieved approx. 1600 Mbit/s when sending and receiving. This is an excellent result.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Average Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (464 - 1861, n=186) | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Average Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (582 - 1890, n=186) | |
| iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
| Average Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (1003 - 1501, n=4) | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Average Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (1178 - 1623, n=4) | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Average Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (632 - 1851, n=173) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Average Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (883 - 1857, n=172) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
Webcam
Although the webcam has a slightly higher resolution (Full HD) and more accurate colors than most office notebooks, you mustn't expect too much from the Gram 16's webcam.
Accessories
Apart from a nicely light and compact 65-watt USB C power adapter, the device only comes with a few brochures.
Maintenance
Any maintenance work on the Gram 16 would be rather complicated, as all screws are hidden beneath rubber covers. Because we received our test unit from an online shop rather than from the manufacturer, we chose not to open the chassis.
Warranty
The device has a 24-month warranty.
Input Devices
Keyboard
With the exception of the meager stability, the keyboard made a good impression on us. While the layout (small one-row enter key on the German version, tiny arrow keys, three-column number pad, ...) and feedback/typing aren't perfect, we believe most buyers should be perfectly happy with the keyboard. As would be expected, the device features white backlighting with two levels of brightness.
Touchpad
The touchpad is gratifyingly large at 13 x 8 cm. The relatively smooth surface ensures good gliding properties, and precision and gesture-support are satisfactory. The clickable bottom section is comfortable to use, but rattles somewhat, which impacts perceived quality.
Display
Although the new screen has a lower contrast ratio (1144:1 instead of 1505:1) because of the slightly higher black value (0.32 instead of 0.22 cd/²), we were much happier with the matte screen than with the predecessor's reflective panel.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 366 cd/m²
Contrast: 1144:1 (Black: 0.32 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.82 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 2.69
ΔE Greyscale 2.3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
84.6% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
96.8% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 1.971
| LG Gram 16Z90Q LG LP160WQ1-SPB2 (LGD06EB), IPS, 2560x1600, 16.00 | LG Gram 16 (2021) LG Philips LP160WQ1-SPA1, IPS, 2560x1600, 16.00 | Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 Lenovo LEN160WQXGA, IPS, 2560x1600, 16.00 | Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 BOE NV16N45, IPS, 1920x1200, 16.00 | Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 B160UAN01.K, IPS, 1920x1200, 16.00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | -1% | -18% | -18% | -7% | |
| Display P3 Coverage | 96.8 | 95.8 -1% | 67 -31% | 67 -31% | 80.1 -17% |
| sRGB Coverage | 99.9 | 99.8 0% | 95.7 -4% | 95.9 -4% | 100 0% |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 84.6 | 83.8 -1% | 69.3 -18% | 69.3 -18% | 80.5 -5% |
| Response Times | 1% | -3% | 12% | 28% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 45.7 ? | 44 ? 4% | 36 ? 21% | 32 ? 30% | 27 ? 41% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 19.7 ? | 20 ? -2% | 24.8 ? -26% | 20.8 ? -6% | 17 ? 14% |
| PWM Frequency | |||||
| Screen | -39% | 9% | -32% | -19% | |
| Brightness middle | 366 | 331 -10% | 393.7 8% | 320.7 -12% | 404 10% |
| Brightness | 347 | 309 -11% | 367 6% | 309 -11% | 391 13% |
| Brightness Distribution | 89 | 88 -1% | 84 -6% | 90 1% | 80 -10% |
| Black Level * | 0.32 | 0.22 31% | 0.38 -19% | 0.36 -13% | 0.29 9% |
| Contrast | 1144 | 1505 32% | 1036 -9% | 891 -22% | 1393 22% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 2.82 | 4.64 -65% | 1.97 30% | 4.18 -48% | 3.9 -38% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 4.65 | 9.82 -111% | 5.46 -17% | 8.48 -82% | 8.5 -83% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 2.69 | 3.16 -17% | 0.62 77% | 0.77 71% | 1.7 37% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2.3 | 6.9 -200% | 2.1 9% | 6.3 -174% | 5.4 -135% |
| Gamma | 1.971 112% | 2.34 94% | 2.1 105% | 2.21 100% | 2.21 100% |
| CCT | 6796 96% | 7904 82% | 6461 101% | 6258 104% | 6242 104% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 75.1 | ||||
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 100 | ||||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -13% /
-25% | -4% /
2% | -13% /
-23% | 1% /
-10% |
* ... smaller is better
The luminosity is slightly higher by 40 cd/m² (347 instead of 309 cd/m²), which makes the Gram 16 easier to work with in bright surroundings, especially when working outdoors (although there remains plenty of room for improvement). Color accuracy has also improved compared to the previous year's model. Even ex-works, the Delta 2000 value is within the ideal range below 3.
No improvements were made in terms of response rates (they remain mediocre) and color space coverage. The latter was already very good last year, with almost 100% coverage of the sRGB/P3 color space and 85% coverage of AdobeRGB. The viewing angles are what you would expect from an IPS display.
We hope that the next version will be equipped with an even brighter display with 400 or even 500 nits and a faster refresh rate (144+ instead of 60 Hz).
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 19.7 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 7.4 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 12.3 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 37 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 45.7 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 20.5 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 25.2 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 76 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.7 ms). | ||
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM not detected |  | ||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17900 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
Performance
The Gram 16's performance is mid-range for office notebooks. The 16 GB of RAM and 1-TB SSD should suffice for most users for the coming year.
Testing conditions
The easy-to-use LG Smart Assistant lets you select the cooling mode from various options. Our tests were all done at the standard "normal" setting unless stated otherwise.
Processor
The Core i7-1260P is home to four performance cores that support hyperthreading and eight efficiency cores without hyperthreading. This means that the chip can work a total of 16 threads in parallel. The Gram 16 doesn't do particularly well during the Cinebench loop, which measures performance over an extended period of time. First, because its performance starts to drop significantly from the second round, and second, because the results fluctuate greatly throughout the test. This is not a particularly good sign for cooling or energy management. The cooling mode "high" (see graph) avoids this problem but also makes the device noticeably louder.
Cinebench R15 Multi loop
| CPU Performance Rating - Percent | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Average of class Office | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
* ... smaller is better
AIDA64: FP32 Ray-Trace | FPU Julia | CPU SHA3 | CPU Queen | FPU SinJulia | FPU Mandel | CPU AES | CPU ZLib | FP64 Ray-Trace | CPU PhotoWorxx
| Performance Rating | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average of class Office | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| AIDA64 / FP32 Ray-Trace | |
| Average of class Office (763 - 24250, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P (2176 - 10898, n=26) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| AIDA64 / FPU Julia | |
| Average of class Office (4027 - 102228, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P (11015 - 56906, n=26) | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| AIDA64 / CPU SHA3 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average of class Office (279 - 4442, n=119, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P (669 - 2709, n=26) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| AIDA64 / CPU Queen | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P (42571 - 82493, n=26) | |
| Average of class Office (8031 - 113016, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| AIDA64 / FPU SinJulia | |
| Average of class Office (404 - 14288, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P (2901 - 6975, n=26) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| AIDA64 / FPU Mandel | |
| Average of class Office (2054 - 54365, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P (5950 - 26376, n=26) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| AIDA64 / CPU AES | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| Average of class Office (5226 - 147611, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P (16041 - 92356, n=26) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| AIDA64 / CPU ZLib | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P (259 - 771, n=26) | |
| Average of class Office (67.6 - 1018, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| AIDA64 / FP64 Ray-Trace | |
| Average of class Office (432 - 12755, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P (1237 - 5858, n=26) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| AIDA64 / CPU PhotoWorxx | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P (13261 - 43652, n=26) | |
| Average of class Office (4814 - 48177, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
System Performance
Despite the fluctuating CPU, the system benchmark results are fairly good. The device reached 5251 points in the PCMark 10, which puts it in second place in our comparison field.
CrossMark: Overall | Productivity | Creativity | Responsiveness
| PCMark 10 / Score | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (4796 - 6068, n=17) | |
| Average of class Office (2325 - 7157, n=105, last 2 years) | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| PCMark 10 / Essentials | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (9260 - 11251, n=17) | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Average of class Office (5095 - 20841, n=105, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| PCMark 10 / Productivity | |
| Average of class Office (3041 - 10198, n=105, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (6167 - 8629, n=17) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| PCMark 10 / Digital Content Creation | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (5231 - 6908, n=17) | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Average of class Office (1912 - 9056, n=105, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| CrossMark / Overall | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (1484 - 1811, n=16) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Average of class Office (348 - 1891, n=106, last 2 years) | |
| CrossMark / Productivity | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (1486 - 1755, n=16) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Average of class Office (393 - 1870, n=106, last 2 years) | |
| CrossMark / Creativity | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (1451 - 1872, n=16) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Average of class Office (340 - 1982, n=106, last 2 years) | |
| CrossMark / Responsiveness | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (1253 - 1807, n=16) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Average of class Office (258 - 2017, n=106, last 2 years) | |
| PCMark 10 Score | 5251 points | |
Help | ||
| AIDA64 / Memory Copy | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P (25125 - 71544, n=25) | |
| Average of class Office (7158 - 88119, n=121, last 2 years) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Read | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P (24983 - 72065, n=25) | |
| Average of class Office (7325 - 87297, n=121, last 2 years) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Write | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P (23512 - 66799, n=25) | |
| Average of class Office (7579 - 94965, n=121, last 2 years) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Latency | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average of class Office (44.3 - 188.3, n=122, last 2 years) | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1260P (77.9 - 118.4, n=21) | |
* ... smaller is better
DPC Latencies
The Gram 16 brings up the rear in terms of latencies. According to the tool LatencyMon, the 16-inch device has issues with audio and video processing in real-time ex-works.
| DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
* ... smaller is better
Storage Devices
The SSD suffers a similar fate to the processor: Its speed begins to fluctuate noticeably after a while. In short bursts, the Gram 16's Samsung drive achieves good performance with over 4700 MB/s (sequential reading) and 2800 MB/s (sequential writing) in the AS SSD benchmark.
* ... smaller is better
Disk Throttling: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8
Graphics
Most current notebook CPUs from Intel are equipped with the Iris Xe Graphics G7. Its performance depends not only on the TDP and cooling system but also on the number of computing units. For example, the iGPU of the Core i7-1260P is equipped with 96 EUs, while the equally popular Core i5-1240P only comes with 80 EUs. Unfortunately, the Gram 16 cannot make the most of its 96 EUs. The 3DMarks position the LG notebook in the center of the comparison field, albeit noticeably above the 80-EU version. We will see whether 3D performance remains stable in the section on gaming benchmarks.
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 5649 points | |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 87993 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 19088 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 3907 points | |
| 3DMark Time Spy Score | 1626 points | |
Help | ||
Gaming Performance
The Iris Xe Graphics G7 GPU tends to be better suited for older games at moderate resolutions and settings. As you can see on our GPU page, the iGPU often cannot compete when playing new or more demanding titles and usually will not even display the games smoothly at low details in Full HD (let alone in the native resolution of 2560 x 1600).
| Performance Rating - Percent | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs | |
| Average of class Office | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+) | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (8.79 - 20.1, n=175) | |
| Average of class Office (2.66 - 34, n=110, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| GTA V - 1920x1080 Highest Settings possible AA:4xMSAA + FX AF:16x | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| Average of class Office (3.35 - 47.8, n=90, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (4.13 - 22.9, n=144) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Final Fantasy XV Benchmark - 1920x1080 High Quality | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (8.15 - 27.8, n=164) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average of class Office (2.03 - 35.7, n=102, last 2 years) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Strange Brigade - 1920x1080 ultra AA:ultra AF:16 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| Average of class Office (6.6 - 56.5, n=96, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (13.2 - 30.8, n=156) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Dota 2 Reborn - 1920x1080 ultra (3/3) best looking | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (20.6 - 78.5, n=207) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Average of class Office (7.8 - 121.2, n=123, last 2 years) | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| X-Plane 11.11 - 1920x1080 high (fps_test=3) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (11.1 - 59.8, n=207) | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| Average of class Office (5.55 - 92.6, n=123, last 2 years) | |
| The Witcher 3 | |
| 1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (28.9 - 110, n=182) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average of class Office (8.4 - 177, n=104, last 2 years) | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| 1366x768 Medium Graphics & Postprocessing | |
| Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (21.4 - 74.1, n=180) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| Average of class Office (7.82 - 106.3, n=96, last 2 years) | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| 1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 | |
| Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (10.6 - 45.9, n=185) | |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q | |
| Average of class Office (3.49 - 59.1, n=104, last 2 years) | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 | |
| LG Gram 16 (2021) | |
Our 60-minute Witcher-3 test (FHD/Ultra) clearly shows that iGPU performance is just as volatile as that of the CPU and the SSD. Here too, the cooling mode "high" stabilizes and improves performance.
Witcher 3 FPS diagram
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
| GTA V (2015) | 77.3 | 67.4 | 15.4 | 7.71 |
| The Witcher 3 (2015) | 65.9 | 35.7 | 25.5 | 13.2 |
| Dota 2 Reborn (2015) | 107.1 | 70.4 | 44.5 | 42.5 |
| Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) | 25.1 | 16.3 | 11.9 | |
| X-Plane 11.11 (2018) | 39.6 | 38 | 29.2 | |
| Far Cry 5 (2018) | 43 | 20 | 17 | 14 |
| Strange Brigade (2018) | 86.7 | 28.2 | 21.9 | 17.4 |
Emissions
System Noise
Although the new Gram 16 does not feature better GPU performance, the device is a lot louder under load than its predecessor, although 37-38 instead of 31 dB(A) in 3D operation are still very much acceptable and lower than the Lenovo Yoga 7. While idling, the LG notebook is comfortably quiet at 26 to 28 dB(A). Not that the fans do not turn off completely. This would require using silent mode, which, unfortunately, is not an option due to the extreme drops in performance (e.g. with YouTube videos and other online streams becoming jerky).
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 26 / 27 / 28 dB(A) |
| Load |
| 38 / 38 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Earthworks M23R, Arta (15 cm distance) environment noise: 25 dB(A) | ||
| LG Gram 16Z90Q i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | LG Gram 16 (2021) i7-1165G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 i5-1240P, Iris Xe G7 80EUs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noise | 7% | 4% | 10% | 15% | |
| off / environment * | 25 | 26 -4% | 23.6 6% | 23.2 7% | 23.3 7% |
| Idle Minimum * | 26 | 26 -0% | 23.6 9% | 23.5 10% | 23.3 10% |
| Idle Average * | 27 | 26 4% | 23.6 13% | 23.5 13% | 23.3 14% |
| Idle Maximum * | 28 | 26 7% | 23.6 16% | 23.5 16% | 23.3 17% |
| Load Average * | 38 | 30.8 19% | 37.7 1% | 29.4 23% | 25.1 34% |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 37 | 40 -8% | 35.6 4% | 32.1 13% | |
| Load Maximum * | 38 | 31.1 18% | 40.2 -6% | 39.7 -4% | 34 11% |
* ... smaller is better
Temperature
The temperature development is unremarkable. We measured an average 24 °C when idling and a maximum of 45 ° (top) and 43 °C (bottom) in 3D mode. This is very typical for this kind of office notebook.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 45 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 43 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 35.8 °C / 96 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 26 °C / 78.8 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (+1.7 °C / 3.1 F).
| LG Gram 16Z90Q i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | LG Gram 16 (2021) i7-1165G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 i5-1240P, Iris Xe G7 80EUs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | -1% | 17% | -14% | -14% | |
| Maximum Upper Side * | 45 | 46.9 -4% | 39 13% | 42.2 6% | 45 -0% |
| Maximum Bottom * | 43 | 45.1 -5% | 34.2 20% | 47.4 -10% | 42.8 -0% |
| Idle Upper Side * | 26 | 26.4 -2% | 21.2 18% | 32.2 -24% | 33 -27% |
| Idle Bottom * | 26 | 24.1 7% | 21.6 17% | 33.6 -29% | 33.6 -29% |
* ... smaller is better
Stress test
As the components start to throttle even under normal conditions, we are not surprised that performance is very volatile and limited under maximum load. It is very clear that LG has made the Gram 16 with maximum mobility in mind, with performance playing a less important role.
Speakers
Allowing for the weak bass, the speakers are surprisingly good considering the size and weight of this notebook. The sound can easily keep up with its competition, both in terms of quality and maximum volume (84 dB(A)).
LG Gram 16Z90Q audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 16% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (3.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.4% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (13.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 92% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 12% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 85% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
LG Gram 16 (2021) audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (76.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 18.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (14.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 9% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 88% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 15% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 81% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Energy Management
Power Consumption
The device consumes an average of 8 watts while idling, which is very similar to the predecessor. During 3D operation, power consumption increases to 38-56 watts, while competitors require more than 70 or even 80 watts under maximum load (although they do also provide better and more stable performance in this scenario).
| Off / Standby | 0.4 / 1.2 Watt |
| Idle | 5 / 8 / 14 Watt |
| Load |
47 / 56 Watt |
   
| |
| LG Gram 16Z90Q i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | LG Gram 16 (2021) i7-1165G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 i5-1240P, Iris Xe G7 80EUs | Average of class Office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 15% | -17% | -6% | 17% | 13% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 5 | 3.8 24% | 6.6 -32% | 5.3 -6% | 2.9 42% | 4.3 ? 14% |
| Idle Average * | 8 | 9 -13% | 8.3 -4% | 8.3 -4% | 6 25% | 7.35 ? 8% |
| Idle Maximum * | 14 | 11.3 19% | 9.8 30% | 9.6 31% | 6.9 51% | 9.15 ? 35% |
| Load Average * | 47 | 35.2 25% | 66 -40% | 54.3 -16% | 27.3 42% | 41.1 ? 13% |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 37.8 | 52 -38% | 43.9 -16% | 42.6 -13% | ||
| Load Maximum * | 56 | 43.5 22% | 67.1 -20% | 70 -25% | 81.53 -46% | 58.1 ? -4% |
* ... smaller is better
Power consumption Witcher 3 / stress test
Power consumption with external screen
Battery Life
Even if the battery life cannot keep up with that of the old Gram 16, this device is very suitable for days away from a mains power supply. We measured a maximum of 18 hours on idle with minimum display luminosity and around 10 hours when surfing the web via Wi-Fi at 150 cd/m² display brightness. That is impressive. The battery still has 80 Wh.
| LG Gram 16Z90Q i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, 80 Wh | LG Gram 16 (2021) i7-1165G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, 80 Wh | Lenovo Yoga 7 16IAP7 i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, 71 Wh | Dell Inspiron 16 7620 2-in-1 i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, 87 Wh | Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G1 21BWS00200 i5-1240P, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, 86 Wh | Average of class Office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | 59% | -27% | 21% | 36% | 2% | |
| Reader / Idle | 1085 | 1713 58% | 734 -32% | 1020 -6% | 1436 ? 32% | |
| WiFi v1.3 | 606 | 943 56% | 475 -22% | 876 45% | 846 40% | 594 ? -2% |
| Load | 157 | 258 64% | 113 -28% | 193 23% | 208 32% | 117.7 ? -25% |
| H.264 | 1204 | 623 | 705 ? |
Pros
Cons
Verdict
The LG Gram 16Z90Q with a Core i7-1260P is made with portability in mind and places less of a focus on users with high demands on performance.
The compact and light chassis is particularly practical when you are on the go.
The device is not only comfortably small and lightweight, it also boasts a great battery life. When connected to mains, on the other hand, the 16-inch device is rather disappointing. The standard cooling mode causes extreme volatility in terms of CPU, SSD and iGPU performance. The meager stability of the chassis may also put off some potential buyers.
Other than that, we really couldn't find much to criticize about the 16-inch LG Gram 16. It has a modern set of ports (2x USB 4), good input devices and standard emissions. Sound and image quality are fine, and the matte IPS screen has good colors and great resolution thanks to its 2560 x 1600 pixels.
The Lenovo ThinkPad T16 is a good alternative, although it has an (even) higher price tag.
Price and Availability
The LG Gram 16Z90O is available from several online shops for $1300 (e.g. on BestBuy).
LG Gram 16Z90Q
-
01/13/2023 v7
Florian Glaser
Pricecompare
