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LG Gram 17Z990 (i7-8565U. WQXGA) Laptop Review

Almost as light as the XPS 13. The Gram 17 bucks the trend that 17-inch laptops have to be large and unwieldy. At just 1.34 kg, the laptop is noticeably lighter than most 14-inch and 15-inch Ultrabooks while offering many of the same features including Thunderbolt 3 and a long battery life.

If you think a 17-inch laptop can't be very portable, then think again. The LG Gram series consists of some of the lightest premium Ultrabooks available running on U-class Intel Core CPUs. Models range from the small 13.3-inch Gram 13 up to the 17-inch Gram 17 and even a Gram 2-in-1 convertible. These latter models were first discovered as leaks late last year prior to their official reveals at CES 2019.

The unit we have today is the Gram 17 equipped with a Whiskey Lake-U Core i7-8565U CPU, 512 GB SATA III M.2 SSD, 16 GB of RAM, and an uncommon 17-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) display for a hefty MSRP of $1500 to $1600 USD. When considering that you can buy a powerful GeForce RTX gaming laptop with higher specifications for around the same price these days, it's clear that LG is charging a premium for its super-light Gram 17. There are no other configurations of the model as of this writing.

Competing 17.3-inch multimedia machines are the Acer Aspire 5 A517, Lenovo Ideapad 330-17IKB, HP 17, and the Asus VivoBook Pro 17.

We highly recommend checking out our existing reviews on the other Gram laptops below. LG employs the same chassis design and materials across all Gram laptops to date and so the Gram 17 has a lot in common with even the small Gram 13.

(April 20, 2019 update: Page has been corrected to say 17-inch display instead of 17.3-inch for the Gram 17.)

LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1 (Gram 17 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-8565U 4 x 1.8 - 4.6 GHz (Intel Core i7)
Graphics adapter
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Core: 300 MHz, Memory: 1200 MHz, DDR4, 25.20.100.6325
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4, 1200 MHz, 10-10-10-28, Dual-Channel, 8 GB soldered, 1x SODIMM
Display
17.00 inch 16:10, 2560 x 1600 pixel 178 PPI, LG Philips LP170WQ1-SPA1, IPS, LGD05F8, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Cannon Lake-U PCH-LP Premium
Storage
Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ, 256 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Cannon Lake-LP - cAVS
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo, Card Reader: MicroSD reader, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 17.8 x 381 x 266.7 ( = 0.7 x 15 x 10.5 in)
Battery
72 Wh Lithium-Polymer, 4-cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Primary Camera: 0.9 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, USB to RJ-45, LG Reader Mode, Control Center, Update Center, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.338 kg ( = 47.2 oz / 2.95 pounds), Power Supply: 262 g ( = 9.24 oz / 0.58 pounds)
Price
1500 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The gap along the edge of one of the hinges is not perfect
The gap along the edge of one of the hinges is not perfect

Users can expect the same metal alloy chassis and MIL-STD 810G certification as on the Gram 15 and Gram 13. The matte gray surfaces are excellent at hiding unsightly fingerprints when compared to the carbon fiber palm rests of the XPS 15 or dark surfaces of a traditional ThinkPad. The relatively narrow bezels on all four sides of the display also make the Gram 17 look smaller than it really is for its size class.

Unfortunately, the slim, sleek, and light design comes at a heavy cost. Much like on the Gram 13 and Gram 15, the Gram 17 is more susceptible to flexing and bending than most other laptops. This is especially true for the Gram 17 as it is simply an enlarged version of the Gram 15 and so its surfaces are even more prone to warping. The glossy screen lacks any Gorilla Glass reinforcement likely because LG has prioritized thinness and weight over rigidity. The resulting lid is very flexible and even the base exhibits some minor but audible creaking when attempting to twist it.

Construction quality is excellent on our test unit with just a minor imperfect gap around the left hinge as shown by the picture on the right. It may not be the toughest 17-inch laptop available, but it at least doesn't look cheap.

The defining feature of the Gram 17 is its weight. At just 1.34 kg, the system is almost 700 g lighter than the latest XPS 15 9570 despite the differences in screen size. It's also one of the thinnest 17-inch laptops at just 17.8 mm. The system is surprisingly easy to carry around especially when considering its large display.

Smooth matte metal alloy chassis hides fingerprints well
Smooth matte metal alloy chassis hides fingerprints well
Hinges are satisfactory with some slight teetering. They could have been firmer for better longevity
Hinges are satisfactory with some slight teetering. They could have been firmer for better longevity
Same AC adapter as Gram 15. Luckily, the webcam is above the display unlike on the Gram 15Z975
Same AC adapter as Gram 15. Luckily, the webcam is above the display unlike on the Gram 15Z975
Lid opened to maximum angle (~150 degrees)
Lid opened to maximum angle (~150 degrees)
423.3 mm / 16.7 inch 289.9 mm / 11.4 inch 28.25 mm / 1.112 inch 2.9 kg6.34 lbs424 mm / 16.7 inch 281 mm / 11.1 inch 22.5 mm / 0.886 inch 3.6 kg7.94 lbs418 mm / 16.5 inch 292.6 mm / 11.5 inch 24.9 mm / 0.98 inch 2.8 kg6.17 lbs415 mm / 16.3 inch 278 mm / 10.9 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 2.5 kg5.41 lbs411 mm / 16.2 inch 273 mm / 10.7 inch 21 mm / 0.827 inch 2.3 kg5.17 lbs381 mm / 15 inch 266.7 mm / 10.5 inch 17.8 mm / 0.701 inch 1.3 kg2.95 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Ports and port positioning are identical to the Gram 15 including the Thunderbolt 3-enabled USB Type-C port. The proprietary AC adapter port is still here even though most other Ultrabooks have moved on to USB Type-C charging only. LG should have went the extra mile by incorporating another USB Type-C port for the Gram 17.

It's possible to recharge the system with a third-party USB Type-C adapter. USB Type-C charging must first be enabled through the LG Control Center software.

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Left: AC adapter, USB 3.1 Type-A, HDMI 1.4, USB Type-C + Thunderbolt 3
Left: AC adapter, USB 3.1 Type-A, HDMI 1.4, USB Type-C + Thunderbolt 3
Rear: No connectivity
Rear: No connectivity
Right: MicroSD, 3.5 mm headphones, 2x USB 3.1 Type-A, Kensington Lock
Right: MicroSD, 3.5 mm headphones, 2x USB 3.1 Type-A, Kensington Lock

SD Card Reader

While we appreciate the spring-loaded MicroSD card reader across the entire Gram series, it's still a bummer that even the larger Gram 17 doesn't have a full-size SD reader. Transfer rates are similar to what we've recorded on the Gram 13 and Gram 15 at about 85 MB/s with our UHS-II test card. Moving 1 GB worth of pictures from card to desktop takes about 14 seconds compared to less than half that on the XPS 13.

LG Control Center for quickly toggling settings
LG Control Center for quickly toggling settings
Color temperature, screen, and keyboard backlight settings
Color temperature, screen, and keyboard backlight settings
USB Type-C charging can be enabled here
USB Type-C charging can be enabled here
Integrated Windows security settings
Integrated Windows security settings
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
HP ZBook 17 G5-2ZC48EA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
177 MB/s +138%
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
74.9 MB/s +1%
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
74.4 MB/s
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
32 MB/s -57%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
HP ZBook 17 G5-2ZC48EA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
202.7 MB/s +139%
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
84.7 MB/s
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
84 MB/s -1%
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
35.92 MB/s -58%

Communication

The Intel 9560 is a common find on flagship Ultrabooks. It provides transfer rates of up to 1.73 Gbps and integrated Bluetooth 5 compared to 867 Mbps and Bluetooth 4.2 on older Ultrabooks. We didn't experience any connection irregularities during our time with the test unit.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
HP ZBook 17 G5-2ZC48EA
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
679 MBit/s +5%
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
644 MBit/s
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
Realtek 8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
552 MBit/s -14%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
298 MBit/s -54%
iperf3 receive AX12
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
669 MBit/s
HP ZBook 17 G5-2ZC48EA
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
657 MBit/s -2%
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
Realtek 8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
627 MBit/s -6%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
340 MBit/s -49%

Maintenance

The bottom panel is difficult to remove as there are screws underneath the tightly glued rubber feet. Once removed, however, the innards are unsurprisingly similar to the Gram 15 except with even more empty space around the battery. The cooling solution in particular is not any larger on the Gram 17 than on the Gram 15. The two M.2 2280 slots and single SODIMM slot return.

(Source: www.mobile01.com/topicdetail.php?f=760&t=5725406)
(Source: www.mobile01.com/topicdetail.php?f=760&t=5725406)

Accessories and Warranty

LG throws in a USB to RJ-45 adapter in the box along with the usual warranty card and AC adapter.

The standard one-year limited warranty applies. LG encourages owners to register their purchases in order to submit service requests.

Input Devices

Keyboard

Key size, feedback, and layout are identical to the Gram 15. Thus, all our existing comments on the backlit keyboard still apply here. We find key feedback to be average if not slightly on the softer and quieter side. The keyboards on the HP Spectre and ThinkPad series offer firmer and crisper feedback than the LG Gram series.

It's too bad that LG doesn't utilize the extra chassis space offered by the Gram 17 for larger keyboard keys. The Enter and NumPad keys, for example, are narrower than we are used to and they could have been wider.

Touchpad

The roomy clickpad (12 x 8 cm) is larger than the clickpad on the Gram 15 (10.3 x 6.9 cm) but with the same smooth gliding properties for reliable cursor control no matter the movement speed. While its surface color may be identical to the surrounding palm rests, the plastic material is much less sticky in practice.

The integrated mouse keys are unfortunately less impressive than the clickpad. Feedback is spongier than we would like for an unsatisfactory click when pressed. Perhaps a pair of dedicated mouse keys would have been a better fit for the 17-inch chassis.

Single-zone backlit keyboard with fingerprint-enabled Power button
Single-zone backlit keyboard with fingerprint-enabled Power button
Key feedback is on the softer side and the NumPad keys are narrower and more cramped than the main QWERTY keys
Key feedback is on the softer side and the NumPad keys are narrower and more cramped than the main QWERTY keys

Display

The default display is fixed at 2560 x 1600 with no FHD or 4K UHD options as of this writing. Naturally, LG supplies its own LP170WQ1-SPA1 IPS panel which is the first we've recorded on our database. Contrast, colors, and brightness are excellent and better than many other 17-inch multimedia laptops.

Because there is no thick overlying glass, the glossy screen is very crisp and colors pop more than usual. Texts and colors appear crisper than even the higher resolution 4K UHD panels on the Alienware m17 or MSI WT75 since these matte screens are noticeably grainier.

We can notice some backlight bleeding around the corners of our test unit that's thankfully minor enough to be easy to ignore. Black-white response times are average but still faster and with less ghosting than on the XPS 13.

Be sure to disable Display Power Savings through the UHD Graphics settings if maximum brightness on batteries is desired. If not, maximum brightness drops to 322 nits when not connected to ab outlet.

No edge-to-edge Gorilla Glass protection
No edge-to-edge Gorilla Glass protection
Narrow bezels attribute to the light weight
Narrow bezels attribute to the light weight
Slight uneven backlight bleeding along all four corners
Slight uneven backlight bleeding along all four corners
Crisp subpixel array (175 PPI)
Crisp subpixel array (175 PPI)
353.9
cd/m²
366.6
cd/m²
360.5
cd/m²
340.7
cd/m²
370.6
cd/m²
372.6
cd/m²
329.8
cd/m²
349
cd/m²
363
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG Philips LP170WQ1-SPA1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 372.6 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 356.3 cd/m² Minimum: 26.52 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 370.6 cd/m²
Contrast: 1324:1 (Black: 0.28 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.28 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 1.03
ΔE Greyscale 4.9 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
96.6% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
60.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
66.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
96.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
64.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.19
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
LG Philips LP170WQ1-SPA1, IPS, 17.00, 2560x1600
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
BOE0685, TN LED, 17.30, 1600x900
HP ZBook 17 G5-2ZC48EA
AUO B173HW01 V0, , 17.30, 1920x1080
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
LP173WF4-SPF5, IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L
LG Display, LP173WF4-SPF5, aSi TFT, IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
Razer Blade Pro 2017
Sharp LQ173D1JW33 (SHP145A), IGZO, 17.30, 3840x2160
Display
-16%
-2%
-3%
-6%
31%
Display P3 Coverage
64.2
56.9
-11%
66.3
3%
67.9
6%
66.3
3%
88.9
38%
sRGB Coverage
96.3
76.3
-21%
89.9
-7%
86.8
-10%
84.2
-13%
100
4%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
66.3
55.9
-16%
63.5
-4%
61.6
-7%
99.7
50%
Response Times
32%
4%
27%
2%
-34%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
42 ?(20.4, 21.6)
38.8 ?(20, 18.8)
8%
42.4 ?(21.2, 21.2)
-1%
30.8 ?(15.6, 15.2)
27%
41 ?(19, 22)
2%
60.8 ?(28.8, 32)
-45%
Response Time Black / White *
31.2 ?(18, 13.2)
13.6 ?(8.4, 5.2)
56%
28.4 ?(15.6, 12.8)
9%
23.2 ?(13.2, 10)
26%
31 ?(17, 4)
1%
38.4 ?(22, 16.4)
-23%
PWM Frequency
119000 ?(99)
122000 ?(90)
204.9 ?(20)
Screen
-104%
-25%
-42%
-4%
-16%
Brightness middle
370.6
210.5
-43%
335
-10%
376.2
2%
397
7%
230
-38%
Brightness
356
204
-43%
326
-8%
355
0%
364
2%
207
-42%
Brightness Distribution
89
94
6%
92
3%
89
0%
84
-6%
83
-7%
Black Level *
0.28
0.63
-125%
0.22
21%
0.42
-50%
0.29
-4%
0.2
29%
Contrast
1324
334
-75%
1523
15%
896
-32%
1369
3%
1150
-13%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.28
9.48
-189%
4.7
-43%
4.21
-28%
3.88
-18%
5.62
-71%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
5.85
17.19
-194%
8.7
-49%
8.31
-42%
8.22
-41%
10.24
-75%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.03
4.04
-292%
2.7
-162%
3.95
-283%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.9
12
-145%
6.5
-33%
5.5
-12%
3.1
37%
4.54
7%
Gamma
2.19 100%
2.12 104%
2.23 99%
2.335 94%
2.59 85%
2.36 93%
CCT
6376 102%
13874 47%
6108 106%
7056 92%
6570 99%
6625 98%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
60.8
49.4
-19%
58.7
-3%
57
-6%
55
-10%
88
45%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
96.6
75.8
-22%
89.7
-7%
87
-10%
84
-13%
100
4%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-29% / -70%
-8% / -18%
-6% / -26%
-3% / -4%
-6% / -9%

* ... smaller is better

Color space covers approximately 97 percent and 61 percent of the sRGB and AdobeRGB standards, respectively. While not as wide as a Sharp IGZO panel, this should still be enough to satisfy most digital artists. The LG Philips IPS panels on the Asus VivoBook and Acer Aspire 5 offer slightly narrower color spaces.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB

Further display measurements with an X-Rite colorimeter reveal accurate colors and generally good grayscale against the sRGB standard out of the box. Our independent calibration improves the display even further as shown by our CalMAN results below. Average grayscale and color DeltaE values sit at just 1.1 and 1.03, respectively, to be more accurate than many other Ultrabooks.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
31.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18 ms rise
↘ 13.2 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 82 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
42 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20.4 ms rise
↘ 21.6 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. » 63 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
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 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

While the display is bright, it has to be even brighter for better outdoor visibility considering the large screen size. Direct sunlight will wash out colors and glare will become inevitable even if working under shade. Because the system is so light, however, minimizing glare by adjusting the display angle or notebook positioning is less of a hassle than on other 17-inch laptops.

Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under sunlight
Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance

Current SKUs are limited to the Core i7-8565U and integrated UHD Graphics 620. LG offers no discrete GPU options as of this writing likely to keep weight as low as possible.

RAM is expandable up to 24 GB via the soldered 8 GB module and free DDR4 SODIMM slot.

 

Processor

CineBench R15
CineBench R15

The Core i7-8565U in the Gram 17 performs 15 percent slower than the average i7-8565U in our database taken from 22 other laptops. This is due to the more short-lived Turbo Boost on the LG system when running the CineBench benchmark. As a result, CPU performance is nearly identical to or even slower than the older Core i5-8250U or i7-8550U. We suspect that LG could have offered a Core i5-8265U CPU option for a cheaper price without impacting overall performance.

Performance sustainability is relatively good nonetheless. Running CineBench R15 Multi-Thread in a loop results in consistent scores over time with no major dips even after an hour or so.

See our dedicated page on the Core i7-8565U for more technical information and benchmarks.

0306090120150180210240270300330360390420450480510540570Tooltip
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1 UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø508 (504.9-529.32)
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T GeForce MX150, i7-8565U, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø456 (442.93-580.91)
Samsung Notebook 9 NP930QAA UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø454 (446.34-529.84)
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2-LQN-00004 UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø551 (528.17-577.63)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average Intel Core i7-8565U
  (138.3 - 193, n=51)
172.5 Points +5%
MSI GF63 8RC-040XPL
Intel Core i5-8300H
171 Points +4%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
Intel Core i7-8550U
166 Points +1%
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
Intel Core i7-8565U
165 Points
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
Intel Core i7-8565U
153 Points -7%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
148 Points -10%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13 20J1005TPB
Intel Core i7-7500U
146 Points -12%
LG Gram 15Z975
Intel Core i5-8250U
143 Points -13%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2-LQN-00004
Intel Core i5-8250U
141 Points -15%
HP 17-ca0013ng
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
136 Points -18%
Asus VivoBook E200HA-FD0041TS
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
27 Points -84%
CPU Multi 64Bit
MSI GF63 8RC-040XPL
Intel Core i5-8300H
805 Points +52%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
670 Points +27%
Average Intel Core i7-8565U
  (452 - 815, n=52)
612 Points +16%
HP 17-ca0013ng
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
605 Points +14%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2-LQN-00004
Intel Core i5-8250U
590 Points +12%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
Intel Core i7-8565U
581 Points +10%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
Intel Core i7-8550U
551 Points +4%
LG Gram 15Z975
Intel Core i5-8250U
533 Points +1%
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
Intel Core i7-8565U
529 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad 13 20J1005TPB
Intel Core i7-7500U
338 Points -36%
Asus VivoBook E200HA-FD0041TS
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
95 Points -82%
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
165 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
529 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
51.4 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help

System Performance

PCMark benchmarks rank our Gram 17 in the same ballpark as other Ultrabooks equipped with U-class CPUs. Interestingly, results are much higher than the LG Gram 15Z980. We didn't experience any software or hardware issues during our time with the test unit.

PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 10
Score
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
4488 Points +12%
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
4000 Points
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
3916 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2486 - 4178, n=21)
3906 Points -2%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, WDC Blue WD10SPZX-24Z10T0
3339 Points -17%
Essentials
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
8430 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (5450 - 9029, n=21)
8273 Points -2%
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
8253 Points -2%
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
7881 Points -7%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, WDC Blue WD10SPZX-24Z10T0
5448 Points -35%
Productivity
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
7171 Points +3%
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
6961 Points 0%
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
6948 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3381 - 7588, n=21)
6707 Points -3%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, WDC Blue WD10SPZX-24Z10T0
5989 Points -14%
Digital Content Creation
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
4147 Points +40%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, WDC Blue WD10SPZX-24Z10T0
3096 Points +4%
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
2971 Points 0%
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
2967 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2264 - 3370, n=21)
2926 Points -1%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
4245 Points +26%
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
3910 Points +16%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, WDC Blue WD10SPZX-24Z10T0
3724 Points +11%
Average Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2577 - 4179, n=20)
3539 Points +5%
HP 17-ca0013ng
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Toshiba KBG30ZMV256G
3449 Points +3%
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
3363 Points
Work Score Accelerated v2
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
5343 Points +15%
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
5193 Points +12%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, WDC Blue WD10SPZX-24Z10T0
4837 Points +4%
Average Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3596 - 5189, n=19)
4762 Points +3%
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
4642 Points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3363 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4642 points
PCMark 10 Score
4000 points
Help

Storage Devices

There are two internal M.2 2280 storage bays compatible with NVMe SSDs. Our particular test unit ships with a 512 GB Samsung PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ SSD limited by SATA III speeds. We're somewhat disappointed that LG didn't bother to include the faster Samsung PM981 NVMe SSD considering the high starting price of Gram 17.

See our table of HDDs and SSDs for more benchmark comparisons.

AS SSD
AS SSD
CDM 5.5
CDM 5.5
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L
Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
Razer Blade Pro 2017
2x Samsung SSD PM951 MZVLV256HCHP (RAID 0)
LG Gram 15Z975
SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
AS SSD
140%
-24%
121%
-48%
Seq Read
454.5
2339
415%
494.2
9%
2599
472%
488.1
7%
Seq Write
461
1409
206%
404.2
-12%
588
28%
248.5
-46%
4K Read
30.18
49.78
65%
25.78
-15%
37.57
24%
26.24
-13%
4K Write
71
122.1
72%
71.4
1%
104.4
47%
67.6
-5%
4K-64 Read
369.6
1329
260%
234.6
-37%
1116
202%
366.5
-1%
4K-64 Write
305.5
828
171%
259.1
-15%
513
68%
246.7
-19%
Access Time Read *
0.084
0.056
33%
0.081
4%
0.051
39%
0.08
5%
Access Time Write *
0.05
0.03
40%
0.057
-14%
0.036
28%
0.232
-364%
Score Read
445
1612
262%
310
-30%
1414
218%
442
-1%
Score Write
423
1091
158%
371
-12%
676
60%
339
-20%
Score Total
1106
3488
215%
844
-24%
2715
145%
1003
-9%
Copy ISO MB/s
816
1733
112%
300.4
-63%
197.5
-76%
Copy Program MB/s
614
305.8
-50%
157.4
-74%
141.2
-77%
Copy Game MB/s
414.9
405.5
-2%
221.7
-47%
179.8
-57%

* ... smaller is better

Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 545 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 509 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 340.1 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 321.1 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 454.9 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 422.4 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 36.59 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 89.7 MB/s

GPU Performance

The integrated HD/UHD Graphics 620 has remained essentially the same for years. Thus, the Gram 17 holds no surprises in terms of graphics performance. Competing AMD solutions like the Vega 8 or Vega 10 can offer up to 100 percent better gaming performance than our Intel solution. 4K video playback is smooth nonetheless.

See our dedicated page on the UHD Graphics 620 for more technical information and benchmarks.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U
7640 Points +321%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
4792 Points +164%
HP 17-ca0013ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), R5 2500U
3538 Points +95%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
3080 Points +70%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2-LQN-00004
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
1852 Points +2%
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U
1813 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (1144 - 3432, n=244)
1749 Points -4%
Samsung Notebook 9 NP930QAA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
1709 Points -6%
LG Gram 15Z975
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
1517 Points -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13 20J1005TPB
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
1489 Points -18%
Asus VivoBook E200HA-FD0041TS
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Z8350
348 Points -81%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U
6889 Points +278%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
4273 Points +135%
HP 17-ca0013ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), R5 2500U
2667 Points +46%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
1945 Points +7%
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U
1821 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2-LQN-00004
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
1741 Points -4%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (927 - 2505, n=244)
1578 Points -13%
Samsung Notebook 9 NP930QAA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
1562 Points -14%
LG Gram 15Z975
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
1265 Points -31%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13 20J1005TPB
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
1193 Points -34%
Asus VivoBook E200HA-FD0041TS
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Z8350
385 Points -79%
3DMark - 1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U
36413 Points +270%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
19545 Points +99%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
10773 Points +9%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2-LQN-00004
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
9946 Points +1%
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U
9844 Points
Samsung Notebook 9 NP930QAA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
9501 Points -3%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6205 - 16400, n=225)
9262 Points -6%
LG Gram 15Z975
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
7760 Points -21%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13 20J1005TPB
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
7285 Points -26%
3DMark 11 Performance
2037 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
8468 points
Help

Emissions

System Noise

Fan noise is silent when browsing or streaming video. When under higher loads like gaming, fan noise steadily increases to 35 dB(A) which is audible but never distracting in a typical office environment. The fan never pulses or makes any sudden changes to RPM and noise. Our unit exhibits no coil whine, either.

LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, WDC Blue WD10SPZX-24Z10T0
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
Razer Blade Pro 2017
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7820HK, 2x Samsung SSD PM951 MZVLV256HCHP (RAID 0)
HP 17-ca0013ng
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Toshiba KBG30ZMV256G
Noise
-5%
-5%
-3%
-20%
-9%
off / environment *
28.1
28.6
-2%
28.3
-1%
29.4
-5%
30
-7%
30.6
-9%
Idle Minimum *
28.1
29
-3%
28.3
-1%
30.1
-7%
30
-7%
32.8
-17%
Idle Average *
28.1
29
-3%
29
-3%
30.1
-7%
31
-10%
32.8
-17%
Idle Maximum *
28.1
31.8
-13%
29
-3%
29.7
-6%
33
-17%
32.8
-17%
Load Average *
35
34.8
1%
36.7
-5%
34.4
2%
43
-23%
34.2
2%
Load Maximum *
37.4
40.8
-9%
42.8
-14%
34.4
8%
58
-55%
36.4
3%
Witcher 3 ultra *
39.9
44.7
55

* ... smaller is better

Noise Level

Idle
28.1 / 28.1 / 28.1 dB(A)
Load
35 / 37.4 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28.1 dB(A)

Temperature

Rear exhaust
Rear exhaust

Surface temperatures are flat on both sides of the laptop during low loads. When under stress, the center of the keyboard (near the "T" and "Y" keys) can become as warm as 40 C as shown by our temperature maps below. In comparison, the Ryzen-powered 17-inch HP 17 can reach 47 C when subjected to the same processing load.

Since the chassis is much larger than the Gram 13 and Gram 15 while using the same U-class CPU, average surface temperatures are comparatively much cooler. Most of the laptop, including the palm rests, remain in the low-to-mid 20 C range even when under prolonged processing stress.

System idle (top)
System idle (top)
System idle (bottom)
System idle (bottom)
Maximum load (top)
Maximum load (top)
Maximum load (bottom)
Maximum load (bottom)

Stress Test

We stress the laptop with synthetic loads to identify for any potential throttling or stability issues. When running Prime95 to stress the CPU, clock rate boosts to 2.9 GHz for the first few seconds before reaching 90 C. Thereafter, clock rate drops to 2.1 to 2.2 GHz in order to maintain a core temperature of about 88 C. Since the base clock rate of the i7-8565U is 1.8 GHz, the Gram 17 is able to sustain a fair level of Turbo Boost. This is still below average when compared to other laptops equipped with the same CPU as shown by our CineBench results above.

Running on batteries will not impact both CPU and GPU power. A 3DMark 11 run on batteries returns Physics and Graphics scores of 6620 and 1803, respectively, compared to 6729 and 1813 points when on mains.

System idle
System idle
Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C)
System Idle -- -- 41
Prime95 Stress 2.2 -- 88
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 1.0 798 79
Max. Load
 28.6 °C
83 F
38.8 °C
102 F
29 °C
84 F
 
 25.4 °C
78 F
34.2 °C
94 F
22.8 °C
73 F
 
 23.4 °C
74 F
23.4 °C
74 F
22.2 °C
72 F
 
Maximum: 38.8 °C = 102 F
Average: 27.5 °C = 82 F
28.2 °C
83 F
36.2 °C
97 F
29.2 °C
85 F
24.2 °C
76 F
28.2 °C
83 F
27.2 °C
81 F
23.4 °C
74 F
25 °C
77 F
25.6 °C
78 F
Maximum: 36.2 °C = 97 F
Average: 27.5 °C = 82 F
Power Supply (max.)  36 °C = 97 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 27.5 °C / 82 F, compared to the average of 31.2 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 38.8 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 36.2 °C / 97 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 21.2 °C / 70 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 23.4 °C / 74.1 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(+) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (+5.4 °C / 9.7 F).

Speakers

While the stereo 1.5 W speakers are relatively loud, audio quality is average at best. Sounds suffer from the "tin can" quality that smaller notebooks and cheaper netbooks tend to suffer from. Our pink noise measurements show a roll off at around 1k Hz for poor bass reproduction. Maximum volume will vibrate the palm rests slightly.

Pink noise at maximum volume
Pink noise at maximum volume
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2042.644.32539.639.13138.638.24037.236.85036.136.76339.437.38035.535.310034.134.112532.934.816032.137.720031.243.225030.74931529.954.440029.658.85002962.663028.466.680027.872.110002871.7125027.569.9160027.468.9200027.267.7250027.161.9315026.763.5400026.768.4500026.665.4630026.467.3800026.659.21000026.461.21250026.264.81600025.969SPL39.579.5N3.645.4median 27.5median 63.5Delta1.68.435.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (72.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 21.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.2% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.7% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (10.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (25.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 88% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 9% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 74% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 21% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Much like its smaller Gram 15 and Gram 13 siblings, the Gram 17 is very power efficient. Idling on desktop consumes between 2 W and 11 W depending on the brightness and power profile setting. Even the smaller 13.3-inch Samsung Notebook 9 NP930QAA consumes more power than our 17-inch LG across the board.

We're able to record a maximum draw of 34.8 W from the small (~9.7 x 6 x 2.6 cm) 48 W AC adapter when running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously. This leaves a fair amount of headroom for powering connected USB and/or Thunderbolt 3 devices.

Power consumption when running 3DMark 06. Consumption is highest during the first few seconds at 35 W before falling and stabilizing at 32 W
Power consumption when running 3DMark 06. Consumption is highest during the first few seconds at 35 W before falling and stabilizing at 32 W
Prime95 initiated at 20s mark. Consumption is relatively constant throughout with a short-lived peak at the beginning of the test
Prime95 initiated at 20s mark. Consumption is relatively constant throughout with a short-lived peak at the beginning of the test
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.11 / 0.7 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.7 / 8.1 / 10.2 Watt
Load midlight 32.7 / 34.8 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
i7-8565U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ, IPS, 2560x1600, 17.00
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, WDC Blue WD10SPZX-24Z10T0, TN LED, 1600x900, 17.30
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN, aSi TFT, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Razer Blade Pro 2017
i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 2x Samsung SSD PM951 MZVLV256HCHP (RAID 0), IGZO, 3840x2160, 17.30
HP 17-ca0013ng
R5 2500U, Vega 8, Toshiba KBG30ZMV256G, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Samsung Notebook 9 NP930QAA
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Power Consumption
-56%
-50%
-518%
-75%
-38%
Idle Minimum *
2.7
4.7
-74%
4.1
-52%
31
-1048%
7.6
-181%
4.4
-63%
Idle Average *
8.1
9.2
-14%
9.3
-15%
36
-344%
12.9
-59%
11.8
-46%
Idle Maximum *
10.2
10.6
-4%
9.8
4%
44
-331%
13.7
-34%
15.5
-52%
Load Average *
32.7
56.3
-72%
64
-96%
107
-227%
44
-35%
38
-16%
Load Maximum *
34.8
75.3
-116%
66.4
-91%
258
-641%
57.1
-64%
39.8
-14%
Witcher 3 ultra *
55
212

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The internal 72 Wh battery is relatively large despite the light weight of the system. Combine this with the high power efficiency from our results above and battery life is quite impressive. Users can expect almost 12 hours of real-world WLAN use before automatic shutdown to be several hours longer than even most flagship Ultrabooks.

Recharging, however, is slower than usual. The system takes 2.5 to 3 hours to fully recharge compared to 1.5 to 2 hours on most other laptops.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
34h 45min
WiFi Websurfing
11h 53min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 53min
LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1
i7-8565U, UHD Graphics 620, 72 Wh
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 34 Wh
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 N705UD-EH76
i5-8550U, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 42 Wh
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 48 Wh
Razer Blade Pro 2017
i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 99 Wh
HP 17-ca0013ng
R5 2500U, Vega 8, 40.6 Wh
Battery Runtime
-54%
-58%
-47%
-63%
-68%
Reader / Idle
2085
507
-76%
560
-73%
253
-88%
WiFi v1.3
713
231
-68%
265
-63%
377
-47%
197
-72%
225
-68%
Load
113
92
-19%
53
-53%
89
-21%
81
-28%

Pros

+ performance not throttled when running on batteries
+ 2x M.2 2280 NVMe slots, 1x DDR4 SODIMM slot
+ high contrast ratio with accurate colors
+ fingerprint-enabled Power button
+ crisp, high quality WQXGA display
+ thin and very lightweight
+ USB Type-C charging
+ long battery life
+ Thunderbolt 3
+ large clickpad
+ quiet fan

Cons

- below average CPU performance; short-lived Turbo Boost
- microSD reader only; no full-size SD reader
- below average audio quality; weak bass
- no Gorilla Glass overlay; very flexible lid
- no touchscreen or 4K UHD options
- soft keyboard keys and clickpad
- no discrete GPU options
- slow recharging time
- difficult to service
- no SIM options
- pricey

Verdict

In review: LG Gram 17990-R.AAS7U1
In review: LG Gram 17990-R.AAS7U1

The LG Gram 17 is best for users who want a large 17-inch display but are otherwise turned off by their normally cumbersome sizes. It's extraordinarily lightweight and long-lasting to make it one of the best laptops in its size category for travelers. If you find that most Ultrabooks don't offer enough screen real estate, then the Gram 17 should be right up your alley.

The price to pay for such a light 17-inch laptop will be high. Despite its metal alloy makeup and MIL-STD 810G specifications, the Gram 17 is nowhere near as rigid as the XPS 15, Spectre x360 15, or even most other Ultrabooks for that matter. Owners will have to be careful not to damage the flimsy lid when on-the-go.

Other notable disadvantages include the soft keys and clickpad, user-unfriendly serviceability, average audio quality, and below average Core i7 performance. LG could have lowered the price of entry by including a Core i5 option and smaller SSD without impacting the overall performance of the system. For $1500 USD, users can purchase a beefier and significantly faster Dell XPS 15 to make the Gram 17 look less attractive. If the large 17-inch display doesn't appeal to you, then you may be better off with a traditional 13-inch or 15-inch Ultrabook.

Much lighter than other smaller Ultrabooks in the market while offering a larger 17-inch WQXGA resolution display. LG has carved itself a comfortable niche in the relatively unpopular 17-inch laptop space. The Gram 17 is a no-frills multimedia and light office solution fit for travelers who want to exploit the roomy 17-inch screen.

LG Gram 17Z990-R.AAS7U1 - 04/19/2019 v6(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
68 / 98 → 69%
Keyboard
79%
Pointing Device
84%
Connectivity
57 / 81 → 70%
Weight
71 / 20-67 → 100%
Battery
95%
Display
85%
Games Performance
64 / 85 → 75%
Application Performance
90 / 92 → 97%
Temperature
96%
Noise
96 / 95 → 100%
Audio
50%
Camera
45 / 85 → 53%
Average
75%
84%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > LG Gram 17Z990 (i7-8565U. WQXGA) Laptop Review
Allen Ngo, 2019-04-20 (Update: 2019-04-27)