LG Gram Book 15 sacrifices processor performance for a much quieter fan

While we aren't big fans of the display on the LG Gram Book 15, we still have to admit that the budget laptop strikes an intriguing balance when it comes to performance and fan noise. LG has opted for slower CPU performance when compared to other laptops with the same processor in order to lower fan noise by rather significant margins.

As shown by the comparison charts below, the Gram Book 15 would run 20 to 25 percent slower than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 2-in-1 16 or ThinkPad T14s 2-in-1 all equipped with the same Core Ultra 7 255U processor. In return, fan noise on the LG is significantly quieter at just ~28 dB(A) against a silent background of 25 dB(A) even when running demanding loads whereas the aforementioned Lenovo models would reach over 41 dB(A) under similar conditions. Users who prioritize quieter operation over raw performance may consequently prefer LG's approach.

The 25 percent performance reduction is nevertheless difficult to ignore as that essentially wipes away the performance benefits that the Core Ultra 7 255U would have had over the previous generation Core Ultra 7 155U. For example, CPU benchmarks are very nearly the same between the Gram Book 15 and the HP Envy x360 15 even though the latter is powered by the older Core Ultra 7 155U. A "maximum fan" mode on the LG model would have been a neat feature to have for owners who might prefer the faster performance every once in a while.