The latest push for LG laptops isn’t just about keeping the kilos down, but also about keeping the screen technology up, as the 2023 Gram gets variable refresh rates.
Keeping the weight down is a good idea for your body and regularly a New Year’s resolution, but what about your computer? In that category, it seems there’s room for companies to move, too.
In fact, it’s largely the basis of LG’s “Gram” range of computers and has been since they launched a few years ago, offering a portable machine sized to 13 and 14 inches that sits just under a kilogram by one gram.
A few years on, that is still the main principle — shedding kilos while keeping technology up there — with three newly updated models for this year popping out over the coming weeks.
There will be three LG Gram models for 2023, covering the 14 inch 14Z90R, the 16 inch 16Z90R, and a model you can probably guess based off of these naming conventions, the 17 inch 17Z90R, with each arriving with similar spec options and features inside.
Regardless of whether you opt for a 14, 16, or 17 inch computer, you’ll find a 13th-generation Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 802.11ax WiFi 6E, Bluetooth, Type C ports, Dolby Atmos audio, a microSD card slot, and either 512GB SSD or 1TB SSD, the latter of which comes on the bigger 17 inch model.
Perhaps the most interesting feature upgrade for this year’s LG Gram is the inclusion of a variable refresh rate on each display, sporting IPS (In-Plane Switching) screens similar to what type of display is used on a MacBook Air, but with a refresh rate that can jump between 31Hz and 144Hz depending on the need.
It means that when nothing is happening and the machine is mostly idle, the Gram screen can drop down to 31Hz and save on the battery by running at a lower refresh rate, while more power hungry settings can see the rate rocked to 144Hz improving visual performance in other areas.
We suspect it will likely run at 60Hz natively, which is the standard refresh rate for LCD screens, but given variable refresh rate monitors can run at a variety of speeds dependent on use, we’re checking with LG to find out what the native rate will be for most users.
Weight is still a big part of the design, it seems, with the 14 inch 14Z90R coming in still at a gram under a kilo, managing a 999g weight, while the 16 and 17 inch models are 1.199kg and 1.350kg respectively.
“Combining the lightweight and portable design that LG gram is best known for, with the latest 13th Gen Intel Core Processor, we are placing committed to developing our laptop products with performance and productivity in mind, to ensure consumers can do it all on their LG Gram,” said Brad Reed, Head of B2B Marketing for LG in Australia.
As for pricing, the 2023 LG Gram range starts at $2699 for the 14 inch option, while the larger 16 and 17 inch models arrive for $3299 and $3599 respectively, replacing the LG Gram models announced last year, which are very likely to make their way to sale prices before they disappear.
