LG surprised everyone at CES 2023 this year by announcing two new ranges of laptops: the LG Gram Style and the LG Gram Ultraslim.
In previous years, LG has only really had two different families of laptops: the standard clamshell, and a 2-in-1 alternative. Those laptops have come in different sizes (such as 14-inch and 16-inch) but there haven’t been many differences between the laptops otherwise.
This is changing in 2023, with LG launching two new laptop series with differing features but what are the key differences between the Gram Style and Gram Ultraslim? Keep on reading to find out.
The LG Gram Ultraslim is incredibly skinny
The main appeal of the LG Gram Ultraslim is its slender design, measuring in at just 12.55mm thick – that’s even thinner than your finger.
The LG Gram Style isn’t exactly chunky, but it is thicker than its Ultraslim sibling – LG claims the 14-inch and 16-inch Style models are 15.9mm thick.
The reduced size of the LG Gram Ultraslim also makes it a more portable laptop. It weighs 998 grams, while the 14-inch LG Gram Style hits the scales at 999g. That’s admittedly just a 1 gram difference, but it’s still nonetheless impressive that LG’s 15-inch Ultraslim laptop is even lighter than the 14-inch Style laptop.
There is a downside to having such a slim design though, with the Ultraslim packing a 60Wh cell, compared to the 72Wh battery inside the 14-inch Style.
The LG Gram Style has a higher screen resolution
Both LG laptops have an OLED screen, and so they benefit from inky blacks and high contrast, but there is a major difference between displays when it comes to pixel count.
The LG Gram Ultraslim has a Full HD (1920×1080) screen resolution, which is the basic spec for a laptop at this price.
For comparison, the 14-inch Gram Style has a Quad HD (2880 x 1800) resolution and the 16-inch model has a Quad HD (3200 x 2000) resolution. This means the Style range should have a sharper image when presenting supported images and videos, and so it’s probably the better option if you want to watch the likes of Netflix and Disney Plus on your laptop.
The LG Gram Style is also available with higher refresh rates, maxing out at 120Hz – the Ultraslim tops out at just 60Hz.
LG Gram Style has a glass design and a disappearing touchpad
The LG Gram Style may not be as slender as its sibling, but it flaunts a fancy design. It has a glass casing, which looks more elegant than the metal-clad Ultraslim.
By using a glass deck, LG has been able to create an LED backlight, with vivid customizable colors illuminating the surface.
The LG Gram Style also has a haptic trackpad, which is only visible when you touch the laptop’s surface. Since it isn’t a physical trackpad like you find with traditional laptops, you’re able to tweak the settings; for example, you can adjust the sensitivity and the intensity of the vibrations.
Different sizes available for each LG Gram laptop
You’d think the LG Gram Style and LG Gram Ultraslim would be available with the exact same screen sizes, but that’s not the case.
If you’re going for the LG Gram Style, you have the options of 14-inch and 16-inch sizes. Unfortunately there isn’t a 17-inch option for those who crave maximum screen space.
The LG Gram Ultraslim is only available in one screen size, and that’s 15.6-inches.
Exact same performance specs
Now we’ve explored the main differences, it’s time to delve into the similarities of the two laptops. Both the Style and Ultraslim are powered by the same 13th Gen Intel Core Raptor Lake processors.
The memory options are the exact same too, with 8GB, 16GB and 32GB all on offer. The same applies to storage configurations, with 256GB, 512GB and 1TB options.
Of course, the shared specs do not guarantee an identical performance. Performance throttling can occur with thin laptops when the cooling system isn’t sufficient enough. That could potentially be the case with the LG Gram Ultraslim, although it’s impossible to say for certain without testing.
Nevertheless, when picking between the Style and Ultraslim, it’s best to consider the design, battery and screen specs more so than the performance.