The Problem with the LG Gram (2018)
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- Dave2D review of the Z980 LG Gram. The best laptop for portability from LG. Lots of upgrades including a thunderbolt 3 port but there's a problem for certain users.
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It's cool that LG upgraded their laptop again, but I feel like they were cutting corners this time. A thunderbolt 3 port is only so useful if your CPU throttles. Thanks for watching!
Dave Lee first reply ?
Dave Lee hey Dave...
Just wanted to say that you video quality is top notch....
Keep it up!!!!
Dave Lee could u review HP pavilion 15cc102tx
Please review the Mi TV 4
i think the link the description is wrong, the product image has the camera on the hinge still. looks like its the LG gram with 8th gen processor from december
I don't think this is fair. I'm not sure the gram is meant for gaming, so I don't think it deserves to be criticised for its inability to game.
Wub Wub Cat It seems he doesn't understand that games require CPU with more than just good thermal performance. That U processor could be cooled by LN2 setup and would still perform shit with a external GPU plugged in. It's unreasonable to expect a U processor in any circumstance to provide a good gaming experience. If he wanted to criticize and review this properly, talk about its primary function, not the quality of speakers or gaming performance.
That U processor can sustain about 2.5GHz forever if you cool it properly, so it can game just fine.
He only talks about it because the Thunderbolt 3 port creates that expectation. I'd say only use the Thunderbolt 3 port here when you're doing serious content creation. This doesn't strike me as a serious gaming device at all. And a second fan would drain the battery quicker.
A computer not meant to game,
cannot game.
What a surprise.
John Green laptop*
A laptop is a type of computer which is featured in the video, yes.
John Green I seriously thought I was the only one. Why do these youtubers expect gaming specs on a low powered laptop...
In this notebook, can we play just one game? Like League of Legends?
Cause many wanna play games on laptops? Like what's not so obvious about this to you people?
It's just 1.09 kg. 15.4 inch screen and 9 hours battery... That got me easily..
Why are CZcams reviewers always so surprised when an ultrabook clearly not designed for playing games, can't play games efficiently?
You wouldn't buy a screwdriver to hammer a nail, would you?
You focussed so much on the negatives in this review, rather than highlighting the many positives of a great laptop. Sometimes I think your reviews only focus on the perspective of a gamer, i.e. If it can't play OVERWATCH at 60fps on ultra then it's a bad laptop.
No one expects these things to be able to game independently, but we do expect them to work with eGPUs. Why? Because eGPUs are designed for ultrabooks. If they don't work with an eGPU, it most certainly is a downside.
Because refreshing the gram with an 8th gen quad core cpu and a thunderbolt 3 port makes little sense if the system is instantly going to throttle. It just seems careless of LG.
the Gram is okay, but at its price point, there are many other ultra books that can do more with the same hardware. As a reviewer, it's Dave's job to call out products that aren't worth the money compared to other things you could be getting.
$1600, no dedicated gpu, bad thermal solution, 1080p screen, slow ssd , no usb c charger, terrible speaker ... This thing is overpriced as f-ck 🤣. Better get a xiaomi mi notebook pro with half the price and much better in every degree... Or if you want to buy a better $1600 ultrabook, get a xps 15 or razer blade stealth, or even those overpriced macbook and surface book. They are still better than this shitty gram ( almost all of them have dedicated gpu and faster ssd )
AbuBakr Akram but not with a U processor. The U processor lineup is for ultrabooks that multitask well with office apps and internet, nothing more. Games don't just rely on a GPU for good performance, they need solid single core performance with a decent clock. U processors have neither.
+Ezra Young, It does not throttle heavily because of the 8th generation and thunderbolt3, but because of connecting a powerful external GPU. Those are good additions that serve many other purposes, not only for gaming. Those additions are not exclusively for gaming, nor it is promoted as such.
What a great analysis, thanks Dave! You hear about this thing on sponsored LG videos all over CZcams but this was specific, in depth, and your own opinion. Love the authenticity!!
Yeah, this is the kind of review you want all of the world to follow to.
Neither did the XPS 13.
If it is not advertised as a gaming machine, why stick 4 lanes of tb3 in the first place?
Just because they can doesn't mean they should.
I have a problem with the fact that he doesn't look a the intended use. can you do productivity on this thing? yes. is it portable? hell yes. is it fast(responsive). yes. Also half-assing the thunderbolt is an overstatement. you can do more with a thunderbolt port then only play games. For me the holy grail is still the xps15 although it's a bit heavy. but is more durable.
I bought it, it's an excellent laptop !
Go for it.
Why is LG so underrated in Mobile and laptop industry :(
ꜱᴜᴍᴇᴅʜ ꜱʜɪɴᴅᴇ is the brightness a big issue on the laptop? thats my only concern
@@umersaleem3100 the brightness is great no need for too bright a screen
Edit: I've used it in direct sunlight and could see my screen perfectly
Is it possible to charge it via USB c?
@@vitmenn yes
@@umersaleem3100
Not at all, it's bright !
So your "problem" with the LG gram is that is not an ultrabook that you can game on... I love you Dave, but that's the most obvious and idiotic remark you've made about a laptop.
That's like me posting a video called "The BIGGEST problem of the Mustang" and saying that it's the fact you can't pass between cars like in a bike... Obvious.
Please, just avoid the clickbaity title next time if possible.
I think he was addressing that they have the Thunderbolt 3 port which will make many people think that they can have a thin-and-light laptop AND game on the side (Linus @ LTT even suggested as much). Dave actually tested this idea, and let us know that it's no good even with the external GPU. It's not an idiotic thing to note as part of his much more comprehensive review.
@@colbysaxton7223 That's the exact reason I watched this video. Believe it or not, there are a lot of people who want the portability and style of an ultrabook with ability to game at high frame rates using an eGPU. Pretty much every gaming laptop suffers from the same problems: shitty thermals and horrendous design.
@@colbysaxton7223 I haven't been able to find a single thin and light gaming laptop that I could tolerate. The razer blade is close, but I can't stand their horrendous green 3-headed snake logo. They also insist on making the USB ports green, which I hate. The mercury white version is better since it's more muted, but I still can't bring myself to buy one of those until they lose that tacky-looking logo altogether.
And I get that I'm limiting myself to 60 fps due to the refresh rate, but that's a trade-off I'm willing to make for good design, better battery life and portability. And there's always the option of plugging in an external monitor if I want a higher refresh rate.
@@allanshpeley4284 you can fix your problem by buying an easily affordable debrand skin
@@jcd776 Yeah, but I don't like the idea of putting stickers on my laptop. Anyway, I ended up biting the bullet and going with the razer blade. It's not exactly what I'm looking for, but it's about as close as I can get right now.
I honestly can't wrap my head around paying over 1000 bucks for a laptop with no GPU. Especially now when you can get pretty solid laptops with gpu's for 600 bucks. Even if you're not a gamer, I rather have a GPU for cheaper then a more expensive laptop without a GPU. Maybe it's just me. But that's how I feel.
It's all about weight and portability.
NET Alliance - Star Wars Fun People buy items based on their needs. For example, businessmen who travel often will pay a premium for the portability and long battery life. On the other hand, a cash strap student gamer will rather pay $600 for a heavier albeit a laptop with a dGP instead of a $1000-$3000 ultraportable. It all depends on the wants and needs. This laptop is not targetted to gamers obviously.
I understand the concept, that its light and has good battery life, but many laptops are light enough and have all day battery life. They can be quite a bit cheaper. The only reason you'd buy this is the novelty of having one of the lightest thinnest laptops, or at least that's how I see it. It doesn't have great thermals or speed when doing anything but the basics. I just feel like it is for show and bragging rights
Adam A You're correct.
When a person relies on his/her laptop for work, weight and battery life is the utmost importance. This laptop is reasonably priced, a great speed SSD and has great construction. If these are the things are of value to a person, I do not see why they wouldn't pay more. At the end of the day, a few hundred dollars premium for the best device that you use daily is not a big price to pay. I think you are too focused on value-for-money than money-for-value.
My base-model MacBook Pro only has one fan. Working on a video about eGPU gaming performance. The results may surprise you! :D
Snazzy Labs Sweet!! Me too, the touch bar just didn’t make sense!
Quinn! I'd love to see your video, though if I'm not mistaken, the 13" MBP with the touch-bar has two fans. I think it's the only variant that does, at this point.
Many laptop with one fan still have better thermal performance than this lg
Was gonna say, don’t think the 13” MacBook Pro has that issue, and it has one fan.
Snazzy Labs do a video on it
Imagine laptops being too light becoming a problem🤔🤔
Thank you Dave for the in-depth look at LG gram. Lets see what the XPS 15 has to offer.
Why are you complaining about gaming capability on an ultrabook ???
I see a lot of people giving flack saying that you don't buy an ultrabook for gaming so who cares that it thermal throttles whilst gaming. The whole point is that if it's thermal throttling whilst gaming then trying to do any cpu-intensive task for an extended period of time is going to cause it to throttle badly, and what's the point of buying an 8th gen i5 with great multicore performance if it's just going to throttle every time you try to leverage that multicore performance
2:10 "good layowwt" that Canadian accent coming through :D
Dave love your videos man, keep up the good work and bring us more of these much needed reviews!
thanks dave, i did not expect it after hearing so much compliment from other reviewers.
All the more reason to watch your reviews first before buying one! :)
that was a deal breaker for me man, dont you wanna do video repasting it with liquid metal?
I want to but the thermal solution they're using isn't great. It's a very quiet fan but it doesn't exhaust enough heat and I feel like LM wouldn't help too much. If there was a second or bigger fan in there I would consider it!
Why assume that whenever a PC manufacturer adds a Thunderbolt 3 port, that means "Hey, connect a Razr Core to our laptop!", when ultrabooks were never intended for gaming? Thunderbolt 3 can also be used to drive 4K displays, external drives, etc. Ultrabooks + Thunderbolt 3 =/= gaming laptop.
I've got the latest LG Gram 13, which shares most of its components and cooling solution with the LG Gram 15. During my testing I found out that the CPU is current limited rather than thermal limited. It will only allow you to boost above ~1.8 Ghz for a very short amount of time and the frequency jumps back to 1.8 Ghz (or below) are quite abrupt/harsh. That's why you are seeing stutters. You can remove this limitation using Intel XTU (and thus heavily increasing performance), but as soon as you do thermals will indeed be the limiting factor. It still won't be as quick as the XP13 and others, but it's very close. As a downside the laptop will get a lot noisier and the CPU will virtually be pinned to 90C under load. I think that's ok for the ~1.000 USD LG Gram 13, but I can't justify such a compromise in the 2.000 USD 15 inch version.
Ouch. Guessing Dave is reviewing a loaner, probably doesn't want to get into that level of tweaking for a review unit.
THANK YOU!!!! God. Each CZcamsr keeps promoting this laptop and don’t want to knock it and did try this external gpu but was crap.
I’m glad I subscribed to you earlier this year.
I love how you point out even the smallest issues to us while most reviewers just point out mostly the positive things ❤️
Yea, I love the honesty of his reviews.
Always love your honesty! This laptop is getting pushed by a bunch of CZcamsrs right now who are talking about how amazing it is - I can always count on you to keep it 100!
1:58 ew. Look at all that empty space being wasted.
Tom Foolery Seeing space optimally used makes me hard too.
Personally, I'd love to see a battery upgrade that maximizes the space.
Yup! When I open a portable device and see every square inch used efficiently, it's the best. Only time unused space is appropriate is for desktop PCs or anything that requires open air flow.
Its probably to reduce weight...but yeah it does seem wasteful doesn't it?
steve jobs would throw them in aquarium.
This is why I'm subscribed to you. You make a review only if you have something interesting or different to say about the product compared to the countless boring positive reviews out there. Love how your videos are always 'to the point' and dont repeat stuff said in other reviews.
If you're using an external GPU you should be plugging into an external monitor instead of trying to run it on the laptop's monitor
lightmarepeno that won't make the slightest difference in performance. The issues is expecting good performance from a U series processor, which doesn't have good enough single core or clock to run with a GPU.
I properly cooled U processor with 4 lanes can run any game with an eGPU
Using an external monitor does actually help. Check the review on my channel. I didn't experience the same stuttering when using an eGPU, the CPU actually runs cooler of course , but still Dave is right that the cooling solution is poor - the CPU cannot be tweaked to sustain a high boost clock unlike other 8th gen 15W models.
@@OWNORDISOWN Would undervolting help? If not, would repasting help?
@@AdaDenali yes, if you find your CPU is getting too warm then undervolting is definitely an easy solution 😀
I love watching you. You create the most relaxing videos..your voice is perfect for it and the music is always quiet and peaceful. You never have much in the background to distract the viewer. You also are VERY informative, talk at a great pace, and show everything you're talking about. Even when I'm a fanboy of something and you review it and talk about the cons, I never feel like you're attacking it. You come across friendly and reasonable and I love it! I'm so glad to be a subscriber.
Wallpaper?
Dave, thank you for your video!
I think you talked about nice points that no other reviewer is talking. So, thank you.
But, regarding the final argument: the fan design and Thunderbolt, I have the following to say:
This laptop is meant for business people, thus the high price, good battery and low weight. Thus, these arguments:
- One fan design is better to achieve less noise, and also keeps the weight down. Regarding the weight, the heat pipes also may be aftected. Plus it gives a better battery-life, because it is one less fan to run.
- Thunderbolt 3 is there for peripherals: external drives (mostly fast SSDs) and docks, to connect when you arrive to your company desk.
This computer is not for gaming, and LG never promote it as one.
Razer, on the other hand, not only promotes it, but also has the external GPUs boxes to sell.
Different target clients.
Congratulations on your video, because you talked about some points that are relevant and many reviewers failed to mention.
For consumers, Thunderbolt 3 and Quad-core processors are not always for gaming! :)
You do great review but seems nobody will ever make a keyboard and screen good enough for you.
actually i think he is right, ive experienced those keyboards in first hand and some they are soft, we can agree the macbook keybard is pretty good, this is coming from a pc guy
He bases it off of a Macbook, since they do have the best screen, keyboard and track pad. If the laptop is expensive like the LG Gram, he will compare it to a higher degree.
Wow, I would never think about thermals and throttling when connecting eGPU, very good catch.
I want a razetr but where is the money
Razors are pretty cheap actually you can get them at the dollar store.
Razer is like the MacBook Pro of Windows
Thanks allot Dave, I was looking at getting a thunderbolt 3 Ultrabook setup using the LG gram 2018. You have changed my mind, probably will wait until the next gen gram with possibly fixed thermal solutions. Thanks alot!
Who here is waiting for the Dell xps 9570?? With a full SD card slot and a fingerprint reader.
Litteraly every LG Gram review I saw this week did not mention that issue. Thanks for this honnest review and mentionning this "issue". - From a fellow canadian subscriber
You should review the Acer spin 5. It's a $970 2 in 1 that has a GTX 1050 graphics. I want to buy it but I want to see what others have to say about it
I can easily help you with that. What you want to know.
Acer Spin 5 2-in-1 Laptop, 15.6" Full HD Touch, 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB HDD, GeForce GTX 1050 - 4GB, Windows 10 Home, SP515-51GN-807G is this it?
Justin Kutteruf mainly performance. Considering it's a 8th gen core i7 paired with a GTX 1050, hopefully it's fast. Also, what type of cooling does it have, because since I'm going to do some mild gaming on it, I don't want the CPU to throttle
Justin Kutteruf yes
Real-life lies as for work and stuff it would be your best friend i know a lot of business people love these kinds of laptops. The performance is going to be really good. If you look at specs it tells a good story. As for gaming that is something you want to test out due to the fan and how hot it may get. Unlike a true gaming laptop like my asus rog that can stay cool that may be a different story. With that laptop you won't know until you try it out. Considering how thin it is and it being mainly used for work and stuff i say mild gaming can work but i wouldn't use it for long periods of time. I had a sony vaio once and it got hot like no other. It looks like it has two fans if you look at the back but that is wishful thinking. You also want to find out what material is used for the laptop and if it is solid enough for you. The best way to test for heat is to get a thermal tester which dave uses in his vids sometimes. Overall i would say it's up to what you plan on using the laptop for. Though dave doing a review would help better in making a choice since we all know youtube is like his job lol.
Dear Dave,
Could you do a video going over your current laptop setup? With your modifications, specs, selection process, etc? That’d be dope for a video!
The top of laptop asus and hp omen love you dave lee
I've watch many youtube reviews about this laptop and you're the only one that was able to discolse that problem which is very nice lol
That moment you're just too early you don't know what to comment ☹️☹️ much love dave ❤️❤️
thanks for watching my stuff dude =)
Dave Lee 😁😁you welcome big man
You’re suppose to say “First!”.
Chris Munoz no. That would make you a scumbag
VorteX Clan chill bro it’s just a comment.
I dont come here for the gadgets.... I just come to see Dave and his choice of TV wallpaper for each video. xx
Hey Dave, Can you post a link of your wallpaper you using?
2:31 i dont know why but i have never seen this scene in any of the wreck it ralphs movies
Hey Could you do a review of the new Hp spectre x360 15 with the intel G processors when it comes out please? BTW love your videos been subbed from 250k you are my favourite *CZcamsR*
Hey Dave, I think it’s really cool that you always take apart the laptops you review; it gives an inside look and I don’t know any other tech reviewers that do that! Your videos rock!
Great review! It's ab0out time someone reviewed why this non-gaming ultrabook laptop is not suitable for games. I'm upset after reading reviews and buying a microwave no ever mentioned it couldn't play Netflix. Also, why can't I play Call of Duy on my Apple TV? It's box-shaped just like my PS4.
I want an updated Acer predator Helios 300 so I can afford the older version😂😂 Damn im poor
I carried a brick weighing 2.2+ kilos (though it had a desktop i7-7700) everywhere I went (I had to). My back hurt so bad every day. I switched to this laptop. My back does not hurt anymore. Yes it's slower, my codebase takes about ten seconds longer to compile, but it's secondary to health. Oh, and all those gaming and 4k display stuff doesn't matter to me at all. I'm happy with this laptop.
I'd rather spend my money on a Dell XPS 13, it'll come out cheaper too.
Aries Ferrer The only thing that sucks about the dell xps lineup is they only use lpddr3 ram and the gram uses ddr4.
True, but I don't think that justifies a $1000+ price tag lol. Plus the XPS has better build quality and screen IMO
Aries Ferrer Yea it does have a sturdier build and better screen, but the gram is lighter. Honestly cant decide between them, I just think that if i get a laptop, I want it to last and I think lpddr3 is going to be irrelevant in a couple years but I might be wrong.
The problem with the Dell XPS 13 is the fcking poor QA, coil whine, dead pixel on arrival, trackpad not working, flexed chassy and other problems
True, well depends mostly on your budget. If you want to spend on the gram, then get it. Everyone has different needs so if it fills your needs then that's the laptop for you to buy :)
One of the things I really like about these reviews is that they often tend to focus in a bit more than others on things I, personally, care about than some others might. That is to say: build quality, thermals, battery life, and general usability etc., rather than brushing over to focus more on raw performance (you know, the stuff that you can sort of use to judge whether it'll still be a reliable workhorse in a couple of years time).
That being said, in this case I can kind of excuse the Gram its thermal issues as, to my understanding, the whole point of it was to be as light as possible, with all the inevitable design and engineering compromises of putting a laptop together skewed toward that. When you're trying to save grams everywhere, an extra fan, plus the extra copper is probably going to be a sizeable hit to take. To me at least, giving it a thermal solution which is only "good enough" for the day-to-day productivity it was designed for seems excusable in-context.
It might be a deal-breaker for me personally mind, but I've pretty good idea I'm not the Gram's target market. :P
how to use that giant ass tv in the back, theres like no space for a keyboard and mouse, or is it just for display?
That is what TVs do :P
He has a wireless keyboard and mouse and he sits on the sofa
Dave you are the best CZcamsr who creates in depth review of PC's Well most of the CZcamsrs are just copying what to say but with you you never copies the way to say it's like something which comes from your 💓... Thanks a lot we love you .
Your reviews are so inconsistent, sometimes they make sense, times like these, it’s so biased.
Thanks Dave. I have been waiting for your review about this device. I have been so moved by the campaign and all other youtubers videos. But I was waiting for your one for the final purchasing decision. Now I have to look for something else. Thank you so much for an honest review
I think you should never write a negative comment in the title of the video. I feel like it reduces the views. Again, its just my opinion so don't get triggered.
Aryan Gupta Really? I clicked it mainly because it was negative. Too many reviews these days are positive because everyone is scared of losing privileges. But I know that most things aren't really that great and so I appreciate it when reviewers have the eye and the balls to call it out.
So true. It's like spoiling the ending of a book.
Look, if people see a negative title, they would think that the product is not good and they might not want to buy it whereas if people see a positive comment or even just "Review of ..." then people would think that the product is good so they might want to buy it. They might want to research more on it to see if it fits their needs. This way I think it would attract more viewers because in today's world, everyone is looking for a laptop. But I think you are also right in some ways.
Look, the title was definitely catchy. I don’t know for you but we find it as one. It says “the problem with LG gram” so as a viewer, it’s gonna pique your attention and “oh really what could go wrong in this new laptop”.
I agree with you though that giving away your thoughts in the title makes the video less appealing. However, I think you mean giving away that one specific negative opinion.
But uhm okay, at least it’s not a clickbait title
Agree should have been « better or worse ? »
You know what's funny in this old video? Not that the ultrabook itself can't be used for gaming, but that the results he used as an example all shows crazy fps (upwards to 157!) in a 60hz IPS screen...
Conclusion: If you want to game, buy a gaming laptop
LG need to come up a product for gaming community, this gram certainly for power user on the move or a bit of editing work.
DAVEEEE
I need your help.
Hold on a second, please.
XPS 15 2in1 (will the new standard one come out with the new 2in1?)
My dad wants a XPS for work.
iAmmarXGames
Well does he want a bigger screen?
Does he need portability ? Or using for office at desk only? Then get the bigger one. If he's often on the go ? Then the smaller one is more comfortable carry
Don't get the new xps 15 2in1, go for the normal xps 15 so that you get the gtx 1050 graphics
Matthew Fard The Vega m gl seems to be in the middle of a 1050 and a 1050ti.
HEY HEY
*IMPORTANT*
read this
hello
Update: I've tested both slots on the i7-8550U (2018) Gram 15 and YES, both slots support NVMe / Speeds like a champ. Very refreshing.
Hey Dave I got a hp laptop three months ago. I been getting blue screens Idk how to fix it. Please help!
Iniyan3d
What does the error say?
Update all drivers with both windows update assistant and the HP assistant. Especially wireless and bluetooth drives. Idk how but their older versions use to cause screen freeze/crush
Iniyan3d get a MacBook
When I update it won’t update fully, it will crash.
Iniyan3d I'm gonna buy a MacBook don't have to worry about some next update which I can't install or blue screens
The real review finally, love this video. Other creators failed to fully review it because of they are paid to review that but you did it man, great job, well done.
I own a previous version and no complain regarding screen brightness, battery , speed ( I am a casual gamer) , and heating (1fan), the camera is at the bottom but I like that (my opinion cause its unique) and no complain regarding the keypad . I think touchpad could be better but I always use a wireless mouse.
but l like ur humble review of things . cheers
15.6" version has very poor space usage.
The space next to the fan indicate that it could have another fan.
But, considering the battery life and weight, I think that they make a reasonable compromise.
The truth is it is not only the problem of single or double fans.
It is the volume of the heat sink and pipe.
They both take space and weight, and definitely not a good things for ultra book.
For the tech we have today, we shouldn't ask a single NB to take all of the work we need.
it will only make you harder to choose a right product for you
Woah look at the space inside. They could definitely make it either more compact or add a larger battery. I feel like it’s a half ass attempt to make an easy upgrade cycle for next year with “enhanced battery life.” Look at a tear down of a MacBook Pro for example.
Thank you for mentioning the external GPU aspect, it's all I think about with thin and light laptops.
You've just saved so many people the waste of their money and a possible disappointment because the first thing I thought when I saw reviews about this new gram was "This thing would be the perfect gaming ultrabook of it's coupled with an eGPU". Great review, keep it up :D !
Thank you so much for the point at the end of this review. I was literally considering alternatives to XPS 13 + eGPU, and you compared this to that set-up under the exact conditions I was concerned about. I know not to buy this one but stick to the XPS 13 9370. Thanks again!
Nice subtle placement of the white 1+ 5T, Dave :P
Actually the very reason I looked up the LG Gram is because I'm looking for a laptop with a TB3 port to hook it up to an eGPU enclousure - so thanks for pointing out it's insufficient cooling.
Look at the interior, LG definitely can make more fan or bigger heatsink, but they didn't. Even they can get rid one nvme slot for the extra heatsink. Ultrabook really do not need dual nvme drives.
I normally don’t think of getting an external GPU for a laptop so not a problem for me. That’s what I have my ITX desktop build for.
The review is focusing on an aspect(or a 'Problem') the Ultrabook is not supposed to excel on. It's like reviewing a skateboard for its transport features.
I use LG Gram 15z960 from 2016 and really love it!
I'd like to buy second one, but they don't sell in Russia.
This is the best ultrabook I've ever used. If you're not a gamer
Thanks Dave! I was considering this laptop but I had no idea it had those thunderbolt and GPU issues.
Dear Dave, I am very anticipating for your Matebook X Pro review! Do update us soon!
But Dave, firstly, using the barrel plug charger actually leaves room for using the other ports, unlike the MacBook 12". Secondly, its not designed to be a gaming laptop. The PCIe x4 could be used for daisy chaining or connecting high speed peripherals, and that's the bigger advantage, don't you think?
And the title of the video itself is sort of biased. Why not name is the Gram 2018 review?
Dave, you just saved me from this purchase. I wanted to do an eGPU with this but I didn’t know about the throttling. You are the man!
I really like how you give a so understandable analysis of a product and going straight to the point. Great video! 👍
It's light for a reason I guess. Adding better speakers, an extra fan and etc adds extra weight.
Thanks to 17” with about 69% Adobe RGB and Thunderbolt 3 port as for 3 USB A and HDMI.
Good start LG, next time ask a video/photo editor 😊
Out in the rugged field, chassis and display lid flex gives a non-solid feel.
Full SD card slot (for micro users there is an adapter).
Full size (XPS feel and brighter lit) keyboard (forget the number pads, office folks can get a calculator).
Bigger trackpad size
Faster drive please, PCIe of at least size 1TB, better 3 TB
Give us a dedicated GPU
Give us photo/video editors 32 GB Ram
Give us under 1.0 average color error and work on screen refection.
Give us a solid ethernet port, no one wants to be plenty hours radiated with wireless.
Less important: Speakers sound bad, not sure if only due to positioning.
Keep it under $2000 and you have a runner up!
Coming from a long time Mac user wishing to switch back, I think of a good customer service when they can give me a reasonable fixing solution even after warranty, which is not the case with Apple, once warranty expires you’re basically fu**** and the machine has to be thrown away for parts. At least all other companies can offer you a repair for a good deal or you can take them to any unauthorized repair shop for an even cheaper deal.
The problem with this laptop is that when I tried shaving with it, it just doesn’t cut it. When I took this laptop off-roading, it just didn’t have the power to get through the mud. I hope lg would rethink the purpose of this very capable machine.
I enjoy watching a real analysis of a product -- the good and the bad. Thank you.
Just a piece of feedback, Dave. The intro felt really weird on this one for some reason. I'm not sure why exactly but I thought it could use some music or something to make it a bit more lively.
Also the opening animation (love them btw) seems to have a sound problem. It doesn't match the arm's movement.
edit: Love your stuff!
Awesome review as always. You should do a liquid metal thermal paste upgrade on this laptop. It would be cool to see all of the issues related to cooling go away and it would be a nice video :)
The reason they didn't print thunderbolt 3 symbol on the side of the device , is that the USB-C port doesn't support thunderbolt 3 in some countries, like China .
tbh, people that are looking to buy a laptop for gaming, most probably are going to go for one with a dedicated GPU in it and there are quite high end options for around the same price. The only thing you are giving up is the lightness. And the lightness is one that has to be experienced to be believed. I picked a retail display unit and I still can’t believe how light it is. But you do bring up an interesting point: would it thermal throttle if I’m doing high res stuff on photoshop or illustrator?
thank you so much, you just point out the weakness of this laptop which did not happen in videos that I watched.
@Dave Lee
Are you sure it is the thermal issue? It might come from that the thunderbolt 3 bandwidth actually have to share the same flow with NVME SSD, when you are running window and game on NVME SSD, it drains the bandwidth and make significant throttling to the thunderbolt 3 connection. In addition, you are using internal display also. If you take out the NVME SSD and running Window on the SATA3 SSD only, thus the performance will be improved.
I told you this channel would blow up great video as always
I think you're wrong in one thing; Thunderbolt 3 is not necessarily for accessories like an external GPU, it's just for a higher bandwidth data transfer.
Anyway, just the way you said it that I don't agree. Still a valid thing to put out.
Would love to see a head to head comparison of the LG Gram, Dell XPS 13 and Razer Blade Stealth for the best productivity machine because they all fall around the same price bracket.
Finally. I've waited for someone to review about the lg gram with EGPU. Thanks Dave
I love how you get straight to the point.
Great review but I dont think LG's intention was to make a gaming laptop. I'm glad to finally see a 17 inch laptop thats light, good resolution and great for productivity.
Try changing the paste and see how better it'll work, or even lowering the voltage.
Phenomenal review, as usual Dave. I was seriously considering this laptop because of the TB3 port, but you saved me a lot of $ and anger, thank you! Have you tried gaming on the new Lenovo 920 with an external GPU? Would be awesome if you could test external GPU gaming on all thin and light laptops with TB3!
Hey Dave Lee, this video is why I love your reviews and why I subscribed to your channel. You give your objective and expert opinion not like other media we can find on CZcams or other websites where they are sponsored and they incite you indirectly to buy the product.
I was waiting for your review about this LG Gram 15 because I wanted to buy (and import) one.
Now your solid arguments and experience took me a step back... I'm looking for an 15" lightweight PC and the LG Gram 15 is the only one which weights less than 1.7Kg. I was hyped about the thunderbolt port, the upgrade of the battery and the MIL STD 810G standard... and you cut down all the hype I had lol
Now I feel lost on which PC is the best for me but anyway thanks a lot for the review ^^
PS : I'm sorry if I made some mistakes, i'm French and English is not my mother language :)
From France with love
I think that you can add up how many people own an eGPU with your fingers, it’s really a non-issue. Those that want a combo of eGPU and a laptop like this will buy a Razor. I do not know if they could fit two fans in, but I will take that nice 72 watt battery anyway over eGPU support especially as a 15 inch ultra book is rare.
As for the rest of the package it looks like an excellent laptop, shame they are not sold in the UK!?!
2:31 BUNNY GETS A PANCAKE