LG’s stunning lightweight ultrabooks are launching in the U.S. from $899

LG is known for lots of great things-chief among them being televisions and wonderful G series smartphones. The Gram goes on sale today, and is available at Microsoft’s online and retail stores, as well as from Amazon. An added bonus (and what gives the laptop its name) is the weight, which measures in at just under a kilogram (980 grams), making the LG Gram lighter than Apple’s entry-level laptop at 1.08kg. “We recognize this is an extremely competitive category, and are confident consumers will respond well to this product that combines powerful performance with lightweight design”.

The main reason LG wants to push the “Gram” in the USA is to actually capitalize on the momentum of Windows 10, since the Korean company plans to sell the device in Microsoft Stores across the Unites States. The laptops are equipped with a virus-protected system and are free of installed junkware. The laptops also have an HDMI port built in, which is uncommon for portable computers of this size. The FullHD displays feature 16:9 aspect ratio, in-plane switching (IPS) technology, and a Reader Mode that reduces blue light for more comfortable reading over extended periods of time. LG’s pricing is also closely matched to compete with Apple’s range, starting at $899 for the 13-inch Gram with an Intel Core i5 processor, 128GB of storage, and 8GB of RAM. The laptops come with a built-in Digital-to-Analog converter for hi-fi quality sound. The supersized 14-inch model comes in anywhere from $1000-$1400, whether you chose 128GB/Core i5 or 256GB Core i7. LG says the Gram has a battery life of up to 7.5 hours, however that may not reflect real-world conditions, especially since the chips are Intel’s 5th generation Broadwell, and not the new Skylake processors.