LG gram Style Buying Guide

Image Source: LG Official
Who Is It For?
The LG gram Style is for users who prioritize extreme portability and a unique visual design. It fits well for professionals who travel frequently, students who carry their laptop across a campus all day, and individuals who perform most of their work in web browsers and office applications. The OLED screen makes it a functional choice for those who consume high-definition media or perform basic photo editing where color contrast is important. It is not intended for professional video editors or gamers who require sustained high-performance cooling and dedicated graphics. If this form factor or power doesn’t quite fit your daily work, exploring other lineup categories would be a better path.
1. Check Before You Buy
The LG gram Style is a laptop that prioritizes aesthetics and weight reduction through the use of specialized materials. It differs from traditional laptops by using a glass finish on both the lid and the palm rest area. This design choice introduces specific physical behaviors, such as how the device reflects light and how the user interacts with the mouse interface. Understanding these unique characteristics is necessary before deciding if this series fits a specific daily routine.
The Haptic Touchpad and Hidden Borders
The most distinct physical feature of the LG gram Style is the “hidden” haptic touchpad. Unlike standard laptops that have a visible rectangular cutout for the mouse, the palm rest of the Style is a single, seamless piece of iridescent glass. There are no physical edges to feel with a finger. When the user touches the palm rest, two soft LED light strips appear to indicate the left and right boundaries of the active touch area.
Instead of a mechanical hinge that physically moves down when clicked, the touchpad uses a haptic motor to simulate the sensation of a click through vibration. This means the “click” feels the same regardless of where the finger is positioned on the pad. However, because there are no physical borders, users often find their fingers drifting outside the active area until they become accustomed to the visual cues of the LED lights.
OLED Display and Glossy Surface
The Style series utilizes OLED technology, which provides high contrast and deep black levels because each pixel can turn off completely. This differs from standard LCD screens that use a backlight. The 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rate makes motion, such as scrolling through a webpage or moving a window, appear smoother.
However, the screen is covered with a glossy glass finish. This surface is highly reflective. In a room with bright overhead lights or a window behind the user, the screen will show clear reflections of the environment. While the OLED panel is bright, the glossy nature means it is best used in environments where lighting can be controlled. The iridescent glass on the lid also changes color depending on the angle of the light, shifting between white, pink, and blue hues.
Soldered Memory and Internal Expansion
The LPDDR5 memory in the LG gram Style is soldered directly to the motherboard to save space and reduce weight. There are no slots to add more RAM later. If a user starts with 16GB and finds that their software requires more, the only solution is to replace the entire laptop.
In contrast, the storage system is more flexible. The inclusion of two M.2 SSD slots is rare for a laptop weighing approximately 1 kg. This allows for a high total storage capacity without using external drives. Accessing these slots requires removing the rubber feet and several screws on the bottom of the chassis. The bottom cover is made of magnesium alloy, which is flexible; care is required during removal to avoid bending the thin material.
Thermal Management in a Thin Chassis
The LG gram Style is very thin, which limits the size of the internal cooling fan and the heat pipes. The Intel “P” series processors are capable of high performance, but they generate heat quickly. Under a heavy load, such as exporting a long video or running complex data calculations, the internal temperature rises, and the system will reduce the processor speed to protect the hardware. This is known as thermal throttling. The fan will become audible as a high-pitched whirring sound. The device is designed for bursts of activity rather than sustained, high-intensity processing.
2. How It Fits a Real Desk Setup
The LG gram Style changes the visual and physical dynamic of a workspace. Because it weighs around 1 kg, it can be lifted with one hand or even a few fingers. This makes it easy to move the laptop around a desk or carry it between rooms. However, the light weight also means the base can lift slightly when opening the lid with one hand if the surface is slippery.
Iridescent Glass and Fingerprints
The iridescent glass finish on the palm rest and the lid is a smooth, non-porous surface. While it provides a unique visual effect that shifts colors as the user moves, it is highly susceptible to fingerprints and skin oils. After a few hours of use, the areas where the palms rest will show visible marks. Because the surface is glass, these marks are more apparent than on matte plastic or metal laptops. Keeping a microfiber cloth nearby is a common requirement for users who prefer a clean appearance.
Port Selection and Connectivity
The port layout is focused on modern USB-C connections. There are two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the left side, both of which can be used for charging, data transfer, or connecting to external monitors. The inclusion of a single USB-A port on the right side allows for the connection of older peripherals like a mouse receiver or a thumb drive without an adapter.
However, there is no HDMI port. To connect the LG gram Style to a standard monitor or projector, a USB-C to HDMI adapter or a Thunderbolt docking station is required. The microSD card slot provides a way to quickly transfer photos from a camera, but it does not accept full-sized SD cards. On a desk with many wired peripherals, a USB hub is almost a necessity.
Audio and Visual Interaction
The speakers are located on the bottom of the chassis. They utilize Dolby Atmos software to create a wider sound stage. When the laptop is placed on a hard desk, the sound reflects off the surface toward the user, providing a clear audio experience for video calls. If the laptop is placed on a soft surface like a lap or a blanket, the speakers can become muffled.
The webcam is located at the top of the screen and includes an infrared sensor for Windows Hello facial recognition. This allows the user to log in by simply looking at the screen. The “LG Glance” software can also detect if someone is looking over the user’s shoulder and will blur the screen for privacy, or it can pause a video when the user walks away from the desk.
3. Performance by Use Case
The following ratings are based on the Intel Core i7 configuration with 16GB of RAM. Performance will be slightly lower on the i5 model.
| Use Case | Software | Rating | Reason |
| Office Work | Excel, Word, Slack | Sufficient | Handles large documents and multitasking easily |
| Web Browsing | Chrome (30+ tabs) | Sufficient | High-speed RAM supports many open tabs |
| Media Consumption | Netflix, YouTube 4K | Sufficient | OLED display provides high contrast and vivid colors |
| Photo Editing | Photoshop, Lightroom | Adequate | Good for editing; glossy screen may show reflections |
| Video Editing | 1080p basic cuts | Adequate | Possible for short projects; 4K rendering causes heat |
| 3D Gaming | Modern AAA Games | Not enough | Integrated graphics cannot maintain playable speeds |
| Professional 3D | Blender, AutoCAD | Not enough | Lack of dedicated GPU and thermal limits hinder 3D work |
The ratings above assume the laptop is used on a flat, hard surface. Using the device on a soft surface will block the bottom air intake and lead to a “Not enough” rating for even moderate tasks due to heat.
4. Official Specs (with plain explanations)
| Category | Specification | Notes |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-1340P / i7-1340P | 13th Gen processors, balanced for thin devices |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Xe Graphics | Integrated into CPU, uses shared system memory |
| Memory | 16GB / 32GB LPDDR5 (6000MHz) | Soldered to motherboard, no expansion slots available |
| Storage | 256GB to 1TB NVMe SSD | Dual M.2 slots, allows for secondary drive |
| Display | 14″ (2.8K) or 16″ (3K) OLED | Glossy iridescent glass, 90Hz or 120Hz refresh |
| Weight | 0.99 kg (14″) / 1.23 kg (16″) | Extremely light, utilizes magnesium and glass materials |
| Battery | 72Wh (14″) / 80Wh (16″) | High capacity relative to the total device weight |
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB-A, microSD | Modern connections, includes one legacy USB-A port |
This series is sold with different CPUs, memory, and storage depending on the release year and generation. Please match the specifications on your current seller page with the official information above.
Source: LG Official Product Page
The specifications listed above represent the LG gram Style, a premium variant within the broader LG gram lineup. While standard LG gram models focus on a matte magnesium finish, the Style series introduces an iridescent glass exterior and an OLED display. These technical choices change the physical handling, visual output, and thermal characteristics of the laptop compared to the standard models.
5. Main Variations in This Series
- Screen Size and Resolution: The series is divided into 14-inch and 16-inch models. The 14-inch version features a 2.8K resolution with a 90Hz refresh rate, while the 16-inch version features a 3K resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate.
- Processor Tiers: Configurations include the Intel Core i5-1340P or the i7-1340P. Both are 28W processors designed for thin laptops, with the i7 offering higher clock speeds and more cache.
- Memory Capacity: The device is manufactured with either 16GB or 32GB of RAM. Because the memory is soldered, the capacity chosen at the time of purchase remains for the life of the device.
- Storage Expansion: Every model in this series includes two internal M.2 slots. This allows a user to add a second SSD later if the initial storage capacity is no longer sufficient.
6. What to Check on the Sales Page
When reviewing an LG gram Style listing, the specific generation and the memory capacity are the most important factors, as they cannot be changed after purchase.
- CPU Generation: Check whether you are getting the 13th Gen Intel processors (e.g., i5-1340P).
- Memory (RAM): Confirm if the unit has 16GB or 32GB. For long-term use with many applications, 32GB is the fixed limit.
- Screen Size: Verify if the model is the 14-inch (14Z90RS) or the 16-inch (16Z90RS). The 16-inch model has a higher refresh rate (120Hz).
- Storage Capacity: Check the size of the included SSD. Remember that there is an empty second slot for future expansion.
- Keyboard Layout: Ensure the regional layout (e.g., US English) matches your preference, as the keys are not easily replaceable.
The specifications on the sales page are the final authority on what is inside the box. Always double-check the RAM and storage totals, as these are frequently customized by sellers.
7. Disclaimer & Buying Advice
This buying guide for the LG gram Style Series is based on official manufacturer specifications and recurring real-world user experiences. It is completely independent, not sponsored, and does not guarantee specific performance for every unit. Hardware configurations such as the processor, memory, and storage can differ by generation and region, so please double-check the exact specifications listed on your seller’s page before purchasing.
8. Beginner Guide
If you are researching compact laptops for daily travel and want to compare screen types and build materials, check out our [Start Here] page to read our basic configuration guides.