please note that the 2020 17" lg gram keyboard layout has changed. It now have extra row in numeric keypad and one of the shift/return? key is bigger. It's different from the 2019 model.
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BIOS:
Try this:
https://www.lg.com/us/support/sof...re-drivers You may have to type "LG Gram 17" in the search box, but its there. Latest is: W1ZD1250.zip 01/07/2020 |
Matte Screen Protector:
I have the 2019 model, and I knew the glossy screen was going to bother me, so I researched a matte screen protector. I HIGHLY recommend https://www.photodon.co
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The screen is the biggest selling point to me. I like the larger size, great color/contrast and brightness. The real-estate is great for photo editing. The glare does not bother me and the brightness has been more than plenty. It is a huge improvement over a Lenovo Flex 15 I tried out. I also had a Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED 4K laptop to compare to and the LG Gram 17 was my favorite. The OLED screen had an uneven brightness vertical band on the right side and I was always aware of possible burn in. Side by side, the colors and contrast were not noticeably different even though everyone raves about OLED screens being so superior. I much prefer the larger 17" and 16 x 10 ratio and not having to worry about possible burn in.
The chassis on the 2020 model does seem a little firmer than the 2019. They redesigned the monitor hinge and it seems sturdier.
The touchpad is the same. I really like it. Yes, it does depress a bit as some video reviewers point out, but it's not a big deal to me.
Battery life is excellent and I have not had any issues with drain while the computer sleeps. I often just close the screen in the evening, leaving it on battery only and when I return in the morning, the charge status has no significant change. I haven't written down the numbers, but I recall leaving it around 80% at night and coming back in the morning and it being near that.
I really like how quiet both generations Gram 17s CPU fans are. The Aero 15 was annoyingly loud, even at idle or low usage. The fans had a higher pitch that I could not stand.
Heat has not been an issue for me. It does get warm more so in the center, rear near the monitor since that is where the processor is. I use the laptop on my lap a lot and it is not uncomfortably warm.
Here are several test results I have:
Novabench:
2019
2020
You'll see improvements across the board for the i7-1065G7.
PugetBench v0.8 BETA for Photoshop
2019
2020
You will see that the i7-8565U actually performed some of the tasks better than the i7-1065G7.
In real world use, so far I have not noticed a significant difference in power between the two. I haven't tried games yet, possibly later. I tried some on the 2019 and it didn't work well as expected.
To conclude, I am very impressed with the LG Gram 17. This is my favorite laptop I have used.
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It really bothersome...didn't see it mentioned in any reviews, so I'm thinking there are some nicer units available for exchange or just to return it. You may be able to adjust the calibration in either Windows or the Intel graphics control panel to lessen the effect. The intel stuff downloaded I think after installing all the updates.
The 17in screen in the body of a 15in laptop is amazing. I like to multitask from my couch while I watch TV and hardly even notice this sitting on my lap over an extended amount of time. Other laptops usually become uncomfortable or very hot but I haven't encountered either of those issues with this one.
One thing that bugs me about the keyboard is the fact that the "Home" and "End" buttons are Function keys by default (you have to press the orange "Fn" key next to the Windows button in order to use them). You can always switch the default keyboard action to the function keys but they are paired with the "PgUp" and "PgDn" keys so either way you're stuck pressing the Fn key. I don't do any type of video/photo editing or gaming so I can speak to its performance in those areas.
Now for the real issues....
On first boot it froze on the WiFi selection screen during the Windows setup, so I had to force power down and start over. The second time it went through setup without a hitch but when it booted into Windows, after about 3hrs of light use, it completely froze on me. Had to force power down again. After several more hours of on and off use, I got my first BSOD (MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION, 0x0000009c, ntoskrnl.exe). So I ran a sfc /scannow, DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth, and ran a chkdsk. After rebooting and using it for another 1hr I got another BSOD with the same error.
LG doesn't have any BIOS updates for this Costco exclusive model on their website so I tried completely wiping the drive and installing Windows from a USB but that still didn't fix the BSOD issue. I'm taking it back to Costco tomorrow to exchange it for another one (hopefully this was just a bad one in a batch).
I think these problems are related to the BIOS or there is faulty hardware somewhere in this machine. If you want LG to troubleshoot you have to mail it to them and hope that they don't charge you for any repairs not covered under the limited warranty.
Overall I really love this laptop! Hopefully I can get one without the BSOD and freezing issues.
Pros:
- Lightweight, extremely portable even though it's 17", hardly notice it after a prolonged time of lap use, 17" screen in a 15" body (fits in a 15" protective sleeve)
- Huge screen with 16:10 ratio is great for productivity
- Excellent battery life that easily lasted me for 8hrs of web browsing/light use at 50% brightness
- Awesome display (I'm graphically challenged but for me, the image was sharp, crisp, and it gets really bright for outdoor use)
- NVMe makes for lighting fast reboot and boot speeds
- Fingerprint sensor makes logging in really easy (wish it had an IR camera)
Cons:
- Backlighting turns off after every restart
- Constant freezes and BSODs during normal use
- "Home" and "End" keys are Function keys by default
- Takes longer to charge than other laptops you may be used to due to the large battery
- The webcam is meh, seems grainy to me when I open in with Skype or the built-in Microsoft camera
Edit: When I went in to buy this at the warehouse, the rep had to ok it with a manager and told me they weren't supposed to be selling them. I told him about the giant kiosk display at the front of the store and he said "yeah, I'm going to have to fix that". The next day I checked the website and they had disappeared.
Sounds like you got a bad unit with the BSOD issues, mine has been flawless to date for the past couple of weeks, not a single BSOD, only issue and this is perhaps windows/chrome related was after a resume from standby clicking on a new tab saw a delay of 30 seconds after which of course 20 new tabs opened!
Did you manage to get a replacement unit in the end with no BSOD issues?
Sounds like you got a bad unit with the BSOD issues
Did you manage to get a replacement unit in the end with no BSOD issues?
I went back no Monday and was able to return the one with issues and buy a new one. So far no issues! It's been working great. I'm pretty sure I just got a bad unit the first time around.
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I went back no Monday and was able to return the one with issues and buy a new one. So far no issues! It's been working great. I'm pretty sure I just got a bad unit the first time around.
It really bothersome...didn't see it mentioned in any reviews, so I'm thinking there are some nicer units available for exchange or just to return it. You may be able to adjust the calibration in either Windows or the Intel graphics control panel to lessen the effect. The intel stuff downloaded I think after installing all the updates.
this is really crazy but I need the computer to WFH and local costco does not have anymore for exchange....FML...
this is really crazy but I need the computer to WFH and local costco does not have anymore for exchange....FML...
I'd guess Costco would have more in stock at some point, hopefully. Maybe down the road you can still exchange it within the 90-day return timeframe. OneDrive might come in handy so that you don't have to reconfigure the PC all over again (not sure though)
I'd guess Costco would have more in stock at some point, hopefully. Maybe down the road you can still exchange it within the 90-day return timeframe. OneDrive might come in handy so that you don't have to reconfigure the PC all over again (not sure though)
The whole reason bought this is for the whole work from home situation...
It is really hassle for return and repurchase, and not sure if the new one would be better or not than the current one..my local costco removed all the display, went to several costco and all was like that. Maybe they sold out all stocks..
The LG Gram 15 offer (-$250) is also tempting, but the screen is lower resolution (1080p) and I really don't need a touch screen. I've had a 13" HP ultra book 2-in-1 for 3 years, and I've almost never used the touch screen or stylus.
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