LG Gram 15Z980-A.AAS7U1 Thin and Light Laptop Review

Improving the battery backup of laptops has been a constant refrain with computer makers—battery life, along with speedy performance, remains a highly sought-after trait in this constantly moving world. The LG Gram 15Z980-A.AAS7U1 laptop, available for $1399.99, comes out top in this race. It achieves an unparalleled battery life of 16.5 hours.

The longevity is only one of the significant wins of this 15.6” ultrabook. With a weight of only 2.41 lbs and military-grade durability, it is also an immensely portable device to assist you with multitasking endeavors. Let’s dig deeper and assess the various facets of this addition to the LG dynasty.

Performance That Goes On

To come back to that jaw-dropping life, here’s how the LG Gram Z980 succeeds in delivering topnotch yet undying support. It is fueled by an eighth-generation Intel Core i7 processor running at 1.80GHz. You can Turbo boost this to 4.00GHz. The RAM is 8GB (DDR4 at 2400MHz) while the storage available is 256GB (SSD). This processing configuration is well-suited to multitasking, whether at home or in the office.

The computer runs Windows 10, an operating system that helps in giving you a smooth, speedy response with improved productivity. The outlook is perfect for most day-to-day operations, from taking notes in class and attending meetings to editing detailed multimedia content.

In fact, the laptop is evidently invested in supporting the labors of love: it allows you access to more than 10,000 classes of Skillshare through a free trial of two months. If skill-building is one of your interests, then Skillshare—an online learning community—is probably familiar to you. The courses are varied, ranging from technology to the creative arts. It’s quite a wonderful experience to hone your skills and perhaps turn a passion into a career, using your computer as an ally.

The Lithium-Ion battery (72Wh, four-cell) is, of course, the star of the show. It is certified by MobileMark 2014—an industry-wide standard trademarked by the Business Applications Performance Corporation—to deliver brilliant power efficiency. The juice lasts for as long as 16.5 hours, although the exact battery life you achieve might vary with the configuration you choose for your laptop, the applications you use, and the power management settings in operation.

Wanderlust in its Veins

At the heart of the LG Gram 15Z980-A.AAS7U1 is its love for travel, for being on-the-run without ever being a burden. The dark silver laptop is sturdily constructed with a carbon and magnesium alloy and has been tested against as many as seven industry-standard tests for durability (MIL-STD 810G). Sample some of the tests: operating temperatures between 32 and 49 degrees Celsius, dust storms or winds blowing at 8.9 ms, vibrations up to a frequency of 500 Hz. Now that’s some severe drilling!

But here’s the best part: with the immense strength comes a tremendous lightness of being. Even though the shell is strong and adapted to the strains of traveling, it remains light and portable. Weighing 2.41 lbs and measuring 14.1 x 9.0 x 0.7″, the new LG Gram is a breeze to carry wherever you go. It can, in fact, indeed be carried with only two fingers—exactly as the makers claim. Although, of course, it might be better to invest in a carrying case if you’re particularly clumsy. The product is, happily, under warrantee for one year.

Display, Graphics & Sound

The LG Gram 15Z980-A.AAS7U1 laptop supports Intel UHD Graphics 620. This is a touchscreen laptop with a full High-Definition display and an expansive color gamut. Both the color rendering and the picture accuracy on this laptop are satisfactory. The images are realistic and vivid, adding new meaning to your photographs and videos. The LCD screen supports a resolution of 1920 x 1080.

Interestingly, the inventiveness of the construction helps improve the display experience of this laptop too. The screen is 15.6”, but because it fits into a compact body, you don’t have to make the difficult tradeoff between mobility and screen size.

Note that the sound system comes with two stereo speakers (1.5W) to playback your audio content. When you use the inbuilt webcam to stay in touch with those who matter, the experience is unique. Since the webcam is strategically placed on the top bezel, things feel more comfortable. Plus, the DTS Headphone:X helps you get richer, surround sound (11.1-channel).

Accessibility & Connectivity

To access this computer, you can use the touchscreen—very responsive—or the completely backlit keyboard. The touchpad is sensitive enough to register multi-finger gestures (up to four fingers), while the keyboard makes it easy to work in poor lighting. Particularly noteworthy is the fingerprint reader—it lets you unlock your laptop with only one button. This is a perfectly intuitive feature for the hurried, always-on-the-run world with no time to key in a password!

The device support on the LG Gram Z980 is competent: one USB 3.0 port (Type-C), three USB 3.0 ports, an SD card reader and an HDMI. The Type-C port makes it a cakewalk to transfer data at stunning speeds. It also lets you connect to higher resolution displays like 4k or 5k, say when you want to watch a movie or deliver a presentation. There’s also compliance with RJ45 Ethernet.

In terms of wireless connectivity, the laptop has support for 802.11 A/C WiFi (2X2) and Bluetooth 4.1.

The Final Word

At first sight, the LG Gram 15Z980-A.AAS7U1 laptop floors you with its 16-hour-and-more battery life. It then delights you by being wonderfully light, stylish and nimble.

Buy From Amazon

But it is only when you use it on a daily basis that its processing prowess, commitment to superior graphics, and ample connectivity also become apparent. This is a neat, powerful laptop with a stupendous potential to partner with you on campus, office or your travels.