The LG gram-14Z950 ($1,399.99 as tested) is a 14-inchultraportable laptopwith a sleek design and a high-quality display. But that's where most of the positives end, as poor build quality and average performance make this system a disappointment, particularly at this price. The latestApple MacBook Pro 13-inch, our Editors' Choice high-end ultraportable, offers a superior screen, better performance, and a sturdier case, and does so at a list price that's $100 less.
Design and Features
With a lightweight design, the gram-14Z950 measures 0.5 by 12.8 by 8.9 inches (HWD) and weighs just 2.08 pounds. Its metal exterior comprises carbon magnesium on the lid and lithium magnesium on the base. These materials should feel premium, but instead feel somewhat cheap. The bottom of the system feels like flimsy plastic, which I immediately noticed when I first picked up the laptop. It flexes when you apply standard pressure. LG used these materials in an effort to make the system as light as possible, and while it succeeds in that regard, the end result feels like too much of a compromise. TheLenovo LaVie Z HZ550( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window)is also made to be ultralight (it weighs just 1.87 pounds), and while it does exhibit some flex, the case feels more substantial.
The area surrounding the keyboard and the lid seem a little sturdier, but there's still noticeable flex on both when you push down. The Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch is a bit thicker and heavier at 0.71 by 12.35 by 8.62 inches (HWD) and 3.41 pounds, but feels much more like a solid system with its aluminum body. TheAcer Aspire S7-393-7451( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window)(2.87 pounds) and theToshiba Satellite Radius 12 P25W-C2300-4K(2.9 pounds) are other ultraportable systems with sturdier cases.
A gorgeous 14-inch In-Plane Switching (IPS) display is the gram-14Z950's standout feature. It looks sharper than its 1,920-by-1,080 resolution. The viewing angles are wide, and the bezel is very narrow, which makes the screen look bigger. Other premium systems tend to offer higher-resolution screens, such as the Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (2,560 by 1,600), theLenovo Yoga 3 Pro($949.99 at Lenovo)(Opens in a new window)(3,200 by 1,800), theDell XPS 13 Touch($749.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window)(3,200 by 1,800), and theMicrosoft Surface Book($495.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window)(3,000 by 2,000), but the display quality here is so good that the difference only becomes visible when you compare systems side by side.
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Dell XPS 13 Touch (2016)
Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro
HP Stream 13 (13-c020nr)
HP Spectre x360 13t (13-4003)
Apple MacBook Pro 13-Inch, Retina Display (2015)
Dell Latitude 14 5000 Series (E5450)
Lenovo LaVie Z HZ550
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 12
There's no backlighting on the keyboard, unlike just about every other high-end ultraportable (and some less-expensive systems), including the Toshiba Satellite Radius 12 and the Acer S7-393-7451. The keys feel comfortable and sturdy, though the key travel feels a bit short. The touchpad is responsive and tracks smoothly.
The 256GB solid-state drive (SSD) helps with quick boot times. That's the same amount of storage as in the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro and the Dell XPS 13 Touch, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch only has 128GB of flash storage. The system features a USB 3.0 port and an HDMI port on its left, alongside the DC-in port. On the right side are another USB 3.0 port, a microSD card slot, a headphone jack, a micro USB port, and a Kensington lock slot. The laptop includes a front-facing HD webcam. For wireless connectivity, there are Bluetooth 4.0 and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi. The DTS-branded speakers get moderately loud and retain decent quality at full volume. LG provides a one-year warranty on the system.
Performance
The gram-14Z950 has a speedy 2.4GHz Intel Core i7-5500U processor with integrated Intel HD Graphics 5500, as well as 8GB of memory. It performed well on the PCMark 8 Work Conventional test as a result, scoring 2,800 points, which is much higher than the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro's 2,094 points and slightly behind the Dell XPS 13 Touch's 2,987 points. Its 3DMark Cloud Gate test score is also solid at 4,300 points, which easily beats the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro (2,977) and the Acer S7-392-5410 (3,960), but fell short of the Lenovo Z HZ550 (5,232).
Not geared toward 3D gamers, the gram-14Z950 returned just 12 frames per second (fps) and 14fps on the Heaven and Valley tests, respectively, at Medium-quality settings. These results are similar to the other premium ultraportables, which all include integrated graphics. The Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch, for instance, scored the highest at just 19fps and 20fps.
The system was a good, but not great, performer on our multimedia tests, posting a time of 3 minutes 14 seconds on the Handbrake test and 4:48 on the Photoshop test. The Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch completed the tests at a faster 2:38 on Handbrake and 4:17 on Photoshop, while the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro was slower at 5:55 and 6:55, respectively. The gram-14Z950's Cinebench score was middle of the road at 245; the Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch scored 311, and the Lenovo Yoga Pro 3 received just 147.
Battery life is average. The laptop lasted 7 hours 17 minutes on our rundown test. The Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch beat it handily (11:10), but most systems are closer to the 7- or 8-hour mark, like the Dell XPS 13 Touch (7:40) and the Acer S7-392-5410 (8:22).
Conclusion
The LG gram-14Z950 has a a lightweight, sleek-looking design with a high-quality display. Performance overall, though, is underwhelming, at about, or slightly above average in most tests. Unfortunately, the most glaring issue—the obvious flex you feel on just about every part of the case—makes for a laptop that's fashioned of premium, metal material that feels flimsy. Our Editors' Choice for high-end ultraportables remains the Apple MacBook Pro, which boasts a much-higher-quality build and generally outperforms the LG gram-14Z950, all for $100 less. If you prefer to stick with Windows, the Dell XPS 13 Touch is an excellent ultraportable alternative, while the Acer Aspire S7-393-7451 is a slim, lightweight option for the same price as the MacBook Pro.
The LG gram-14Z950 sports a gorgeous display and a sleek, light design, but flimsy build quality in this high-end ultraportable laptop is disappointing, and overall performance and battery life are moderate at best.
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