XDA developers: Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro vs LG gram: What’s the best ultralight laptop?

Samsung’s Galaxy Book 2 Pro series is looking to be one of the best lightweight laptops of 2022. Much like its predecessor, the Galaxy Book 2 Pro is all about being thin and light, but Samsung isn’t the first to lean on this design trait. LG’s gram lineup is also very focused on having a very lightweight chassis, and LG has been doing it for longer. Can the Galaxy Book 2 Pro steal the LG gram’s thunder? Let’s compare them and find out.

To be fair, LG has yet to refresh its gram lineup with Intel’s 12th-generation processors, so Samsung has a major advantage right off the bat. Still, we’ll be comparing the Galaxy Book 2 Pro to the 2021 LG gram lineup, because there are some other differences that are worth keeping in mind. Let’s take a look.

Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro vs LG gram: Specs

	Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro	LG gram
CPU	12th-gen 28W Intel Core i5-1240P (12 cores, 16 threads, up to 4.4GHz, 12MB cache) 12th-gen 28W Intel Core i7-1260P (12 cores, 16 threads, up to 4.7GHz, 18MB cache)	Up to 11th-gen 15W Intel Core i7-1195G7 (4-core, 8-thread, up to 5GHz, 12MB cache)
Graphics	13.3-inch: Intel Iris Xe (integrated) 15.6-inch: Intel Iris Xe (integrated) Optional: Intel Arc (discrete)	Intel Iris Xe graphics
Storage	Up to 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD	256 GB SSD 512GB SSD 1TB SSD 2TB SSD
RAM	8GB LPDDR5 16GB LPDDR5 32GB LPDDR5	8GB LPDDR4 16GB LPDDR4 32GB LPDDR4
Display	13.3-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) Super AMOLED, 16:9, 120% DCI-P3, 500 nits (for HDR) 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) Super AMOLED, 16:9, 120% DCI-P3, 500 nits (for HDR)	LG gram 14 14-inch Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS, 16:10, 99% DCI-P3 LG gram 16 16-inch Quad HD+ (2560 x 1600) IPS, 16:10, 99% DCI-P3 LG gram 17 17-inch Quad HD+ (2560 x 1600) IPS, 16:10, 99% DCI-P3
Battery	13.3-inch 63Wh battery 15.6-inch 68Wh battery	LG gram 14 4-cell, 72Wh battery LG gram 16 and 17 2-cell, 80Wh battery
Ports	1 x Thunderbolt 4 / USB Type-C 1 x USB Type-C 1x USB Type-A (USB 3.2) 3.5mm headphone jack microSD card reader 1 x HDMI (15.6-inch model)	2 x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 x 1 (Type-A) HDMI microSD/UFS card reader 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack
Audio	13.3-inch Dual stereo AKG speakers (4W total) Dolby Atmos 15.6-inch Dual stereo AKG speakers (5W total) Dolby Atmos	Stereo speakers (2 x 1.5W) DTS X Ultra
Webcam	1080p Full HD webcam	720p HD webcam
Windows Hello	Fingerprint reader (in power button)	Fingerprint reader
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth 5.2	Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX201 (2 x 2) Bluetooth 5.1
Color	Silver Graphite	Silver Black White
Size (WxDxH)	13.3-inch 304.4 x 199.8 x 11.2 mm (11.98 x 7.87 x 0.44 in) 15.6-inch Integrated graphics: 355.4 x 225.8 x 11.7 mm (13.99 x 8.89 x 0.46 in) Discrete graphics: 355.4 x 225.8 x 13.2 mm (13.99 x 8.89 x 0.52 in)	LG gram 14 313.4 x 215.2 x 16.8 mm (12.34 x 8.47 x 0.66 in) LG gram 16 355.9 x 243.4 x 16.8 mm (14.01 x 9.58 x 0.66 in) LG gram 17 380.2 x 260.1 x 17.8 mm (14.97 x 10.24 x 0.7 in)
Starting weight	13.3-inch 0.87kg (1.92 lbs) 15.6-inch Integrated graphics: 1.11kg (2.45 lbs) Discrete graphics: 1.17kg (2.58 lbs)	LG gram 14 0.99 kg (2.18 lbs) LG gram 16 1.19 kg (2.62 lbs) LG gram 17 1.35 kg (2.98 lbs)
Price	Starting at $1,049.99	Starting at $1,199

Performance: Intel’s 12th-generation processors make a big difference

Samsung’s Galaxy Book 2 Pro is one of the first laptops to come with Intel’s new Alder Lake processors, and they have some big advantages over their predecessors. These new CPUs have a hybrid architecture, featuring a mix of performance cores and efficient cores, and a much higher core count overall. Plus, Samsung is using P-series processors with a 28W TDP, compared to the 15W rating of the U-series processors in the LG gram.

Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro

As you can probably expect, this means there’s a big performance upgrade with the Galaxy Book 2 Pro. Let’s take a look at how these processors compare against each other in Geekbench 5:

	Intel Core i5-1135G7 (average)	Intel Core i5-1240P (see test)	Intel Core i7-1195G7 (average)	Intel Core i7-1260P (see test)
Geekbench 5 score	1,244 / 4,192	1,490 / 6,548	1,450 / 4,861	1,500 / 9,896

Keep in mind that Geekbench doesn’t have an average score for 12th-generation processors yet, so these are results from a single test and they may be skewed one way or another. Still, this should give you an idea of what to expect from these new CPUs, and it’s a big improvement. You can see that the increased number of cores is clearly reflected in multi-core performance.

As far as graphics go, the integrated Intel Iris Xe will perform about the same between 11th- and 12th-generation processors. The Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro does have an advantage thanks to the optional Intel Arc discrete graphics option, though. It’s only available in the 15-inch model, but if you want the extra power for some light gaming, Samsung gives you the option.

The Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro supports the new, faster LPDDR5 RAM.

Along with 12th-gen Intel processors, you get other benefits like supports for the new LPDDR5 RAM, yet another advantage for the Galaxy Book 2 Pro. This is all to be expected, though, simply because Samsung’s laptop is much newer and LG hasn’t refreshed the gram lineup with this year’s processors yet.

Display: The Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro has AMOLED

Arguably one of the best things about the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro is its display, and that’s because it gives you an AMOLED panel as a standard configuration. That’s a rarity in laptops, but what makes it more interesting is that it’s a Full HD (1920 x 1080) display. Typically, some premium laptops will give you the option for an OLED display, but it’s a very premium configuration, like 4K resolution. That means you have to pay a lot more, plus you’re going to take a hit in battery life if you want the perks of an OLED screen.

Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro

With the Galaxy Book 2 Pro, you can get those true blacks and vivid colors without paying an obscene amount of money. On the flip side, Full HD is the only option you get, so if you want a sharper display, you’re out of luck. Plus, this is a 16:9 aspect ratio, whereas many premium laptops have shifted to 16:10 or 3:2.

Meanwhile, the LG gram still uses an IPS panel, but it has some perks of its own. First off, all three models have a 16:10 aspect ratio. This taller format means you get more vertical space and more surface area, so if you’re reading a document, you can see more of the text without scrolling. Or, if you’re editing a video, you can see more tracks on your timeline. It’s a big productivity boost.

LG gram 17

LG has another advantage in resolution. The gram 14 has a Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) display, but both the gram 16 and gram 17 have a sharp Quad HD+ (2560 x 1600) panel that looks much nicer with a large display like that. Plus, the increased pixel density can also help you get more space on the screen by shrinking the size of UI elements in Windows. Overall, this is just a better display to get work done, while Samsung’s is better for media consumption.

The Galaxy Book 2 Pro has a Full HD webcam.

Samsung does have a clear advantage when it comes to the camera, though. The Galaxy Book 2 Pro comes with an upgraded 1080p webcam, as opposed to the 720p camera on the LG gram. This upgraded camera also includes auto-framing and Samsung’s Studio Mode for with some extra features you can’t get on the LG gram.

For audio, both laptops have a dual-speaker stereo setup, though you should be able to get more power from the Galaxy Book 2 Pro.

Design: Two extremely lightweight laptops

Regardless of what model you choose between these two, one thing is for sure: You’re getting a laptop that’s easy to carry wherever you go. The Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro does win this race, though, partly thanks to its smaller 13-inch model. At just 1.92lbs, it’s slightly below the 2.18 lbs of the gram 14. The story is similar in the next size up, with the 15-inch Galaxy Book 2 Pro weighing 2.45lbs or 2.58lbs (depending on whether you get a discrete GPU), edging out the LG gram 16’s 2.62lbs. It’s a small difference, though, and they’re all extremely light for their size.

Samsung has a clearer victory in terms of thinness, with the Galaxy Book 2 Pro measuring just 11.2mm on the 13-inch model, 11.7mm on the 15-inch model, or 13.2mm if you choose to get the discrete Intel Arc GPU. Comparatively, the LG gram 14 and 16 are 16.8mm thick.

As for looks, the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro is available in two color options: Silver and Graphite. Out of these, silver is a bit more interesting because while it’s silver on the outside, the inside is white, and the keyboard keys are color matched. The Graphite option is black inside and out, so it looks sleek and subdued.

All three colors of the LG gram lineup

Meanwhile, the LG gram comes in three color options: Silver, Black, or White. Not every color is available for every configuration, though, so it’s not easy to get a specific one. The white and black models have color-matched keyboards, but the silver model also has black keys, so it looks a little less interesting. Either way, both laptops look classy and sleek, if not overly interesting.

Ports: You get more with the LG gram

Finally, we come to the ports, and here LG makes up for its slightly thicker chassis by providing more options for connecting. All three models of the LG gram have the same ports: two Thunderbolt 4, two USB Type-A, HDMI, a headphone jack, and a microSD card reader. That’s a very solid setup, and it’s especially impressive if you’re getting the LG gram 14. Most laptops of that size don’t have that many ports.

Left and right views of the LG gram 14 showing off all the ports on the laptop

Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro has one Thunderbolt 4 port, one standard USB Type-C ports, one USB Type-A, a headphone jack, and a microSD card slot. You can also get HDMI, but only on the 15-inch model. You miss out on one extra USB Type-A port and HDMI, and that’s likely because of this super-thin design. Plus, Samsung only has Thunderbolt 4 in one of the USB Type-C ports for whatever reason. Either way, you can always expand the ports on either laptop with a Thunderbolt dock.

The Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro has a 5G-enabled model, but only in some markets.

In terms of wireless standards, the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, giving it an edge over the LG gram and its Wi-Fi 6 support. Plus, if you want to stay connected on the move, the Galaxy Book 2 Pro will have a 5g-enabled model in some markets (but not the US, at least for now).

Final thoughts

It should be obvious that if you want more performance, the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro is the way to go between these two. It’s just a newer laptop, so that’s exactly what you’d expect. What you might not expect is that it gets that much more performance while being significantly thinner and lighter than the LG gram. Plus, if you’re a fan of AMOLED displays, the Samsung laptop is the only one that offers it, and at a reasonable price.

On the flip side, the LG gram does have a taller display that’s better for productivity, and if you want one of the larger models, you’ll get a higher resolution panel, too. On top of that, you get more ports to connect peripherals without needing adapters or docks.

If you do prefer the LG gram, though, we would suggest waiting for LG to announce new models, which will almost certainly have Intel’s new processors. It may not make a ton of sense to buy a premium laptop with 11th-gen processors when 12th-gen models are starting to roll out.

Regardless, if you want to buy either of these, you can use the links below to do do so. Otherwise, you can check out our list of the best Samsung laptops you can buy right now, or maybe the best laptops overall if you don’t want a specific brand.