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Updated January 10, 2024·
Considering a MacBook Air 15 (2023) vs. an LG Gram 17, it's important to consider the specific needs and preferences you have. The MacBook Air is smaller, lighter, and offers silent operation due to its fanless design, making it excellent for portability and uninterrupted work environments. Additionally, it has a strong battery life and a high-quality screen, but it has less storage and RAM than the LG Gram 17. On the other hand, the LG Gram 17 features a larger screen, more storage, superior RAM, and is also remarkably lightweight for its size. With a longer battery life, more ports, and an included number pad, the LG Gram 17 is suitable for heavier multitasking and data-intensive work. The LG Gram runs Windows, which might be preferred for certain software compatibility, whereas the MacBook runs MacOS, known for its smooth user experience and robust ecosystem. If maximized portability, silent operation, and Mac ecosystem are high priorities, go for the MacBook Air; if you value larger screen estate, higher storage and RAM, and prefer Windows for compatibility reasons, the LG Gram 17 can be the better choice. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the LG Gram 17
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
Key differences
General Use
7.9
8.5
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
353.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The LG Gram 17 is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The LG Gram 17 offers a larger screen and significantly more RAM which can be preferable for multitasking and handling heavier workloads, though its larger size and heavier weight reduce its portability compared to the MacBook Air 15, which boasts higher screen quality and better portability but with less RAM and a smaller screen, making it suitable for those prioritizing on-the-go usage and vibrancy of display.
Screen Quality
7.8
7.4
15.3in
SIZE
17.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
353.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the LG Gram 17 for general use, AI, and engineering and design, while the LG Gram 17 has a better screen for software development.
The Apple MacBook Air, with its sharp resolution and high brightness, offers a pleasant visual experience for general tasks and detailed design work, providing vivid colors though its coverage of professional color gamuts like DCI-P3. The LG Gram 17, with similar traits in resolution and brightness, delivers quality visuals for everyday use and is suitable for design tasks, but both laptops lack the high refresh rates critical for smooth 3D and gaming experiences. Despite the MacBook Air and LG Gram having quality panels, their lower refresh rates compared to specialized gaming laptops make them less optimal for high-frame-rate requirements of 3D applications.
Battery
15.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The LG Gram 17 has 11 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Good
15.3in
SIZE
17.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the LG Gram 17 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.0
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the LG Gram 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$1,699
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the LG Gram 17 costs $1,699.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.5
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The LG Gram 17 and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.6
8.0
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers LG Gram 17 to be very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.0
8.4
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The LG Gram 17 and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both very good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
8.1
8.2
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The LG Gram 17 and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both very good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the LG Gram 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) | LG Gram 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,299 | $1,699 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | 14.9'' x 10.2'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | 2.98 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.4" | 14.91" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 10.19" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | Intel i7-1260P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 11 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 66.6 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.3" | 17" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1864 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 501 nits | 353 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 4 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2023
"The Apple MacBook Air 15 is boringly good. The new MacBook Air 15 is a very good, but also boring device, because apart from the larger screen and the higher price, there are no differences compared to the smaller MacBook Air M2 from last year. No new processor, no additional ports, just the usual basic hardware - but the overall package is extremely good and it simply works. Above all, the lack of fans is an aspect that should not be underestimated in everyday use. In our opinion, the Air could be a lot better, but Apple goes easy on itself here."
LG Gram 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | August 2022
"The LG Gram 17 is a light office laptop with a large display and great battery life. The newest incarnation of the Gram 17 can be classified as a model update. LG uses the predecessor's compact, light magnesium case along with an identical port configuration (including 2x Thunderbolt 4) and keyboard. Changes can be found in the hardware. With the Gram 17 (2022), LG offers a light (approx. 1,350 g), mobile work device - and finally with a matte display."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the LG Gram 17
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
About LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, and are often on sale.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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