If you prioritize a lightweight and larger screen for productivity and travel, the LG Gram 16 is excellent with its large display and exceptional portability. However, if you seek higher processing power for tasks like video editing or more demanding software, and you are already invested in the Apple ecosystem, the MacBook Pro 13 (2020) will provide better integration with other Apple devices and services. Keep in mind that the MacBook Pro's build quality and its high-resolution Retina display are significant benefits, but this comes at the cost of being heavier and typically more expensive than the LG Gram 16. 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 Pro 13 (2020)
Best in class overall build quality
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the LG Gram 16
The LG Gram 16 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020).
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.6/10
7.3/10
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the LG Gram 16 for general use, AI, and engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13's screen boasts high resolution and brightness, along with excellent color accuracy that covers a wide spectrum, making it ideal for engineering and design tasks that require precise color representation. The LG Gram 16 offers a similar level of brightness and resolution, which is suitable for general use and professional work where detailed visuals and color accuracy are key. However, neither model is equipped with a high refresh rate display, which is crucial for smooth visuals in 3D applications and gaming, making them less suitable for those specific activities.
Battery
20.0 Hours
15.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The LG Gram 16 has 15 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the LG Gram 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$1,450
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the LG Gram 16 costs $1,450.
The LG Gram 16 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) with its Apple M1 processor and efficient battery life makes for a solid general-use laptop, offering strong performance and a high-quality display that's suitable for a variety of tasks, and it's quite portable with a silent operation which is great for use in any environment. Meanwhile, the LG Gram 16 offers more RAM which can be beneficial for multitasking, has a larger screen size and resolution while still maintaining good battery life and a lightweight design, making it also a strong contender for general-use, especially for those who prefer a larger display and Windows operating system.
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
6.4/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The LG Gram 16 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is limited for 3D and gaming due to its Apple M1 GPU, which is less capable than dedicated graphics cards, and the lack of game compatibility with MacOS. The LG Gram 16, although having a better Intel Iris Xe GPU and Windows OS, which supports more games, still offers only fair performance for 3D and gaming due to its integrated GPU and standard screen refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
7.5/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The LG Gram 16 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has the proprietary, powerful Apple M1 chip with integrated graphics suitable for engineering applications and a high-quality screen with better color accuracy and brightness making it great for design work, while the LG Gram 16 offers more RAM which benefits multitasking and complex tasks, and a larger screen size, which might be preferred for multi-window work and larger diagrams though it's slightly dimmer.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.8/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and LG Gram 16 are both 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
7.8/10
7.9/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The LG Gram 16 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and LG Gram 16 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the LG Gram 16 compare to other laptops
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
"The LG Gram 16 is a lightweight device with stability issues. The LG Gram 16Z90Q with a Core i7-1260P is made with portability in mind and places less of a focus on users with high demands on performance. The compact and light chassis is particularly practical when you are on the go. The device is not only comfortably small and lightweight, it also boasts a great battery life. When connected to mains, on the other hand, the 16-inch device is rather disappointing. The standard cooling mode causes extreme volatility in terms of CPU, SSD and iGPU performance. The meager stability of the chassis may also put off some potential buyers."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the LG Gram 16
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.
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
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.