If you're looking for high portability with a lighter weight and long battery life, the LG Ultra 16 is a superior choice and it also offers a newer processor for enhanced overall performance. However, the Gateway 15.6" has a sturdy build and is a bit less expensive, making it a practical option for everyday use despite being heavier and having a shorter battery life. Neither laptop is designed for intensive gaming, though the LG might handle light gaming slightly better thanks to its newer integrated graphics. Both are suitable for general use and can handle tasks like office work, browsing, and media consumption. If engineering applications are a consideration, the LG's newer CPU may offer an edge in performance. 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 Gateway 15.6"
The Gateway 15.6" has no clear advantages over the LG Ultra 16.
Advantages of the LG Ultra 16
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Excellent battery life
Good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.0/10
7.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
270.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
17.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The LG Ultra 16 and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use, though the LG Ultra 16 is somewhat better.
The Gateway 15.6" offers a solid processor, ample RAM, and a quality IPS display, making it a reliable choice for everyday tasks, although its portability and battery life may be limited due to its heavier weight and lack of available battery information. On the other hand, the LG Ultra 16 also features a strong processor, sufficient RAM, higher screen resolution, and is lauded for its lightweight design and extended battery life, enhancing its portability, while also providing a quieter, fanless operation.
Engineering and Design
6.2/10
7.0/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The LG Ultra 16 is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
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
7.0/10
7.7/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The LG Ultra 16 and Gateway 15.6" are both good for content creation, though the LG Ultra 16 is somewhat better.
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
6.7/10
7.5/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The LG Ultra 16 is good for software development, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
6.1/10
6.2/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
270.0 nits
The LG Ultra 16 has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Gateway 15.6" and the LG Ultra 16 have screen qualities that meet the basic requirements in terms of resolution and brightness, but they may not stand out due to their panel types, which could lead to less vivid colors and narrower viewing angles. In engineering and design, professionals need accurate color reproduction to ensure their work is precise; these laptops have fair screen quality as they offer decent color ranges but might lack full coverage of professional color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB. Lastly, for gaming and 3D applications, high refresh rates are crucial for smooth visuals, and while both laptops can handle basic tasks, their lower refresh rates make them less suitable for these more demanding and visually intensive activities.
Battery
8.0 Hours
17.0 Hours
The Gateway 15.6" has 8 hours of battery life. The LG Ultra 16 has 17 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
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The LG Ultra 16 and Gateway 15.6" both have good portability, though the LG Ultra 16 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
6.5/10
The LG Ultra 16 has only fair build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$380
$1,000
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Gateway 15.6" has a price of $380 and the LG Ultra 16 costs $1,000.
The LG Ultra 16 and Gateway 15.6" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Gateway 15.6" and LG Ultra 16" are both fair for gaming and 3D applications because of their integrated GPUs which offer moderate performance compared to dedicated gaming GPUs, and both have a standard 60Hz refresh rate which is lower than higher-end gaming laptops that often offer smoother visuals with faster refresh rates. While the Gateway features an Intel i5-1135G7 with an Iris Xe GPU and a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gateway 15.6" and the LG Ultra 16 compare to other laptops
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
"Unlike the gram, the Ultra PC isn't designed to be as lightweight as possible. The 16-inch laptop is a whole 400 g (0.88 lb) heavier than its 16-inch gram counterpart partly because its chassis is not made of magnesium. Other than that, the Ultra PC seems like a copy of the gram – but with longer battery life, lower noise levels, and a clean, delicate look."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 15.6" or the LG Ultra 16
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
98,595
Recommendations made
21,363
Consumer hours saved
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
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
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.