What Happened
LG has unveiled what it claims to be the world's lightest 17-inch laptop equipped with NVIDIA RTX graphics at CES 2025. According to The Verge, the new LG Gram Pro 17 represents a significant engineering achievement in portable computing.
This lightest RTX laptop combines powerful graphics capabilities with exceptional portability. The announcement comes as laptop manufacturers increasingly focus on delivering premium performance without sacrificing mobility.
The LG Gram Pro 17 is part of LG's 2026 laptop lineup, which also includes a 16-inch variant. Both models are designed to appeal to creative professionals, content creators, and users who need high-performance computing on the go.
The announcement positions LG as a serious competitor in the premium ultraportable laptop market, traditionally dominated by brands like Dell, HP, and Lenovo.
Key Technical Specifications
While LG has branded the Gram Pro 17 as the "world's lightest 17-inch RTX laptop," the company has not yet disclosed the exact weight specifications. However, LG's Gram series has historically been known for its remarkably lightweight designs, with previous 17-inch models weighing under 3 pounds (approximately 1.35 kg).
The inclusion of NVIDIA RTX graphics—which typically adds considerable weight due to cooling requirements—makes this achievement particularly noteworthy for a lightweight gaming laptop.
The laptop features a 17-inch display, though detailed specifications regarding resolution, refresh rate, and panel technology have not been fully revealed. Given the RTX designation, the device is expected to include one of NVIDIA's latest mobile GPUs, likely from the RTX 40-series or potentially the upcoming 50-series lineup.
This would enable capabilities such as ray tracing, AI-accelerated tasks, and demanding creative workloads.
The 2026 model year designation suggests the LG Gram 2026 will feature the latest generation of Intel or AMD processors, potentially Intel's upcoming Lunar Lake or Arrow Lake architectures, or AMD's Zen 5-based mobile processors.
These next-generation chips promise improved performance per watt, which is crucial for maintaining battery life in such a lightweight chassis.
Engineering Challenges and Innovation
Creating the world's lightest 17-inch RTX laptop presents significant engineering challenges. NVIDIA RTX graphics cards generate substantial heat and typically require robust cooling solutions, which add weight.
LG has likely employed advanced materials such as magnesium alloys or carbon fiber composites to reduce chassis weight while maintaining structural integrity.
Thermal management is another critical consideration. Lightweight laptops often struggle with heat dissipation, which can lead to thermal throttling and reduced performance.
LG's engineering team has presumably developed innovative cooling solutions—possibly including vapor chamber technology, advanced heat pipes, or optimized fan designs—to manage the thermal output of both the CPU and discrete GPU.
Battery life represents another balancing act. A 17-inch display and RTX graphics are power-hungry components, yet users expect all-day battery life from premium ultraportables.
LG may have incorporated larger battery cells while using weight-saving measures elsewhere, or optimized power management through software and hardware coordination.
Market Context and Competition
The ultraportable laptop market has seen intense competition in recent years, with manufacturers racing to deliver thinner, lighter devices without compromising performance.
Apple's MacBook Pro line has set high standards for performance-per-pound, while Windows PC makers have responded with increasingly sophisticated designs.
LG's Gram series has carved out a niche by prioritizing weight reduction above all else. Previous Gram models have consistently been among the lightest in their respective size categories, though sometimes at the expense of build quality or performance compared to heavier competitors.
The addition of RTX graphics suggests LG is addressing the performance gap while maintaining its weight advantage.
Competitors in the 17-inch premium laptop space include Dell's XPS 17, HP's Envy 17, and various gaming-oriented models from ASUS, MSI, and Razer.
However, most 17-inch laptops with discrete graphics weigh between 4.5 to 6 pounds (2-2.7 kg), making LG's achievement significant if it can deliver meaningfully lower weight without sacrificing durability or performance.
Target Audience and Use Cases
The LG Gram Pro 17 appears designed for several key user segments. Creative professionals—including video editors, 3D artists, and photographers—will appreciate the large screen real estate combined with RTX-accelerated applications.
Software like Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Blender can leverage RTX GPUs for significantly faster rendering and real-time effects.
Business users who frequently travel but need powerful computing capabilities represent another target market. The combination of a large display for productivity and lightweight design for portability addresses a common pain point for road warriors.
These professionals typically must choose between power and portability.
Content creators and streamers could also benefit from the RTX graphics, which enable features like NVIDIA Broadcast for AI-powered background removal and noise cancellation.
The lightest RTX laptop also provides hardware-accelerated encoding for video streaming and recording.
Pricing and Availability
LG has not yet announced pricing or specific availability dates for the Gram Pro 17 and 16 models. Based on previous Gram Pro pricing and the addition of RTX graphics, industry observers expect the 17-inch model to start around $1,800-$2,200.
Higher-end configurations potentially could exceed $2,500.
The "2026" model year designation suggests these laptops will likely become available in late 2025 or early 2026. This timing would align with typical laptop refresh cycles and the availability of next-generation processors and graphics cards.
Pre-orders may open following CES 2025, with retail availability in the spring or summer of 2025.
Industry Implications
LG's announcement signals a broader trend in the laptop industry: the convergence of ultraportability and high performance. For years, users had to choose between lightweight ultrabooks with integrated graphics or heavier machines with discrete GPUs.
Advances in processor efficiency, GPU architecture, and materials science are increasingly eliminating this tradeoff.
The success of the Gram Pro 17 could pressure competitors to prioritize weight reduction in their own high-performance laptops. If LG can deliver on its "world's lightest" claim while maintaining competitive performance and pricing, other manufacturers may need to respond with their own lightweight gaming laptop offerings.
This development also highlights the importance of NVIDIA's mobile GPU roadmap. Each generation of RTX mobile GPUs has improved performance-per-watt, enabling thinner and lighter laptop designs.
As NVIDIA continues to advance its GPU architecture, we can expect even more powerful ultraportable laptops in the coming years.
FAQ
How much does the LG Gram Pro 17 weigh?
LG has not yet disclosed the exact weight specifications for the Gram Pro 17. However, given LG's track record with the Gram series and the "world's lightest 17-inch RTX laptop" claim, it is expected to weigh significantly less than the typical 4.5-6 pounds of competing 17-inch laptops with discrete graphics. Previous 17-inch Gram models have weighed under 3 pounds.
What RTX graphics card does it include?
The specific RTX GPU model has not been confirmed. Given the 2026 model year designation, it will likely feature one of NVIDIA's latest mobile GPUs, potentially from the RTX 40-series or the upcoming RTX 50-series lineup. The exact configuration may vary depending on the specific model and price point.
When will the LG Gram Pro 17 be available for purchase?
LG has not announced specific availability dates. Based on the 2026 model year designation and typical product launch timelines following CES announcements, the laptop is expected to become available in late 2025 or early 2026. Pre-orders may open in the months following CES 2025.
How much will the LG Gram Pro 17 cost?
Official pricing has not been announced. Based on previous LG Gram Pro pricing and the addition of RTX graphics, industry estimates suggest a starting price around $1,800-$2,200, with higher-end configurations potentially exceeding $2,500. Final pricing will depend on the specific processor, GPU, RAM, and storage configurations offered.
What size options are available?
LG announced both 17-inch and 16-inch variants of the Gram Pro. Both models are expected to feature similar lightweight designs and RTX graphics capabilities, with the primary difference being screen size and overall dimensions. Specific weight differences between the two models have not been disclosed.
Information Currency: This article contains information current as of January 2025, based on LG's CES 2025 announcement. Specifications, pricing, and availability details are subject to change. For the latest updates and confirmed specifications, please refer to the official sources linked in the References section below.
References
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