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| LG Gram Book 15U55T laptop |
The LG Gram series has built a well-deserved reputation over the years for being the go-to choice for users who prioritize ultra-portability above all else. These laptops are famously lightweight, often featuring stunning displays and premium builds that make them a joy to carry around. So, when LG announced the "Gram Book" — a sub-series aimed at bringing that name to a more budget-friendly price point — it naturally piqued interest.
The result is the LG Gram Book 15U55T, a 15.6-inch laptop powered by Intel's new Arrow Lake-U processors. Available in configurations like the one found at Costco, which features an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD for around $800, it looks like a solid value proposition on paper. But as the old saying goes, if something seems too good to be truth, you should probably look closer at the fine print.
After spending time with the Gram Book 15, it’s clear that to hit that lower price, LG had to make some sacrifices. Unfortunately, they cut corners in places that fundamentally alter the Gram experience, resulting in a laptop that struggles to stand out in a fiercely competitive market.
The First and Most Glaring Compromise: The Display
Let's address the elephant in the room immediately: the display. In a world where even budget laptops are starting to offer vibrant OLED panels or at least high-refresh-rate IPS screens with full sRGB coverage, the screen on the Gram Book 15 feels like a relic.
The review from Notebookcheck highlights just how disappointing it is. The 15.6-inch, 1080p IPS panel (manufactured by LG Philips) manages to cover a meager 56.9% of the sRGB color gamut and only 37.9% of Display P3. For context, that’s less than half the color coverage you’d get on a decent smartphone. Colors look shallow and muted, and photos or videos lack any real vibrancy. The contrast ratio is equally poor at just 424:1, which means blacks appear as a washed-out dark gray rather than true black.
This isn't just a problem for creative professionals who need color accuracy. It impacts the everyday experience — from streaming your favorite show to simply browsing the web. The viewing experience feels flat and uninspired. It’s a shocking downgrade from the brilliant OLED panels found on other Gram laptops and even lags behind competitors like the Asus VivoBook S15 or Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5, which offer far superior screen technology for a similar price.
A Chassis That Feels Like a Step Back
Part of the magic of the LG Gram line is its incredible build quality, often using advanced magnesium alloys to achieve its featherlight weight. The Gram Book, however, swaps that for a more traditional approach: a full matte plastic chassis.
While this keeps the weight relatively manageable at 1.63 kg (3.59 lbs), it doesn't feel premium in the hand. The review notes that the surfaces are smooth and tend to attract grease and fingerprints easily, meaning you’ll be wiping it down often. There’s also some minor flexing and creaking when you apply pressure to the lid or keyboard deck. It’s not structurally unsound, but it lacks the solid, reassuring feel of a more expensive machine.
On a more positive note, the port selection is decent. You get a mix of USB-A and USB-C ports (including two 20Gbps USB-C ports), HDMI, and a headphone jack. However, a notable omission is official Thunderbolt support, and Wi-Fi is limited to the older Wi-Fi 6 standard, skipping the faster and more efficient Wi-Fi 6E and 7. This might not be a deal-breaker today, but it does make the system slightly less future-proof.
Input and Audio: Functional, Not Fantastic
The keyboard on the Gram Book 15 is a mixed bag. It includes a full number pad, which is great for number-crunching, but the overall typing experience is underwhelming. Key travel feels shallow, and the feedback is soft and mushy, especially on larger keys like the spacebar. If you’re a fan of the crisp, tactile feel of a Lenovo ThinkPad or even many Asus VivoBooks, you’ll likely find this keyboard disappointing. It also lacks a backlight, a surprising omission for a laptop in this price range in 2026.
The speakers are another area where corners were cut. The downward-firing stereo speakers produce a sound that is thin and lacks any real bass. They’ll suffice for system sounds and the occasional YouTube video, but for music or movies, you’ll definitely want to reach for a pair of headphones.
Where the Gram Book Redeems Itself (Slightly)
It’s not all bad news. The Gram Book 15 does have a few tricks up its sleeve that might appeal to specific users.
First is the performance and efficiency. The review unit was equipped with the Intel Core Ultra 7 255U processor, part of the new Arrow Lake-U family. This chip is designed for power efficiency, and it shows. The laptop runs very quietly, with the fan hardly ever spinning up, and it sips power, contributing to excellent battery life. For students or workers who need a machine that can last through a full day of classes or meetings on a single charge, this is a significant advantage.
Second, and perhaps most importantly for long-term value, is the upgradeability. In an era where most laptops have soldered RAM and storage, the Gram Book 15 is a breath of fresh air. The bottom panel comes off easily (after removing nine Phillips-head screws), giving you access to two M.2 2280 slots for PCIe Gen4 SSDs and replaceable RAM modules. The unit tested by Notebookcheck came with a single 16GB DDR5 stick, meaning it’s operating in slower single-channel mode, but you could theoretically add a second stick yourself for a performance boost. This makes the laptop a viable option for users who want to keep their machine relevant for years by upgrading components later.
The Costco Factor
While the critical review from Notebookcheck paints a fairly bleak picture, it’s worth looking at the specific model available at Costco. The listing for the LG gram Book 15U55T-H.AAB4U1 highlights a key feature not mentioned in the standard review: a touchscreen. This adds a layer of functionality that the base model lacks, potentially making navigation and interaction a bit more convenient.
Buying from Costco also comes with its own set of advantages, most notably their generous return policy and the inclusion of an additional year of warranty on top of the manufacturer's standard one-year plan. This can provide peace of mind that you wouldn’t get buying from other retailers.
However, even with these added benefits, the fundamental hardware flaws remain. A touchscreen doesn't improve the dismal color gamut, and Costco's great warranty doesn't make the keyboard any more tactile to type on.
The Verdict: Tough Competition in the Sub-$1000 Category
The LG Gram Book 15U55T is a perplexing device. By attempting to bring the Gram name to a lower price point, LG has stripped away almost everything that made the brand desirable. The stunning OLED display is gone, replaced by one of the worst IPS panels we've seen in years. The premium, lightweight alloy chassis is gone, replaced by a fingerprint-magnet plastic body. The satisfying keyboard is gone, replaced by a shallow, mushy, and unlit alternative.
What you're left with is a laptop that offers long battery life, quiet operation, and excellent upgradeability, wrapped in a disappointing package. The Core Ultra 7 processor is capable, and the ability to upgrade the RAM and SSDs is a huge plus for tinkerers. But for the average user looking for a great multimedia or general-use laptop, these positives are overshadowed by the poor screen and subpar build.
In the crowded sub-$1000 market, you are spoiled for choice. Competitors from Asus, Lenovo, and HP routinely offer laptops with vibrant OLED displays, better build quality, and more satisfying keyboards for the same price or less.
Who should buy the LG Gram Book 15? Perhaps a user who prioritizes battery life and future upgradeability above all else and does very basic, non-visual work like word processing and spreadsheets. For everyone else, the compromises are just too significant. The Gram Book 15 may carry the family name, but it has lost the family soul.
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| LG Gram Book 15U55T laptop |