With fresh rumors of ultra-thin MacBooks on the way this year, LG’s new 15-inch Gram laptop gives a clue as to just how sleek they might be. Borrowing heavily from the MacBook/MacBook Air design, the Core i5 or i5 machine weighs in at just 2.2 pounds – half the weight of the 15-inch MacBook Pro.
We first heard last November that Apple might be planning 13- and 15-inch versions of the 12-inch MacBook design, reports echoed last month and again today. We also saw some renders of what the machine could look like, though the non-scaled keyboard rather spoiled the effect.
LG’s specs fall some considerable way short of the 15-inch MacBook Pro in the graphics department, with a 1920×1080 screen and integrated graphics card, but it’s a pretty encouraging sign of what can be done.
Update: A reader noticed on LG’s site that it didn’t just borrow the design from Apple, it also appears to have borrowed some Mac screenshots: it’s shown running OS X, Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro …
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The HP Spectre 13 is a better example of rethinking the Macbook Air.
I did not notice before the the 3 USB-C(2 ThunderBolt) ports are on the back. The piston hinge is interesting. I would like to see 13″ and 15″ Airs with some of these design cues.
https://youtu.be/tXV7k7Bt9ow
Yes it is. Why the heck does the new LG gram and Samsung book 9 15 inch models leave out a back lit key board? I’m really liking what HP is doing with the Spectre as well. Hopefully the build quality and reliability are good on that device.
Is it milled from a block of aluminum or is it plastic? Weight versus durability. And how is the battery life? Batteries weigh a lot.
Only 7 hours of battery life.
Well HP is saying 9 hours. But if you are comparing this to the 13″ air this will destroy it with a much faster i7 processor and higher resolution screen. The air has a 5th generation intel ultrabook cpu. This one has i7 full cpu processor. Airs are rumored to be end of lifed soon anyways. Apply really has nothing to compete with this form factor right now. The MB PRO 13″ weighs 3.5 lbs. Anything over 3 lbs is not a ultrabook. And the airs are getting really old at this point. We are talking 3-4 year old tech.
He was referring to the LG and is why I said 7 hours of battery life.
To me the Spectre is a reimagining of the Air and what an unltrabook should be. Actually the rumor was this new 13″ and 15″ models were rumored to be new Airs. I think the MacBook should be the entry model and the Air as a model like the Spectre. Putting the crappy m series and charging $1299 is not good for a ultraportable. It’s underpowered and not a everyday laptop by any means. I think Apple can get a machine as Powerfull as the MacBook using its own chips and lowering the price significantly.
I think the Air should be reimagine by Apple and feature i3 chips on the base and i5 in the top tier models. Also they should have at least 3 USB-C ports with some supporting ThunderBolt like the Spectre. Not sure if the ports on the back would make for a better place xperience them then being on the sides.
I don’t think thE Pros should be ultrabooks. A new refined design with some weight reduction would be welcomed. Also I would like to see them go to 14″ and 16″ displays, but with the footprint close to the existing models. I think there is room for Applw to move the MacBook Air as an everyday great ultraportable and Pro as lighter, but still a laptop for power users.
Its a magnesium alloy.
With carbon fiber bottom.
I know, again the magnesium alloy was a reference to the LG.
It still runs Windows….
Exactly!! Who cares about specs! It still runs Windows which is unbearable and getting worse. Can’t even handle HiDPI correctly.
Not that this knockoff is even capable of HiDPI with its barely FullHD screen.
16:9 screen = meh
It runs windows.
Give me something with ubuntu or os X.
Personally I’m not sure about the wedge shape on a 15-inch. I like the MacBook 12-inch but would like the pros to remain block shaped but much lighter
Could you deal with only having one USB C port on the MB 12?
1 port isn’t a problem for me but I’d prefer a usb-c with thunderbolt 3 and hope that OSX/MacOS will support external guys soon :)
Design, Website, Screenshots…Copycats without imagination!
you forgot to mention the dell xps-inspired thin bezel display. this is probably much smaller than a macbook while maintaining the same screen size
Borrowing heavily from the MacBook/MacBook Air design = copying closely the MacBook/MacBook Air design