LG is kicking things off by taking the wraps off its 2021 lineup of Gram PCs for CES. The new laptops and 2-in-1s are set to take on Dell’s XPS devices, featuring a super slim 16:10 aspect ratio display — and an ultraportable lightweight design.
The 2021 LG Gram PCs come in five different variants this year: the Gram 17, Gram 16, Gram 14, as well as the 14-inch and a 16-inch 2-in-1 model. All the devices are Intel Evo certified, meaning they feature Intel’s 11th General Core processor, either 8GB or 16GB of RAM, and Intel’s new Xe graphics.
Storage comes via dual M.2 NVMe solid-state-drive slots. LG even claims that battery life on the laptop versions is extended over the last generation, thanks to bigger 80Wh high-density batteries.
The highlight of the LG Gram lineup has always been the light weight, and compared to laptops like the Dell XPS 17, these models are certainly thin and featherweight. The flagship LG Gram 17 boasts a large, 17-inch screen and weighs in at just 2.9 pounds; the Gram 16 and Gram 14 come in at 2.62 pounds and 2.2 pounds.
The smaller Gram 16 and 14 are also relatively thin, at 0.66 inches in thickness. But much like the XPS lineup, the big change this year are slim-bezel displays and larger trackpads and keyboards.
LG notes that with the switch to a narrow, four-sided 16:10 display, as well as a hidden hinge design, the Gram 17, 16, and 14 all have a screen to body ratio of 90%. This taller and wider display allows you to see more things on your screen, which has become more common in laptops since it was introduced on the XPS lineup.
As for the 14-inch and 16-inch 2-in-1 versions of the LG Gram, these feature LG’s 360-degree hinge. The devices also come with a stylus pen compatible with Wacom AES 2.0, right in the box. All models of the LG Gram have a fingerprint reader built-in for secure logins, as well as backlit keyboards.
LG did not share pricing or availability on these new models, among the many new laptops of CES 2021. Last year’s LG Gram 17 came in at $1,850, the LG Gram 14 at $1,600, and the LG Gram 15 at $2,000. You can expect similar pricing on this year’s models.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.