Some people carry their laptop from a desk to a meeting room. Others carry it through airports, onto trains, and across cities. For the latter group, every ounce matters — and both Acer and LG have built laptops that seem to defy physics.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 weighs 2.71 pounds. The LG Gram 17 weighs 2.98 pounds. Both have 16-inch or 17-inch screens in bodies that feel like they should weigh twice as much. After carrying both through a week of travel and working from coffee shops, hotel rooms, and airplane tray tables, here is which lightweight laptop earns a permanent spot in your bag.
Portability and Build
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is impossibly thin at 0.51 inches and lighter than most 13-inch laptops despite its 16-inch screen. The magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis feels solid but has a slight flex when you press hard on the lid. The matte black finish resists fingerprints. It slides into a backpack sleeve without adding noticeable weight.
The LG Gram 17 is even more impressive as a feat of engineering — a 17-inch laptop that weighs under 3 pounds. The magnesium alloy body has passed MIL-STD-810H durability testing despite its featherweight feel. The white finish is distinctive and hides scratches well. The 17-inch screen in a body this light is genuinely useful for spreadsheets, coding, and multitasking.
Both are remarkably portable for their screen sizes. The Acer is lighter. The LG gives you a bigger screen at nearly the same weight. If you have ever wished your laptop screen were larger without the back strain, both of these prove it is possible.
Display
The Swift Edge 16 has a 16-inch 3.2K OLED display (3200 x 2000) with 120Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification. Blacks are perfect. Colors are vivid. The glossy finish reflects ambient light, but the brightness (500 nits peak) compensates well indoors.
The LG Gram 17 has a 17-inch WQXGA IPS display (2560 x 1600) with 99% DCI-P3 coverage and a matte finish. The IPS panel cannot match OLED contrast, but the matte finish handles office lighting and window glare better. The larger screen area makes a real difference for productivity.
The Acer’s OLED is more beautiful. The LG’s matte IPS is more practical for bright environments. Both are sharp and color-accurate.
Performance
The Swift Edge 16 uses AMD Ryzen 7 8840U with Radeon 780M integrated graphics. It handles office work, photo editing, and light video editing with ease. The integrated GPU can manage casual gaming and older titles at 1080p. The 16GB of soldered RAM is sufficient for most users but cannot be upgraded.
The LG Gram 17 uses Intel Core Ultra 7 155H with Intel Arc integrated graphics. Performance is comparable to the AMD chip for everyday tasks. The Intel NPU enables Windows Copilot+ AI features. RAM is also soldered at 16GB.
Both are fast enough for productivity and light creative work. Neither is a workstation replacement. The performance difference between them is negligible in practice.
Battery Life
The Swift Edge 16’s 54Wh battery delivers 8-9 hours of real-world mixed use — less than expected, likely due to the power-hungry OLED display and high resolution. You will need a charger for a full day away from outlets.
The LG Gram 17’s 77Wh battery is a standout: 13-14 hours of real-world use. The larger battery and more efficient IPS display combine for all-day endurance that the Acer cannot match. For travelers who cannot always find an outlet, the Gram’s battery life is a genuine advantage.
Ports
The LG Gram 17 includes: two Thunderbolt 4, two USB-A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, microSD card slot, and a headphone jack. This is an excellent port selection for an ultra-light laptop.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 includes: two USB-C (USB4), two USB-A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, microSD card slot, and a headphone jack. Similar selection, slightly less versatile USB-C (USB4 vs Thunderbolt 4).
Both have better port selections than most ultrabooks. The LG’s Thunderbolt 4 support is better for connecting high-speed external storage and displays.
Keyboard and Trackpad
The LG Gram 17’s keyboard benefits from the larger chassis: full-size keys with a number pad, 1.5mm of travel, and a comfortable typing experience. The trackpad is large and responsive. If you work with numbers, the dedicated numpad is useful.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a more compact keyboard without a number pad. The key feel is good with 1.3mm of travel. The trackpad is smooth and precise. The lack of a numpad is a trade-off for the smaller footprint.
Verdict
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is the better choice for people who want a stunning OLED display in the lightest possible package. The screen is the reason to buy this laptop — it makes everything look better, from Netflix to photo editing. The battery life is the trade-off.
The LG Gram 17 is the better choice for people who want maximum screen real estate with all-day battery life. The 17-inch display and 13+ hour endurance make it the ultimate travel productivity machine. It is not as beautiful as the Acer’s OLED, but it is more practical for getting work done anywhere.
For creatives who value display quality: Acer. For road warriors who value endurance and screen size: LG.