Verdict
Head-to-head · Best Thin and Light Laptops

Apple MacBook Air M4 vs LG Gram Pro 17

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Apple MacBook Air M4 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.8 vs 4.5). The gap is mostly about Apple-ecosystem users who want battery life, silence, and the M4 chip — read the strengths below before deciding.

Apple MacBook Air M4
Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Thin and Light Laptops
Apple MacBook Air M4
$1,099

The MacBook Air M4 is the macOS pick. M4 chip plus 18-hour battery plus fanless design — the spec sheet that no Windows laptop has matched yet. Best for Apple-ecosystem users, students, and anyone who values battery and silence above raw multicore numbers.

Strengths
  • M4 chip delivers desktop-class single-core performance in a fanless 2.7-lb chassis
  • 18-hour rated battery / 11-13 hours real-world
  • Liquid Retina 13" or 15" 2560×1664 panel — excellent color and contrast
Watch-outs
  • macOS-only — Windows software requires Parallels or other workarounds
  • 8GB base RAM is real — bump to 16GB+ for serious workloads
  • Limited port selection — just 2× Thunderbolt + MagSafe
LG Gram Pro 17
Ranked #4 in Best Thin and Light Laptops
LG Gram Pro 17
$1,599

The LG Gram Pro 17 is the large-screen-but-light pick. 17" at under 4 lb is unique — no competitor matches the size-to-weight ratio. Best for users who want a desktop replacement they can actually carry.

Strengths
  • 17" display in a 3.84 lb chassis — lighter than many 14" laptops
  • LG's proprietary Aerominum™ chassis material
  • WQXGA+ 2560×1600 IPS panel — excellent for productivity
Watch-outs
  • 17" footprint doesn't fit in standard backpack laptop sleeves
  • Battery (10 hours) trails MacBook Air M4
  • LG's brand support trails Lenovo/Dell/Apple in the US

How they stack up

Apple MacBook Air M4

Only macOS pick. Best battery + silence combo. Heavier than ThinkPad X1 Carbon. Fewer ports than every Windows pick.

LG Gram Pro 17

Largest display. Lightest 17" laptop. Better port selection than MacBook Air or XPS 14. LG brand support trails Apple/Lenovo.

Specs side-by-side

SpecApple MacBook Air M4LG Gram Pro 17
CPUApple M4Intel Core Ultra 7
Weight2.7 lb3.84 lb
Display13" / 15" Liquid Retina17" WQXGA+ IPS
Battery18 hours rated
Build100% recycled aluminum
ChassisAerominum
PortsHDMI + 2× TB4 + USB-A
← See the full ranking of best thin and light laptops