LG LG gram +view 16" QHD+ Portable Monitor (Silver) Review

The LG gram +view 16" is the ultimate lightweight, high-resolution companion screen for productivity on the go. It's incredibly light (660g) and connects with one USB-C cable, but its 60Hz refresh rate makes it unsuitable for gaming or fast motion. At around $250, it's a great value if you need a sharp second screen for work, but look elsewhere if you need performance for play.

The LG gram +view 16" portable monitor is a fascinating product. It's not trying to be a gaming powerhouse or a creative color-accurate beast. Instead, it's laser-focused on being the ultimate lightweight, high-resolution companion screen for someone who needs more space on the go. Weighing just 660g, it's in the 99th percentile for compactness, which means it's lighter than almost any other portable monitor in our database. The 16:10 aspect ratio and 2560x1600 resolution give you that extra vertical real estate that's perfect for coding, writing, or browsing without constantly scrolling.

This thing is for the mobile professional, the student lugging a laptop between classes, or the traveler who wants a proper second screen without adding a brick to their bag. It connects with a single USB-C cable for both power and video, landing it in the 89th percentile for connectivity simplicity. The built-in folio cover acts as a stand, and you can flip it to portrait orientation if you're reading long documents. It's a no-fuss, plug-and-play extension of your workspace.

What makes it interesting is its sheer focus. The specs tell a clear story: great resolution and aspect ratio for work, fantastic portability, and easy connectivity. But it's a 60Hz panel with a 30ms response time, which puts its performance score squarely in the 0th percentile. That's not a mistake; it's a choice. This monitor is built for productivity, not pixels flying across the screen. If you're looking to game or edit high-frame-rate video, you'll want to look elsewhere. But if you want a clean, sharp, and incredibly light second screen, this is a compelling option.

Let's talk about the numbers. The 2560x1600 resolution on a 16" screen is sharp. It sits in the 64th percentile for display quality among portable monitors, meaning it's above average but not the absolute pinnacle. The 350-nit brightness and IPS panel mean it's viewable in most indoor lighting situations, but you wouldn't want to use it in direct sunlight. The color performance score is in the 84th percentile, which is solid for an IPS panel without dedicated color calibration. It'll look good for general use and even light photo editing, but professional color graders will need a more specialized tool.

The performance score being in the 0th percentile is the headline here, and it's all about the 60Hz refresh rate and 30ms response time. For gaming or fast-paced action, that's a deal-breaker. You'll see ghosting and lag. But for the tasks this monitor is designed for—spreading out Excel sheets, having your email open next to your main document, or reading a webpage—those specs are irrelevant. The performance is perfectly adequate because the job doesn't require speed. The high scores in compactness and connectivity are the real performance metrics for this product. It performs its job of being a portable, easy-to-use second screen exceptionally well.

At around $250, the LG gram +view sits in a interesting spot. It's not the cheapest portable monitor you can find—there are plenty of 1080p options under $200. But for that extra $50 or so, you're getting a significantly sharper QHD+ resolution, a more productive 16:10 aspect ratio, and the legendary Gram lightness. Compared to other high-res portable monitors, it's often priced competitively, but you're trading away features like higher refresh rates or touchscreens.

The value proposition is clear: you're paying for portability and resolution. If your primary need is a light, sharp screen to extend your laptop, this is a very efficient purchase. If you need gaming performance, color accuracy, or a ton of features, that $250 could be better spent on a different type of monitor that excels in those areas. For its intended use, the price-to-performance ratio is excellent.

The main competitors in the portable space are things like the Asus ZenScreen or Dell portable monitors. The Asus options often come with touch capability or higher refresh rates for gaming, but they're usually heavier. The Dell monitors might focus more on color accuracy for creatives. The LG gram +view's trade-off is simple: it gives up those specialized features to be the lightest and most straightforward high-res companion.

Looking at the broader monitor category, it's obviously not competing with a Samsung Odyssey G9 for gaming or an MSI 4K monitor for immersive detail. Those are desktop anchors. The gram +view's competition is other travel-friendly screens. Against them, it wins on weight and resolution for productivity, but loses on motion performance and advanced features. If you need a portable monitor for work, this is a top contender. If you need a portable monitor for play or creative precision, you'll want to look at the Asus or Dell alternatives that score higher in those specific areas.

Gamers should skip this immediately. The 60Hz refresh rate and 30ms response time are in the 0th percentile for performance, meaning you'll experience noticeable lag and ghosting in games. Look for a portable monitor with at least a 120Hz refresh rate. Professional video editors or color graders should also skip it. While its color score is good (84th percentile), it's not a calibrated professional display. You'd want a portable monitor with higher brightness, better color accuracy, and potentially a wider color gamut. Finally, if you need a monitor with advanced features like touch input, built-in speakers, or hardware calibration, this falls short in the 31st percentile for features. Consider an Asus ZenScreen or similar model that packs in more extras.

If you're a professional, student, or frequent traveler who uses a laptop and constantly feels cramped on a single screen, the LG gram +view is a fantastic buy. Its lightness and easy setup solve the biggest pain points of portable monitors, and the high-resolution 16:10 panel actually makes your work easier. It's the definition of a tool that does its job well without unnecessary bells and whistles.

However, if your second screen needs involve gaming, fast video editing, or precise color work, this is not the right choice. The 60Hz/30ms specs will frustrate you. In those cases, look at portable monitors with higher refresh rates or better color calibration, even if they sacrifice a bit of that Gram-level lightness. Also, if you need to chain multiple monitors together or want a touch interface, you'll need to skip this one and find a model that supports those features.