Lenovo's Yoga 920 is its crowning laptop achievement. I favorably reviewed it, noting a premium quality and great 14-inch design. LG's new gram Z980 series — I reviewed the 15-inch version — is also available in 13- and 14-inch configurations, the latter of which I'll be focusing on here. While the Yoga 920 is convertible and the gram (the lowercase "g" is emphasized) is a standard notebook, they both have touchscreens, a slim build, and sit in the same price range. I'll compare the two here to make it easier for you to decide which one is best for your needs.
LG gram 14Z980 vs. Lenovo Yoga 920: Specifications
| Category | LG gram 14Z980 | Lenovo Yoga 920 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Eighth-genIntel Core i5-8250UIntel Core i7-8550U | Eighth-genIntel Core i5-8250UIntel Core i7-8550U |
| Display size | 14-inch IPS(touch and non-touch) | 13.9-inch IPS(touch) |
| Display resolution | FHD (1,920 x 1,080) | FHD (1,920 x 1,080)UHD (3,840 x 2,160) |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4-2400MHz | 8GB DDR4-2400MHz16GB DDR4-2400MHz |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 620 | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Storage | 256GB SATA SSD512GB SATA SSD | 256GB PCIe SSD512GB PCIe SSD1TB PCIe SSD |
| Camera | Front-facing 720p | Front-facing 720p |
| Biometrics | Fingerprint reader | Fingerprint reader |
| Ports | Two USB-A 3.0USB-CHDMImicroSD reader3.5mm audio | Two USB-C Thunderbolt 3USB-A 3.03.5mm audio |
| Battery | Four-cell 72WHr | Four-cell 70WHr |
| Dimensions | 12.7 in x 8.3 in x 0.6 in322.58mm x 210.82mm x 15.24mm | 12.7 in x 8.8 in x 0.54 in323mm x 223.5mm x 13.95mm |
| Weight | 2.19 pounds (965g) | 3.02 pounds (1.37kg) |
| Price | Starting at about $1,150 | Starting at about $1,200 |
LG gram 14Z980 vs. Lenovo Yoga 920: Performance
Both of these laptops are using Intel's eighth-generation processors (CPU), available in either Core i5 or Core i7. No matter what you choose, you're getting four cores of power with a low thermal design point (TDP), which helps with the battery life.
Straight from the factory, the Yoga 920 is available with up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM, while the gram 14Z980 is capped at 8GB of the same DDR4 RAM. Likewise, the solid-state drive (SSD) in the gram is smaller — available up to 512GB — while the one in the Yoga 920 can be had up to 1TB. If transfer speed is important to you, note that the SATA SSD in the gram isn't nearly as fast as the PCIe SSD in the Yoga 920.
Winner: Lenovo Yoga 920. Processing power comes out even, but the Yoga 920 is available with more RAM and a larger, faster SSD.
LG gram 14Z980 vs. Lenovo Yoga 920: Display
Available in either FHD or 4K, the Yoga 920's touch display is stunning. It might not be as bright as some of the competition, but it has excellent color reproduction and deep contrast. Add in a compatible Lenovo Active Pen 2 with 4,096 levels of pressure, and you have a functional combination thanks to the convertible design.
The gram 14Z980 is available only in 1080p, and while it isn't a convertible laptop, it does have an available touch display. Like the Yoga 920's screen, the gram's has great color and contrast, though there is no pen support.
Neither display has much bezel around it, though the glass on the Yoga 920 stretches from edge to edge. The gram has a raised plastic edge around it that isn't quite as attractive, though it keeps the display from touching the keys when closed.
Winner: Lenovo Yoga 920. Both laptops have excellent touch displays, but only the Yoga 920 is available in a 4K option and is the only one with pen support.
LG gram 14Z980 vs. Lenovo Yoga 920: Design and features
If you like a light laptop, I'll stop you right here: go with the gram 14Z980. It weighs in at just over two pounds, whereas the Yoga 920 is almost a pound heavier. However, if it's a thin laptop you're after, the Yoga 920 is about a half-inch thinner than the gram.
The Yoga 920 is heavier because of its all-metal chassis and watchband hinge. Both feel very sturdy when handled, and there's not much flex at all in the lid. The gram's nanocarbon-magnesium hybrid body doesn't feel quite as sturdy and there's quite a bit of flex in the lid when open, though I've been using the 15-inch version heavily for about a month now and no issues have arisen. One big point for the gram is that you can open the lid with one hand.
Thanks to the watchband hinge on the Yoga 920 the laptop is fully convertible. The gram is strictly a notebook, so this alone could be the deciding factor. The Yoga makes a great standard laptop, but don't try turning the gram into a tablet.
Despite being so thin and light, the gram has a great selection of ports, including USB-A 3.0, USB-C, and HDMI. Note that the 14-inch gram doesn't have Thunderbolt 3 support. The Yoga 920 is limited to fewer ports, though it does have two Thunderbolt 3 to work with as well as a USB-A 3.0 for your older accessories. I think the gram edges out the Yoga 920 thanks to the HDMI port, though if you need Thunderbolt 3, the choice is simple.
The keyboards and touchpads here could be considered a draw. Both laptops have backlit keys, both have Precision touchpads, and both are great for long days of typing. One thing I did note when reviewing the Yoga 920 — and this is likely a per-laptop issue — was that some of the keys squeak when typing.
Winner: Tie. The Yoga 920 feels sturdier, but the gram is lighter. If you need convertible, go Yoga; if you need notebook, go gram.
LG gram 14Z980 vs. Lenovo Yoga 920: Battery
Testing the 4K version of the Yoga 920, I saw about 10 hours of life from the 70WHr battery. That's enough to get through a workday, and if you opt for the FHD display, you'll no doubt get a few hours more.
I was also able to test the 15-inch gram's battery life, which is using the same 72WHr battery as the gram 14Z980. With an FHD touch display, I saw about 13 hours of life without pushing the laptop with anything strenuous.
Winner: Tie. Both laptops offer excellent battery life.
LG gram 14Z980 vs. Lenovo Yoga 920: Price and availability
At the time of writing, LG's gram Z980 lineup is just starting to hit the market. The 13-inch models are priced starting at about $1,075, 15-inch models start at about $1,226, and 14-inch models — still not officially released — start at about $1,150.
Yoga 920 configurations start at about $1,200 for a model with a Core i5 CPU, FHD display, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB PCIe SSD. All are readily available, and you can expect to pay upwards of about $2,000 for a model with 4K display and otherwise maxed specs.
Winner: Tie. Both are competitively priced, though if you need a 14-inch laptop today, the Yoga 920 is ready to ship.
LG gram 14Z980 vs. Lenovo Yoga 920: Conclusion
Adding up the score, it's clear that these two laptops are quite evenly matched. Performance hardware is similar, though you can get more RAM and a faster, larger SSD in the Yoga 920, and while both displays are great, again only the Yoga 920 has a 4K option.
The gram is lighter but the Yoga is thinner, and one makes a great notebook with lots of ports while the other has the extra convertible feature and pen support. Battery life is great in both, and prices are similar.
My advice? If you don't have much use for a convertible design, go with the gram Z980. If you'd rather have something that can turn into a laptop or you like the idea of a 4K screen, the Yoga 920 is a better choice.
More resources
Check out these reviews for more information about these great laptops!
