LG G2 review: almost everything is done correctly

With the release of G2, LG introduced a powerful upscale smartphone, which we discussed long before its official presentation. The hardware buttons on the back are a real selling point for LG and for many consumers. But this bold design decision is not the only thing that makes the G2 special. In my test, you can learn all about the strengths and weaknesses of the new flagship LG model.

Rating

pros

Cons

LG G2 design and build quality

Thanks to a simple but far-reaching decision to move the hardware buttons to the back of the device, LG made a real “buzz”. Long before its premiere in New York last month, the G2 dominated the headlines and comment columns, with skeptics and decision-makers balanced fairly evenly.

Now that I'm here in the office, I can only congratulate LG on this decision: the operation works better than expected, and you need to get used to it surprisingly little.

Even ignoring this design decision, LG left the G2 design pretty bare. Despite the large 5,2-inch display, the case is very compact, for example, the Xperia Z is almost the same size, despite the smaller display, and the Xperia Z1 (with the same display as the Xperia Z: 5 inches) is even even longer and wider. This is due to the extremely narrow bezel around the display: the G2 probably has the best ratio of display to total area I've ever seen on an Android smartphone - it's 75,9% of the front display, but more like 90%.

The front of the G2 is somewhere between the S4 and Galaxy Nexus 4, the screen is slightly raised, so sharp edges are avoided at the edges, but this exposes the Gorilla Glass 3 panel to a greater potential for scratches. The plastic back cover has a fine texture, the hardware buttons are located in the center under the camera, the power button is slightly raised and consists of an LED ring that blinks when making calls or an audio signal.

The indicator on the front panel to the right of the front camera also informs you of missed calls and other events.

G2 production is flawless: the search for loose parts or clearances in the assembly is in vain. Thanks to the rounded back, he feels very good in the hand, his weight and size just correspond to my taste and give a feeling of high quality, but do not affect him in terms of rudeness.

LCD LG G2

The display is also a masterpiece: the 5,2-inch LG has a resolution of 1,920 x 1080 pixels (423 ppi), which is a quasi-standard in today's high-end smartphones. Full HD resolution is therefore not a unique feature in itself, but all other aspects of a good display are fully in line with the G2. The IPS LCD panel is very bright and contrasty without going beyond saturation and color reproduction as highlighted in the presentation - a small blow to Samsung's AMOLED displays.

The readability is very good even in direct sunlight, as well as the stability of the viewing angle. In direct comparison with the Xperia Z1 and HTC One, there is no visible difference in brightness.

LG G2 Software

LG G2 runs on Android 4.2.2, and, as always, LG has its own user interface. There are a number of new features, but little has changed visually; the user interface is still unnecessarily playful and cheap to look at. LG failed this time to include a unified, attractive and stylish interface that properly reflects the high quality design and top-end equipment.

Although it's a matter of taste, the new G2 software features are quite useful and provide real added value. In addition to the well-known QSlide Mini applications, of which you can place a maximum of two applications in the active window, the G2 also has the “Move to the Side” multitasking function. By sliding three fingers to the left, you can simultaneously open up to three applications and simply slide them aside when not in use. Three-finger swipe to the right opens the tab of active applications, as we know from the desktop PC.

Another convenient feature: the on-screen buttons at the bottom of the display, front touch keys, can be customized to suit your preferences with six choices. To unlock the screen, LG also offers a smart solution: to compensate for the missing power button on the side panel, just double-tap the screen to turn it on (“Knock On”). You can disable it by double-clicking anywhere in an empty area or in the status bar on the main screen. It basically worked in my test, but sometimes it took two or three attempts.

There is also a guest mode in the G2. This is activated by a specific unlock pattern and is useful, for example, if someone transfers their phone to others and would like to give them limited access to their phone. Which applications are available in guest mode, can be set by the owner, the limit is 30 applications.

Some options for managing gestures are also included in the G2, similar to what we have already seen in the Galaxy S4. Thus, you can receive calls, for example, simply by holding the phone to your ear. The so-called smart features also ensure that the screen remains on only as long as you look at the screen, and the video stops when you look away. While I was watching the video, it continued to stop, even when I was definitely still watching, so I turned it off.

Performance LG G2

The G2 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 powerful quad-core chipset, which is one of the best currently available for smartphones. Accordingly, the operation is smooth and smooth. The reaction of G2 to the input was without hesitation in my test: when scrolling through the menu it didn’t get stuck anywhere, browsing the Internet was easy and very fast, and applications started up quickly and without delay.

The performance of the chipset is also confirmed by the AnTuTu test, in which the G2 scored more than 30 points. Even if the tests do not necessarily reflect the reality of the device for the user, they are a worthy indicator of the performance that is possible in practice.

Camera LG G2

For a smartphone camera, the G2 provides really good service. The lens takes pictures with a resolution of 13 megapixels and is equipped with an optical image stabilizer to provide a clear image, especially in low light conditions or under unstable hands. In fact, photos from the G2 look surprisingly good, even in low light they are of high enough quality.

Comparing my camera with the Z1 and Cyber-shot QX10 it is clear that automatic post-processing is failing. Images are quite noisy and pointed, which leads to loss of detail and naturalness and the appearance of annoying artifacts. This is bad if you want to edit still images manually, but for a regular smartphone user who, in any case, just looks at his photos on the phone display or on a PC monitor, the G2 takes really good photos.

Camera performance is also good and offers customizable hardware buttons and normal photographic modes along with another valuable element: LG G2 also got manual focus, where the level of sharpness can be set manually with a slider. By the way: when the display is off, the camera can be activated directly with the volume down button.

LG G2 battery

This is one of the things we are pleased with from LG. In addition to its superior display technology, the G2 also has a great battery life. In fact, LG smartphones are usually blessed in direct comparison with other equivalent smartphones with a slightly larger battery capacity. The G2 has a 3000 mAh battery, which, together with the energy-efficient Snapdragon 800, provides it with a good battery life.

On the day of intensive testing with the G2, the device worked until the next morning, before it needed an electrical outlet. As for the final claims on battery performance, it's a little early, but raw numbers already indicate that the G2 is likely to last longer than its direct competitors.

Specifications LG G2

In G2, there is practically nothing that would not be the highest level. The processor and graphics processor are advanced, the display is top notch, and the camera and battery are fully competitive in terms of performance. This, of course, is reflected in the price: a version with 32 gigabytes of internal memory is available on T-Mobile for 629USD. Thus, LG is in close proximity to the high prices of Samsung. BestBuy currently offers 32GB of Galaxy S4 for 800USD.

The final verdict

With the G2, LG was the first to truly inspire me with its LG smartphone. For their choice to place the hardware buttons on the back, I was sympathetic from the very beginning, and in practice the operation works surprisingly well. The display is gorgeous, the camera takes great pictures, the hardware is the best in all areas.

Moreover, despite the 5,2-inch screen, it has a convenient, compact size, and the rounded back is also very convenient and convenient to use. For my taste, there are only two shock absorbers: the playful appearance of the user interface does not match the high-quality design and the highest equipment, and I would also say, as a recognized fan of HTC One, that instead of glossy plastic, I would prefer an aluminum case or at least rubberized one plastic. Nevertheless: G2 is a great smartphone.