Better than lg g2. LG G2 – smartphone control reimagined. Battery life
Six months after actively using the LG G2 as my main and only phone/smartphone, I can finally draw some conclusions about this device. But let's talk about everything in order.
What is a flagship from LG?
Indeed, what is a “flagship from LG”? I think that before the release of the G2, few people thought about buying a smartphone under the LG brand. That is, the company produced smartphones, mostly budget ones, but it could not compete in popularity with giants like Samsung and HTC. And the company did not have a flagship as such. But the LG G2 appeared and became a real revelation for many. Including for me.
I used to use Galaxy Note, which I already wrote about. At one time, this smartphone was a breakthrough - before it there were no smartphones with such a large display. The LG G2's display is slightly smaller, measuring 5.2 inches diagonally (the Note's is 5.3 inches). Visually the difference is more noticeable. After the Note, the device seemed small to me. One of the reasons for this is that the LG G2's buttons are located on the display ( Home button and “back”), while on the Note they are located below the screen. In general, what can I say, you can see the difference in size in the picture below.
However, I didn’t feel any discomfort from the slightly smaller display. Quite the contrary - the quality of the LG G2 display is much better than that of the old Note. The resolution is also higher - 1920x1080 versus 1280x800. It's not just these numbers - the screen is significantly brighter and more saturated. Of course, the phone has an IPS matrix.
In general, after changing the device, I received a significant increase in picture quality. But this is not the most important thing. The most important thing is that I received a serious increase in productivity. The flagship from LG literally flies, compared to the crawling Note. During the entire operation, there were no freezes or lags detected with this camera - which I cannot say about Note. G2 is very fast. The amazing thing is that before the update operating system Before Android 4.4.2, the smartphone produced 35,000 parrots in Antutu. After the update - 28-29 thousand. It feels like the update only affected these results and did not affect the overall performance of the device. The real speed of the G2 can be fully experienced by those who have not changed their smartphone for a long time and decided to buy a G2. Just my case.
Of course, all games work without problems. I'm not a fan of playing mobile phone, but from what I launched, I didn’t notice any brakes anywhere. The video works without problems. I constantly watch videos from it on YouTube and just downloaded films. Here, by the way, I was a little upset by the impossibility of expansion internal memory using cards. My phone has 16GB of built-in memory, which, of course, is not a lot.
As for the time battery life, then in my opinion it is phenomenal. The smartphone lasts for two days without problems, while the Note did not last me until the evening of one day. There is a 3000 mAh battery here, and it lasts, I tell you.
As for controlling the phone, its “magic” button on the back side and the unusual location of the volume rocker, I didn’t experience any particular inconvenience. But you still have to get used to it, especially after using another smartphone.
G2 Camera: Photo and Video Capture
Of course, I not only cannot ignore photo and video shooting, I literally have to make a separate section on this in today’s review. The theme of the site does not allow you to evade the issue of photo and video quality.
There is a 13 megapixel camera here. Actually, it produces a completely standard image for soap dishes and smartphones. There is a built-in image stabilizer here, but I would not say that its work is very noticeable.
The quality of the photos is normal, as I noted earlier. No revelations - an ordinary soap dish in a smartphone. There was no significant increase compared to Note. He had a pretty good camera. The changes here are minor. Below are some pictures from the G2, you can judge for yourself what the phone is capable of. All images are unprocessed, resize only.
The device shoots video well. I don’t see much point in posting a video, I myself am not a fan of video shooting, and there is nothing outstanding in the LG camera - at the level of other smartphones. Perhaps I’ll do a comparative test with cameras from other devices so that I can evaluate the difference, if any. I don't see the point in a single video.
After 6 months of use
The external condition after 6 months of use remains very good. There are no scratches on the display at all (glory to Gorilla Glass). The back cover also looks good, although if you look closely you can still find a few abrasions. In general, the phone is made from good materials, unlike the same Note, which peeled off in places, the display was scratched, and back cover specifically rubbed.
The only problem is the device's charger is dead. It was not possible to find it for sale in Russia. It has a non-standard 1.8A. You can find 1.5 or 2.1 on the market, but not 1.8. I’m now charging with some Chinese charger at 2.1 - it charges, of course, worse than the original one.
Conclusions
This great smartphone. The G3 is out now, but it's not impressive. G3 became larger and began to hold a charge much worse. This, in fact, is where one of the advantages of G2 dies - for a long time autonomous work. Therefore, as for me, now you can safely take the G2, and the prices for it have dropped a little, but the device has not become any worse. Perhaps, if something happened to my LG now, I would buy exactly the same one. That's all for today. Do right choice! See you again!
Other device reviews:Samsung Galaxy Note
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 SM-T211
Until recently, the main parameter in the race for flagship Android devices was only hardware power. The changes concerned only the processor clock speed and the availability more RAM than competitors and, of course, a larger number of cores. But the presentation of the Galaxy S IV made its own adjustments; now the main emphasis was placed on the emergence of some software innovations. We all remember that strange presentation in New York with a small theatrical show. Since then, the race has included software innovation and improvements in user experience.
LG G2 introduced in September new flagship South Korean company, continued the arms race and is more productive than SGS IV and HTC One. The main innovative feature was the non-standard placement of control buttons. In the usual layout, the lock and volume buttons are located on the side edges of the smartphone, but here they are located on the back, right under the camera. The camera has a cooler image stabilization mechanism, which allows you to take clearer pictures in low-light conditions.
Specifications:
- Case materials: plastic and glass
- Operating system: Android 4.2.2
- Network: GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G, LTE
- Processor: quad-core Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 800, 2.26 GHz
- RAM: 2 GB
- Data storage memory: 16/32 GB
- Screen: capacitive, True HD-IPS, 5.2”, 1080 x 1920 pixels
- Camera: 13 MP main with flash and autofocus, 2.1 MP front
- Additionally: Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, GPS, GLONASS, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, IR port
- Battery: 3000 mAh
- Dimensions: 138.5 x 70.9 x 8.9 mm
- Weight: 143 g
- Device price: 18,000 rub. / 4800 UAH.
Equipment
The smartphone comes in a box with a very discreet design, which does not outwardly show that a rather expensive flagship device is hidden inside. The equipment is quite standard and modest:- Charger
- USB cable
- Headset
- Instructions
- Clip
Appearance and ease of use
In terms of dimensions, the G2 is a couple of millimeters longer and wider than the Galaxy S IV, but thanks to the thinner frame, the screen is 0.2 inches larger. The smartphone is 13 grams heavier than the 130 gram flagship from Samsung, but this is fully justified by the installation of a more capacious battery.Externally, the LG G2 is very similar to its predecessor, the G Pro, but with some improvements. The device has incredibly thin screen edges and this gives it a certain charm. In fact, this is a smartphone with the best ratio of screen area to the total area of the front panel; the display occupies almost the entire surface.
LG claims that the smartphone has a maximum screen diagonal while maintaining ease of use with one hand. In fact, it cannot be said that a smartphone is completely convenient to use, but it is possible. The function of unblocking with a double tap comes in very handy.
The front of the smartphone is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, which is very scratch-resistant. The back cover of the G2 is not removable and is made of glossy plastic with a texture of diagonal stripes and small dots. Looks great, but collects fingerprints very quickly. So if you want your smartphone to look consistently cool, you'll have to wipe it down before putting it on the table in an expensive restaurant.
Despite the fact that the display occupies almost the entire space of the front panel, the engineers managed to place a proximity sensor with a front camera, and even a special LED that lights up in different colors when receiving notifications or other events.
On the left side of the device there is a slot for a microSIM card, which can only be opened using a paperclip that comes in the kit. On the top edge you can see two small dots, one of them is an IR port for controlling household appliances, and the second is an additional microphone.
The bottom edge of the device is equipped with two speakers, a 3.5 mm headset jack, a main microphone and a microUSB port.
The back is, of course, the most interesting. Here is the main 13 MP camera with an optical stabilizer and LED flash, and right next to it is the main innovation - the lock and volume control button. By the way, the lock button is white LED backlight, and flashes when new messages or calls arrive. This allows you not to miss a call, even if the sound and vibration are turned off, and the smartphone is lying face down.
LG has made a lot of noise around this very button placement. In their opinion, the location of the lock button will be more convenient precisely at the back of the device, where the index finger lies, with a standard hand grip. In addition, according to the company, this solution will reduce the number of accidental drops of the smartphone from the hands, which allegedly occur when using the buttons on the side panel.
We want to make LG happy, in fact, everything turned out that way. The button is really conveniently located and when unlocking the smartphone does not try to jump out of your hands. You get used to this control very quickly and understand all the advantages. This is a great example of how a simple concept breaks the mold and becomes a really good usability improvement.
Screen
LG G2 is equipped with a beautiful 5.2-inch True IPS display and Full HD resolution (1080 x 1920 pixels). At the presentation of the device, a lot was said about the fact that IPS screens from LG have an order of magnitude better color reproduction than the same AMOLED from Samsung. According to tests conducted by GSMArena, the SGS IV screen in comparison with the LG G2 still has greater brightness and contrast, but the colors are slightly oversaturated (this is a plus or minus, only the user can decide).The color rendition and clarity of the display is truly pleasing to the eye. As for me, AMOLED from Samsung have too sharp color shades and the picture seems completely doll-like, but IPS from LG has vibrant colors and more or less close to reality.
The minimum and maximum display brightness levels are optimally selected. In direct sunlight, the screen remains readable, and when reading from it at night, the backlight does not burn your eyes. There is a slight drop in contrast at maximum viewing angles, but this does not detract from the excellent image quality.
The only negative that can be noted is the automatic brightness adjustment system. The light sensor is too sensitive to any change in lighting and in the same position can tirelessly change the brightness, sometimes this becomes annoying.
System
G2 became the first LG smartphone to receive the system Android versions 4.2.2. On at the moment This version remains relevant, at least for users in the CIS there is no update to 4.3 yet. Like all smartphones from LG, it uses the Optimus UI interface shell, but has received some software improvements.
The flagship received the following functions:
Guest Mode - will be very useful when you give a smartphone to your child or friends and don’t want them to see the “friend sent her boobs”/“this is what happened after drinking” photo or read your correspondence by mail. When a smartphone is unlocked with a guest key, the user has access only to authorized applications, and there are no widgets or shortcuts on the desktop.
Slide Aside - allows you to swipe the screen with three fingers to minimize the current application and return to it with a reverse gesture.
KnockON - allows you to unlock the screen without a lock button, just tap on the screen 2 times.
Lockscreen Widgets - allows you to install widgets directly on your device's lock screen, allowing you to view the weather or the latest news even without unlocking the screen.
Quiet mode - allows you to turn on or off sound notifications depending on the time.
Now the standard launcher allows you to change application icons and their size. For people who are interested in replacing icons that are dissatisfied with the standard set, there is a special function - Photo icons. Optimus UI allows you to change themes, appearance keyboard and download additional fonts.
When you first start the system, the smartphone offers various options for placing the standard functional buttons Menu, Home and Back. It’s very convenient, especially considering that LG’s buttons are usually in reverse logical order.
Q-Slide, Smart Screen, Smart Video, Quick Memo, Clip Tray, Quiet mode, One-handed control mode, Quiet mode inherited from its predecessors are also present and work perfectly.
Performance
The LG G2 is one of several flagships powered by the latest and most powerful quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.26 GHz. The Adreno 330 accelerator is used here to process graphics.Enough talking about the specifications, let's look at the test results of the smartphone.
Test results in various benchmarks:
- AnTuTu Benchmark: 32630
- AnTuTu 3DRating: 4373
- Quadrant Benchmark: 13611
- SQL Benchmark: 12.371 sec
- BenchmarkPi: 113 ms
- Linpack: 916.667 MFlops
- Vellamo: 2730 / 983
- SunSpider JavaScript Benchmark (Chrome): 934.3 ms
- NenaMark 2.4: 57.9 fps
- Epic Citadel, High Performance: 56.8 fps
- 3DMark - The Gamer`s Benchmark: - / 9826 / 13194
- Basemark ES 2.0 Taiji Free: 58.17 fps
- Basemark X 1.0: 14.339 fps / 12.510 fps
AnTuTu Benchmark
Epic Citadel, High PerformanceSunspider and Vellamo
Results show that G2 performs better than the same processor Sony Xperia Z Ultra, because it does not lock the maximum frequency at which the processor cores operate. Concessions in some graphics tests can only be explained by the fact that Sony allocates 50 MB more RAM to the graphics coprocessor than LG.
Autonomy
In our standard test The battery life of the G2 has proven to be amazing. In web surfing mode, the smartphone was discharged in 12 hours and 7 minutes.For a smartphone with a 5.2-inch screen and a 3000 mAh battery, this is a very good result. With standard use of 1 hour of voice calls, 1 hour of video viewing and 1 hour of web surfing, the battery will last for 2.5 days.
Camera
The camera app has a redesigned interface similar to the one used on the G Pro. There really are a lot of settings here.Of the 12 shooting modes, I would like to highlight the following:
- Shot & Clear - allows you to remove passers-by or other objects that may have entered the frame during shooting.
- Panoramic - a perfectly working panoramic mode.
- Dual camera - allows you to take one photo with two cameras at once. You can simultaneously photograph the Eiffel Tower and your facial expression when you see it.
- Shot time - allows you to select the best photo out of five received with one click of a button.
The camera settings allow you to adjust absolutely everything, from brightness and ISO to manual focus. There is even a voice recording function that responds to the saying “CHIIIZ”.
The quality of pictures from the main 13 MP camera of the LG G2 is excellent. The pictures are obtained with very good detail and little noise. Color reproduction is realistic, white balance is fine.
Thanks to the image stabilization system, evening and night photos are not blurred, and the video does not shake like your hands. The LED flash works well and does not highlight objects when shooting.
The camera supports video recording in 1080p format with a frame rate of 60fps.
The front camera does its job well and is enough for HD communication on Skype.
Main camera in action:
Photo from the front camera:
Communications and sensors
LG G2 supports GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G, LTE networks. Problems with capture mobile networks 2G or 3G was not noticed, the smartphone holds the signal perfectly, the sound is clear and crisp.The Wi-Fi module operates in a/b/g/n/ac modes and supports the following functions: Miracast, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct and Wi-Fi Hotspot. According to tests, maximum speed data transfer via the Wi-Fi module reached 67 Mbit/s.
Bluetooth 4.0 works great with headsets and other devices, and NFC is supported out of the box Android function Beam for transferring files between devices.
IR port allows you to use your smartphone as a remote control remote control for any household appliances. The list of devices includes TVs, air conditioners, proctors, stereo systems, DVD/Blu-ray players and TV receivers. Sony home TV and LG Conder accepted the G2 as their own and obeyed without question.
When you connect any headset or headphones to your smartphone via a 3.5 mm jack, a line immediately pops up asking you to open one of the multimedia applications, such as an audio player, Youtube, or make a phone call. Convenient and even on iPhone there is no such thing.
The USB port supports SlimPort technology and can be connected to any monitor or TV using a special adapter. In addition, USB Host support allows you to connect flash drives, mice, keyboards or other USB gadgets via an OTG cable.
Bottom line
For LG, the G2 smartphone has become not just a new flagship, it is an attempt to give a worthy answer to competitors, after several very boring releases. It is worth noting that they succeeded, because the G2 is currently the most powerful device on the market. The right step was to wait a short pause after the release of devices from HTC and Samsung. This allowed LG to introduce a smartphone with the best chipset from Qualcomm and actually introduce the 2014 flagship at the end of 2013.The smartphone is interesting not only for its performance, but also for its excellent IPS display with excellent color reproduction, high resolution, good brightness, contrast and readability in direct sunlight.
Don't forget about the 13 MP camera with the system optical stabilization and the ability to shoot 1080p video at 60 frames per second. The resulting images show that the smartphone is not inferior to camera phones like the Galaxy Zoom or Nokia 1020.
LG has done a lot of work to improve ergonomics, offering a new approach to the placement of the lock and volume buttons. The decision to place buttons on the back of the smartphone seems very strange, but in fact it turned out to be very elegant and functional. Perhaps this really is one of the cool features of a smartphone.
For a long time, LG has been trying to surpass Samsung's TouchWiz shell. It looks like Optimus UI is now one step away from its goal. The shell has become more logical and functional, and has also acquired many additional functions.
The LG G2 is a good successor to the Optimus G and a worthy answer to HTC and Samsung's flagships. The only drawback of the smartphone is the lack of a card slot microSD memory. Of the 32 GB of internal memory, only 24.80 GB is available for storing user data, the rest of the space is occupied by the system. With the 16 GB version everything will be even sadder; a simple arithmetic operation makes us understand that only 8.8 GB of memory will be available.
Installing the most powerful chipset to date also makes itself felt in the form of strong heating of the smartphone when running games with heavy 3D graphics. During testing, the G2 was truly a hot cake and not very pleasant to hold in your hands.
LG G2 will definitely top the list best smartphones this year and of course is one hundred percent winner of the season.
Pros:
- Better performance
- Great display
- Camera with optical stabilization system
- Battery life
- Software chips
- Lack of memory card slot
- Extremely hot when performing demanding tasks
- Non-removable battery
Alternatives
Samsung Galaxy S IV- 21,000 rub. / 5000 UAHGalaxy S IV in the CIS comes with an Exynos 5410 4(+4) core processor with a clock frequency of 1.6 GHz, which is inferior in power to the 2.26 GHz Qualcomm 800. The screens of both smartphones are of excellent quality, AMOLED or IPS - a matter of taste. The SGS IV camera is no less cool than the G2, although it does not have optical stabilization. In terms of battery life, the Samsung flagship is very inferior, 9 hours of web surfing versus 12 for the G2. The Galaxy S IV has a memory card slot and a similar amount of cool software stuff.
HTC One- 20,000 rub. / 4600 UAH. And HTC Butterfly S- 21,000 rub. / 5000 UAH
Both smartphones run on the previous generation Qualcomm chip - Snapdragon 600. HTC devices are equipped with 4 MP cameras with UltraPixel technology, which are significantly worse than the G2 camera. Comparing the price tags, it immediately becomes clear that the LG G2 will be much more interesting for the user.
Sony Xperia Z1- 28,000 rub. / 5900 UAH.
The newly released Xperia Z1 runs on exactly the same Qualcomm 800 processor. The smartphone is equipped with a 20 MP camera, which is slightly ahead of the G2 in image quality. Don't forget that the smartphone out of the box runs under Android control 4.2.2 and has a waterproof housing. The Z1's screen is very cool and perhaps actually better than the G2's. After a little work on the bugs, Sony began installing memory card slots in its smartphones, and for many users this will be the determining factor. The price of the device is still a little high.
Test device provided by LG.
Bonus! SHOCK VIDEO ABOUT HOW OPTICAL STABILIZATION REALLY WORKS!!!
LG's new flagship solution turned out to be excellent in literally every way. But the main thing is that, along with truly progressive capabilities, the manufacturer did not “overdo it” with the cost of the device at the start, which made this device the most affordable among alternative solutions. Let's see how “strong” LG's response to the decisions of competitors in the top division turned out to be.
Equipment
The package included with the smartphone looks spartan and simple. Opening the box, the user will see, of course, the smartphone itself, the adapter charger, micro-cable, as well as the necessary documentation plus a paper clip. Using the latter you can access the micro-SIM tray.
Of course, I would also like to see a headset in the box! But she's not here. However, taking into account the fact that we are dealing with the most inexpensive flagship among competitors, the lack of a headset can perhaps be forgiven.
Design and build
The base of the body is plastic. The frame is made from it, as well as the back panel and side edges. But the front part, as they say, “from cover to cover” is covered with third-generation protective glass.
Frankly speaking, I won’t say what material I wanted to see in this device, but the plastic somewhat discouraged me. Well, okay, LG’s main opponent in the smartphone industry is currently having a hard time experimenting with materials other than plastic. However, it was LG that “acquired” the Optimus G and Nexus 4, which are very worthy in terms of appearance, which received protected glass on top of the plastic. This made them different from the mass of their “brothers”. Yes, it turned out stylish, but at the same time, on a subconscious level, more was expected from the appearance of the new flagship.
The build quality does not raise any complaints - excellent fit of all elements, invisible joints at the ends and gaps. In a word, in this regard there is nothing to complain about.
Functional elements and ergonomics
Despite the fact that the LG G2 has a 5.2-inch display, the device is convenient to use with the fingers of the hand holding it.
The user can reach virtually any element on the display or body. In a word, in terms of ergonomics it was really well thought out.
I also liked such G2 features as tap unlocking and buttons on the rear panel. To be honest, I have not yet seen this format - double light tapping of the finger on the display. Yes, this function is not yet at an ideal level - sometimes “mistakes” occur, that is, the system does not respond. However, their frequency is too small to attach special significance to this. But the implementation itself, whatever one may say, is a step forward in comparison with other manufacturers. By the way, you can lock the control in exactly the same way as unlock it.
However, for the same procedures there is also a corresponding button on the rear panel. It is located between the volume keys and is edged with a small LED. You get used to such ergonomics very quickly, which, however, is not surprising, because the index finger most often rests in the place of the mentioned buttons when working with the phone.
In addition to the marked controls, on the rear panel there is a peephole for a 13 MP camera, as well as an LED flash.
Almost the entire front panel is occupied by a 5.2-inch display. Above it there is a peephole of a 2.1 MP front camera, a noticeable slot for a communication speaker, and event sensors plus proximity/illuminance.
Right sidebar left without any buttons or connectors.
There are also no buttons on the left side. However, from here you have access to the micro-SIM card slot.
At the top end there is an IR port window, and at the bottom there is a speakerphone speaker, plus a classic 3.5 mm jack and a micro-USB port.
Brief technical specifications
Dimensions | 138.5x70.9x8.9 mm |
Weight | 143 g |
Communication standard | 850/900/1800/1900 MHz; 2000 - version: 1x |
operating system | 4.2.2 |
Display
The LG G2 uses a simply gorgeous display with a diagonal of 5.2 inches and a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels, or simply put, Full.
Viewing angles are excellent both horizontally and vertically. Working in sunlight is also no problem.
The pixel density per inch is very high - 424 pixels. You can’t even dream of looking at the pixels - it won’t work.
The sensitivity is excellent, which is easy to verify by just casually touching menu icons or applications. Supports touch control using 10 fingers simultaneously.
It is worth noting the very thin frame around the display - 2.65 mm. Well, it’s nice that the manufacturer did not skimp on the Gorilla Glass 3 covering it.
The settings submenu is the richest that I have ever seen on other high-end smartphones.
There is a huge section in the settings for it. By going here, the user gets the opportunity to work with the settings of the main screen, lock, and front buttons.
I really liked the solution with the latter. Here you can choose which buttons will be displayed on the panel, as well as set their background. Yes, there is no way to assign a “hot” touch button to launch any application, but even such a setting is a very significant step forward over competitors.
I have never seen anything like this among competitors' solutions.
Menu backlighting is adjusted automatically and manually.
The “Screen off effect” section looks more like a decorative combination of the entire system. Here the user can select the effect option under which the smartphone display will go dark during locking.
There are also sections “Smart Screen” and “Smart Video”. I’m sure it’s easy to understand what these submenus say from the corresponding captions under each one.
Well, another interesting setting is the LED backlight. Here you can configure notifications for both the miniature event indicator located on the front panel and the LED indicator on the rear panel.
Memory
In the market, LG G2 is available with 16 GB of internal user memory and 32 GB. Frankly, given that my 32GB version had almost 25GB of usable space, I thought that was enough.
Of course, there is no slot for memory cards.
But there is a Dropbox client with some free storage. This is, of course, not the most worthy alternative external storage, but at least partial compensation.
Speakers
There is also a whole section for working with sound, which is called “Sound”.
By going here, the user gets the opportunity to work with profiles, adjust the volume of notifications, calls, and much more. There is also a submenu for adjusting the vibration power, setting the “Silent” mode - allows you to turn off all noise emanating from your G2 during a certain period of time, etc. In addition, you can set up ringtones for various notifications.
As for the speakers themselves, there are no comments about them - decent sound quality and no distortion both in the internal conversation and in the one responsible for the speakerphone.
Watching a movie, listening to MP3 in a room without noticeable third-party noise, or classic communication on the phone even on a noisy avenue - all this is doable.
Battery and autonomy
The capacity of the built-in battery is 3000 mAh.
Autonomy testing was carried out using the Battery HD utility. Below we take a look at the results.
In practice, one charge was enough for me personally for a little more than a full working day with an hour and a half of watching HD video and checking very often email, using a camera, etc.
The settings include an “Energy Saving” system. Its capabilities do not need commenting - implementation is at an intuitive, simple and understandable level.
Equipment
The LG G2 runs on the Android 4.2.2 operating system, which is complemented by the proprietary LG Optimus UI shell. There is no talk yet about updating to a more current release. Nevertheless, according to the logic of things, it is worth waiting for.
The hardware inside is Snapdragon 800 with a quad-core Krait 400 processor clocked at 2.26 GHz, along with 2 GB of RAM plus an Adreno 330 graphics chip.
Performance
A number of illustrations below demonstrate the excellent performance of the new flagship.
Gestures and guest mode
Gesture control capabilities have been “migrated” here from the Optimus G smartphone. Several illustrations for a visual reminder.
“Guest Mode” seemed very interesting. By using it, you can significantly limit third-party users’ access to your smartphone. It's also nice that the setup is very simple.
Audio and video
Music applications in the smartphone are the “Play music” client, as well as an FM receiver and an MP3 player.
I found the last application especially interesting. It allows you to sort tracks in several directions (“genres”, “artists”, “albums”, etc.). In addition, the user can download playback from a nearby device through a connection or connect to their cloud account.
During playback, a fairly large album cover appears on the screen, with a playback slider located underneath it. Just below the play button, there is a volume key and a button to activate the “Audio Effects” submenu.
There are also some navigation elements above the cover. Here you can add a song to your favorites, turn on the “random play” or “repeat all tracks” mode, and also transfer the track via the Beam connection.
What I liked no less than what has already been mentioned is the ability to search on You Tube video clip of exactly the same song that the user is currently listening to. All you need to do is press the touch button in the menu, indicated by the You Tube shortcut.
In the editor itself, the existing video can be displayed in the form of a list or grid, plus, as an option, put into a folder. Sorting by date, size and type is also available, you can transfer content in every possible way and much more.
I liked the fact that the “standard” player can play a video up to 5 GB inclusive. In addition, the player is not picky about formats.
A pleasant surprise was also that the user can play another video while playing a video without leaving the player. From a convenience point of view, the decision is correct.
Pre-installed applications
We are already familiar with many proprietary LG utilities from previous reviews of other models from the manufacturer. We are talking about SMART World, Safety Care, LG Assistant, etc. Another interesting one is Life Square, which automatically collects and stores the events of your life.
Camera
A significantly improved main camera with interesting features, including the “Dual Camera” mode “migrated” here from the LG G Pro.
Test content deserves praise.
- test video
indoors
on the street
- test photo
Conclusion
Of course, we have one of the best devices in the top price division. Yes, subjectively speaking, more was expected from the appearance of the new flagship. However, the handset looks wonderful in its own way and in terms of design is definitely not inferior to its competitors. Well, if you add luxurious equipment plus a price tag of 5,300 hryvnia, it looks too tasty not to get to know the device better.
Pros
Excellent body assembly;
- A very unusual approach to the arrangement of the volume buttons and the power key;
- A very interesting “tapping” unlock format;
- Gorgeous display;
- Ability to customize front buttons;
- “Smart Screen” and “Smart Video” functions;
- Equipment and performance;
- “Guest mode” and gesture control;
- Excellent capabilities of the “standard” video player;
- Impressive main camera
Cons
I would like to see a slot for memory cards here
Estimated price: 5300 hryvnia
Product provided by LG press service in Ukraine
Sergey Reshodko
The only name that would be more concise is LG GL. At least it would be more symmetrical. I like the new LG naming, there is no more Optimus, I just hope that the successor to the G2 will not be called LG G2II, as happened with the L-series in 2013. Agree, LG Optimus L5II Dual is as memorable a name as if a smartphone were simply named after its IMEI.
The name G2 looks nice, but there is only one minus - the name is hard to pronounce. Every time they ask me what kind of smartphone this is, I have to say separately: Al G, . , Gee two, otherwise it turns out to be Eldzhidzhidva. In general, I’ve had the smartphone for a week now, it’s mine, because LG later took it and gave one to everyone invited, and I like it. In fact, I got excited about the smartphone after the first tests that began to appear on foreign resources, which talked about excellent autonomy and about good camera with optical stabilization. This is what I primarily need from a smartphone! But, as it turned out, the advantages of the model did not end there.
Design and ergonomics
I don't really like large displays, because they also entail a larger device width. That’s why I said that the optimal diagonal for me is 4.5-4.7″. After getting acquainted with the SGS4 at the beginning of the year, I realized that a 5″ display can be placed in a compact 4.7″ body, because the smartphone came out more compact than the HTC One. At the same time, I also received the Sony Xperia Z, which, on the contrary, showed how big a smartphone can be with a 5″ screen. But the LG G2 was the most surprising of them - it is practically no different in size from the Galaxy S 4, but at the same time it has a 5.2″ screen! The width of the smartphone remains small thanks to completely invisible frames, the thickness of which is only 2.65 mm. Against the background of a huge display, they really get lost, it’s noticeable and you don’t need to focus on this so that others will notice, it seems that you are only holding the display. By the way, the G2 is more compact and lighter than my Oppo Find 5, which my wife now has.
In general, the presentation of G2 both in the USA and in Kiev revolved around the fact that G2 did not introduce innovations for the sake of innovations themselves. And this is true, I’m used to listening and watching as they show us software and hardware features that obviously no one will use. Sound familiar? G2 is really different in this regard. All that is good about it is: camera (both photo and video), sound, screen, size, battery life and convenience.
In addition to the small width, the emphasis was on the controls. In principle, this is connected: due to the absence of any keys on the sides of the device, it was possible to make the smartphone so narrow. There are only three keys on the case and they are located on the back side: the lock key, around which there is a backlight, and the volume key. They are placed under the camera and it looks, at least, unusual. I like this solution, if only because the smartphone is narrow, but LG gave several more arguments. First, during a call, most people hold their index finger exactly where these keys are located, which means it will be easy to adjust the volume. Secondly, even when simply using a smartphone, you don’t need to grab it to reach one or another element from the side; there are always fingers at the back. And thirdly, the G2 is equally convenient for both right-handers and left-handers. I can’t say that this arrangement of keys was a breakthrough, but I wouldn’t call it uncomfortable either. The only thing LG didn’t provide was the ease of taking screenshots. To take a screenshot, you need to hold down the volume down key and the lock key.
Due to the fact that the lock key is on the back, the smartphone is unlocked by double tapping on the display. Just take out your smartphone, tap the screen twice and it lights up. You can also block it; to do this, you need to tap on an empty space on the desktop. And it's not always convenient, because I'm used to not leaving free space on the table and make the most of its space. Also, if you install a third-party launcher, such as NOVA, then locking the screen by double tapping an empty space on the screen will no longer work, although unlocking will continue to work, because the lockscreen remains native. But, as it turned out, you can also lock your smartphone with a double tap on the notification panel at the top, and it is available almost everywhere. And this method works even with a third-party launcher. For myself, I realized that unlocking a smartphone in this way is convenient, especially when the phone is inserted into a holder on the windshield in a car, because pressing the button in it equals tearing it off the glass, and tapping it twice is easy. But sometimes I lock my phone with a hardware key, although after opening the lock with a double tap on the notification panel, life became even more convenient.
The body of the LG G2 is non-separable, although it looks as if the back cover is removable. This means that it is not possible to quickly change the battery or deliver a memory card. However, instead of this, there are no creaks or backlashes, the body feels solid. The plastic is completely glossy and it’s beautiful, but not practical. Fingerprints remain and are clearly visible. But the smartphone does not look cheap, thanks to the stylish textured pattern on the back. In terms of tactile sensations, it reminded me of the Nexus S, to which I was very accustomed at one time. But there is also a slight roughness or texture, so holding the G2 is more pleasant.
The headphone jack and speakers are located on the bottom edge, which is good. The speakers in this place are almost impossible to cover with something and they are not muffled when the smartphone is lying on its “back”, and as for the headphones, the wire is stretched and does not break when you hold the smartphone in front of you, for example, and put the headphones under a T-shirt. But the most important thing is the sound from good headphones really good, there was also a lot of emphasis on this in the presentation.
The audio chip installed in the G2 is capable of reproducing 24-bit audio with a sampling frequency of 192 kHz (analogous to DVD-Audio/SACD) without an “iron” limitation. And this is superior to competing solutions. Perhaps this is why LG does not bundle the new flagship with bundled headphones: so as not to spoil the impression when listening through an inexpensive headset, and if it were included, many would never change it; and so as not to increase the cost of the smartphone by equipping it with expensive “ears”.
According to personal feelings, the music sounds really cool, I listen to everything through my armatures, but it’s better to judge the quality by those who understand this more than me.
Of the other elements I will note front camera 2.1 MP, sensors, front notification diode (that is, there are two of them!) and an infrared port on top. The latter is important for me, I used to constantly envy smartphones that have it, because controlling all the equipment directly from a smartphone is not only cool, but also convenient. You can create sets, such as “Bedroom”, “Friend Valery”, etc., and save all the equipment there, including televisions, air conditioners and in general everything that has a remote control. I liked the application for controlling equipment using the infrared port, but it was missing one very important point - Universal remote control DU. Now you can create your own remote control by placing on it absolutely any buttons that you drag onto the surface of the remote control yourself, and then save the signal of each using the remote control, simply by pointing it at the IR port of your smartphone.
Display
The screen in LG smartphones is a strong point and the G2 is no exception. 5.2″, IPS, Full HD, 424 ppi, ZeroGap (no air gap) – this is, as it were, without compromise. The maximum brightness is sufficient to not strain in sunlight, but the minimum brightness could be lower; looking at a white screen in the dark becomes a little uncomfortable. But I think they will work on the brightness in the update. The fact is that the display brightness adjustment slider is strange; from 0 to 28% the brightness remains minimal, that is, it is not adjustable at all. It begins to grow from 28 to 99%, and when moving to 100% it abruptly switches to the maximum.
The screen received two controllers, thanks to which it became possible to make the frames even smaller, and the clarity of clicks increased. But this does not affect sensitivity, the display only reacts to static, and there is no talk of working with gloves.
The screen is covered with protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 2, but this is not the main thing. Many people know how picky I am about deflections/plays/creaks, and I really don’t like it when the smartphone screen floats with all its colors under light pressure. I like it when you can press on the screen, but the matrix will not feel it. This is exactly the case in G2 - the glass is very hard. The glass is also covered with oleophobic and anti-reflective coatings, thanks to which marks from the screen are easily removed, the finger does not cling to the surface, and the sun's rays are dispersed.
Camera
Photo and video shooting are also the strengths of the LG G2 and it doesn't feel like an LG at all. Before the already mentioned G Pro, even the manufacturer’s flagship models were equipped with too much weak cameras. I don’t know if it was due to the modules or the software, but the result achieved with the Optimus 4x, Nexus 4, Optimus G cameras was poor, considering the status of the mentioned models. Now, the G2 competes on equal terms with the best camera phones like the SGS4, Note 3 and iPhone 5s.
LG G2 is the first smartphone on the market equipped with a 13 MP sensor with an optical image stabilization (OIS) module. Also, the protective glass is sapphire, which means it is scratch-resistant and very difficult to stain, which means it will rarely need to be wiped. Even with such glass, a small plastic side protrudes above it, which further protects the camera. All this already deserves attention, but the software also has some features that few people can boast of. For example, manual focusing when taking photographs! You can turn it on in the settings and then focus using the slider on the screen: from “macro” mode to infinity. This is very convenient; often, when you want to photograph, for example, a spikelet against the background of a sunset, the camera cannot understand that it is necessary to focus on the spikelet, and not at infinity. The G2 allows you to focus manually.
Or how do you like 9 focus points? Just like in cameras. At the same time, you can always tap anywhere on the screen and focus on a point. Well, one more feature - shooting video in 1080p at 60 fps. How many smartphones can do this now?
The quality of photos taken in good lighting is at an excellent level, comparable to the SGS4 and iPhone 5/5s. But the camera has several shortcomings, I hope they will be corrected in software. For example, when shooting video at 1080p 60 fps, the increased frequency is visible to the naked eye. But as soon as you point the lens at a slightly darker area, even during the day, the frame rate drops sharply to 15 per second. It's simply inexplicable why this happens. At the same time, standard shooting at 1080p 30 fps does not lose frames in any lighting. Also in the video, autofocus is difficult; every now and then, you have to touch the display when changing the position of the smartphone to refocus. And lastly, the sound in the video is not the best; if you record a concert, the quality will be seriously inferior to that in the SGS4 and iPhone 4s/5/5s.
Examples of photos and videos:
(pay attention to macro photographs, shooting with manual focus is a pleasure!)
Specifications
As far as I understand, the LG G2 is the first smartphone that is already available for purchase and is available with the new quad-core processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, clocked at 2.26 GHz. The graphics are also new - Adreno 330. RAM - 2 GB, ROM - 16 or 32, I have 32. There is no slot for memory cards, which is a pity. Need I say how fast the smartphone is? I think not, in this case, the tests speak for themselves. Even the Extreme test in 3DMark said that the test was too simple for the device.
But the most interesting thing in all this is that the G2 does not heat up. Even in games it is very difficult to heat it up. In particular, I played 3 matches in FIFA 14 and the smartphone remained cold. After all the benchmarks - cold. When shooting video at 60 fps - cold. Well, the most surprising thing is that after three matches in FIFA 14 while charging the phone, it is cold! Again, I've never seen anything like this before.
And let’s move on to one of the most significant and unexpected advantages of the device – its autonomy. The LG G2 has a large capacity battery – 3000 mAh. But it’s not the number itself that is surprising, although the placement of such a battery in a compact case is also a merit of LG; after them, only Xiaomi placed the battery so tightly in its new flagship.
The smartphone lasts longer on a single charge than any other smartphone I've ever owned. It’s not for nothing that G2 is the first in the autonomy test of the GSMArena website. The results are as follows: I don’t charge it every day, but do it right at night on the second day. This is already a breakthrough for me, because I use my smartphone very actively. Total, 40-42 hours with 5-6 hours of display operation, an hour of Wi-Fi distribution, half an hour of games, watching Youtube, reading Twitter and news, Email, etc. Not a single smartphone could withstand this. If you use the G2 constantly, the screen will work for more than 10(!) hours! In fact, there is a logical explanation for such autonomy. The device has a separate GRAM memory stack, which contains a static image currently displayed on the screen. Thanks to this, processor resources are used less often.
- Dimensions: 138.5 x 70.9 x 9.1 mm.
- Weight: 143 g.
- Operating system: Android 4.2.2 JB.
- Processor: Quad-core, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974), 2.26 GHz
- Graphics: Adreno 330.
- Display: IPS, 5.2″, 1920 × 1080 pixels, 424 ppi
- Memory: 32 GB flash
- RAM: 2 GB.
- Camera: main - 13 MP, video recording in 1080p, 60 fps, front - 2.1 MP.
- Wireless technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0.
- Interface connectors: 3.5 mm headphone jack, Micro USB.
- Battery: Li-Pol battery 3000 mAh.
BY
The smartphone has Android 4.2.2 installed, on top of which is the proprietary LG interface. There are a lot of interesting things inside, such as a translator, backup manager, guest access functionality, etc.
The LG G2 pays a lot of attention to the software component. And, despite the fact that LG has not yet hired a software designer and everything looks completely ugly, as well as localized, the functionality is rich. For example, pop-up windows that appear on top of the current task turned out to be very convenient. If you receive a call, G2 will not redirect you to the dialer, but will simply show a pop-up window with information about the incoming call and the option to answer or reject the call. The same thing happens with incoming SMS.
From the notification shade you can call up both regular settings and a pop-up window with sound settings for basic tasks. Below I have provided screenshots of some applications from the LG interface. I want to note that I don’t always do this, but I liked the software here because it will definitely be used by ordinary people who may never know that they can download alternative programs from Google Play. Why? Because the note taker is convenient, the translator is generally super, even from the camera image it translates in real time, if the Safety Care application, which is a very functional security guard for a child or girl, there is even an application that shows in one feed everything that you did with your smartphone throughout the entire time. You can even look at a specific date. Yes, people like me won’t use much of this, because we found alternative solutions a long time ago, but even I really liked LG’s backup manager, which saves everything: from settings to applications. This is what bare Android lacks.
Quick Translator
Safety Care
Messages
Notebook
LG tried to establish itself in the big league of Android devices a couple of years ago. Even now, not many people take it seriously, although it produces first-class phones. I considered myself one of those. Although the company released offerings that were comparable to others, but for the premium class they lacked something in appearance and functionality, something that companies like , Nokia and Samsung managed to catch. When LG announced the G2 in 2013, I was still somewhat skeptical about whether it would be able to compete on an equal footing with the premium smartphones already released today. Stepping away from technical characteristics Will the G2 look like a premium smartphone? Find out in today's review LG G2 D802 32 GB
Design and body
LG has stayed true to the simple tile design with chiseled edges and a glossy back panel. Despite the 5.2-inch display, the phone is comfortable to hold in your hand, and the slight curve on the back panel gives good grip. I liked the black model better than the white one. The phone has no buttons on the sides; they have been moved to the back panel. Most likely, this was done for the purpose of maximum differentiation from competitors, and was not dictated by LG’s design features, but on the other hand, this does not interfere much.
The Quick Window Case will be included as part of LG's original offering.
On the side of the phone there is a groove for a microSIM card, on the top there is an IR port, and at the bottom there is a speaker, a connector for microUSB and headphones. The buttons are located under the 13-megapixel camera. Overall, the G2 is a noticeable improvement over what we've seen from LG before. The phone has a sturdy build, good ergonomics and looks like a premium device. An encouraging option that I really liked.
Specifications LG G2 D802 32
The display is one of the things LG has focused on, and the G2 is a prime example of this. The Full HD IPS screen is incredibly bright and readable in good sunlight, displaying deep colors without being as oversaturated as an AMOLED panel. It rivals the SLCD 3 screen on the HTC One or Apple iPhone 5. The top and bottom of the display is framed by a narrow frame, almost invisible on the sides, creating the illusion of a solid screen.
Slightly modified user interface Optimus
From the point of view software, the phone has Jelly Bean 4.2.2 installed along with the interface. The interface uses all the old Optimus G Pro tricks, plus some new ones.
G2 is powered by the most powerful processor Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 SoC with 2.2 GHz and 2 GB of RAM. Despite its speed, the G2 never overheats, even after using the camera, GPS or gaming. The back panel can get barely warm, but that's it, and that's certainly impressive.
Damn fast
Multimedia LG G2 D802 32
The audio and video players in the G2 are modified in various ways and one of the main improvements is support for 24-bit 192 kHz audio, which corresponds to studio quality. This will support playback of audio files in the FLAC format, and the difference between it and the MP3 format is quite noticeable, especially through headphones. The sound from the speaker is quite loud. The phone is available in two variations - 16 GB and 32 GB, but, unfortunately, in both of them it is unclear why there is no slot for memory expansion. The G2 clearly has wide enough sides to accommodate a slot for microSD cards, and you could leave the connector as in previous LG models. Let's continue review LG G2 D802 32 GB .
Very good media playback
The video player plays most video formats, including MKV. What's new: added Audio Zoom, which allows you to selectively listen to audio from a video recording, muting everything else. The problem is that for it to work, you need to use digital zoom, which reduces the video quality. No matter what I did, the effect was not very convincing.
Connectivity
The D802 supports LTE, but not TDD-LTE. However, there is a G2 variant (D802TA) that supports TDD-LT. In addition to the available 4-frequency 3G band, there is built-in Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth, NFC, Miracast, GLONASS, IR and TV output via MHL. The quality is very good and the sound from the speaker is loud enough to be audible even in a noisy environment.
There are both useful and unnecessary functions
The wireless connection is a very convenient addition that allows you to access your phone wirelessly through your laptop. Provided you have the appropriate network, you just need to enter the IP address of your phone and you can view and edit your files without the need for a physical (wired) connection.
Cameras in LG G2 D802 32 GB
The G2 boasts the first 13-megapixel sensor for optical image stabilization (OIS). This feature is similar to the one on the Lumia 920, stabilization works well for minor hand shake, but not so well when it comes to recording from a moving vehicle. But still, in this area there is no comparison with Nokia. The camera performs its functions well in good lighting conditions. The level of detail is just as good in macros; We noticed that post-processing created undesirable effects around the edges that were only noticeable at any magnification. The same thing happens when shooting landscapes; the detail of distant objects is not as clear as it should be. I think a software update should fix this. Night shots are thankfully not as bad as the Z1's, as no color distortion is noticeable in dark areas.
Good macros, but detail around the edges of the flower is not very high when viewed at a larger scale
Landscape shots are good, but again, there is a lack of detail in distant objects
Video recording is excellent, with resolutions up to 1080p at 60 frames per second. In addition to dual recording, there is also a live effect that transforms the faces being photographed and adjusts the zoom when recording video with a window overlay.
Battery capacity
The 3000 mAh battery performed well, the G2 easily lasts for two whole days of continuous use. After an 8-hour test cycle to write review LG G2 D802 32 GB , there is still about 43% battery charge left.
Conclusions on LG G2 D802 32 GB
The 16 GB version of the G2 is not much cheaper than the 32 GB version. Of course, you can find them online for less, making the G2 one of the best value flagships on the market. The inability to increase memory is perhaps the only major drawback this phone. It looks very nice, it's lightning fast, it has a great screen, and there are even more actions and functions than you need, plus it's very capacious battery. When choosing between it and the Sony Xperia Z1, I would choose the G2.
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