 "First impressions: LG G2")
The LG G2 is certainly an eye catcher in terms of specs and the kooky button design, but does the latest flagship have enough to displace the current market heavyweights? We got to spend some time with the G2 after LG’s launch event in Delhi today.
The G2 is a great example of how much things have changed for LG, but also a stark reminder of how much they haven’t. The G2 is clad in LG’s typical glossy plastic, that attracts fingerprints easily, just like its bigger brother, the G Pro. Despite the large display and the powerful internals, the G2 is surprisingly light weight, yet there’s no feeling that this is a premium device.
The G2 is here!
The biggest cosmetic change in the G2 is the lack of buttons on the side, where smartphone users have trained their fingers to rest. Now, you will have to get used to LG’s back button layout, which LG claims is the natural position for fingers to rest. However, it does take some getting used to. The lack of expandable memory on the G2 is another downer.
Coming to the positives, LG has managed to deliver a really remarkable display with the G2. The 5.2-inch display is bright and vivid, and unlike AMOLED displays, the colours don’t look oversaturated. The Snapdragon 800 SoC means operation is glitch free and UI animations and transitions are delivered as expected.
13-megapixel camera with OIS and the infamous back buttons
Speaking of the UI, LG has opted for an interface similar to the one we have seen in the past with the Optimus G and G Pro. Only with more gestures; a little too much, actually. You can customize the onscreen buttons in different configurations. The Settings menu is completely redesigned and now features tabs, like the Galaxy S4 and the camera UI has got a major overhaul as is evident from the images.
We couldn’t test the G2’s camera thoroughly in the constraints of the media launch, but this one of the best camera phones in the market today and the indoor shots don’t do plenty of justice to its performance. Nevertheless the camera managed some great pictures under these conditions and colours are adequately represented in the final image. Here is one sample image:
Decent performance indoors, but further testing is required
The bottom line
This is easily LG’s best offering to date and is priced aggressively against the Xperia Z1 and Samsung Galaxy S4. It’s also the reasonably price phone with a Snapdragon 800 SoC, making it great value for money. The G2 is certainly a very good option considering the specs and features. Lack of expandable storage might end up being the Achilles heel considering most high end Android phones come with this feature. Here’s more of the LG G2 in our gallery: [@galleryid:348020]
We’ll be putting the G2 through its paces in the next few days. So watch out for a review of the LG flagship.
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