Smartphone G4 LG in leather trim. LG G4 review: an android flagship with a special touch

Already, almost traditionally, every November, the next flagship from LG finally gets to our editorial office. Today we will try to figure out whether this is really a new generation device or just a rebirth of last year's model. The main differences between the LG G4 and its predecessor are: design, display, camera and, of course, the processor. The camera is a key difference from the LG G3. New 16-megapixel sensor with improved image stabilization and wider lens aperture. This allows the lens to capture more light and, in addition, even in the absence of sufficient lighting, prevents blurring of the picture at slower shutter speeds.
Specifications:

• Body material: glass, plastic, leather;
• Operating system: Android 5.1 Lollipop with LG UX v4.0 shell;
• Network: GSM / HSDPA / LTE, dual SIM support;
• Processor: Qualcomm MSM8992 Snapdragon 808 hexa-core (quad-core 1.44 GHz Cortex-A53 and dual-core 1.82 GHz Cortex-A57);
• RAM: 3 GB;
• Memory for data storage: 32 + microSD;
• Screen: capacitive, IPS, 5.5 inches, 2560x1440 pixels, protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3;
• Camera: 16 MP primary with dual LED flash, laser autofocus system and optical stabilization module;
  8 MP frontal;
• Additionally: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS, GLONASS, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, infrared;
• Battery: removable, 3000 mAh, Quick Charge 2.0 - charging 60% of the battery in 30 minutes, wireless charging is optionally available;
• Dimensions: 148.9 x 76.1 x 9.8mm
• Weight: 155g

Equipment

LG G4 flagship? This certainly can not be said from the box in which the device is delivered. Just a white box with the signature LG G4. The complete set of the device is quite consistent - a microUSB cable and a 2A charging adapter.

The smartphone supports Quick Charge 2.0 technology for fast battery charging, but, unfortunately, a standard adapter is not suitable for this. To charge the phone from 0% to 60% in just 30 minutes, you will have to fork out more. And yes, the headset will also have to be purchased separately.

Appearance and usability

The dimensions of the LG G4 are as follows - 148.9 x 76.1 x 9.8 mm, slightly larger than its predecessor. Extra millimeters add weight, but essentially both devices weigh the same.
The difference in size and weight of the devices is really subtle, but “bigger and thicker” is not what you want to hear about devices with identical screen sizes.

In terms of design, the shape of the G4 has become more strict and angular G3, and the curve of the back and front panels makes you confuse it with the Flex 2. The curve of the back panel goes from the center to the corners, which certainly makes the grip more secure and pleasant than in the same G3. Yes, the smartphone is quite massive, but it is quite comparable with competitors. A slight bend of the front panel is not immediately noticeable, but it creates an interesting effect - the bottom and top panels seem to be closer to the fingers than the screen as a whole.

The smartphone comes in two variations - with a plastic or leather back cover. Plastic lids are available in the following colors: Ceramic White, Metallic Gray and Gold. They are made with a 3D pattern of a diamond-shaped mesh.

The plastic backs are quite glossy, but almost no fingerprints remain on them. I still like the silver cover of the LG G3.

The main innovation in the design of the G4 is the leather covers, which are available in three colors: brown, black and red. At the same time, the texture of all three options is slightly different.

This option sort of puts the device on a par with premium phones from Vertu. But in reality, this turns out to be completely different, because the skin is a rather soft material, so it quickly rubs off and reacts poorly to falls, and, moreover, reacts poorly to interaction with moisture. On the test sample, scuffs at the corners of the lid are clearly visible, and the Internet is simply teeming with complaints from reviewers and owners:

The layout of the buttons, camera and speakers remained unchanged. The main camera is located on the rear panel in the usual place, to the left of it is a rangefinder, to the right is a dual LED flash, and below is a lock button and a volume rocker. In the lower left corner is the speaker.

The rear panel is removable, on its back you can see 2 contacts and 2 more places for missing contacts. The first two are responsible for the NFC module built into the lid itself. The other two are needed to connect optional covers with a built-in wireless charging module.

The front panel is covered with protective glass Gorilla Glass 3. At the top there is an earpiece, and to the left of it there is an 8 MP front camera for great selfies with friends. Near the camera, holes for the light sensor, proximity and signal LED are barely visible.

At the top, everything is also quite standard - an additional microphone and an infrared port for controlling home appliances. On the bottom side there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a microphone and a MicroUSB port supporting SlimPort technology, which allows you to connect your smartphone to a TV and broadcast a 4K picture.

The side ends are free from buttons and connectors, only on the right side there is a recess for prying the back cover.

The LG G4 is built with high quality, there are no backlashes or cracks on the case, there are no squeaks and other unpleasant phenomena.

Screen

LG is one of the main players in the TV market, respectively, all the latest developments get to the company's smartphones as quickly as possible. The 5.5 inch screen of the device has a QHD resolution (2560x1440), in terms of 1 in 1 characteristics, it is similar to the G3 screen. They are similar, perhaps, only in numerical values.

The display of the new flagship is made using Quantum Display technology, color calibration covers 98% of the colors of the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) standard - which means more accurate color reproduction. For comparison, we can say that the colors in the LG G3 are more faded, and the picture as a whole is less contrasting.

As befits a modern flagship, the viewing angles are maximum. The maximum and minimum brightness levels are at an excellent level. A cutoff of 0% brightness of the backlight practically corresponds to the off screen, and 100% allows you to use the phone on a bright sunny day. The auto brightness control is very smooth and changes the backlight levels according to the lighting conditions.

System

The current version of Android at the time of the release of the review is 5.1. A proprietary launcher from LG works on top of the system - the updated LG UX version 4.0. It is more tailored to the latest Meterial Design trends, all icons have become simple, flat, two or three colors. The choice of colors seemed to me not very successful, too colorful, but this is a purely subjective opinion.

It is possible to unlock the screen not with a button, but simply by double tapping on the screen, what LG calls Knock On, which appeared in the LG G Pro. By the way, the screen can also be locked with a double tap when you see the desktop on the screen.

The function of installing various themes is present, but it is not yet possible to download them from the company store.

Since there are no physical buttons here, the bottom of the display is always occupied by the virtual function buttons Back, Home, Menu, Change Active SIM. This panel is configured in any way, you can add up to 5 buttons there or leave the usual 3.

If you use only one SIM card, then instead of the button for changing the active SIM card, you can put, for example, the button to open the notification curtain, in order not to stretch your finger to the very top of the screen.

There is a button to turn on the QSlide dual screen mode, for example, if you like to watch videos and surf the Internet, or if you need to work with a document and mail at the same time.

In the notification panel, you can configure the necessary buttons and their order, which is not limited by anything, because the panel will scroll vertically. Under the icons for controlling the smartphone are sliders for changing the brightness and volume of the device.

The application manager has a standard look for Lolipop, with a few additions. There is a button to close all programs and a Dual Screen, for the function described a little above. Also, individual applications can be pinned with a “pin” and they will constantly be in the dispatcher.

One of the features of the device is the support for multiple user profiles. When you install additional profiles, you sort of reconfigure your phone. Each profile uses its own Google account, its own Google Play, its own smartphone settings. Thus, you can use different modes - at home / at work / for a child.

For example, on weekends, you can very easily protect yourself from work emails, calendar and calls - just by switching the mode. In addition, by making a separate account for a child, you can not worry about unnecessary purchases on Google Play or that your colleagues will see how you completed the next track in Real Racing 3.

By turning on EasyHome, you can turn your smartphone into a granny background, removing all unnecessary features and settings that may scare your old people.

To enter text, a proprietary keyboard is used, which has not changed much since the LG G Pro.

Performance

Strange as it may sound, but the flagship device from LG did not use the top-end chipset available on the market. The company decided to use the hexa-core Qualcomm MSM8992 Snapdragon 808 instead of the most powerful and latest version of the Snapdragon 810, apparently fearing rumors of overheating and high power consumption.

The main difference between these chipsets is that the 808 model uses a set of 4 cores for the active mode, plus 2 cores for less resource-intensive tasks, while the 810 has a 4+4 core scheme. At the same time, the basic processors for heavy tasks are identical. The younger model uses the Adreno 418 graphics accelerator, which is inferior to the Adreno 810 from the Snapdragon 810. It would not be out of place to say that in fact, the Snapdragon 810 really heats up much more and drains the battery much faster.

Synthetic tests show that the difference in processor performance is not so great compared to the same LG G Flex 2. But the Adreno 418 graphics accelerator was not very powerful than last year's 330 model installed in the LG G3.

Test results:

• Antutu Benchmark 5.7.1: 49862
• RL Benchmark SQL 1.3: 8.023 sec
• Sunsipider Chrome 1.0.2: 710.4ms
• Epic Citadel UHQ 1.07: 38.5 fps
• Basemark X High 1.1: 15040
• Basemark OS II 1.0.1.0:1503
• GFX 2.7 T-Rex (onscreen): 23 fps
• GFX 3.0 Manhattan (onscreen): 9.1 fps
• Geekbench: 1099 / 3384
• Vellamo: Chrome - 3975 / Metal - 2222 / Multicore - 2362

Camera

In fact, LG has one of the most advanced cameras on the market right now. The 16 MP camera is built on a 1/2.6-inch sensor with a lens aperture of f/1.8. According to marketers, it captures 80% more light than the G3 camera. For comparison, the Galaxy S6 has an f/1.9 lens.

Now optical stabilization works in three axes, in G3 it was two-axis. The system also has a color spectrum sensor, which allows you to more accurately adjust the white balance.

The software also received some improvements, the manual mode was significantly expanded and improved. Now it allows you to adjust the white balance in steps of 200K, ISO, focus manually and change the shutter speed. Now a histogram has appeared on the Erkan, which will help. The camera can shoot in RAW format, which allows you to receive a file directly from the camera sensor, without any loss. This is very useful for post-processing photos.

The most noticeable improvement is the change in the aspect ratio of the sensor itself, from the standard 4:3 to 16:9. The bottom line is that most smartphones are equipped with exactly 4: 3 matrices, and according to the standard they take widescreen shots. As a result, a standard 10 MP camera, due to cropping, turned into, for example, 8 MP. Now widescreen shots are fully consistent with the declared 16 MP.

A wider aperture of f/1.8 allows you to enhance the so-called bokeh effect, that is, blurry backgrounds. However, unlike SLR cameras with a good lens, good bokeh is achieved here only with macro photography, it is difficult to get this in a portrait.

All the advantages of the new camera open just after sunset. Since the lens can now collect more light, there is less noise in evening and night photos. Optical stabilization works perfectly at shutter speeds of at least 1/10 second and does not blur images.

LG is trying to be in trend and, in response to people's fascination with “selfies”, puts an 8 MP front camera, for example, only a 2 MP camera was used in the LG G3. However, increasing the resolution of images by 4 times does not change the very quality of the photos; it is the lens, and not the number of MPs, that has the greatest influence on the amount of noise and clarity of the image.

Autonomy of work

Like its predecessor, LG G4 is equipped with a removable 3000 mAh battery. It's worth remembering the LG G2, which was equipped with the same battery and lasted significantly longer than the LG G3 in our standard battery test.

Our tests showed that the LG G4 was able to surpass not only the G3, but also the legendary G2 in terms of autonomy. Let me remind you that the result of the latter was 12 hours and 7 minutes, while the result of the current flagship was 13 hours and 23 minutes.

The result is quite good, and with moderate use, the charge of the smartphone should be enough for a couple of days before the outlet.

Communication and sensors

LG G4 can work in LTE networks with a maximum download speed of 300 Mbps and upload of 50 Mbps, in 3G networks including HSPA + with a download speed of up to 42 Mbps. The version of the smartphone that came to our editorial office is H818, which means that it has 2 microSIM slots.

The Wi-Fi module works according to a/b/g/n/ac standards and supports 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Bluetooth 4.1 supports Low Energy mode, which is used to interact with most modern smart bracelets.

In addition, the communication module can work with both global positioning systems - GPS and GLONASS. Testing in the "fields" did not reveal any problems with the search speed or the number of satellites found.

I already wrote about the presence of NFC above. It is used for contactless transfer of files between devices, payments, etc.

The smartphone can work according to DLNA and Miracast standards for wireless video streaming to a TV, and the USB port supports SlimPort technology and can stream video in 4K resolution via wire. The infrared port and the QRemote program are used to turn a smartphone into a remote control for a TV, air conditioner, video player or home theater.

Outcome

Undoubtedly, LG G4 is included in the list of the best smartphones of the outgoing year, as well as its predecessors a year and 2 years before. The fundamental design principles of the smartphone remain the same, it still looks like the legendary G2. But since then, the quality of the screen and its color reproduction have noticeably improved. With a new sensor, lens and improved stabilization system, the camera is one of the best on the market. The choice of not the latest chipset can be called a controversial decision, because the flagship should get all the best and latest. In fact, the 808 chipset is not much inferior to the 810 in terms of performance, but at the same time it significantly wins in autonomy.

Using leather to make back panels can be very popular with fashionistas and girls. The noticeable disadvantages include a very meager delivery package, the smartphone out of the box does not have a headset, Quick Charge or wireless charging. In addition, it is not waterproof, unlike a large number of flagships from other companies.

LG G4 is equipped with a 5.5-inch IPS display with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels. The image density is 538 ppi - this is a very cool indicator, which guarantees an incredible picture clarity.

The Koreans ascribe to the matrix a beautiful epithet Quantum, although in reality we are talking only about a comprehensively improved IPS “on steroids” of LG technologies. As is customary in new smartphones, the matrix and touchscreen are merged into one for better color reproduction and screen sensitivity - this is a logical development of a design called OGS, which LG calls Advanced In Cell Touch. The manufacturer promises a 20% improvement in color reproduction, a 25% increase in brightness and a 50% increase in brightness compared to the previous flagship, the G3.

Another mysterious marketing detail was the display calibration in conjunction with DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives) - this is such an association of leading film studios to standardize digital cinema. True, these guys came together only to agree among themselves on the resolution of films in theaters, file formats, codecs and copy protection when showing films in theaters. Despite the fact that this association has an approved cinema palette standard, the likelihood that an ordinary smartphone will repeat the characteristics of professional equipment from cinemas is not too high.

This item, in general, resembles a picture when each toothpaste advertisement has its own association of dentists - and each of them nods at the tube and says "we recommend only the specified brand!".

Viewing angles are excellent, the contrast when viewed from the side is reduced slightly. The display has enough potential for comfortable use in sunny weather, especially since the tempered glass above the matrix is ​​equipped with a high-quality anti-reflective layer.

According to the colorimeter, the display brightness level varies from 2 to 420 cd / m2 - the screen of the Galaxy S6 edge is 16% brighter. However, in pursuit of formal color rendering characteristics, LG specialists overdid it a little - the sRGB palette coverage came close to ideal, but, thanks to the efforts of Korean engineers, it was expanded even beyond necessity. The numbers came out beautiful, but as a result, the matrix began to display colors as richly as the Super AMOLED displays in Samsung smartphones. Moreover, if the S6 edge allows for the correction of color reproduction and richness of the picture, then in the G4 “powerful” colors are offered at an uncontested level.

As a result, the display turned out to be very clear, bright and extraordinarily saturated - the only drawbacks are excessively intense colors (partly a matter of taste) and a relatively high Delta E deviation due to the expanded color gamut.

Sound

The G4 pleasantly surprises with the speaker's potential - in terms of volume and sound quality, our LG leaves behind not only most smartphones, but at the same time many large tablets. Among modern flagships, it is able to compete on equal terms with the HTC One M9, which is equipped with two BoomSound speakers. In a face-to-face fight, HTC will most likely show a better stereo base and slightly superior sound clarity, but will definitely lose in terms of the number of mids (and the bass spectrum). In the LG G4, it is enough to activate the “bass boost” mode in the standard player to get a convincing sound without a hint of “squeaky”, which is not what you would expect from a mobile phone with a thickness of less than 10 mm.

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of a particular device, if any.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, suggested colors, certificates.

Width Width information refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	76.1 mm (millimeters) 7.61 cm (centimeters) 0.25ft 3 in
Height Height information refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	148.9 mm (millimeters) 14.89 cm (centimeters) 0.49ft 5.86in
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement.	6.3 mm (millimeters) 0.63 cm (centimeters) 0.02 ft 0.25in
The weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	155 g (grams) 0.34 lbs 5.47oz
Volume Approximate volume of the device, calculated from dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	71.39 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 4.34 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	White Grey The black Golden Red Brown
Housing materials The materials used to make the body of the device.	Leather Plastic

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often referred to as a 2G mobile network. It is enhanced by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies.	GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz
UMTS UMTS is short for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is to provide more speed and spectral efficiency with W-CDMA technology.	UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz
LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent development of technologies is called LTE Advanced.	LTE 800 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz

Mobile technologies and data rates

Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out through technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

The operating system is the system software that manages and coordinates the operation of the hardware components in the device.

SoC (System on a Chip)

System on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device in one chip.

SoC (System on a Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 MSM8992
Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is made. The value in nanometers measures half the distance between the elements in the processor.	20 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications.	2x 1.8 GHz ARM Cortex-A57, 4x 1.44 GHz ARM Cortex-A53
Processor bit depth The bit depth (bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance than 32-bit processors, which, in turn, are more productive than 16-bit processors.	64 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands by which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv8-A
Level 0 Cache (L0) Some processors have an L0 (level 0) cache that is faster to access than L1, L2, L3, etc. The advantage of having such a memory is not only higher performance, but also reduced power consumption.	4 kB + 4 kB (kilobytes)
First level cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently accessed data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small and much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for them in the L2 cache. With some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.	16 kB + 16 kB (kilobytes)
Second level cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1, but in return it has a larger capacity, allowing more data to be cached. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or RAM.	2048 KB (kilobytes) 2 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores The processor core executes program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing many instructions to be executed in parallel.	6
Processor clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	1800 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc.	Qualcomm Adreno 418
GPU clock speed Speed ​​is the clock speed of the GPU and is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	600 MHz (megahertz)
The amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost when the device is turned off or restarted.	3 GB (gigabytes)
Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device.	LPDDR3
Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels means higher data rates.	dual channel
RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its speed, more specifically, the speed of reading / writing data.	933 MHz (megahertz)

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has a built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed amount.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends.	IPS
Diagonal For mobile devices, the screen size is expressed in terms of its diagonal length, measured in inches.	5.5in 139.7 mm (millimeters) 13.97 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate Screen Width	2.7in 68.49 mm (millimeters) 6.85 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate Screen Height	4.79in 121.76 mm (millimeters) 12.18 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.778:1 16:9
Permission Screen resolution indicates the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means sharper image detail.	1440 x 2560 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be shown on the screen in clearer detail.	534 ppi (pixels per inch) 209 ppcm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for the color components in a single pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen space on the front of the device.	73.83% (percentage)
Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen.	capacitive Multitouch Scratch resistance
	Corning Gorilla Glass 4 Quantum display 1500:1 contrast ratio

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that are recognized by the mobile device.

Main camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the case and is used for taking photos and videos.

Sensor Model	Sony IMX234 Exmor RS
Sensor type
Sensor size	5.95 x 3.35 mm (millimeters) 0.27in
Pixel size	1.12 µm (micrometers) 0.00112 mm (millimeters)
crop factor	6.34
ISO (light sensitivity) ISO values ​​determine the light sensitivity level of the photosensor. A lower value means weaker light sensitivity and vice versa - higher values ​​mean higher light sensitivity, i.e. better ability of the sensor to work in low light conditions.	50 - 2700
Diaphragm	f/1.8
Excerpt The shutter speed (exposure time) indicates the amount of time the camera shutter is open during the shooting process. The longer it is open, the more light reaches the photosensor. Shutter speed is measured in seconds (eg 5, 2, 1) or fractions of a second (eg 1/2, 1/8, 1/8000).	30 - 1/5999
Focal length Focal length is the distance in millimeters from the photosensor to the optical center of the lens. There is also an equivalent focal length that provides the same field of view with a full frame camera.	4.42 mm (millimeters) 28.01 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame)
Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile devices cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes give a softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting.	LED
Image resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which indicates the number of pixels in the horizontal and vertical direction of an image.	5312 x 2988 pixels 15.87 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution for video recording by the device.	3840 x 2160 pixels 8.29 MP (megapixels)
Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard shooting and video playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p.	30 fps (frames per second)
Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality.	autofocus Burst shooting digital zoom Optical Image Stabilization geo tags panoramic shooting HDR shooting Touch focus Face recognition Adjusting the white balance ISO setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode Macro mode RAW
	Laser autofocus manual focus OIS 2.0 720p@120fps

Additional camera

Additional cameras are usually mounted above the screen of the device and are mainly used for video calls, gesture recognition, etc.

Sensor model Information about the manufacturer and model of the photo sensor used in the device's camera.	Toshiba T4KA3
Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take pictures. The sensor, as well as the optics, is one of the main factors in the quality of a camera in a mobile device.	CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor)
Sensor size Information about the size of the photosensor used in the device. Typically, cameras with a larger sensor and lower pixel density offer better image quality despite lower resolution.	3.7 x 2.7 mm (millimeters) 0.18in
Pixel size The smaller pixel size of the photosensor allows more pixels to be used per unit area, thus increasing resolution. On the other hand, a smaller pixel size can have a negative impact on image quality at high light sensitivity (ISO) levels.	1.134 µm (micrometers) 0.001134 mm (millimeters)
crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the size of a full-frame sensor (36 x 24mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35mm film) and the size of the device's photosensor. The number shown is the ratio of the diagonals of the full frame sensor (43.3 mm) and the photo sensor of the specific device.	9.45
Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture is larger.	f/2
Image resolution Information about the maximum resolution of the secondary camera when shooting. In most cases, the resolution of the secondary camera is lower than that of the main camera.	3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum resolution supported when shooting video with the optional camera.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the optional camera when shooting video at the maximum resolution.	30 fps (frames per second)

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about navigation and location technologies supported by the device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for short distance data transmission between different devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between different types of devices over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to communicate.

HDMI

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a digital audio/video interface that replaces older analog audio/video standards.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Browser Information about some of the key features and standards supported by the device's browser.

HTML HTML5 CSS 3

Audio file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support various audio file formats and codecs that store and encode/decode digital audio data, respectively.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support various video file formats and codecs, which store and encode/decode digital video data, respectively.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge they need to function.

Capacity The capacity of a battery indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliamp-hours.	3000 mAh (milliamp-hours)
Type of The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more specifically, by the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used in mobile devices.	Li-Ion (Li-Ion)
3G talk time Talk time in 3G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 3G network.	10 h (hours) 600 min (minutes) 0.4 days
3G standby time The 3G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network.	375 h (hours) 22500 min (minutes) 15.6 days
Fast charging technology Fast charging technologies differ from each other in terms of energy efficiency, maintained output power, control over the charging process, temperature, etc. The device, battery and charger must be compatible with fast charging technology.	Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0
Characteristics Information about some additional features of the device's battery.	Wireless charger fast charging Removable
	Qi wireless charging

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

SAR levels refer to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.

Head SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum allowable SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines.	0.578 W/kg (watt per kilogram)
Body SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum allowed SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines and IEC standards.	0.392 W/kg (watt per kilogram)
Head SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. The maximum value used in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are controlled by the CTIA and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values.	0.921 W/kg (watt per kilogram)
Body SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest acceptable SAR value in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA controls whether mobile devices comply with this standard.	0.517 W/kg (watt per kilogram)

additional characteristics

Some devices have characteristics that do not fit into the above categories, but it is important to point them out.

additional characteristics Information about other characteristics of the device.

Curved body and display Thickness - 6.3-9.8 mm - depends on the point of the curve 3000mm radius curve LG-H815 - SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) EU: head - 0.621 W/kg LG-H815T - SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) EU: head - 0.621 W/kg; body - 0.436 W/kg LGLS991 - SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) US: head - 1.190 W/kg; body - 0.980 W/kg LG-VS986 - SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) US: head - 0.990 W/kg; body - 1.070 W/kg

Latest device comparisons that include LG G4

List of the latest comparisons made by the website visitors, which include LG G4

Dimensions: 253 x 185 x 9.5mm
The weight: 665 g
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 MSM8909 v2
CPU: ARM Cortex-A7, 1260 MHz, Number of Cores: 4
GPU: Qualcomm Adreno 304, 456 MHz
RAM: 1 GB, 2 GB
Built-in memory: 16 GB, 32 GB
Screen: 10.1 in, IPS, 1280 x 800 pixels, 24 bit
Battery: 8400 mAh Li-polymer
Operating system: Android 5.1 Lollipop
Camera: 3264 x 2448 pixels, 1280 x 720 pixels, 30 fps

Dimensions: 69.9 x 134.4 x 8.9mm
The weight: 130 g
SoC: Nvidia Tegra 3 T30
CPU: ARM Cortex-A9, 1500 MHz, Number of Cores: 4
GPU: ULP GeForce, 520 MHz
RAM: 1 GB, 533 MHz
Built-in memory: 16 GB, 32 GB
Screen: 4.7 in, Super IPS LCD 2, 720 x 1280 pixels, 24 bit
Battery: 1800 mAh Li-polymer
Operating system: Android 4.0.x Ice Cream Sandwich
Camera: 3264 x 2448 pixels, 1920 x 1080 pixels, 24 fps

Dimensions: 69 x 140 x 6.5mm
The weight: 140 g
SoC: MediaTek MT6580
CPU: ARM Cortex-A7, 1300 MHz, Number of Cores: 4
GPU: ARM Mali-400 MP2
RAM: 1 GB, 533 MHz
Built-in memory: 8 GB
Screen: 5 in, IPS, 720 x 1280 pixels, 24 bit
Battery: 2000 mAh Li-Ion
Operating system: Android 5.1 Lollipop
Camera: 1600 x 1200 pixels, 1280 x 720 pixels, 30 fps

The importance of observing traditions in Eastern philosophy plays a fundamental role. Past merits and past accomplishments are treated with due respect and they try to pass on all the accumulated knowledge to the next generation in order to reach new heights. But sometimes such an approach can become a source of rather conservative thinking, when the continuity of traditions gradually replaces the desire to develop, which can eventually lead to a lack of fresh ideas.

In this article, we will get to know the new flagship smartphone quite closely. LG G4, which is an ideological continuation of the popular line of mobile devices from the Korean industrial giant, and at the same time we will try to find out how far modern engineering has gone in comparison with the previous generation. What interesting ideas the updated gadget is endowed with, and what new and unusual it can offer a potential buyer - you will learn from our further review. And we will start it traditionally with a review of the technical characteristics.

Manufacturer and model	LG G4 (H818P)
Type, form factor	Smartphone, monoblock
Communication standards		850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
		900 / 2100 MHz
		800 / 1800 / 2600 MHz (ranges 3, 7, 20)
High speed data transfer	GPRS (32-48 Kbps), EDGE (236 Kbps), HSDPA (up to 42.2 Mbps), LTE cat.6 (up to 300 Mbps)
SIM card type
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 (MSM8992): 2 x Cortex-A57 + 4 x Cortex-A53, 64-bit ARMv8-A microarchitecture, up to 1.8 GHz, 20 nm manufacturing process
Graphics adapter	Qualcomm Adreno 418: up to 600 MHz, support for OpenGL ES 3.1, OpenCL 1.2 and DirectX 11.2
	5.5", 2560 x 1440 pixels (538 ppi), IPS Quantum Display with In-cell Touch technology, touch (capacitive), multi-touch up to 10 touches, protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3
RAM
Persistent memory
card reader	microSD (up to 128 GB)
Interfaces	1 x USB 2.0 (OTG, SlimPort) 1 x 3.5mm mini-jack audio jack
Multimedia	Acoustics
	Microphone
	Main		16 MP, f/1.8 aperture, 9-point laser autofocus, OIS 2.0 optical image stabilization, color spectrum sensor, 4K Ultra HD video recording at 30 fps
	Frontal		8 MP, f/2.0 aperture, fixed focus, wide-angle optics, 1080p video recording at 30 fps
Communication options			802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz) (Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Hotspot)
	Navigation		GPS / A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou
	Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, light sensor, digital compass
Battery	Li-ion, removable: 3000 mAh
Charger	Input: 100~240V AC e.g. at 50/60 Hz Output: 5V DC e.g. 1.8 A
	Back panel trimmed with genuine leather; full software support for the branded Quick Circle case; the ability to remotely control multimedia and household appliances using the infrared port and the Quick Remote application; proprietary Knock Code screen unlock function
	148.9 x 76.2 x 9.8mm
	Black, Red, Brown, Blue, White, Grey, Gold
Operating system	Android 5.1 Lollipop + proprietary shell LG UX 4.0
Official guarantee	12 months
Products webpage

Delivery and equipment

We express our gratitude to the Ukrainian representative office of the company LG Electronics for the smartphone provided for testing.

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At first glance, an eternity has passed since the release of the LG G2 review. At that time, gadgets were not so big and expensive, and performance grew with each subsequent generation so that it was visible to the naked eye.

Later we got acquainted with its successor - LG G3, the price tag of which has already come close to the flagships of other leading manufacturers. It offered several unique features in its segment, for example, a QHD screen and a laser autofocus camera - this is how LG paved the way from the Varangians to the Greeks to the premium segment. However, in terms of sales, the G3 was still inferior even to Sony's flagships that came out twice as often. And the circulation of the main Korean competitor - Samsung - LG managers probably cannot watch without tears for a long time.

But now a year has passed, it's time to follow the rest of the players to release a new flagship. It is not surprising that the manufacturer pins special hopes on him. The novelty received the expected name - G4. Without imagination, but users will not be confused. At least until stripped-down junior models come out: with suffixes S, mini, Stylus and others. But let's not guess, perhaps the manufacturer will pleasantly surprise us.

And now we will figure out how the full-fledged LG G4 is ready to please a potential user, which, thanks to Premium Brands, can already be purchased in Moscow.

Competition in the top segment has been heating up for more than a year, and it is becoming more and more difficult to stay in the fight. In order to attract buyers, Samsung now offers glass-and-metal smartphones with rounded displays, HTC continues to conjure with an all-aluminum body, as well as signature stereo speakers and Sense shell, and Sony still bets on strict design and water resistance.

So what does the LG G4 have to offer? It may seem that the company repeats the experience of its main competitor - Samsung. Judge for yourself: we have a smartphone with a collapsible body and a leather back cover. Doesn't it remind you of anything? Unless it's real leather. In addition, a variety of branded covers are promised, allowing you to diversify the design of the device and stand out from the crowd.

However, there have never been any questions about the latter - LG flagships perfectly emphasize the uniqueness of their owners - simply because you still have to try to meet another one like it. Well, enough irony. At least at first glance, the smartphone turned out to be more than pretty. Judge for yourself.

Specifications LG G4

For convenience, let's immediately compare the performance characteristics of the LG G4 with the previous model.

Model	LG G4	LG G3
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 (MSM8992), 2 x 1800 MHz (Cortex-A57) + 4 x 1440 MHz (Cortex-A53), 64 bit	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, 4 x 2500 MHz (Krait 400)
video processor	Adreno 418	Adreno 330
Operating system	Android 5.1 + LG UX 4.0 UI	Android 4.4 + LG Optimus UI
RAM, GB	3	2 or 3
Internal memory, GB	32	32
Screen	5.50" QD-LED IPS, 1440 x 2560	5.46"" IPS, 1440 x 2560
Cameras, Mpix	16.0 + 8.0	13.0 + 2.0
Net	GSM 850/900/1800/1900	GSM 850/900/1800/1900
Number of SIM cards, pcs.	1	1
Micro SD support	There is	There is
Data transfer	Wi-Fi, WAP, GPRS, EDGE, NFC, HSDPA, 3G, LTE (cat.6)	Wi-Fi, WAP, GPRS, EDGE, NFC, HSDPA, 3G, LTE
GPS/aGPS/GLONASS/Beidou	Yes/Yes/Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes/Yes/Yes
Battery, mAh	3 000	3 000
Dimensions, mm	149.0 x 76.0 x 10.0	146.0 x 74.5 x 9.0
Weight, g	155	149
price, rub.	N/A	~26 000

Judging by the "naked" characteristics, then we have just a planned cosmetic update. Yes, the fears of some users were justified, and the LG G4 received "only" the 808th chip instead of 810, like the HTC One M9. I must say that compared to the Snapdragon 801, performance should not increase very significantly.

Other characteristics look even paler: the battery capacity has not increased, the amount of RAM has not taken a new bar, and the built-in drive has not broken capacity records for a long time. But in terms of dimensions, the novelty has become less attractive - the width of the case has increased from 74.5 mm to 76 mm, and the weight - from 149 to 155 g. Even the thickness has grown to 10 mm, which is completely indecent in our time.

Apparently, the most noticeable improvements are waiting for us in the camera. But they, like the quality of the same case with the same back cover, must be very significant in order to justify the release of a new model.

Packaging and equipment LG G4

New LG comes in a modest cardboard box.

The lid is slightly cut off. Underneath is red cardboard.

Since we have Korean equipment in front of us, we will not see detailed technical specifications on the back. Instead, only key features of the model are mentioned.

Olleh is a local mobile operator and digital content provider, like our Yandex with their Yandex.Store.

The sales sticker reminds you that this is the version for the "home" market, which is called LG-F500K. Presumably, the H815 model should enter the Russian market.

For themselves, loved ones, Koreans are trying to assemble a richer package. This was the case with the Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime, which was never officially delivered to us. What do we see?

• Documentation;
• Charger;
• microUSB cable;
• Additional battery;
• Branded stereo headset LG Quad Beat 3;
• Autonomous battery charger;
• Battery case (seriously).

First of all, it is worth clarifying the situation. The person who provided the device for review asked very much not to remove the factory films and not damage the packaging, so I can’t tell you more about some accessories (they have a seal). Therefore, I ask you to understand and forgive in advance.

The charger is quite typical for the manufacturer. Its body is compact and very convenient, as it does not cover a large area around it.

In this case, the output current is 1.8 A.

The stereo headset is packed in an individual box. Looks very impressive. It comes with silicone tips in two different sizes.

In terms of sound quality, it is in the “about 1500 rubles” segment at current prices. For undemanding users, this is enough even for listening to music, not to mention conversations.