7.5/10 LG's 2017 flagship, the G6, has been designed from scratch to correct the G5's biggest shortcoming...practicality. But, ...
7.5/10
LG's 2017 flagship, the G6, has been designed from scratch to correct the G5's biggest shortcoming...practicality. But, at the same time, it doesn't compromise with LG's taste for mindless gimmicks. For the first time in a very long time, it seems, LG has finally found a way to balance the two. The company might have cut short its modular ambitions, but, one look at the G6 and it's quite evident, it was a decision worth every penny.
The G4 was all-plastic. The G5 was all-metal but it oddly felt like plastic. The LG G6, unlike its predecessor phones, is carved out of glass and metal. And it feels solid. G6 is carved out of Corning's Gorilla Glass 5, the display on the front has a healthy dose of Gorilla Glass 3.
The G6 is built to last long with bending resistant materials and shock-dispersing design, according to LG. It has passed Military-grade MIL-STD 810G tests which include 26 different angle drop tests from chest height, it claims.
LG doesn't make slim phones. It doesn't make light-weight phones either. The G6 is no different. I have been using the Galaxy S8 for a while now, and let's just say, next to Samsung's phone the G6 feels rather chunky, but, only marginally. It is as slim as Samsung's phone though. The flat surface and sharp edges ensure it sticks to your hand and stays put, but then, the Galaxy S8 is an ergonomic marvel as well in spite of all those extra curves. It is super-glossy and a fingerprint magnet. But, so is the Galaxy S8. Only it takes me a lot longer to wipe LG's phone. I really don't like that, but, that's a small price you pay for an all-glass and metal design. What really concerns me, however, is that the rear of the G6 is extremely prone to scratches. It may survive a fall or two, but, it will most definitely leave a mark.
The dual-SIM card slot, meanwhile, lies on the right while the volume rocker lies on the left. The phone uses USB Type-C port for charging and data syncing and comes with a mono speaker vent just adjacent to it. The phone is also IP68-certified for water and dust resistance.
The LG G6 is powered by a 2.35GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor clubbed with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal memory which is further expandable by up to 256GB via a hybrid micro-SD card slot. While not exactly next-gen, the Snapdragon 821 inside the G6 when combined with LG's Android 7.0 Nougat-based UX 6.0.
The 3,300mAh battery inside the G6 is a significant improvement over the outgoing G5. Battery life is better, nay much better in comparison. It lasts longer than the Samsung Galaxy S8 which frankly speaking has pretty disappointing battery life.
The LG G6 comes with a dual camera system on the rear, consisting of two 13-megapixel sensors -- offering a 125-degree wide angle -- with one working 'specifically' to offer the wider field of view. The rear camera system is further assisted with f/1.8 aperture, 3-axis Optical Image Stabilization, phase detection auto-focus and dual-LED flash. On the front, the G6 sports a 5-megapixel camera with f/2.2 aperture.
The 5.7-inch QHD+ 18:9 Full Vision display of the G6 boasts of a 2,880x1,400 pixel resolution. Although there's lots of screen it's no match for the Galaxy S8's super-punchy Super AMOLED display panel. Colours on-board the G6 appear muted in comparison. But, viewing angels are quite good, so is peak brightness.
The G6 is LG's best phone ever. In fact, it's safe to say, that it's among the best flagship Android phones in the market right now. It may not look as good as Samsung's Galaxy S8, but, that's not really what LG's phone is going after. For the first time in a very long time, LG is chasing practicality. With the G6 it has achieved most of it.
During my review of the Galaxy S8 I kept getting one question, like a lot. The Galaxy S8's gorgeous, but, is it practical? Well, not really. Even more so because Samsung doesn't include an accidental cover for the phone in question. The logical answer would be, if you fancy a good-looking bezel-less smartphone go buy the Galaxy S8, if however, you're looking for a bezel-less phone that also happens to be built like a tank, go get yourself the G6.
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