In June LG launched their newest phone, the LG G4, and I was one of the lucky bloggers chosen to take it for a test drive! After using it consistently for the month and even taking it on my trip to the states, my verdict is: 9/10. it’s a high-powered, high-resolution, high-speed smartphone with a killer camera and a great suite of unique features.
Hardware-wise, the LG G4 is a dream. Curved 5.5 inch Quantum Quad HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, removable battery, and up-to-2TB microSD slot (which exceeds the current available maximum size of microSDs), supported by a crazy good battery life that easily lasted 7am to 10pm on my longest of travel days. But my favorite and most-used feature was the camera. Oh, the camera.
It really does rival my Sony NEX-5R, with a 16MP rear camera that shoots 4K videos and saves in both JPEG and RAW formats. The 8MP front camera shoots 1080p videos and has a selfie light and a “beautifier bar” that applies a softening effect to your skin. The front facing camera also has built-in gesture control – raise your hand and make a fist to take one photo, make two fists in a row to take a series of four photos in rapid succession. As a solo traveller, this made tourist selfies and outfit shots *so* much easier. The phone was also great for viewing and editing photos – its screen is extraordinarily clear and vibrant, and I was pleased to find that the colours in the photographs transferred when viewed on other devices too.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that the phone’s display is very slightly curved, but the difference was barely noticeable. I’m not sure what the curve in the screen was meant to do – perhaps equalize the distance from your eyes to each point on the screen? If that’s the case, then I do admit it is a very comfortable and beautiful display to look at. The curve on the phone’s body was more noticeable, and it felt very comfortable and made the phone easier to hold. The placement of the volume and on/off buttons was a little odd to get used to since they’re centered in the back of the phone, but the double-tap toggle for screen power eased that transition.
All that said, would I buy the phone? From a hardware perspective, absolutely. It is sleek, customizable, and has incredible camera capabilities for such a lightweight device. But for me, the Android-based operating system stunted my productivity compared to what I’m used to with my Windows Phone. The most important feature for me is productivity, and while LG makes a great attempt at streamlining the productivity into the Smart Bulletin, it wasn’t quite the total experience I was looking for.
Overall I give the LG G4 a 9/10. I absolutely *loved* it for its camera and sleek look and feel, and I definitely recommend it for all you photography enthusiasts, instagrammers, and lovers of the aesthetically-pleasing.
