LG G3 which was launched today in Mumbai, is a great smartphone in premium segment. With its powerful hardware specifications, LG is going to command a great deal of share in high-end segment. I had the opportunity to fiddle with this smartphone after the launch event and here are my first hand impressions of this device.
Design
When you look at LG G3 from the front, you can observe that it has the appearance of G2 with the same rounded corners and slim bezel as of G2. LG has also kept all the buttons on the rear on G3 and the only difference can be found on the back of the device. Instead of glossy plastic on the G2, the G3 comes with a a metallic-looking back, which gives it a premium look and can be compared with the luxurious back of HTC One M8. The power button and volume rocker are all on the back of the G3, which is the pioneering tweak of LG in its latest smartphones. Its 3.5 mm audio jack is at the bottom of the phone, which is next to the Micro-USB jack. The build quality of G3 is quite strong and with its 8.9 mm thickness, it is easy to carry in one hand despite its large display of 5.5 mm.
Display
The G3’s display is breath-taking 5.5 inch QHD scree with 538 pixels per inch (ppi), whereas the Samsung’ Galaxy S5 offers 440 ppi sharpness and the iPhone 5S delivers 326 ppi. There is no doubt that its screen has more natural color tones than the S5’s screen, and you have awesome experience when you look at pictures, watch high-end videos and browse the internet. The only concern is whether very sharp display will be drain on the battery. This will be tested by us when we go in for detailed review.
Camera
The G3 has 13MP OIS+ camera with innovative Laser Auto Focus, which is the first of its kind in the smartphone industry. This camera capture the images— even in low light — by measuring the distance between the subject and the camera using a laser beam. Whether the images will show plenty of details if snapped in low-light, will have to be tested in details and we are quite optimistic that even on this aspect, the camera of G3 will not disappoint you. For selife crazy users, the G3 has 2.1 MP camera on the front and with its wide angle lens, one can add more friends into the snap.
Performance
The G3 is driven by a Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.5 GHz, which renders it blazing fast speed. During the short time spent on this smartphone, it was quite smooth sailing and one can even play even high-end games without any hic-ups. There is no issue at all of its performance.This smartphone also comes with 3 GB RAM and options of 16 GB/32 GB internal storage with the provision to extend it to 128 GB.
Battery
The G3 comes with a powerful 3,000 mAh removable battery. As mentioned by us earlier, since this phone has a high-resolution QHD display, it will have to bee tested in-depth whether it consumes more power compared to other smartphone of less resolution of display.
Software
The G3 runs on re-designed Android 4.4.2 KitKat user interface that is clean and simple. To make its UI experience more useful, LG has added a Smart Notice box that gives you indication what is happening around you as well give you reminders to return the missed calls. This phone also has Smart Keyboard, which is based on predictive technology, and analyzes your typing habits and advises what word the user intends to type. Moreover, you can adjust the height of the new Smart Keyboard as per your requirement and convenience.
The G3 also incorporates Knock Code feature, which enables users to unlock their device with a pattern of taps; Content Lock, which keeps personal files safe and hidden from view when sharing the G3 with friends, and Kill Switch, which gives G3 owners the ability to disable their phones remotely in the event of theft.
Conclusion
With our short time spent on G3, we can say with confidence that LG has brought state-of-art and powerful smartphone, which will give very tough competition to the likes of Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8. The G3 has superb display, powerful processor and optics. Moreover, you have the option to extend the internal storage to 128 GB via microSD card and those in 4G LTE network, this will be slicing on the cake. Compared to Galaxy S5 4G, which has been launched only last week for Rs. 53,500, you can get more handsome and rich G3 at Rs. 47,990. The LG G3 deserves to dominate the high-end segment market and it will be a good choice for those consumers who wish to have strong hardware and useful software features on their handset.
