LG G3 phone: description, specifications, prices, reviews. Smartphone LG K3 LTE: characteristics, description, reviews Lg 3 what external memory

Competition in the mobile device market truly resembles a battle of the titans. Every year, recognized industry leaders release new and updated gadgets, thereby dealing virtual blows to their rivals. The uncompromising struggle for the minds of potential buyers is flaring up with unprecedented force. To stay visible and win, manufacturers simply must implement advanced technologies. LG confidently chose such a complex and thorny path of innovation. A serious confirmation of this is its new flagship smartphone LGG3 . South Korean engineers have done a tremendous job and equipped the device with a unique in its class 5.5-inch Quad HD screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels.

After the grandiose presentation of LG G3 Day Kyiv, which took place on June 19 at the Hilton Hotel in Kiev, the LG G3 smartphone left an indelible impression. This device caught our attention not only with its beautiful design, but also with its powerful hardware platform. Unfortunately, the pace of the presentation, like any other public event, simply does not allow time for a thorough review, let alone testing. But we did not lose hope. And now, after some time, the LG G3 smartphone has finally arrived in our test laboratory, where we can slowly and more carefully continue our acquaintance, the results of which you can read further on.

Specifications

Manufacturer
Type, form factor	Smartphone, monoblock
Communication standards		850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
		850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
		700 / 800 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2300 / 2600 MHz
High speed data transfer	GPRS (32-48 Kbps), EDGE (236 Kbps), HSDPA (up to 42.2 Mbps), HSUPA (up to 5.76 Mbps), LTE Cat.4 (up to 50 Mbps UL, up to 150 Mbit/s DL)
SIM card type
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8975PRO-AC): 4 Krait 400 cores, up to 2.5 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache, 28 nm process technology
Graphics adapter	Qualcomm Adreno 330: up to 580 MHz, support OpenGL ES 3.0, OpenVG 1.1, OpenCL 1.2 and DirectX 9.0c
	5.5", Quad HD 2560 x 1440 pixels (538 ppi), IPS, touch (capacitive), multi-touch up to 10 touches, protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3, oleophobic coating
RAM
Card reader	microSD (up to 128 GB)
	1 x Micro-SIM and 1 x microSD under the back cover 1 x 3.5mm mini-jack audio jack
Multimedia
	Microphone
	Additionally		Sound profile for LG QuadBeat headphones
	Main		13 MP, Sony IMX135 module, f/2.3 aperture, laser autofocus, dual LED flash, sapphire glass, OIS+ optical image stabilization, HDR support, video recording in 4K Ultra HD 2160p 30 fps, Full HD 1080p 60 fps
	Frontal		2.1 MP, Sony IMX208 module, f/2.0 aperture, video recording in Full HD 1080p 30 fps
Communication capabilities			802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 / 5 GHz) (Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Hotspot)
	Navigation		GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
	Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, light sensor, digital compass
Battery	Li-ion, removable: 3000 mAh (10.78 Wh, 3.85 V)
Charger	Input: 100~240V AC eg at 50/60 Hz Output: 5 VDC e.g. 1.3 A
	138.5 x 70.9 x 9.1 mm
	Titanium, white, gold
operating system	Android 4.4.2 KitKat + proprietary shell
Official guarantee	12 months
Products webpage

Delivery and configuration

The LG G3 smartphone comes in a relatively large and quite stylish box. It is made of thick cardboard and has an attractive minimalist design.

The removable top has chamfered sides and is finished in a high-gloss silver color, which is quite attractive. It also has several emblems with interesting information and a corporate logo. For example, one of them informs us that LG became the winner in the category “Most Innovative Device Manufacturer of the Year” according to the prestigious Global Mobile Awards 2014 competition. The reverse side of the box is made in a pleasant coffee color and is a little more informative , compared with top part. In addition to the technical characteristics of the device, here you can find icons with a list of proprietary functions that the South Korean manufacturer has equipped its flagship smartphone with.

The LG G3 arrived in our cozy test laboratory as a pre-sale version. Evidence of this is the lack of complete packaging: only the smartphone itself with the factory film and a short user manual. However, it is worth noting that the potential buyer, in addition to the above, will also receive Charger and USB cable. This “gentleman’s” set is the minimum necessary for a comfortable start to working with a smartphone.

Appearance, arrangement of elements

After your first acquaintance with the LG G3, you understand what a huge amount of work the designers of the South Korean company have done. Compared to its predecessor, the new product has changed radically in appearance, which, without a doubt, has benefited it. The result of a lot of hard work is a completely new design concept called “Floating Arc”, which looks very fresh and very attractive.

Its characteristic features are the presence of ergonomic curves that can be seen on the sides and back of the device, as well as the use of extremely thin contours around the display, which give the smartphone sophistication and lightness.

And this is not surprising, since the dimensions of these same contours are a record 8.5 mm at the top, 12 mm at the bottom and about 2 mm on the sides of the screen. Thanks to this, relatively big smartphone with a 5.5-inch display it looks quite compact, which makes it stand out from its direct competitors.

With dimensions of 138.5 x 70.9 x 9.1 mm and a weight of 149 g, the device fits comfortably in the hand, and working with it does not cause any difficulties. This is greatly facilitated by a proprietary feature in the form of a rear block of Rear Key control keys. Thanks to its convenient location, it is always under the index finger and allows you to operate the device with just one hand.

The front panel of the device is almost completely (76%) covered with protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3 with excellent oleophobic and anti-reflective coating. The device display is edged with a small (only 0.5 mm) plastic insert, which, in addition to decorative purposes, serves as additional protection from damage.

Above the screen are: front camera, proximity and light sensors, led indicator and a speaker hole. Below the display there is only a small insert with a concentric pattern and the manufacturer’s logo.

On the top edge of the smartphone there is a microphone and an IR transmitter, which allows you to control any multimedia and household appliances in the house. On the bottom there are: a micro-USB 2.0 connector, a 3.5 mm mini-jack audio jack and a second microphone.

The side edges of the device are free from any connectors and elements.

The back side of the LG G3 is made of high-quality plastic with a textured imitation of metal. Despite the characteristic grinding, after which the back surface of the device becomes quite slippery, holding the smartphone in your hands does not cause any difficulty.

At the top, in the center of the back side, is the main camera lens, flanked by a two-section LED flash and an innovative laser focusing module. A little lower below them is the manufacturer's logo. The multimedia speaker grille is located in the lower left corner.

Compared to its predecessor, the back of the LG G3 is equipped with a removable cover. Fortunately, the developers took into account previous experience and were attentive to the wishes of their customers.

Now under the cover there is a removable battery, and there are also two card slots: micro-SIM and microSD. Additionally, it contains an NFC module, with which the smartphone can exchange data via an encrypted channel, and a wireless inductive charging module, which allows you to charge the device’s battery from a special docking station without additional wires.

It deserves special attention good quality assemblies. Traditionally for LG it is at the highest level. The smartphone body has remarkable rigidity: there is not the slightest hint of play or gaps. At moderate pressure, the geometry of the device cannot be changed, and the image on the display remains without streaks or other possible artifacts. Overall, the LG G3 feels like a solid, high-quality device.

Without a doubt, the main highlight of the flagship LG G3 smartphone is its magnificent 5.5-inch display, which is based on a high-quality IPS matrix with stunning Quad HD resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels). At the same time, the pixel density is a record 538 ppi.

The screen has excellent color reproduction, good contrast and excellent viewing angles (without any inversions or shifts). Of particular note is the very good white balance: it looks very natural and does not go into warm or cool shades, as often happens in more affordable devices. The brightness of the screen backlight is also of high quality high level and has a good range of adjustment. This allows you to easily use your smartphone both on a bright sunny day and in complete darkness.

Tempered glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which has an excellent oleophobic and anti-reflective coating, is responsible for the safety and integrity of the display. Thanks to this, there are practically no fingerprints on the screen, and those that appear are easily removed.

The built-in touch display substrate supports recognition of up to 10 simultaneous touches. Moreover, their processing is carried out without any complaints. The screen responds clearly and instantly even to light touches. Sliding a finger on protective glass very light and quite pleasant. It does not cause any discomfort. It is also useful for our climatic conditions to support the display in high sensitivity mode, which allows you to interact with it while wearing thin gloves.

LG engineers can be rightfully proud of their device, since a display with such characteristics has not been used in any smartphone before this time. The qualitative difference between the new Quad HD resolution and the Full HD present on the market is simply undeniable, and it clearly catches the eye. This is especially noticeable when working with fonts or while viewing high-quality photo and video materials. The detail of the image is simply amazing, since individual pixels can only be distinguished with the help of special equipment. Perhaps the only obstacle to digital happiness may be the lack of suitable data quality. It's no secret that not all mobile content has a resolution of 720p, let alone the latest 4K Ultra HD format. But we believe that a display of this format is a good foundation for the future, and all its hidden potential can be used after a short period of time.

The LG G3 model is equipped with a good multimedia speaker. Unlike its predecessor LG G2, it is located on the back of the case, in the lower left corner. Despite its compact size, it is loud enough and makes quite a good impression. According to the manufacturer, the speaker has a power of 1 W, and with the help of a built-in amplifier this figure can increase to 1.5 W. The sound is quite clear, without noticeable distortion. There are well defined high and mid frequencies. Low frequencies are almost absent, which is not surprising given the form factor of the device. The smartphone can be safely used for games, watching videos and other needs without additional devices.

However, for music lovers, we still recommend using high-quality headphones, since traditionally for LG's flagship smartphones, the new product includes a good mobile amplifier. Moreover, without additional settings it provides music playback in Hi-Fi format, and the built-in equalizer has a special profile for headphones - “LG QuadBeat”. All this makes the sound very pleasant, adding depth and volume.

The quality of the speaker is also at good level. It is moderately loud and provides a pleasant and quite “live” sound transmission.

Camera

As befits a flagship model, the LG G3 smartphone is equipped with two digital cameras. In our case, the engineers of the South Korean company made an uncompromising decision and equipped their brainchild with proven Sony Exmor RS series modules, which are among the best in their class.

The main camera of the device is represented by a Sony IMX135 module (1.2 micron, 1/3.06") with a resolution of 13 megapixels and an f/2.3 aperture. It is capable of taking pictures with a maximum resolution of 4160 x 3120 pixels with an aspect ratio of 4:3 and 4160 x 2340 pixels at a ratio of 16:9. The resulting photographs delight with excellent color reproduction with natural color saturation, good contrast and excellent image detail. They can be considered one of the best among top-class smartphones. There is also traditionally a good implementation of the HDR photography mode.

Separately, it is worth noting the presence of a unique (first used in a smartphone) laser autofocus with a 9-point focusing area, which was previously found only in professional cameras. This solution allows you to take high-quality photo and video materials in any weather conditions and in any degree of illumination. The camera delay time is quite impressive, which at the time of shooting is a record 0.267 seconds. Plus, the smartphone is equipped with an advanced optical image stabilization system OIS+ and a two-section dual-illumination LED flash (with warmer and cooler LEDs), which have a very beneficial effect on the quality of the resulting photographs.

The only thing we can find fault with is the algorithm of the main camera, which, in particularly difficult shooting conditions, tries to set the exposure level slightly higher than required. And also to the optics with an external sapphire lens with a light purple coating, which gives the image a subtle purple tint when a bright light source, such as the sun, is close to the edges of the frame. But this has more to do with the photographer and his ability to choose the right angle and location than with the properties of the camera itself.

All the positive aspects of photography also apply to video shooting. The main camera of a smartphone is capable of video recording not only in the already familiar Full HD resolution, but also in the latest 4K Ultra HD, which is an impressive 3840 x 2160 pixels. There is also a (now fashionable) slow motion mode at 120 frames per second. Starting with Apple, more and more manufacturers are adding this feature to their flagship devices. True, in our case, this mode cannot boast of high image quality and serves more to attract buyers in the form of a good marketing ploy. Otherwise, the level of recorded video is at its best and does not cause any significant complaints.

As for the recorded sound, we should note a rather aggressive noise reduction system and the high sensitivity of the microphones themselves. However, overall its quality remains at a high level.

The front camera of the smartphone is also represented by a fairly good module - Sony IMX208 (1.4 micron, 1/6") with a resolution of 2.1 megapixels and an f/2.0 aperture. Despite the fixed focus, it is capable of providing fairly high image quality and taking photos and video recording with a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080. The camera also has a good automatic retouching mode and can be safely used not only for all kinds of web conferences, but also for taking selfies that are fashionable today.

The proprietary software responsible for the operation of the cameras has a pleasant appearance and is intuitive clear interface. Its obvious advantages include the quick shooting function, which is reproduced with just one light touch on the display.

It is also worth noting the presence of a “smart” and quite convenient mode front camera, which makes it much easier to take self-portraits. It looks something like this: the camera tracks the position of the user's palm and, after clenching it into a fist, starts a 5-second countdown, after which a photo is taken.

However, the total number useful functions, compared to its predecessor LG G2, was greatly reduced, leaving only the most basic (according to the developers). Unfortunately, there is no longer the ability to select white balance, perform exposure correction, change the ISO value, set the focus type and adjust a number of other useful settings, which will be a very sad fact for an experienced user. However, there is hope that with the update software These and other necessary functions will definitely be returned back.

Examples of photography with the main camera

Examples of photography with the main camera in HDR mode

Examples of front camera photography

Video examples

LG G3 in resolution4 K Ultra HDat 30 fps

An example of daytime shooting from a smartphoneLG G3 in resolutionFull HDat 30 fps

An example of evening shooting from a smartphoneLG G3 in resolutionFull HDat 30 fps

Example of time-lapse photography from a smartphoneLG G3 in 720 resolutionp at 120 fps

User interface

The LG G3 smartphone comes pre-installed with Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system, which is complemented by latest version proprietary LG G3 GUI shell.

Such a symbiosis traditionally offers excellent functionality and a fairly extensive set of capabilities that will not leave most users indifferent. In addition, LG is going to provide an update to Android versions Lemon Meringue Pie (Android 5.0), of course, after its official release.

Relying on modern tendencies in the mobile industry, developers have significantly simplified the design of the operating system, making it simple and minimalistic, in well-chosen pastel colors. Such a radical solution, compared to the bright and colorful interface of the LG G2, looks like a breath of fresh air. Subjectively, this takes the design of the operating system to a whole new level, making it more stylish and pleasing to look at. The jury members of the prestigious Red Dot Awards 2014 competition share the same opinion, where the South Korean company received 9 awards, one of which was for its simple and intuitive user interface.

The functionality of the operating system can be described as quite rich, with a wide level of capabilities. At the same time, it is not full of unnecessary functions, which in real conditions, in most cases, will rarely be in demand. Among the innovations, it is worth noting beautiful animation and pleasant sound design. Compared to its predecessor, this is a qualitative step forward.

Closely following the latest trends in the field of health, the developers have added a good fitness assistant, LG Health, to their flagship smartphone. This useful application quite accurately counts the owner’s steps and tracks the route of movement.

The Smart Notice function deserves special attention, which imitates communication between a smartphone and the user through pop-up notifications. This is very convenient, as you can quickly get information about the weather, missed calls and other data. In our opinion, this is a very useful innovation.

The proprietary KnockON function, already familiar to many users, remains in place. With its help, you can easily unlock your smartphone by double touching the screen. In addition to it, an improved variation of KnockCode has appeared, which allows you to protect your smartphone from unlocking with a special combination of taps. To do this, the device screen is divided into four parts, and the user is given the opportunity to choose the sequence in which the display will be pressed and in which quadrant. It is almost impossible to guess such a password at random, since under such blocking conditions there are more than 80,000 possible combinations. This solution is a good alternative to the fingerprint scanner, which is present in some competitors.

It is also worth paying attention to the KillSwitch function. If you have lost your smartphone (or become a victim of a thief) and do not want your personal data to become public knowledge, all you need to do is send a remote command that will destroy all information on the device and turn the modern gadget into a useless brick.

The developers have worked hard, not only adding a number of new functions, but also qualitatively updating existing ones. Thus, many gesture actions have not disappeared, the ability to control the device with one hand, the excellent quickmemo+ note-taking application, the ability to work simultaneously with two large applications, as well as with small QSlide typing programs.

Thanks to the infrared port, the new product turns into a remote control remote control all multimedia and household appliances that are in the house. As we see, the functionality of a smartphone is gradually going beyond the usual understanding, acquiring new capabilities.

The system settings menu has a large set of items. They are all well sorted and arranged so that they are easy to remember and quick to find. For ease of use, they can be displayed in two modes: divided into tabs or in one list.

Finally, it is worth saying that the interface works very smoothly and quickly, and interaction with it occurs on an intuitive level, causing only positive emotions.

Hardware platform and performance

The flagship LG G3 smartphone is based on one of the most powerful processors - Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, which is presented in its maximum configuration (model MSM8974PRO-AC). It is characterized by the presence of 4 Krait 400 cores with an operating clock frequency ranging from 300 MHz to 2.46 GHz and 2 MB of L2 cache. The CPU is manufactured using a modern 28nm HPm process technology. The role of the graphics accelerator is played by the Qualcomm Adreno 330 adapter, with an operating clock frequency of 578 MHz and support for OpenGL ES 3.0, OpenVG 1.1, OpenCL 1.2 and DirectX 9.0c.

It is important to note that there are two versions of the LG G3 on the market. The first option, which came to us for testing, has 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory, of which 11.2 GB is available to the user. The second option is characterized by an increased amount of memory: 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. Both versions of the smartphone support microSD memory cards up to 128 GB.

Despite the significantly increased display resolution and the use of a more powerful processor, the device's overall performance in synthetic tests is only slightly higher than that of last year's LG G2. However, in real conditions, the capabilities of the LG G3 are more than enough to perform almost any task, including running modern games, since most of them are not yet optimized for Quad HD (2560 x 1440 pixels) and run in resolutions 1080p and 720p with subsequent scaling. For example, the smartphone can handle quite demanding games like Dead Trigger 2 and Asphalt 8: Airborne with ease, while delivering high-quality images and a high frame rate. However for GTA: San Andreas At high graphics settings and Modern Combat 5: Blackout, performance begins to lack a little, which is why minor stuttering becomes noticeable.

But, as you know, all good things come at a price. In our case, the Achilles heel of the device was the heating of the case. Unfortunately, it is quite high, which presents certain inconveniences during operation. The smartphone heats up in many resource-intensive situations, not only when launching games, but also while shooting from the camera, as well as watching “heavy” videos. In such cases, the back of the device becomes noticeably hot, especially the metal power button, and holding the device causes some discomfort.

Communications

As a prominent representative of advanced flagship devices, the new product being tested can work with all modern mobile networks: 2G, 3G and, of course, 4G with support for LTE Cat.4.

This smartphone model is equipped with a radio module that supports one SIM card. The quality of voice transmission was at a high level: there were no interruptions or independent drops. But it is worth considering that this largely depends on the telecom operator used.

Kit communication capabilities represented by NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac modules. The latter has support for Wi-Fi Direct and Wi-Fi Hotspot functions and is capable of operating in two frequency bands: 2.4 and 5 GHz. DLNA support is also traditionally present.

Wi-Fi data transfer speed ( wired connection 100 Mbps, 802.11n router) shows good results: up to 44 Mbit/s for receiving and up to 38 Mbit/s for sending. Searching for points and connecting to them is very fast, and established connection has good stability.

As noted above, the LG G3 smartphone is equipped with a removable lithium-ion battery capacity 3000 mAh. Compared to its predecessor LG G2, in which the battery was an integral part of the device, this allows, avoiding additional costs, to quickly replace a faulty battery without contacting service. In particularly extreme modes of using a smartphone, to increase its “survivability”, you can carry an additional, already pre-charged, battery with you. With an average load during everyday tasks, the battery capacity is enough for about a day and a half of work in offline mode. Considering the screen size and the power of the hardware platform, these are quite good indicators.

More detailed testing showed the following results. While watching HD video at 50% display brightness and Wi-Fi and GPS modules turned on, the device worked for 11 hours. In the case of a gaming simulation using the Epic Citadel game (Guided Tour mode), the device lasted almost 2.5 hours with 100% display brightness and Wi-Fi and GPS modules turned on. estimated time battery life according to the GFXBench benchmark it is 193 minutes. To fully charge the battery, you need to spend approximately 3 hours (from the USB 2.0 connector).

Results

After a fairly detailed acquaintance and testing of the flagship smartphone LG G3 Several very important conclusions can be drawn. First, LG is rightfully considered one of the leaders in the mobile device market, as it boldly introduces advanced technologies into its new products. Secondly, LG respects its users and pays due attention to their opinions.

The very pleasant impression that was left after meeting the LG G3 smartphone at the LG G3 Day Kyiv presentation did not disappear, but only intensified several times. The colossal work of the engineers and designers of the South Korean company was not in vain. Before us is a bright representative of the new generation of mobile devices, which has absorbed all the advanced developments in the field of mobile technologies.

Apart from elegant appearance, the LG G3 smartphone has a powerful hardware platform that will satisfy even the wildest dreams of a demanding user. The duo of Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and Qualcomm Adreno 330 graphics adapter is capable of bringing even the most demanding modern game to its knees. A high-quality 13-megapixel main camera module with a unique laser autofocus will not leave indifferent not only the amateur photographer, but will also pleasantly surprise the professional. And support for memory cards up to 128 GB will allow you to show off your filmed collection to everyone, anytime, anywhere. But the most stunning element in the new smartphone from LG is the magnificent 5.5-inch display with stunning Quad HD resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels) and a record pixel density of 538 ppi. Such a screen, without a doubt, raises the quality bar to unprecedented heights.

Perhaps the only unpleasant thing about the new product is the heating of the case. But let's be honest and frank to the end. With declared technical specifications and high levels of performance, the temperature problem is a negligible small board.

Otherwise, the flagship LG G3 smartphone can be safely recommended for purchase to all connoisseurs of uncompromising power and the latest technologies.

Advantages:

• stylish appearance;
• excellent build quality;
• excellent IPS display with a unique Quad HD resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels) and a record pixel density of 538 ppi;
• excellent main 13-megapixel camera with unique autofocus, two-section dual-illumination LED flash and support for video recording in 4K Ultra HD format;
• support for microSD memory cards up to 128 GB;
• high level of productivity;
• the ability to control multimedia and household appliances;
• Availability of GPS and GLONASS modules;
• support mobile networks new generation 4G LTE;
• the presence of NFC, IrLED, Bluetooth 4.0 and dual-band Wi-Fi with support for the 802.11 ac standard;
• Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protective glass with high-quality oleophobic coating and anti-glare filter;
• possibility of working with thin gloves;
• Gesture recognition with front camera;
• the presence of proprietary security functions KnockON, KnockCode and KillSwitch;
• the presence of a built-in LG Health fitness tracker and Smart Notice assistant.

Flaws:

• noticeable heating of the body, especially when shooting video in 4K Ultra HD format;
• insufficient video quality in slow motion mode at 120 fps.

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

All prices for LG+G3+16GB

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Detailed testing of the new flagship of the Korean company

LG has once again updated its flagship smartphone from the top-end G series. The company's new flagship was presented after all its competitors launched their flagship solutions for the coming season. By this time we had already become acquainted with Samsung Galaxy S5, and with Sony Xperia Z2, and even with the new incarnation HTC One, which received the ordinal index M8. What all these top new products have in common is that they run on the latest version of the Qualcomm hardware platform - Snapdragon 801, being currently the most powerful and advanced mobile devices on the world market. Each of the top new products this season has some kind of unusual feature, be it a fingerprint scanner, a blood pressure meter or something else; The LG G3 also found something unique. First of all, LG's new flagship boasts an unusual screen resolution: Quad HD is still a unique solution for smartphone screens. True, it is difficult to say with complete confidence that such a resolution is a real necessity for the mass user, but such an unusual characteristic certainly attracts attention. The new flagship smartphone of the Koreans has other differences - both unique (for example, the presence of laser focusing) and those found in previous models of the series, but in in this case have undergone significant processing. In general, there are enough changes to explore the new product for yourself. in detail, which is what we will do today.

Key Features of LG G3 (Model LG-D855)

	LG G3	Sony Xperia Z2	HTC One M8	Samsung Galaxy S5
Screen	5.5″, IPS	5.2″, IPS	5", Super LCD 3	5.1″, Super AMOLED
Permission	2560×1440, 538 ppi	1920×1080, 423 ppi	1920×1080, 440 ppi	1920×1080, 432 ppi
SoC			Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (4 Krait 400 cores) @2.3 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (4 Krait 400 cores) @2.5 GHz
GPU	Adreno 330	Adreno 330	Adreno 330	Adreno 330
RAM	2/3 GB	3 GB	2 GB	2 GB
Flash memory	16/32 GB	16 GB	16/32 GB	16 GB
Memory card support	microSD	microSD	microSD	microSD
operating system	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.4
Battery	removable, 3000 mAh	non-removable, 3200 mAh	non-removable, 2600 mAh	removable, 2800 mAh
Cameras	rear (13 MP; 4K video), front (2 MP)	rear (20.7 MP; 4K video), front (2 MP)	rear (4 MP; video 1080p), front (5 MP)	rear (16 MP; 4K video), front (2 MP)
Dimensions and weight	146×75×8.8 mm, 155 g	147×73×8.2 mm, 163 g	146×71×9.4 mm, 160 g	142×73×8.1 mm, 145 g
average price	T-10848733	T-10724878	T-10761030	T-10725078
LG G3 offers	L-10848733-10

• SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AC), 2.46 GHz, 4 cores
• GPU Adreno 330
• operating room Android system 4.4.2 KitKat
• Touch IPS display, 5.5″, 2560×1440
• Random access memory (RAM) 2 GB, inner memory 16 GB (there is an option with 3 GB RAM and 32 GB flash memory)
• Slot for microSD cards up to 128 GB
• GSM communication 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
• Communication 3G WCDMA 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz
• Data transfer speed max 4G LTE up to 150 Mbps
• Bluetooth 4.0 LE (APT-x), NFC
• Support DLNA, OTG, MTP, Miracast
• Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz), point Wi-Fi access
• GPS/Glonass
• 13 MP camera, laser autofocus, LED flash, OIS+
• Front camera 2.1 MP
• Removable lithium polymer battery 3000 mAh
• Dimensions 146.3 x 74.6 x 8.8 mm
• Weight 149 g (declared) / 155 g (our measurements)

Contents of delivery

The LG G3 smartphone arrived at our editorial office in a catchy and fairly large box made of hard cardboard with a golden lacquered lid. The box looks quite stylish, contains a minimum of necessary information on its surfaces, everything inside is also done neatly and thoughtfully, which cannot be said about the package itself.

Unlike its eternal rival, LG has firmly decided to adhere to minimalism, which is why all of its flagship smartphones are equipped with only the most minimal set of accessories. This goes back to the days of the first LG Optimus G, which, to everyone’s surprise, did not include headphones, and by the release of the third flagship, everyone was already accustomed to this. Unfortunately, the equipment of the next top-end new product from the Koreans is also extremely ascetic, which does not at all fit with the huge cost at which the company’s new flagship smartphone is offered at retail. For 30 thousand rubles it would be possible to please customers with some additional “goodies”, especially since new device LG supports wireless charging. However, there is no trace of anything like this in the kit; only a charger (output current 1.8 A) and a Micro-USB connecting cable were found.

It is worth mentioning an additional accessory made in the form of a book cover with a round window, through which information from the smartphone screen is displayed in a special mode. Because of this window shape, the case even received the appropriate name QuickCircle. The accessory, of course, is sold separately, and differs from its familiar Samsung counterpart in that here the back cover serves only as an attachment to the main cover of the smartphone, while in Samsung case The cover of the case is installed instead of the main cover, completely replacing it on the device body.

Appearance and ease of use

The first thing that needs to be noted is that the new LG flagship, unfortunately, did not stay within the reasonable dimensions that its predecessor, albeit with difficulty, complied with. Unlike the LG G2, which was a large but still quite sleek pocket-sized mobile device, the new product has crossed this invisible line, firmly taking its place among the “shovels”. And the assurances of company representatives that with such a large screen the smartphone was able to maintain dimensions that are digestible for the human hand do not apply here. No, I couldn't. LG's new flagship is a real tablet phone, no matter how much the developers themselves would like to present the situation differently. The device turned out to be very large, although the narrowed edges and small mass for such a huge size to some extent smooth out this impression. And yet, it’s a bit of a pity that the Koreans couldn’t restrain themselves in this strange race - after all, their previous flagship turned out to be quite an elegant device in terms of dimensions, and nothing seemed to foretell such an “explosive” further growth.

However, this question can only worry those who still see a modern smartphone not as a tablet, but as a neat and miniature mobile assistant that fits in the average pocket. Those who are determined to combine a smartphone and a tablet in one device will not find anything shocking here - after all, without exception, all the top manufacturers have also significantly increased the size of their flagship smartphones in the new season. When and at what point this race of gigantomania will stop is becoming completely unclear, since the edge of reasonable limits has long been overcome.

As for the design, it remains essentially the same as the LG G2, only the materials have changed. More precisely, not even the materials themselves - after all, the body was and remains plastic. However, this time the developers managed to give the plastic such a look that at first glance it cannot be distinguished from real metal. The back cover has been given a textured look that resembles a roughly sanded metal surface, and the wide shiny rim that runs along the entire side perimeter actually resembles real steel. At least, this is what the gray version of the smartphone that we tested looks like. And yet there is no metal here, only high-tech spraying on plastic.

Due to this unique coating, the device turned out to be completely non-staining, and since its front glass has excellent grease-repellent properties, in this regard the new flagship significantly surpassed its predecessor: the LG G2, on the contrary, was a completely glossy and very easily soilable device.

The back cover is removable, which means the usual way of installing cards and a replaceable battery type. In this regard, the new LG flagship stands out against the background of modern solutions, in which either the battery is sealed, or the SIM card needs to be removed with a paper clip, or there is no memory card slot. The LG G3 has everything in order; everything looks the same as it looked a few years ago for the vast majority of communicators: you can remove the cover, change the battery yourself, insert any memory card (with a capacity of up to 128 GB). Except that there is no slot for a second SIM card, but this option is usually not found in flagships.

Both cards are located vertically one above the other, but unlike the SIM card (Micro-SIM format), which is tightly supported from below accumulator battery, the memory card can be easily removed and installed without removing the battery. On the opposite side you can see a group of contacts connecting to the contacts on the cover itself: the device supports wireless charging, and a separate wireless charger has been released for it.

The very back surface of the smartphone contains a block of buttons that has already become familiar to modern LG smartphones, and next to it you can see a dual flash and a laser rangefinder. We will talk more about the laser installation for measuring the distance to the photographic object in the corresponding section. Everything is also clear with the flash, now many top-end devices are equipped with two multi-colored LEDs, but the block of buttons has changed. We specially photographed it so that it becomes clear that none of the keys now protrude beyond the body. Let us remember that in all previous models (with a “rear” location of the button block), the lock key protruded significantly and could easily have been pressed unintentionally, especially if the smartphone was lying on some kind of sagging surface - even the protective sides did not save it. So this unusual block underwent another improvement, this time everything was almost perfect. However, the very option of placing buttons on the back surface of the smartphone remains controversial; not everyone liked it, many could not get used to it, so users’ opinions on this matter remain directly opposite.

The purpose of the buttons remains the same and is quite standard: the central key turns on and locks the smartphone, and the other two, top and bottom, are responsible for adjusting the volume. Expanded capabilities of the block of hardware buttons provide additional functionality in control: a long press of the top button launches the Qmemo application, the bottom one calls the camera from sleep mode, and a long press of the central button activates taking photos or videos.

There are no hardware buttons under the screen on the front panel; their role has long been played by virtual icons on the display - in some applications the strip with buttons can be removed, but in others it remains, occupying part of the working area of ​​the screen. But it is possible to reorganize the number and order of buttons to suit the user’s taste.

In general, very little was left below the screen free space, and this is quite logical, since there are no hardware buttons there. Due to such narrow frames, the developers were able, as in the case of the previous flagship, to accommodate a larger screen area than is usually the case for a body of this size with traditional width frames.

The strip above the screen is also quite narrow, so that all the elements placed on it are literally lined up: the front camera eye, sensors, the elongated speaker grille, and there is also another useful element - an LED event indicator. The indicator glows dimly in different colors, notifying you about the charging status and incoming events; its light is soft and unobtrusive. There is a separate subsection in the menu to adjust its tasks.

Both universal connectors - Micro-USB and headphone audio output (3.5 mm) - are located on one, lower end, with the hole of the main microphone visible between them. The distance between the elements is sufficient so as not to worry if both plugs are simultaneously connected to their sockets. It’s gratifying that Micro-USB supports connection mode here external devices(OTG).

At the top end, the space is sparse; here there is only a peephole for the infrared transmitter and the hole for the second microphone, which serves for noise reduction. The infrared port, naturally, serves primarily to emulate a remote control - for this purpose, the smartphone has a pre-installed program called Quick Remote.

There are no plugs on the smartphone connectors, since the device is not protected from water and dust. The LG G3 also does not have a strap mount. As for the color variety of the new flagship, this time the Koreans went even further and painted the body in several colors to literally suit every taste. In Russian translation, their names are as follows: metallic black, silky white, shining gold, lunar purple, burgundy red.

Screen

The LG G3 smartphone is equipped with a touchscreen IPS matrix. The screen dimensions are 68x121 mm, diagonal - 5.5 inches, resolution - 2560x1440 pixels. The display has an extremely high resolution for a smartphone, called Quad HD. Such a parameter as the pixel density per inch is 538 ppi here - an unprecedented figure for smartphone displays. The frames around the screen are quite thin: the developers claim that the display occupies 76% of the front surface of the smartphone.

The display brightness can be adjusted manually, or you can use automatic adjustment. Multi-touch technology here allows you to process up to 10 simultaneous touches. When you bring the smartphone to your ear, the screen is locked using a proximity sensor.

A detailed examination using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections, Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the sample under study.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are no worse than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photograph in which a white surface is reflected in the switched off screens (on the left - Nexus 7, on the right - LG G3, then they can be distinguished by size):

The screen of the LG G3 is even a little darker (brightness according to photographs is 95 versus 102 for the Nexus 7). The ghosting of reflected objects in the LG G3 screen is very weak, this indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen (more specifically, between the outer glass and the surface of the LCD matrix) (OGS - One Glass Solution type screen). Due to the smaller number of boundaries (glass-air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of strong external illumination, but their repair in the case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be replaced. The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (very effective, noticeably better than that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier and appear at a lower speed than with regular glass.

When manually controlling brightness and when displaying a white field in full screen maximum value brightness was about 480 cd/m², the minimum was 10 cd/m². The maximum brightness is high, which means, given the good anti-glare properties of the screen, readability even on a sunny day outdoors should be at an excellent level. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. There is automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor (it is located to the left of the front speaker slot). IN automatic mode When external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. The operation of this function depends on the position of the brightness adjustment slider. If it is 100%, then in complete darkness the automatic brightness adjustment function reduces the brightness to 10 cd/m² (a little dark, but you can read), in an office illuminated by artificial light (about 400 lux) it sets it to 250 cd/m² (normal), in a very bright environment (corresponding to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) increases to a maximum of 480 cd / m² (which is what is needed). Brightness slider at 50% - the values ​​are as follows: 10, 140 and 480 cd/m², at 0% - 10, 50 and 480 cd/m² (the logic can be followed). In general, the automatic brightness adjustment function works adequately. At any brightness level, there is no significant backlight modulation, so there is no screen flicker.

IN this smartphone matrix is ​​used IPS type. The microphotographs (if you look closely) show a typical IPS subpixel structure:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.

The screen has good viewing angles without significant color shift even with large viewing deviations from perpendicular to the screen and without inverting shades. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the LG G3 and Nexus 7 screens, with the screen brightness initially set to approximately 200 cd/m², and the color balance on the camera forced to switch to 6500 K. There is a white field perpendicular to the screens:

Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field. And a test picture:

Color reproduction is good and colors are rich on both screens. However, the saturation in the case of the LG G3 is clearly overestimated. As proof, here is a test photograph with a smooth increase in saturation from bottom to top:

By the lack of discernibility of horizontal stripes with maximum saturation, it can be determined that on the LG G3 screen the saturation is artificially increased (color contrast increases). In addition, some images show that contour sharpness is increased to some extent. Apparently, such image processing is performed programmatically at a very low level, since its result is visible in all tested programs that output raster images. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:

It can be seen that the colors did not change much on both screens, but the contrast on the LG G3's screen was noticeably reduced due to a significant increase in black levels and a decrease in image brightness. And a white field:

The brightness at an angle of the screens decreased (at least five times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of the LG G3 the brightness decreased a little more. When deviated diagonally, the black field brightens greatly and acquires a violet or red-violet hue. The photographs below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is the same for the screens!):

And from another angle:

When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the black field is not ideal, since in one corner the brightness of the black increases noticeably:

The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is not the highest - about 750:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 13 ms (7 ms on + 6 ms off). The transition between halftones of gray 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 23 ms. The gamma curve, constructed using 32 points with equal intervals based on the numerical value of the shade of gray, did not reveal any blockage in either the highlights or the shadows. The exponent of the approximating power function is 2.28, which is slightly higher than the standard value of 2.2. In this case, the real gamma curve deviates little from the power-law dependence:

This smartphone has a non-switchable dynamic adjustment of the backlight brightness in accordance with the nature of the displayed image. However, it seems that the brightness noticeably decreases only when the black field is displayed in the entire or almost entire screen, therefore, most likely, the resulting dependence of brightness on hue (gamma curve) approximately corresponds to the gamma curve of a static image. However, just in case, we carried out a number of tests - determining contrast and response time, comparing black illumination at angles - when displaying special templates with a constant average brightness, and not monochromatic fields in the entire screen.

Color gamut is almost equal to sRGB:

Note that the break in the yellow dot indicates the presence of software processing of the image output. The spectra show that the matrix filters moderately mix the components with each other:

As a result, visually pure (see note above) colors have natural saturation. The balance of shades on the gray scale is good, since the color temperature is slightly higher than 6500 K, and the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is less than 10, which is considered an acceptable indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, color temperature and ΔE change little from hue to hue - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

Let's summarize. The screen has a high maximum brightness and has good anti-glare properties, so the smartphone can be used outdoors without any problems, even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. It is also possible to use a mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works more or less adequately. The advantages of the screen include a very good oleophobic coating, no flicker or air gap in the layers of the screen, sRGB color gamut and good color balance. The main disadvantage is the low stability of black to gaze deviation from perpendicular to the screen plane. We cannot count the presence of non-switchable dynamic adjustment of the backlight brightness in accordance with the nature of the displayed image and an artificial increase in saturation and contour clarity as a plus, but the mass consumer may even like this improvement in the picture. Therefore, taking into account the importance of characteristics for this particular class of devices, the screen quality can be considered high.

Sound

The LG G3 sounds louder than its predecessor, this is achieved due to a powerful speaker (1 W) connected to an amplifier. True, there is only one speaker, and it faces away from the user. The sound is indeed very, very loud, remains clear throughout the entire frequency range, but the presence of low frequencies in it is not too noticeable. The sound output hole is located on the back side, so the sound of the smartphone lying face down is muffled, since the speaker grille is blocked by the table surface. In conversational dynamics, the voice of a familiar interlocutor, timbre and intonation remain recognizable, leading telephone conversations Using the LG G3 is quite comfortable. In the settings of the standard audio player, it is possible to influence the sound quality using preset equalizer values.

Camera

LG G3 is equipped with two modules digital cameras with a resolution of 13 and 2.1 megapixels. The front camera takes pictures with a resolution of 1920×1080, and videos in 1080p resolution. The capabilities of the front camera are more than sufficient for taking self-portraits; examples of test images are presented below.

The main rear 13-megapixel camera is equipped with advanced optical image stabilization (OIS+), but the most interesting thing is that the smartphone also has laser focusing. Like professional DSLRs, the LG G3 this technology used to measure the distance between the camera and the subject using a laser beam. It reportedly takes just 0.27 seconds to focus. When shooting in automatic mode, which is set by default, photographs are obtained with a size of 4160 × 2240 (10 megapixels), and in maximum resolution the size of the photo is exactly the same 13 megapixels: 4160 × 3120.

The camera control menu has been significantly simplified, although it cannot be said that in previous models of LG smartphones the camera settings were poorly placed. Previously, a matrix of visual interactive squares was used, which, in general, was quite intuitive and easy to use. However, in the new model everything has been simplified even more: now there are only two stripes with pictograms, which are drawn smaller and are not so clearly visible in the bright sun.

The camera can shoot video in 1080p and UHD (4K) resolution, and also has the ability to shoot videos in slow motion, standard for top smartphones. Those interested can download examples:

• Video No. 1 (73 MB, 3840×2160)
• Video No. 2 (53 MB, 1920×1080)
• Video No. 3 (39 MB, 1280×720, 120 frames per second)

Examples of photographs with our comments are presented below.

	Excellent sharpness on the car, despite the fact that it is in the shadows.
	In the background, the foliage merges a little only in the shadows.
	Noise in the shadows is not very strong and is well processed.
	The color of the sky is very even.
	Even if there is sharpening on the wires, it is invisible. The camera does not perform much worse in the shadows than in the light.
	The license plates of almost all the cars in the picture are clearly visible. The foliage in the background is worked out quite subtly.
	Based on the combination of many parameters, this image is quite comparable in quality to a good compact camera.
	The dynamic range is quite wide, and good light sensitivity allows you to competently work out the shadows.
	Another example of good sharpness in all plans.
	In low light, you can notice the noise canceling, but it is very neat.

Text in daylight, room light, low light, and with flash. In all cases, the camera captures text well, with only a slight drop in sharpness in the corners.
Macro photography in daytime indoor and low light, as well as with flash. In all cases, the camera copes well, perhaps a little worse in low light.

LG, having once learned to create good cameras(in the LG G2) seems to have decided to slowly hone its skills. Since then, the cameras in her smartphones have been at least good, and sometimes even very good.

There is a feeling that LG, like the main experimenter Samsung, also likes to experiment, but it does it carefully and tries not to touch areas where everything is already going well. In the case of the G3 camera, there were also some experiments, the main one of which seems to be an attempt to squeeze the maximum out of the 13-megapixel module - it’s interesting to see what it is capable of, and why go further if the resource has not yet been exhausted?

As a rule, a photo on a smartphone screen looks much sharper than on regular monitor, and on the screen of the LG G3, it would seem, even more so. But, oddly enough, the pictures of the G3 on the monitor do not look much worse and, upon closer inspection, never cease to pleasantly surprise.

Foregrounds and midgrounds can almost always be studied in detail. Even in distant shots, the details do not merge, but are worked out very carefully. The optics do a good job. Sharpness is uniform across the entire field of the frame, and drops only slightly at the edges. The sensor is good at not the simplest moments, and the program helps it quite well with this. Sometimes, looking at the shadows, you can wince when you stumble upon something that is not quite straight line, forgetting that this is a smartphone camera, and not a cool compact. The pictures are so good that the eye begins to notice such little things. In fact, the noise reduction works great, although some points give it away. Sharping is practically absent, which is good news and once again confirms the high quality of the optics.

	Lighting ≈3200 lux. The camera does a good job.
	Lighting ≈1400 lux. The situation is not changing.
	Lighting ≈130 lux. The situation is still good, although you can already see traces of the noise reduction.
	Lighting ≈130 lux, flash. The flash improves the situation a little.
	Lighting<1 люкс. В темноте можно различить лишь контуры предметов.
	Lighting<1 люкс, вспышка. В данном случае вспышка и шумодав сработали не очень слаженно, поэтому резкость упала, хотя она вполне могла остаться высокой.

Remembering the dependence of resolution on illumination for (unfortunately, we could not plot it on the graph, since it was measured using the old method), we can note that the maximum resolution value dropped slightly, but the value in low light increased significantly. Due to this, the average value increased slightly, and the dependence acquired smoothness and stability, which is so valuable for a good camera: the more gradual the decline is observed with the deterioration of lighting, the better the camera copes. Obtaining such stability is the sharpening of existing achievements, which was mentioned above. The camera is let down a little by the flash, which does not allow you to achieve the original resolution and works worse the worse the lighting.

LG could not ignore the features of flagships from other manufacturers. Since the camera turned out to be good, these features are more pleasant additions than main trump cards.

The camera uses laser focusing, or, more accurately, a laser autofocus assistant. The principle of its operation is supposedly the following: the smartphone, based on the difference in the path of the direct and reflected waves (laser beam), calculates the distance to the object, which either allows the camera to significantly narrow the focusing area, or not think at all and simply set the focus to the calculated distance. The question immediately arises: to what object is the distance calculated? After all, the main purpose of the sensor is to quickly focus during quick shooting, under the assumption that the user “took it out and took a photo” and did not select the focus point on the display. However, it cannot be said that the benefits of this function are noticeable: even without lasers, current smartphones focus quite quickly. It’s difficult to measure, but if you remember Samsung’s assurances that the Galaxy S5 camera focuses in 0.3 seconds without any lasers, then LG’s 0.27 seconds doesn’t look so impressive.

The second feature is the “Magic Focus” mode. In it, the camera takes five pictures focusing on different plans, after which you can select the desired plan and save the picture. Other shots in this photo will be slightly blurred. The function works a little strangely, since the focus does not always fall on the desired object. If all this is done just for the sake of blurring the background, then it is unclear why the camera does not catch the desired object. If this is some kind of “shoot now - focus later” function, then its implementation is far from ideal, because, again, out of five plans you may not find a single one you need.

In any case, all these features are intended only to emphasize the main thing - the quality of the pictures. And since the quality of the camera is good, then it doesn’t seem to need any chips. Either way, the LG G3 is a good camera for most shooting scenarios.

Telephone and communications

The smartphone works as standard in modern 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA networks, and also has support for fourth generation networks (LTE) used in Russia. With a SIM card from the domestic operator Megafon, the smartphone in practice confidently finds and works with the LTE network. Additional network capabilities include support for the second Wi-Fi band (5 GHz) and NFC technology. The mode for connecting external devices (USB Host, OTG) is supported here, so any flash drives connected to the Micro-USB port, as well as mice and keyboards, are perfectly recognized. The navigation module supports both GPS and domestic Glonass and works very clearly and quickly. There were no spontaneous reboots/shutdowns observed during testing, as well as system slowdowns or freezes.

The screen is large, so drawing letters and numbers on virtual keyboards is quite comfortable to control. The layout and location of the buttons are standard: switching languages ​​here is done by pressing a special button, there is a dedicated top row with numbers - you don’t have to switch the layout every time. The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing a phone number, a search is immediately carried out by the first letters in contacts. It is possible to move the virtual keyboard closer to either edge of the screen for easier typing with one hand. Naturally, there is also a variant of continuous writing by sliding your finger from letter to letter (Swype), here it is called Path input.

The company went even further and added more unusual options for customizing the virtual keyboard, including changing the height of the buttons or even reassigning them yourself. The developers promise that the LG G3's adaptive keyboard technology remembers the typing habits of a specific user and facilitates faster text entry and a reduction in the number of errors. The smart keyboard reduces errors by 75 percent by analyzing how accurately your fingers hit letters. Key buttons can also be enlarged for even faster input of frequently used characters and greater typing accuracy. It has also become much easier to adjust the location of the cursor in already typed text by holding the space bar for a long time.

OS and software

The operating system is a version of the Google Android 4.4.2 KitKat software platform, on top of which is traditionally installed its own proprietary graphical user interface - the successor to Optimus UI. The updated interface has minimalistic flat graphics, pictograms and icons do not have shadows, the interface looks unencumbered by additional graphic effects, which makes it easier to perceive. In this regard, the changes are most noticeable in the notification drop-down menu, which has become suspiciously reminiscent of the new Apple iOS graphics for the iPhone.

In general, the updated user interface of the LG G3 has absorbed all the numerous developments that have already been implemented in previous versions of the proprietary shell. QSlide mode allows you to make work windows smaller, detach them to move them around the screen, and change their transparency and number, while Dual Window splits the screen into two desktops for multitasking. QSlide can be activated from the notification menu, and dual-window mode is activated from the menu of recent running programs - there is an additional second tab, called Double Window in Russian. The infrared port is supplemented with a special program for remote control of household appliances. The smartphone also includes numerous gesture control capabilities.

Even more attention is paid this time to the issue of security. The smartphone offers a whole range of functions, such as the well-known Knock Code and Guest mode, and a Content Lock information blocking system has also appeared, which keeps personal data protected and hidden from prying eyes when sharing the LG G3 smartphone. When connected to a computer, Content Lock prevents viewing of protected files, thus keeping your data safe. Protected files can be located either in the G3's internal memory or on a microSD card. Using the Kill Switch function, it is possible to remotely lock your smartphone in case of theft. Kill Switch also allows you to remotely erase personal information contained on the LG G3. The program's capabilities also include virus scanning.

Performance

Like the latest flagships from Samsung, HTC and Sony, the LG G3 hardware platform is based on the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 single-chip system (SoC) with four Krait 400 cores. Let us remind you that the new platform has the functionality of the Snapdragon 800 with a slightly higher frequency of processor cores: Snapdragon The 801 can operate at frequencies up to 2.46 GHz, while the core frequency of the previous version of the chip was limited to 2.36 GHz. True, the Sony Xperia Z2 and HTC One (M8) smartphones do not use the most powerful modification of this platform (MSM8974AB), where the maximum frequency of the processor cores is only 2.3 GHz. This is less than the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the hero of today's review, the LG G3 smartphone - these devices have a maximum processor core frequency of 2.46 GHz. This is explained by the fact that a more advanced version of Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AC) is used here. Unlike the MSM8974AB version, the GPU frequency is higher here: it is equal to 578 MHz (550 MHz for the MSM8974AB). Thus, of the four latest new products presented on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 platform by top manufacturers, only devices from Korean Samsung and LG work on the maximum version of this platform - the other two, Sony Xperia Z2 and HTC One (M8), are equipped with a slightly less powerful version.

The processor here is supported in graphics processing by the same Adreno 330 video accelerator. Less than 11 GB of 16 GB of own memory is initially available in the device for user needs. The smartphone's RAM capacity is 2 GB, but in the future a modification with more memory (3 GB of RAM and 32 built-in flash arrays) should go on sale. MicroSD memory cards in this model are supported up to 128 GB; you can also connect flash drives to the Micro-USB port using a special adapter in OTG mode.

To get an idea of ​​the performance of the platform of the smartphone under test, we will conduct a standard set of tests (at this point it is immediately worth noting that one of the most visual and closest to real operating conditions is the MobileXPRT benchmark, which our test subject, unfortunately, flatly refused to pass, no matter how many attempts we made have undertaken).

For convenience, we have compiled all the results we obtained when testing the smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks into tables. The table usually adds several other devices from different segments, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry figures). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” - due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.

Testing in MobileXPRT, as well as in the latest versions of AnTuTu 4.x and GeekBench 3:

Test results showed that despite the extremely high screen resolution, which is certainly one of the most system-loading factors, the LG G3 smartphone nevertheless demonstrated almost the same performance as its other colleagues, which work at a lower resolution displays. All four of the latest top-end smartphones are approximately equal in performance, the difference lies within the margin of error - especially considering that we are now talking about such high results that are simply inaccessible to all other smartphones. So, in any case, we are now talking about the LG G3 and other new products on the Snapdragon 801 as the most powerful smartphones, the hardware performance of which will be enough for a long time to perform any possible tasks.

When testing in 3DMark, the most powerful smartphones now have the ability to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (which can cause the speed to rise above 60 fps).

Results of testing the graphics subsystem in the Epic Citadel gaming test, as well as Basemark X and Bonsai Benchmark:

Browser cross-platform tests:

As for benchmarks for assessing the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowance for the fact that their results significantly depend on the browser in which they are launched, so the comparison can only be truly correct on the same OS and browsers, and this is possible during testing not always. For Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.

Playing video

To test the omnivorous nature of video playback (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Internet. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern options using processor cores alone. Also, you shouldn’t expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it.

LG once again pleasantly surprises with the presence of full support for all necessary decoders in its smartphones. Unlike most of the reviewed devices from other companies, the capabilities of the built-in video player here were enough for trouble-free playback of all our standard test videos. At the same time, no problems were observed with the sound, and in the third-party MX player you don’t even have to switch to hardware playback in Hardware+. That is, in simple terms, the LG G3 will play any video downloaded from the network without any problems.

Format	Container, video, sound	MX Video Player	Standard video player
DVDRip	AVI, XviD 720×400 2200 Kbps, MP3+AC3	plays normally	plays normally
Web-DL SD	AVI, XviD 720×400 1400 Kbps, MP3+AC3	plays normally	plays normally
Web-DL HD	MKV, H.264 1280×720 3000 Kbps, AC3	plays normally	plays normally
BDRip 720p	MKV, H.264 1280×720 4000 Kbps, AC3	plays normally	plays normally
BDRip 1080p	MKV, H.264 1920×1080 8000 Kbps, AC3	plays normally	plays normally

This smartphone supports SlimPort (or Mobility DisplayPort) adapters that connect to the Micro-USB connector and provide video (and audio) transmission to external display devices. For testing we used a monitor LG IPS237L. When using this monitor and the SlimPort adapter we had, output was carried out at a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels at 60 frames per second. When the smartphone is landscape-oriented, the image is displayed on the smartphone and monitor screens whenever possible in landscape orientation (with the exception of the start screen), while the image on the monitor is inscribed within the boundaries of the screen and is an interpolated copy of the smartphone screen.

When the smartphone is in portrait orientation, the image is displayed on the monitor screen in portrait orientation, while the image on the monitor is inscribed in height, and wide black fields are displayed on the left and right of the monitor screen.

Sound is output via HDMI (in this case, the sounds were heard through headphones connected to the monitor, since there are no speakers in the monitor itself) and is of good quality. In this case, multimedia sounds are not output through the loudspeaker of the smartphone itself, and the volume is adjusted using buttons on the smartphone body. The smartphone connected to the SlimPort adapter is charged, and the adapter must be connected to a power source via its Micro-USB connector.

The video output deserves special description. To begin with, using a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Method for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)”), we checked how the video is displayed on the screen of the smartphone itself. Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped determine the nature of the output of frames of video files with various parameters: the resolution varied: 1280 by 720 (720p), 1920 by 1080 (1080p) and 3840 by 2160 (4K) pixels and frame rates of 24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps. In this test, we used the MX Player video player in Hardware+ mode. The results of this (block entitled “Smartphone Screen”) and the next test are summarized in the table:

The marks indicate possible problems with the playback of the corresponding files.

According to the criterion of frame output, the quality of playback of video files on the screen of the smartphone itself is very high, since frames (or groups of frames) can be output with more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without skipping frames. The smartphone can even display files with a resolution of 4K up to 30p inclusive. Judging by the test shots, the LG G3's screen refresh rate when outputting full-screen video can change according to the frame rate of the video. However, uniform alternation of frames is a relatively unstable state, since some external and internal background processes lead to periodic failure of the correct alternation of intervals between frames. When playing video files with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 (1080p) on a smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the border of the screen, but on test worlds it can be seen that the clarity is slightly reduced due to interpolation to the screen resolution. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the standard range of 16-235 - all gradations of shades are displayed in shadows and highlights.

With a monitor connected via SlimPort, when playing a video with a standard player, the image of the video file is displayed only in landscape orientation, while only the image of the video file is displayed on the monitor (the translucent navigation bar is removed after a few seconds), and only information elements and virtual controls are displayed on the smartphone screen:

When playing video files with Full HD resolution (1920 by 1080 pixels) on the monitor screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the border of the screen, maintaining true proportions, and the resolution corresponds to Full HD resolution. The brightness range displayed on the monitor is equal to the standard range of 16-235, that is, all shade gradations are displayed in shadows and highlights. The results of the monitor output tests are shown in the table above in the “SlimPort (monitor output)” block. The output quality is very good.

It turns out that connection to external monitors, TVs and projectors, carried out using the SlimPort adapter, can be used for games, watching movies (including in Full HD resolution), displaying web pages and other activities that benefit from a multiple increase in size screen.

Battery life

The lithium-polymer battery installed in the LG G3 turned out to be slightly smaller in volume than that of the Sony flagship, but the device is ahead of all other competitors in this matter. This is all the more necessary for him, since the smartphone has to deal with the highest screen resolution available today, and in terms of area, the LG G3 display is one of the largest. In principle, the developers promise that a specially developed new type of battery, in the cathode of which the metal is replaced with graphite, should fully compensate for the increased energy costs due to the presence of a Quad HD screen - a separate division of the company, LG Chem, is responsible for the batteries.

However, all this still remains promises, and compared to its competitors, the new Korean flagship still demonstrated shorter battery life in the same comparative tests.

	Battery capacity	Reading mode	Video mode	3D Game Mode
LG G3	3000 mAh	9:00 a.m.	7:00 am	2 hours 50 minutes
Sony Xperia Z2	3200 mAh	15:20	11:00 am	3 hours 30 minutes
Oppo Find 7a	2800 mAh	16:40	8 a.m. 20 p.m.	3:00 am
HTC One M8	2600 mAh	22:10	13:20	3 hours 20 minutes
Samsung Galaxy S5	2800 mAh	17:20	12:30 pm	4 hours 30 minutes
TCL Idol X+	2500 mAh	12:30 pm	7:20 am	3:00 am
Lenovo Vibe Z	3050 mAh	11:45 am	8:00 am	3 hours 30 minutes
Acer Liquid S2	3300 mAh	16:40	7:40 a.m.	6:00 am
LG G Flex	3500 mAh	23:15	13:30	6 hours 40 minutes
LG G2	3000 mAh	20:00	12:30 pm	4 hours 45 minutes
Sony Xperia Z1	3000 mAh	11:45 am	8:00 am	4 hours 30 minutes

Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd/m²) lasted 9 hours until the battery was completely discharged, and when continuously watching videos from YouTube in high quality (HQ) The device lasted 7 hours at the same brightness level via a home Wi-Fi network. In 3D gaming mode, the smartphone worked for less than three hours, after which it signaled the need to charge. Under heavy loads, by the way, quite strong heating of the rear wall of the case is observed. Perhaps with the release of new firmware the smartphone will be able to demonstrate better autonomy, but for now this is the state of affairs.

Bottom line

As for the cost of the new product in our market, the price has not yet been officially announced, but some large retail chains have already opened pre-orders for the LG G3 smartphone at a price of 30 thousand rubles. In principle, there are no revelations in this, we are already accustomed to the fact that top manufacturers play in the market by the same rules, and all competitors have launched their flagship solutions at exactly the same price in the new season.

As for the capabilities of the smartphone described today, only the most advanced models on the market can now compare with it, such as the Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2 and HTC One (M8) - the most powerful devices with top-end characteristics. Each of them has its own advantages over competitors, but there are also weaknesses. LG's flagship boasts, first of all, a screen with an unprecedented resolution (for conventional smartphones), as well as a good camera with improved optical stabilization and laser focusing. A nice-looking and well-designed user interface can also be included in the assets of this model. The removable battery and memory card support are definitely worthy of praise.

However, we can cite some disadvantages of the LG G3, albeit relative ones: lack of protection from water, poor battery life, noticeably increased in size, and also a rather rough design of the case without any special frills, the presence of a single speaker, albeit loud, but still inferior in sound quality to HTC stereo speakers. Of course, we won’t write down the lack of a fingerprint scanner and a blood pressure meter as minuses, keeping in mind how poorly this element was organized in the Samsung flagship. Rather, it’s a plus that the device is not overloaded with unnecessary elements that are just needed “for show.” But the mentioned water protection would still not hurt a modern smartphone...

Nevertheless, the device turned out to be very interesting, quite worthy of its competitors, but it’s a pity that LG, having confidently become one of the top smartphone manufacturers, stopped using such an important lever in promotion as low price. Now, for the user, the choice between the described flagship devices is determined mainly by the emotional preference of one brand or another, because all the top new products not only turned out to be quite worthy of each other, but are also sold at the same price. The company's previous flagship, the LG G2, was initially offered at a better price than competing solutions, but now this gap has been completely eliminated.

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.

Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	74.6 mm (millimeters) 7.46 cm (centimeters) 0.24 ft (feet) 2.94 in (inches)
Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	146.3 mm (millimeters) 14.63 cm (centimeters) 0.48 ft (feet) 5.76 in (inches)
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement.	8.9 mm (millimeters) 0.89 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.35 in (inches)
Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	149 g (grams) 0.33 lbs 5.26 oz (ounces)
Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	97.13 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 5.9 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	Red Violet Golden White Black
Materials for making the case Materials used to make the device body.	Metal 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 called a 2G mobile network. It is improved 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
CDMA CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) is a channel access method used in communications in mobile networks. Compared to other 2G and 2.5G standards like GSM and TDMA, it provides higher data transfer speeds and the ability to connect more consumers at the same time.	CDMA 800 MHz CDMA 1900 MHz
CDMA2000 CDMA2000 is a group of 3G mobile network standards based on CDMA. Their advantages include a more powerful signal, fewer interruptions and network breaks, support for an analog signal, wide spectral coverage, etc.	1xEV-DO Rev. A
UMTS UMTS is an abbreviation 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 providing greater speed and spectral efficiency thanks to W-CDMA technology.	UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz
LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as a 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 technology development is called LTE Advanced.	LTE 700 MHz Class 17 LTE 800 MHz LTE 850 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1700/2100 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 1900 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz LTE-TDD 2300 MHz (B40)

Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds

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

Operating system

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

SoC (System on Chip)

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

SoC (System on 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 801 MSM8974AC
Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor.	28 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications.	Krait 400
Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors.	32 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv7
Level 0 cache (L0) Some processors have L0 (level 0) cache, which is faster to access than L1, L2, L3, etc. The advantage of having such memory is not only higher performance, but also reduced power consumption.	4 kB + 4 kB (kilobytes)
Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works 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 it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.	16 kB + 16 kB (kilobytes)
Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. 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 in RAM memory.	2048 kB (kilobytes) 2 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel.	4
CPU 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).	2500 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc.	Qualcomm Adreno 330
Number of GPU cores Like a CPU, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle graphics calculations for various applications.	4
GPU clock speed Running speed is the clock speed of the GPU, measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	578 MHz (megahertz)
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 after the device is turned off or restarted.	2 GB (gigabytes) 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 mean higher data rates.	Dual channel
RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data.	933 MHz (megahertz)

Built-in memory

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

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 quality of the information image directly depends.	IPS+
Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches.	5.5 in (inches) 139.7 mm (millimeters) 13.97 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate screen width	2.7 in (inches) 68.49 mm (millimeters) 6.85 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate screen height	4.79 in (inches) 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 shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer 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 displayed on the screen with 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 color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device.	76.66% (percent)
Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics.	Capacitive Multi-touch Scratch resistance
	Corning Gorilla Glass 3

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.

Main camera

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

Sensor model	Sony IMX135 Exmor RS
Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take photographs. The sensor, as well as optics, are one of the main factors in the quality of the camera in a mobile device.	CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor)
Sensor size	4.69 x 3.52 mm (millimeters) 0.23 in (inches)
Pixel size	1.127 µm (micrometers) 0.001127 mm (millimeters)
Crop factor	7.38
Diaphragm	f/2.4
Focal length Focal length is the distance in millimeters from the photosensor to the optical center of the lens. The equivalent focal length is also indicated, providing the same field of view with a full frame camera.	3.97 mm (millimeters) 29.29 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame)
Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile device cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes produce softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting.	Double LED
Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image.	4160 x 3120 pixels 12.98 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with 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 video shooting and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p.	30fps (frames per second)
Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality.	Autofocus Continuous shooting Optical image stabilization Geographical tags Panoramic photography HDR shooting Touch Focus Face recognition White Balance Adjustment ISO Setting Exposure compensation Macro mode
	Laser autofocus OIS+ 1080p @ 60 fps

Additional camera

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

Sensor model Information about the manufacturer and model of the photo sensor used in the device's camera.	Sony IMX208
Sensor size Information about the dimensions of the photosensor used in the device. Typically, cameras with larger sensors and lower pixel densities offer higher image quality despite the lower resolution.	2.7 x 1.5 mm (millimeters) 0.12 in (inches)
Pixel size The smaller pixel size of the photosensor allows more pixels per unit area, thereby increasing resolution. On the other hand, a smaller pixel size can have a negative impact on image quality at high ISO levels.	1.406 µm (micrometers) 0.001406 mm (millimeters)
Crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the dimensions of the full-frame sensor (36 x 24 mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35 mm film) and the dimensions of the device's photosensor. The indicated number represents the ratio of the diagonals of the full-frame sensor (43.3 mm) and the photosensor of a particular device.	14.01
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 opening is larger.	f/2
Image Resolution Information about the maximum resolution of the additional camera when shooting. In most cases, the resolution of the secondary camera is lower than that of the main camera.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with an additional 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 secondary camera when shooting video at the maximum resolution.	30fps (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 the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

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

Version There are several versions of Bluetooth, with each subsequent one improving communication speed, coverage, and making devices easier to discover and connect. Information about the Bluetooth version of the device.

4.0

Characteristics Bluetooth uses different profiles and protocols that provide faster data transfer, energy savings, improved device discovery, etc. Some of these profiles and protocols that the device supports are shown here.

A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) AVRCP (Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile) DIP (Device ID Profile) FTP (File Transfer Profile) GOEP (Generic Object Exchange Profile) HFP (Hands-Free Profile) HID (Human Interface Profile) HSP (Headset Profile) LE (Low Energy) MAP (Message Access Profile) OPP (Object Push Profile) PAN (Personal Area Networking Profile) PBAP/PAB (Phone Book Access Profile) SPP (Serial Port Protocol) SAP/SIM/rSAP (SIM Access Profile)

USB

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

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.

Browser

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

Video file formats/codecs

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

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.

Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours.	3000 mAh (milliamp-hours)
Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used batteries in mobile devices.	Li-Ion (Lithium-ion)
2G talk time 2G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 2G network.	12 h (hours) 720 min (minutes) 0.5 days
2G latency 2G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network.	310 h (hours) 18600 min (minutes) 12.9 days
3G talk time 3G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network.	13 h (hours) 780 min (minutes) 0.5 days
3G latency 3G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network.	310 h (hours) 18600 min (minutes) 12.9 days
4G latency 4G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 4G network.	195 h (hours) 11700 min (minutes) 8.1 days
Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery.	Wireless charger Removable
	SiO+

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

The SAR level refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.

Head SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device close to the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum permissible 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, subject to the guidelines of ICNIRP 1998.	0.377 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)
Body SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by the CENELEC Committee in compliance with the ICNIRP 1998 guidelines and IEC standards.	0.314 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)
Head SAR level (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 USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are regulated by the CTIA, and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values.	0.39 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)
Body SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest permissible SAR value in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA monitors mobile devices' compliance with this standard.	0.76 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)

- direct competitors of G3 - are already being sold with all their might, and we, in turn, have already managed to study them in detail. G-Three has just been officially unveiled, and deliveries to stores should begin at the end of June or even early July. The approach is wise: the company’s engineers have time to study the weaknesses of competitors and prevent the same mistakes in their product - a time reserve of a quarter allows this to be done. In addition, LG, like most other manufacturers, prefers to update its older model once a year - unlike, for example, Sony, which releases a new flagship every six months.

It is important to understand that LG engineers are not updating the device for show - they are actually correcting the shortcomings of its predecessor, and during thorough testing we will mention this more than once. G2 was good. Not even that: he was very good - no one expected him to turn out like that. And the LG G3, in turn, turned out to be even more interesting, and this was clear even from the announcement. Now that you're intrigued and eager, you can get to know the G2's successor.

⇡ Appearance and ergonomics

Do you know why the author of this material at one time refused to buy such a good and pleasant LG G2? The plastic, glossy and very easily soiled back panel let me down. In general, an adult device cannot leave such a so-called look&feel. Everything inside is great, but, whatever one may say, the smartphone has to be picked up - and it was at the moment when the G2 was in the hands that a clear understanding came that the gadget was not ideal. Probably the rear panel was the first thing on the list of changes for the G3 designers.

Meet the new LG flagship - G3

The “back” here is still plastic, but with a much more pleasant surface treatment. There is no trace of gloss left - the panel is embossed, textured, and feels almost like real metal to the touch. The main advantage of the material used is its excellent oleophobic properties. The smartphone does not lose its presentation, no matter how much the owner touches it. Fingerprints do not remain on the panel, but even if it gets a little dirty, you can literally clean it of dirt in one motion.

LG G3 - official photo

The layout of the G3's controls is the same as its predecessor - atypical for Android smartphones. Physical power/lock and volume keys are located on the rear panel, under the main camera lens. The location is not for everyone - it’s good that the programmers have implemented the ability to turn on the device without pressing the corresponding key. It's called KnockCode, and we talked about it in a separate article. Let us remind you that you can exit the “sleep” mode by tapping on the screen. The option is not new - it moved from G2. It is still better to place your smartphone in your pocket with the display facing you to avoid accidental pressing of hardware keys.

LG G3 - back panel in comparison with the “back” of LG G2 (right)

The main area of ​​the front panel is occupied by a new ultra-clear display with a diagonal of 5.46 inches. The bezels around it are still very thin, so the smartphone is much more compact than other models with similar screen sizes. Despite the thin frames, during operation of the device there are no erroneous touches of the display with the palm of your hand. There are no hardware keys on the front panel - all the buttons are touch sensitive and are located directly on the display.

LG G3 - power and volume keys on the rear panel

LG engineers were unable to repeat the trick of the wizards from Samsung, who increased the diagonal of the Galaxy Note 3 display, practically without changing its dimensions relative to its predecessor. The G3 feels slightly longer than the G2, increasing its length by eight millimeters. However, using the device is quite convenient. Fortunately, the weight remained at an acceptable level - 149 grams versus 143 for its predecessor, and the thickness completely decreased - from 9.5 mm to 8.9 mm. Thanks to its smooth, streamlined shape, the smartphone seems even slimmer than it actually is.

LG G3 - front panel compared to LG G2 front panel (right)

The SlimPort interface (micro-USB 2.0 + video output in one connector) and a universal audio jack for connecting a wired headset are located at the bottom end. On the top there is an infrared port. Two microphones, with the help of which the active noise reduction system is implemented, are placed on the vertical edges. A stylized metal edging runs along all ends of the body.

LG G3 - sides

The “back” of the device is removable. Below it is a 3000 mAh battery and micro-SIM and microSD slots located one above the other.

LG G3 without back panel

We have no complaints about the assembly and appearance of the device. The gadget looks strict and attractive—what a flagship needs. During testing, we did not find any play; even when checking for twisting and bending, we did not see anything embarrassing or suspicious.

⇡ Technical specifications

	LG G2 (D802)	LG G3 (D855)
Display	5.2 inches, 1920x1080, IPS	5.46 inches, 2560x1440, IPS
Touch screen	Capacitive, up to 10 simultaneous touches
Air gap	No
Oleophobic coating	Eat
Polarizing filter	Eat
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974AA v2: frequency 2.27 GHz; process technology 28 nm HPm	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC v3: four Qualcomm Krait-400 cores (ARMv7); frequency 2.5 GHz; process technology 28 nm HPm
Graphics controller	Qualcomm Adreno 330, 450 MHz	Qualcomm Adreno 330, 578 MHz
RAM	2 GB
Flash memory	16 or 32 GB	16 (about 11 GB available) or 32 GB + MicroSD
Connectors	1 x micro-USB 2.0 (SlimPort) 1 x micro-SIM	1 x micro-USB 2.0 (SlimPort) 1 x 3.5mm headset jack 1 x micro-SIM 1 x microSD
cellular	3G: DC-HSPA+ (84 Mbps) 850/900/1900/2100 MHz 4G: LTE Cat. 4 (150 Mbit/s) band 1, 3, 7, 8, 20 (2100/1800/2600/900/800 MHz)	2G: GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz 3G: HSDPA (42 Mbps) 850/900/1900/2100 MHz 4G: LTE Cat. 4 (150 Mbit/s) band 3, 7, 20 (1800/2600/800 MHz) One SIM card in micro-SIM format
WiFi	802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4/5 GHz
Bluetooth	4.0
NFC	Eat
IR port	Eat
Navigation	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
Sensors	Light sensor, proximity sensor, accelerometer/gyroscope, Hall sensor (digital compass)
Main camera	13 MP (4160x3120), Multi-point autofocus, single-axis optical image stabilization, LED flash	13 MP (4160x3120), Sony Exmor RS matrix with back illumination; Laser autofocus, dual-axis optical image stabilization, dual-LED flash
Front-camera	2.1 MP (1920x1080) Pixel size 1.12 µm	2.1 MP (1920x1080) Pixel size 1.4 µm
Nutrition	Non-removable battery 11.4 Wh (3000 mAh, 3.8 V)	Removable battery 11.4 Wh (3000 mAh, 3.8 V)
Size	139x71 mm Case thickness 9.5 mm	146x74.5 mm Case thickness 8.9 mm
Weight	143 g	149 g
Water and dust protection	No
operating system	Google Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)	Google Android 4.4.2 (KitKat)
Current price	15,990 rubles	About 30,000 rubles at the start of sales

The LG G3 is an interesting flagship from LG with a laser autofocus camera system, which, by the way, is used for the first time in smartphones. Among the advantages of the device, it is worth noting the extremely clear display with a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels, one of the highest we have seen! The smartphone, in our opinion, looks nice and is well-built. There are also unusual details, for example, control buttons on the back cover of the device, which seemed to us not such a convenient solution. We were also surprised by the size of the case; despite the 5.5-inch display, its dimensions are more likely to correspond to 5-inch smartphones.

However, the overly high resolution of the display did not have the best effect on the battery life of the LG G3 - the battery runs out quickly. The LG G3's body material is plastic, and to be on the same wavelength as the Sony Xperia Z2 and Samsung Galaxy S5, it lacks protection from moisture and dust. In our opinion, this is a quite competitive flagship, especially if the manufacturer lowers the price a little; after all, the LG G2 differed from other flagships not only in the location of the buttons on the back, but also in a more favorable price.

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Dimensions - 3.9

In terms of its dimensions, the LG G3 corresponds to modern flagships: a large diagonal of 5.5 inches, a tall and wide, but thin body. Top smartphones are constantly increasing their diagonals, however, the LG G3 can still be held in one hand, but it’s no longer easy to control with one hand.

The main material used in the LG G3 is plastic, while the back cover is textured to resemble a more noble material. We had no complaints about the build quality. True, at first it seemed to us that the case was not separable, but it turned out that the back cover was prying off in a small ledge. Hidden underneath is a slot for micro-SIM and memory cards, as well as a removable battery.

The weight of the model is 156 grams, and the thickness of the convex case reaches 9.8 mm. The LG G3 is thicker and heavier than the LG G2. The smartphone is sold in several colors: black, white, gold, purple and pink.

Screen - 4.4

The LG G3 has a 5.5-inch display. Screen resolution - 2560x1440 pixels, extremely clear display (PPI - 534), matrix type - IPS (special advertising name - True HD IPS). The screen is covered with Gorilla Glass 3 protective glass and has an oleophobic coating. The smartphone's display turned out to be one of the best among the flagships we tested: there is a high brightness level - 467 cd/m2, viewing angles close to maximum and natural color rendition. In the sun, the display remains readable: photos and even small text look great.

The device has automatic brightness adjustment, which works adequately for lighting conditions. Another interesting feature of the smartphone should be noted - you can turn it on by double tapping the screen. What's also unusual is that the LG G3 has narrow side bezels to the left and right of the display, a narrow space above the display for sensors and speakers, and some space with the LG logo below it.

Viewing angles and color deviations of the LG G3 display. As you can see in the test image above, the display colors practically do not shift, only gray has an unhealthy yellowish tint, and green is frankly yellowish and the crimson color “goes” when deviated vertically into red. Read more about the test.

Camera

The LG G3 smartphone has two cameras of 13 and 2.1 MP. The manufacturer equipped the camera with an optical stabilization system and laser autofocus, which is used for the first time in smartphones! What is it for? It detects distance and allows you to focus quickly. We tested this feature, the camera does focus quickly, but overall it doesn't have a big impact on shooting speed.

As expected, the device offers facial recognition, LED flash, HDR mode, and also shooting using a voice command and simultaneous shooting of photos and videos. In addition to the laser focus, there is another interesting feature - the “magic focus” mode. In this mode, 5 pictures are taken at once with different focusing, among which you can then select a frame with the desired sharpness.

Photo from camera LG G3 - 4.7

The maximum photo resolution is 4160 by 3120 pixels. The camera interface looks simple, there are not many settings. The quality of the photos taken is high, by the standards of smartphones, the photos are sharp and with good detail. The front camera shoots with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels and is quite suitable for video calling sessions.

The maximum resolution for video recording is 3840 by 2160 pixels (4K), at a speed of 30 fps, it is possible to record video at a speed of 120 fps in HD resolution, but, as our tests have shown, the video quality noticeably suffers from this. The front camera can shoot video in Full HD resolution.

Working with text - 3.0

The LG G3 uses a convenient built-in keyboard. The marking of additional characters is present in the Latin alphabet, but when switching to the Cyrillic alphabet it disappears. But there is a separate number row, quick switching between languages ​​at the touch of a button. A one-handed control function is also available, which boils down to the fact that the keyboard can be moved left or right. You can also customize the keyboard height, layout, and split it. There is also support for text input by sliding your finger (Swype).

Internet - 3.0

The LG G3 smartphone comes pre-installed with a standard Android browser and Google Chrome. The former has a Capture plus feature for taking a screenshot of the entire page at once, while the latter supports tab syncing with the desktop version of Chrome. Both do not support multiple page scaling and a separate reading mode. However, in the settings, you can manually set the font size and at any time, by double-clicking on the page, all text will be adjusted to your chosen size. You can configure this parameter for yourself once and not experience unnecessary problems with the text. The standard “Browser” has the Capture plus function - taking a screenshot of the entire web page.

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Interfaces

LG G3 supports all common wireless interfaces: dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n and high-speed ac standards), with the ability to distribute the Internet, Bluetooth low energy consumption available, A-GPS with GLONASS support, infrared port for control home electronics and NFC chip. There is also support for Russian LTE frequencies. As our tests have shown, all interfaces work fine and without problems. In terms of the presence of connectors, there is nothing unusual - micro USB 2.0 with support for USB OTG and USB Host, to not only connect a smartphone to a computer, but also various peripherals to the LG G3. The location of the headphone jack (on the bottom edge of the device) is a little surprising, which is both unusual and inconvenient.

Multimedia - 5.0

The LG G3 video player supports many common formats and video codecs (MP4/DviX/XviD/H.264/H.263/WMV), plays excellent video in high quality, up to QHD video (2560 by 1440 pixels). By the way, the manufacturer even added several QHD videos - the picture, in our opinion, looks amazing. There is also support for subtitles, both internal and external. The audio player in LG G3 supports popular formats like MP3, WAV and uncompressed audio in FLAC format.

Battery - 2.8

The smartphone has a 3000 mAh lithium-ion battery, the battery is removable. During testing, the device demonstrated generally good battery life, but less than that of its direct competitors, for example, the Sony Xperia Z2 or Samsung Galaxy S5. Although we think that the LG G3 will last a day for most users. The smartphone played HD video at maximum brightness for just under 6 hours. When listening to music with the screen off, the device was discharged in 55 and a half hours.

Performance - 3.3

The device uses the Qualcomm MSM8975AC Snapdragon 801 platform with a 2.5 GHz quad-core processor, Adreno 330 graphics subsystem and 2 GB of RAM. A model with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory is also available for sale, but at least for now it is not found in Russian spaces.

As for the platform, our tests showed that it has good hardware. No problems were found with the optimization of the LG G3, and, as expected, the smartphone runs quickly and without lag. The Qualcomm 801 chipset is one of the top ones today, so it is not surprising that the LG G3 easily runs even “heavy” games and shows high scores in benchmarks. For example, in the 3dmark Ice Storm Unlimited test, the smartphone received 16,711 points, and in AnTuTu - 30,775, which the benchmark rated as “surprising.”

Memory - 3.5

The total amount of internal memory in the LG G3 is limited to 16 GB, with 11.2 GB available to the user. There is also a modification of the smartphone with 32 GB of internal memory. There is a slot for memory cards, cards up to 128 GB are supported. There is no hot swap option.

Peculiarities

The device uses a proprietary shell from LG. It includes a launcher, keyboard, browser, dialer, SMS client and most other built-in applications. There are Russian letters in the dialer, and wireless interface switches in the notification shade. The main feature of the smartphone is the power and volume buttons located on the back of the device. According to reviews from LG G3 users, one or two days are enough to get used to it. We found the buttons inconvenient: you have to bend your index finger unnaturally, and sometimes it seems like the smartphone is about to fall out of your hand.

As already mentioned, the smartphone has laser autofocus to measure the distance between the subject and the camera. Among the applications, we can note the presence of a file manager, an LG Health application to “monitor your health” for training, a radio (only with a headset), Quick Remote - for controlling home electronics using the infrared port. Another quite interesting feature of the smart screen is that the display remains on while the phone recognizes your face.

Competitors

For the summer of 2014, the cost of the model is 26,500 rubles. For this money you get a full-fledged flagship smartphone with top technical characteristics. The LG G3 has several strong competitors - Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One (M8), Sony Xperia Z2.

And the Sony Xperia Z2 is protected from water and dust, made of higher quality materials, and both devices have better battery test results. On the LG G3 side there are features such as control buttons on the “back” of the body, activation by double tapping the screen and laser autofocus. In addition, the LG G3 features a clearer, ultra-high-resolution display.

On the side there is a comfortable shell, an aluminum body and, perhaps, that’s all. The LG G3 wins with its cameras and display. Smartphones have parity in batteries.

It seriously wins in terms of size, as well as design and higher quality body materials. The LG G3 has a large screen diagonal, a memory card slot, laser autofocus, a simpler system for loading content into the smartphone (video, music, etc.), an “omnivorous” video player that supports many formats.