LG G6 review

[Golfdriver97]

Alex has posted his review on the blog: LG G6 review: A return to form | Android Central

Just based off appearance, it looks to be a nice phone. The UI is still LG's though. I don't care for it myself, but perhaps it has been reduced a little.

This may be the phone to bring LG back to the contenders of a great phone.

 

[D13H4RD2L1V3]

I honestly hope it does well.

But LG is still doing that head-scratcher with multiple SKUs featuring a different featureset for different reasons and how there's no concrete launch date.

I hope it's sometime in March, because if it launches in April, they'll be going up against the S8.

 

[Extremevl]

I hope it's sometime in March, because if it launches in April, they'll be going up against the S8.

I think every single mobile manufacturer that showcases their flagship phones at Mobile World Conferences is going up against Samsung and it's Galaxy S line no matter how soon after the even they launch...Samsung controls the Android market.

I think this year LG really had something special with the G6 but splitting up so many features between different SKU's was stupid in my opinion and will really hurt sales, also if you really want to take on Samsung and it's Galaxy S line then you need to throw everything you can into one device (SKU) and get it out to the public asap (like have pre-orders open during MWC and have the phone ready to sell like next week).


Wireless charging

Only the US version of the LG G6 will support wireless charging. LG described its decision to make this feature a US exclusive due to local consumers' love for this charging solution. G6 users sporting a non-US unit will have to resort to wired charging like it's 2007. At least Quick Charging 3.0 is present on all units - a minor consolation price!

Hi-Fi DAC

LG G6 with Hi-Fi DAC on board for high-quality audio will only be sold in South Korea and select other Asian markets. Again, LG claimed that this move was necessary due to the local consumers love for higher quality audio. Again, this data is coming from a research LG made on its own.

Other differences

The LG G6 that hit the shelves in South Korea, Asia (except Optus and Telstra models in Australia), India, and CIS (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan) will come with 64GB of native storage, whereas the rest get a measly 32GB. A dual-SIM G6 will reportedly make an appearance in select markets later on, too.

From what we can gather, there doesn't seem to be a G6 unit that simultaneously features both a Hi-Fi DAC and wireless charging. There is no info on a possible subsequent release of such a version of the phone, either. We can't lie - as much as we like the G6, we find LG's marketing strategy a bit disappointing, especially in this regard. The G6 would have been a way better phone if it came with all the features in the all the markets it's going to be available on.


Don't fly like an LG G6: only US models will get wireless charging, only Asian ones will get Hi-Fi audio

 

[donm527]

Didn't Samsung do the same with storage 32GB/64GB options? I say that but I do think they should have made just one model for all. It looks to be a solid phone from initial reviews and I like it.

Just depends on the pricing... if they are gonna be cheap in adding/deleting options between markets to save cost, it better not be at the top range of flagship phones.

I've said on other forums, the OnePlus 3T shows you can get flagship level phone hardware/performance wise in the $500 range and I don't think there is an Android out there that is so outstanding that makes it worth over $800 Galaxy and Pixel included.

 

[Extremevl]

Didn't Samsung do the same with storage 32GB/64GB options?

You're very correct, also I think the new Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus will come with different amounts of RAM (4GB or 6GB) depending on the market but what is difference is that Samsung is the king of the hill when it comes to Android. LG can't do what the market leader is doing, they have to be better than the market leader if they want to grow their market share which isn't great...

I've said on other forums, the OnePlus 3T shows you can get flagship level phone hardware/performance wise in the $500 range and I don't think there is an Android out there that is so outstanding that makes it worth over $800 Galaxy and Pixel included.

I really like the OnePlus 3T but I think a lot of those Chinese made phones will always have consumers on edge if they aren't sold in their market and I don't blame them. I live in America and yes I know how to buy a OnePlus, Huawei, Oppo, Xiaomi and so on but if I have issues with those phones I can't just go to my local wireless carrier's store, Best Buy, etc and have them take care of it. I know a few people at my job that would love to try out one of these Chinese brand phones but they don't want to take the risk on voiding the warranty, not having a warranty, dealing with importing, dealing with a little wireless store that sells unlocked phones or spending hundreds of dollars on a phone that probably won't have any local support after they purchase it.

Samsung destroys these Chinese phone manufacturers for one main reason...you can pretty much buy a Samsung Galaxy/Note phone in any country, once they Chinese brands can do this it will be a lot different.

 

[Tsepz_GP]

Can we just at least be amazed at the fact that LG fitted a 5.7inch display in a body smaller than that of a Galaxy S7 Edge!?

I am a Samsung S7 Edge user, love its size, and yet here come LG with the G6 with an even larger Display and smaller body!

 

[Jaycemiskel]

Can we just at least be amazed at the fact that LG fitted a 5.7inch display in a body smaller than that of a Galaxy S7 Edge!?

I am a Samsung S7 Edge user, love its size, and yet here come LG with the G6 with an even larger Display and smaller body!
//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170226/ab8bfb5729d5e63b77bd958b24b2f75c.jpg

Not that amazing considering what the S8 is going to do. Plus, they just made the screen taller. I'm not sure how I feel about manufacturers going to 2:1 and it sounds like it's about to become standard.

 

[buzzy3970]

Can we just at least be amazed at the fact that LG fitted a 5.7inch display in a body smaller than that of a Galaxy S7 Edge!?

I am a Samsung S7 Edge user, love its size, and yet here come LG with the G6 with an even larger Display and smaller body!
//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170226/ab8bfb5729d5e63b77bd958b24b2f75c.jpg

That's a major plus to me. That has always been one of my pet peeves. I like big phones for the screen size not for the actual size of the phone.

 

[erwaso]

Lg has always been good with the screen/body ratio. The G6 doesn't disappoint!

 

[jasonandrews25788]

V30 it is then. Guess I'll be sticking to my S7 a little longer unless Samsung can impress me.

 

[madgalaxy]

That's a major plus to me. That has always been one of my pet peeves. I like big phones for the screen size not for the actual size of the phone.

This ⬆. I love a large screen, but hate handling it. The only large phone I can some what tolerate is the iPhone 7 plus with the reachability feature. I think 18:9 will be the trend. I am actually surprised Apple did not do it with the iPhone Plus, similar to what they did with the 4s to the 5.

 

[ajb1965]

I'm really looking forward to this phone. I enjoy LG's function over form approach, and of the 3 I've had (G4, V10, and V20), performance was never an issue for me unlike some other phones I've had.

I hope it gets released soon before it gets overshadowed by the S8.

 

[Joshua Luther2]

I'm perfectly happy still using my G4. Especially with it being paid for. I will continue to use it until it dies. It is fast enough for me. I will never again buy a top of the line flagship. There's simply not that big of a difference in speed of a midrange and flagship. My G4 has a 6 core 808. Sounds very old and outdated. If anything, the battery life is average but that is quickly remedied by having either a spare battery or external battery. I use an external 5200 mAh battery daily to keep me going all day.

 

[donm527]

Flossy Carter says.... "On a scale from one to ten, This phone is a major go!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r856AQKYOeo

 

[benjamminh]

I'm in they missed the mark camp. I think the more rigorous reviews will not be as enthusiastic. Unless this is aggressively priced the S8 will obliterate it and I'm not a Samsung fan.

 

[kramer5150]

Is it jut me... doesn't this "selective availability" theme look like the same thing that they tried to do on the G5? Only this time instead of limiting the availability of a modular plug in, they are limiting the availability of built in features...?

I guess their thinking this time around is if people can't see it, they won't miss it. Hide it under a shiny piece of colored glass and the reviewers will rave about it and hype it up.

 

[donm527]

I don't really think they missed the mark... they didn't take any huge risk like curved glass, retina security or sensor under glass... they did that last year and it cost them.

But they have looked to do a really solid reset with features that I think will make this phone a sleeper winner this year... kinda like how the OnePlus took accolades last year for being a solid performer.

It's got IP68, Wireless charge, battery at 3300 which will be larger than the S8 with about same size screen. The screen is bigger with the 2:1 ratio which I think will be the surprise hit of the year over curved glass. It's not Daydream certified but Dolby Vision certified. the Dual 13mp cameras are getting positive comments with some saying better than S7 in low light and comparable to Pixel. I'm personally liking the look of build and how it all fits in size SMALLER than Pixel. Their use of the 2:1 ratio with camera software and multitasking sounds interesting. Put it all together and you'll have a sleeper winner like they did with the LG G2... probably my favorite Android I've owned to day.

If the different SKUs is to keep the phone 30% cheaper than the Samsung like the G5 was against the S7 then I'll really consider it.

Right now, the S8 not eliminating the Home button completely and moving the sensor to a weird place in back is not exciting me as much as rumor of underscreen button was. ram still at 4gb instead of 4gb like cheaper phones like OnePlus 3T not exciting me. Even though I didn't mind the curved glass of 7 Edge or Note 7, didn't excite me either. I am not sure if the S8 will be an exciting phone... unless they surprise with S-Pen ability and the software features that came with it on the Note 7... then I'm excited. the Rumor of 800-1000 price range on the Samsungs isn't exciting me either.

 

[tsarcams]

didn't AC used to refuse to post a review without a minimum week of use? they've had maybe 3-4 days with it?

 

[kramer5150]

I'm curious to see how well this phone does with SOT and overall battery life. One reviewer, I think it was Max Lee (don't quote me on that) showed the G6 display when fully cranked up, actually brighter than the current Samsung he had on him. So its a bigger, brighter LCD and SD821... (eventually) going up against the latest galaxy S8 screen and the latest from Snapdragon.

 

[donm527]

It is brighter... close to 600 nits I believe. And some reviews mention that its pretty good in bright sunlight where the conference is being held. I read elsewhere too that the screen is suppose to be 30% more efficient than previous screens used. So we'll have to see how battery life is... because that's a big thing with me... I'm playing with a S6 in between phones and also being my first experience with a Galaxy I have to say I am hating this phone mainly because of battery.