LG G4 vs G3

[Doohickie]

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm a phone consumer, not a power user. So bear that in mind if you like to use acronyms or slang.


I'm on AT&T and currently have a Windows Phone (my first smart phone).

I've decided to go Android and I've narrowed my choices down to the LG G3 and G4. Looking at the specs on AT&T's site, it doesn't seem like there's that much of a difference between them, so I'm inclined to go with the less expensive G3. According to the AT&T site, it looks like the G3 actually has more processing power, although the G4 has a better camera. And the G4 runs Lollipop v5.1 versus v5.0 on the G3.

So... what's the big deal about the G4? Is there clear advantage? Is it worth the money?

 

[TechCaptain]

Well, from what I've heard, the G3 has a really bad time running lollipop. It's slow and laggy. Also, the android skin on the G4 is a lot better than the G3. And the screen is majorly updated. Compared to the G4, the G3's screen looks a bit dim and discolored. Those are just a few differences. There's plenty more.

Sent from my LG G4

 

[scottysize]

G3 on Lollipop is a dog. At least it is for Verizon phones. I cannot say for AT&T. As for which phone to get, I say go look at both and make your choice in store, if they have a G3 in store for you to see. The camera on the G4 is a major upgrade and worth paying the extra money for, if you plan on using your phone to take a lot of pictures. As for the performance test, they are both close.

Pocketnow did a good job of comparing the two phones, and I believe they used AT&T units.

 

[BlueGoldAce]

I have owned both.

The G4 hands down. It's not even close in nearly all aspects of the phone, except the size in your hand.... And even then the leather option on the g4 really makes the phone feel more premium.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Doohickie]

The other phone I'd been looking at was the Samsung Galaxy S6 active. Looks like the two things that phone doesn't have are a Micro SD slot and a removable battery, both of which the G4 has. Does anyone have any comments on the S6 active compared to the G4?

 

[BlueGoldAce]

I would recommend reading the reviews.

Both of those phones are great phones. If you need a micro SD card, 5.5 inch screen, or swappable batteries....LG G4 is the easy choice.

If you don't need the above, and want a high degree of durability, water proofing, etc then go with the active.

Both perform great, have great cameras, etc.

If you want to save money (as mentioned by the idea that you were considering the LG G3, then consider the new moto x style, it looking to be a great phone at a great price).

If AT&T price for the LG G4 was the same as tmobile, it would be a not brainer....but unfortunately AT&T seems to want to get the price high.

 

[tardus]

I had both on T-Mobile - G3 and G4. You can pretty much ignore spec comparison and reviews IMO. The G4 is superior to the G3 in just about every way, and the G3 is a very good phone, even on Lollipop. My G4 has better call quality, better data/LTE signal, sound/audio quality is about equal - both very good. On T-Mobile the G4 has LTE band 12. The subtle curve on the G4 is nice.

The camera is excellent. I'm so glad I made the switch.

 

[Doohickie]

Thanks for the reply. The problem is that no single phone seems to be the clear winner for me. It looked on paper like the G3 was it, but everyone says it doesn't do well with Lollipop which is what it comes loaded with.

(Unfortunately I didn't do my due diligence and ordered a G3 online. I can exchange it at an AT&T store if I change my mind once it gets here I guess. I shouldn't have placed the order when I was tired!)

 

[TheMarcus]

If you want to run ROMs, get the G3. On the stock ROM, the G4 runs better overall than the G3 does. Battery life is similar. They both feel nice in the hand. The G4 is next to impossible to use, though, if you lay it down on a flat surface.

If I never upgraded, I wouldn't miss the G4. Great phone, but not so much over the very satisfying G3. It's a better looking phone if you dig the leather, though.

Alternatively, there's the Moto X Style being released soon.

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

 

[Doohickie]

What does "run ROMs" mean?

 

[Doohickie]

If I never upgraded, I wouldn't miss the G4. Great phone, but not so much over the very satisfying G3

So did you have Lollipop on your G3? If so, did it run okay for you?

 

[anon(782252)]

So did you have Lollipop on your G3? If so, did it run okay for you?

I had L on my G3 and it ran just fine. My GF now has it and has no issues and is happy with the upgrade from her G2.

For me the G4 was definitely an upgrade over the G3.

 

[GrooveRite]

So did you have Lollipop on your G3? If so, did it run okay for you?

I'm currently running a G3 with Sprint which I'm under contract till next year in July and have the G4 Int H815 running on pre-paid tmo sim and both are running great. The G4 is the better device between the 2 though. Better screen, wifi speed, data transmission, call quality, speaker and over all better functionality. The G3 is good but the G4 is better.

 

[Doohickie]

Thanks for the input. I've all but decided that when my G3 arrives I'll take it over to the AT&T store and get a G4 instead. If for whatever reason that doesn't work out, I think the G3 will be good enough, but I'm leaning to the G4 at the moment.

 

[tardus]

I...The G4 is the better device between the 2 though. Better screen, wifi speed, data transmission, call quality, speaker and over all better functionality. The G3 is good but the G4 is better.

^^^ that!

 

[LeoRex]

Straight up, there really isn't a comparison.... the G4 is, in pretty much every respect, a better phone. Better, more efficent screen, more powerful processor, Better overall power usage, better camera... etc... I even prefer the newer UI over the one in the G3. I even think that the power button on the G4 is a little easier to discriminate.

Now, price fogs things a bit, but the G4 is still an upgrade.

I will ask, though, what about AT&T's page makes it seem as though the G3 has more processing power? The G4's SoC is superior in most every respect so I am curious what AT&T says about it.

 

[Doohickie]

So I have an Android phone! My G3 came in today. But I've decided to return it for the G4. So I have to wait another night before I can start to play Android.

I will ask, though, what about AT&T's page makes it seem as though the G3 has more processing power?

In the processor specs for G3 it says: up to 2.5GHz quad-core

For the G4 it says: hexa-core CPU (2 at 1.8GHz and 4 at 1.2GHz)

So I calculated the G3 overall speed at 4 x 2.5 = 10Gz, and the G4 at (2 x 1.8) + (4 x 1.2) = 8.4GHz. My son who's preparing to take computer certs informed me it's not that simple, but for the sake of comparison with several different phones, that's what I did. Looking again tonight I see that the chipsets are Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 801 for the G3 and Qualcomm® Snapdragon® 808 with 64-bit processing for the G4, and I didn't take the 64-bit processing into account (assuming the G3 is 32-bit).

I am an engineer, but a mechanical engineer. So really I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to processors and such. But I like spreadsheets and numbers....

 

[LeoRex]

Only time clock speed is indicative of real speed is on the same processor... Your son was quite right.

The G3 and G4 are completely different architectures. The 808 is most certainly faster than the 801 in the G3...

 

[xocomaox]

I have over clocked my G3 to 2.8GHz with stable heat readings.

Just food for thought.

 

[Doohickie]

That mind-numbing brain lock you get when you get a new phone with a different operating system.