G3 experience?

[stmax]

So I am trying not to do one if those "which phone should I buy" posts. I have done all the research I can but I think what it comes down to now is hands on experience.

I have a N4. I enjoy the uncluttered and fast updating OS. However a few things bothered me. 1. I need a better camera on me for snap shots when I am not packing my DSLR. 2. Battery life is a nuisance when traveling or with heavy use. 3. I'm kinda bored with it. So in essence I found that having Nexus didn't trump everything else.

Now I am contemplating a jump to the N6 but wondering if the possible short comings may out weigh the pure android again. But this time at the expense if a higher price tag and room in my front pocket.

Sorry for the long preamble. For those who have the G3... Is it a "fun phone?"... Also are the LG add ons and bloatware bearable? (I know nothing about the LG skin.) Just that when I use friends' Samsungs I lose my mind. (Is LG's experience more toned down than that?)

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Ashley_Renee79]

I like my LG G3. I came from a moto x and miss some things about that phone but not enough to go back. The LG G3 has an amazing camera and I find the battery life to be perfectly fine. LG was running a promo for a free spare battery and charger. You may want to check their site to see if they are still running it. The screen is very crisp and for being 5.5" the phone is still comfortable in my hands. LG 's software is so much cleaner and more user friendly than Samsung in my opinion. I have owned quite a few of the last Samsung devices.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[xocomaox]

You'll like the ui, it's way less obtrusive than TW and pretty close to aosp.

The N6 is pretty big and you'll lose the option for expandable memory which may or may not be important to you.

Definitely a fun phone with great looks and comfortability, and plenty of room for customisations since the bootloader is unlocked with a workaround.

And as far as bloat, it's all removable so that's really not even a factor here.

 

[meyerweb#CB]

I'm happy with it. It's not perfect, but neither is anything else. It, like all of the high-end phones available today, is a very good device.

The UI is decent, although I use Nova Prime instead of the stock launcher. I find it better than any stock launcher, including GEL. But LG's UI is cleaner than TW, if not as clean as stock Android. OTOH, it gives you a lot of things stock Android doesn't. The bloat isn't too bad, and the things that can be intrusive can be turned off or disabled.

Most version of the G3 are easy to root, if you're into that, and then you can eliminate pretty much all of the bloat, and theme the UI to clean it up even more.

I like my G3. It's got a good screen, although not the best. It's far more comfortable in my medium size hands that the Note or iPhone 6, and probably than the Nexus 6. The camera is better in daylight than HTC's, and better in dim light than Samsung's, and much better than the Nexus 5. The camera software is limited, but there are plenty of camera apps available if you care about that. The sound is better than Samsung's, not as good as HTC's. Battery life is highly dependent on screen on time and brightness. With the screen off, battery life is phenomenal. With the screen on and bright, the battery drains much faster than my last phone (a Samsung). But a spare battery takes up only a tiny amount of space in a briefcase.

Is it fun? How do you define fun? Except for the LG skin, it's not that different than any other modern Android phone. There's plenty of opportunity to customize it, especially if you're willing to root, but that's true of pretty much every Android phone. I'm not sure the LG is any more or less fun than any other current, high-end Android phone. But it works well, looks good, and feels good in the hand.

 

[stmax]

Thanks for the detailed replies. Still not sure if I'll go with this or N6 but definitely had me thinking!

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[jimijames]

The Nexus 6 was too big for me, so the G3 and Moto X were at the top of my shopping list. After 2 years on a Galaxy S3, I had enough of the home/capacitive buttons and touchwiz (even tho I used Nova). The G3 won over the X for me because of battery (size and removable), camera, and SD card. The nearly pure android ui was a huge draw for the X, but after using the G3 for couple weeks, I can say I have no regrets with the LG UI. I'm still running the stock launcher even though I've already paid for Nova prime. I don't consider it overly bloated - I did disable a lot of ATT stuff, but not much of the LG stuff and I think it adds some useful features that Android leaves out.

Buttons on the back are fine, not too hard to get used to, and knock on/off are must haves for me now. I love guest mode which is really handy for my kids. The IR blaster works well and setup was easy. The qslide apps are neat every once in a while. I like the resizable keyboard with dedicated numbers, but I'm finding the the swyping isn't as accurate as the stock Android keyboard. I also like being able to customize the on screen buttons, but I don't like that they are not dynamic like stock android.

The biggest selling point for me is the 5.5" screen in a small overall package...I'm not sure why this isn't emphasized more. I have a nice big screen in a pocket-able package which is hard to say for the other large phone/phablets out there.

So there you have it... a whole lot of my rambling to basically say I like my G3 and it's perfectly fun for me Good luck on your shopping.

 

[Murph5150]

Stmax - THE LG G3 continues to be compared to freshly released devices. The N6 is offering you a small increase in computing power and .4" of screen real-estate. Yes, the N6 will come with L, but the G3 is first on the list to receive the L update. Right now, it's a mixed bag of reviews; G3 winning some, N6 winning some.

But - The N6 has won comparisons for no other reason than the chip set. It's always tempting to have the latest and greatest, but read some Consumer Reports and CNET articles. The G3 is practically a "work of art" to many critics. Don't buy a phone solely for the chip set because 4 months later a new chip set will be on the market.

Strongly consider the LG because it has survived the gambit of tests and opinions, usually being given flying colors. My two cents. Hopefully I helped in some way.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[stmax]

Thanks again everyone. I am thinking I will pull the trigger on a new unlocked unit.

I never even thought about those extras like knock on/off. Also the idea of a big screen in a package that still fits in my dress pants front pocket is invaluable.

As a bonus this will also save me some $ vs a new N6 which may or may not ever become available on the Play Store. Thanks for the valuable info!

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[lrrowley]

Everyone's pretty much already said it for the most part. Here's my two cents:
I've owned several of LG's flagship phones over the past couple years and they keep getting better and better. I've often thought of LG's software as touchwiz light. They tend to copy all of the best features from Samsung phones and leave out the gimmicks. Plus they make everything easier to turn on and off. With the G3 they even have their own, separate, LG downloader app that let's you decide which extra LG apps (i.e bloat), if any, you want to download. Each carrier has different amounts of added bloat, although AT&T seems to be the worst offender. It was pretty easy to remove the apps I didn't want from my t-mobile version. Overall I've really enjoyed the G3. The camera is phenomenal, the screen is very sharp, overall the phone has been great.

 

[stmax]

Thanks again. Just ordered a new Europe unlocked model from eBay. (Didn't want any carrier branding on it.). Can't wait to get my hands on it. I've been watching discussions of other phones now that the new models are finally being received and based on some of the comments I am glad I went with this form factor rather than anything larger.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[stmax]

Well I have had my phone to play with for a couple days now. It is everything I hoped for. Being on Nexus 4 prior to this I immediately went with Google android apps to improve my comfort level.

After I felt at home with the experience I explored some of the LG add ons.. Then I realized I may have been too hasty trying to go as vanilla as I could. I tried the stock texting app and realized I liked it because of the pop ups. I also found that q-slide is amazing with quick access to my flashlight, calculator, calendar etc.

Then some other things that blew my mind... Dual screens, FM radio and tap to sign in from a sleeping phone... Really? I don't think I would ever go back to side volume buttons either.

I was sitting with someone who just got a new i6. The physical sizes of the phones were very similar when laid on top of each other yet my screen was obviously much larger.

This is just my 2 cents for anyone contemplating this phone. It wasn't even on my short list when starting my upgrade research (I was going to go Nexus 6 or Moto X2014).

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[YarisT8]

I'm on the exact same boat between Moto X 2014 vs Neuxs 5/6 with possible LG G3. I like the G3 because it looks sharp with a large 5.5 screen but yet it doesn't feel large due to the thin bezels. It's a bit pricey for my budget but you get great specs. The camera seems great with OIS and laser focus. Decisons, Decisons.

 

[mrip]

Best phone I ever had. Battery is in my opinion great, UI is smooth, great features, screen is big, but it works, and the look very little bezel, screen size is 5.5 but the phone is the same size as the Sony z3 with a smaller screen.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[doggy2965]

The look and feel of G3 is what I like best. I have not found a phone with this size screen that feels this good. The notes are to big and the iPhone 6 plus is even bigger with the same screen size. I think it's still the best phone on market for me.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[The_PLBs]

The look and feel of G3 is what I like best. I have not found a phone with this size screen that feels this good. The notes are to big and the iPhone 6 plus is even bigger with the same screen size. I think it's still the best phone on market for me.

Posted via Android Central App

This. The physical size of the phone for a 5.5 inch screen is the reason I think it is the best phone on the market. This phone can be used one handed by an average size male and the nexus 6 and the 6 plus simply can't. If you never use your phone one handed I would consider the nexus 6, otherwise this phone is a great if not the best option IMO.

Posted via Android Central App