- Feb 18, 2015
- 851
- 3
- 18
I got to test the LG G6 for a month and wow, what a phone!
For over a year now, due to my job, I've been fiddling with many phones. (like the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and the S7, to cite a few). The Note 5 used to be my media watcher for all things Netflix and Youtube on a regular basis (prior to my iPhone 7 Plus purchase, back in April) as well as being my note taking and game playing device. But when I'm on the go and pocket size is limited (or non-existent for us gals), I'll happily switch over to a smaller form factor phone for the convenience and 1-handed operation. But what if I could have my cake and eat it too?
Enter, the LG G6. The best way to describe this phone, is to call it versatile. What else can I call a product that finally gives me all the things I want in one package without being bogged down by unnecessary fluff and is easy to use?
The way LG did this was by reducing the bezel size a LOT resulting in an almost 80% screen-to-body ratio, alongside a PERFECT side grip which feels great for a product this size. The glass back has become almost unanimous in the industry on high end phones so it stands to reason that the G6 has this as well, much to everyone's chagrin (and fingerprints). But the flat display with beautiful curves makes it a cinch to hold in my hands. The thickness of the phone itself is also a factor in how you hold it and how firmly it is to be held in your grasp. Design-wise, it's +1 for LG. My small hands appreciated, as the phone isn't slippery at all.
Spec wise, it's another story. Many users feel that LG should have waited for the Snapdragon 835 instead of using the Snapdragon 821 but in reality, this has in no way impacted my daily intensive usage of the device. The G6 is also paired with 4GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage which is a bit disappointing considering the other offerings such as the One Plus 3T which costs a lot less then the G6 . Thankfully, it does has expendable storage via micro-SD card which is must for a lot of users now, especially media consumers.
My favorite thing about the phone has got to be the 5.7 inch QHD 2880x14400 display, even if it isn't Samsung's level of OLED technology. But that doesn't make it any less good especially since it's capable of HDR 10 which is available in some Netflix shows. But, the non-standard aspect ratio will be a -1 for people who love to have their content on the entire screen, such as Youtube videos, which doesn't currently support this, resulting in black bars on either side. Another thing to note is the return of the Always On Display feature which I found myself missing from my short stint with the Galaxy S7. As a girl who doesn't wear watches (yet!), I found this to be particularly useful for the time and notifications. It does use up more power then Samsung's implementation but I haven't noticed it drain my battery in any impactful way.
Running on Android's 7.0 Nougat operating system, the user interface works wonders for split view mode, which once again, seems to play along very well with this aspect ratio. It's not stock Android by any means, but it's barebones enough that you will never feel like LG has crammed a ton of unnecessary things to bloat the user experience. In fact, it's down right enjoyable. Phone calls were great and clear but the bottom firing speaker is easily the worse crime commited here. There was a huge opportunity to have made this a great media consumption device but as soon as you pump up the volume any higher then 50%, the sound quality takes a serious nose dive. Yes, the headphone jack is still present!
So now we come to the greatest plight of the modern cell phone user: the battery life. In short, it's... adequate. With a 3300mAh battery, at half illumination and moderate use, I could barely get through the day (I must admit, I did game a lot, though). There are battery saving modes that do help you last a lot longer on a single charge, but if you plan on using this device for long periods of time, think about bringing a battery pack with you. It's a good thing that the G6 also comes Quick Charge 3.0 and wireless charging to help you manage throughout the day. Just don't forget that the G6 uses a USB-C connector instead of Micro-USB so you won't have your device die on you like I did...
Where I would give another passing grade to the G6 is to it's camera. LG has always had decent cameras in the past, all the way to my short experience with the LG G3. But this time around, the G6 comes with a dual camera system with 13 megapixel sensors, sporting a f1.8 aperture with a 70 degree field of view (and OIS) and the other with an f2.4 aperture with a 125 degree field of view respectively. This gives the us an illusion of an optical zoom but instead of getting closer to a subject, it allows you to be farther away. This makes the G6 a great shooter for things like large buildings and places where you just can't get close enough or far enough away from to get that perfect shot. The 5MP front camera also sports a wide angle mode which is a welcome feature for those lovely group shots.
In conclusion, my time with the G6 has made me rethink my future Android phone (as a business phone, that is. My iPhone will always have a special place as a daily driver), despite some minors annoyances, such as the lock screen button on the back, doubling as the finger print sensor which made me swear quite a few times despite resting my finger on it perfectly. I do wish that LG offered a white variant of the G6 but the Titanium version is as close as we'll ever get. The camera area being almost flat with the base of the back means that the lense can be easily scratched with small bits of dust. So grab yourself a case! And finally, software suppport for this aspect ratio is still lacking, resulting in wasted space for most of your favorite apps, despite the compatiblity mode that is offered but that is hit or miss at best.
But those are minor gripes for an undoubtedly elegant and again, versatile phone. It's a great shooter, a handy user and the QHD IPS display will make you... a happy viewer.
Thank you for reading.
For over a year now, due to my job, I've been fiddling with many phones. (like the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and the S7, to cite a few). The Note 5 used to be my media watcher for all things Netflix and Youtube on a regular basis (prior to my iPhone 7 Plus purchase, back in April) as well as being my note taking and game playing device. But when I'm on the go and pocket size is limited (or non-existent for us gals), I'll happily switch over to a smaller form factor phone for the convenience and 1-handed operation. But what if I could have my cake and eat it too?
Enter, the LG G6. The best way to describe this phone, is to call it versatile. What else can I call a product that finally gives me all the things I want in one package without being bogged down by unnecessary fluff and is easy to use?
The way LG did this was by reducing the bezel size a LOT resulting in an almost 80% screen-to-body ratio, alongside a PERFECT side grip which feels great for a product this size. The glass back has become almost unanimous in the industry on high end phones so it stands to reason that the G6 has this as well, much to everyone's chagrin (and fingerprints). But the flat display with beautiful curves makes it a cinch to hold in my hands. The thickness of the phone itself is also a factor in how you hold it and how firmly it is to be held in your grasp. Design-wise, it's +1 for LG. My small hands appreciated, as the phone isn't slippery at all.
Spec wise, it's another story. Many users feel that LG should have waited for the Snapdragon 835 instead of using the Snapdragon 821 but in reality, this has in no way impacted my daily intensive usage of the device. The G6 is also paired with 4GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage which is a bit disappointing considering the other offerings such as the One Plus 3T which costs a lot less then the G6 . Thankfully, it does has expendable storage via micro-SD card which is must for a lot of users now, especially media consumers.
My favorite thing about the phone has got to be the 5.7 inch QHD 2880x14400 display, even if it isn't Samsung's level of OLED technology. But that doesn't make it any less good especially since it's capable of HDR 10 which is available in some Netflix shows. But, the non-standard aspect ratio will be a -1 for people who love to have their content on the entire screen, such as Youtube videos, which doesn't currently support this, resulting in black bars on either side. Another thing to note is the return of the Always On Display feature which I found myself missing from my short stint with the Galaxy S7. As a girl who doesn't wear watches (yet!), I found this to be particularly useful for the time and notifications. It does use up more power then Samsung's implementation but I haven't noticed it drain my battery in any impactful way.
Running on Android's 7.0 Nougat operating system, the user interface works wonders for split view mode, which once again, seems to play along very well with this aspect ratio. It's not stock Android by any means, but it's barebones enough that you will never feel like LG has crammed a ton of unnecessary things to bloat the user experience. In fact, it's down right enjoyable. Phone calls were great and clear but the bottom firing speaker is easily the worse crime commited here. There was a huge opportunity to have made this a great media consumption device but as soon as you pump up the volume any higher then 50%, the sound quality takes a serious nose dive. Yes, the headphone jack is still present!
So now we come to the greatest plight of the modern cell phone user: the battery life. In short, it's... adequate. With a 3300mAh battery, at half illumination and moderate use, I could barely get through the day (I must admit, I did game a lot, though). There are battery saving modes that do help you last a lot longer on a single charge, but if you plan on using this device for long periods of time, think about bringing a battery pack with you. It's a good thing that the G6 also comes Quick Charge 3.0 and wireless charging to help you manage throughout the day. Just don't forget that the G6 uses a USB-C connector instead of Micro-USB so you won't have your device die on you like I did...
Where I would give another passing grade to the G6 is to it's camera. LG has always had decent cameras in the past, all the way to my short experience with the LG G3. But this time around, the G6 comes with a dual camera system with 13 megapixel sensors, sporting a f1.8 aperture with a 70 degree field of view (and OIS) and the other with an f2.4 aperture with a 125 degree field of view respectively. This gives the us an illusion of an optical zoom but instead of getting closer to a subject, it allows you to be farther away. This makes the G6 a great shooter for things like large buildings and places where you just can't get close enough or far enough away from to get that perfect shot. The 5MP front camera also sports a wide angle mode which is a welcome feature for those lovely group shots.
In conclusion, my time with the G6 has made me rethink my future Android phone (as a business phone, that is. My iPhone will always have a special place as a daily driver), despite some minors annoyances, such as the lock screen button on the back, doubling as the finger print sensor which made me swear quite a few times despite resting my finger on it perfectly. I do wish that LG offered a white variant of the G6 but the Titanium version is as close as we'll ever get. The camera area being almost flat with the base of the back means that the lense can be easily scratched with small bits of dust. So grab yourself a case! And finally, software suppport for this aspect ratio is still lacking, resulting in wasted space for most of your favorite apps, despite the compatiblity mode that is offered but that is hit or miss at best.
But those are minor gripes for an undoubtedly elegant and again, versatile phone. It's a great shooter, a handy user and the QHD IPS display will make you... a happy viewer.
Thank you for reading.
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