LG G4 - Specifications. LG G4 smartphone review: stylish, but not maximum LG G4 review

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.

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.

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.

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.

Sensors

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

Rear camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on its back panel and may be combined with one or more secondary cameras.

Front-camera

Smartphones have one or more front cameras of various designs - a pop-up camera, a rotating camera, a cutout or hole in the display, an under-display camera.

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.

USB

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

HDMI

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a digital audio/video interface that replaces older analog audio/video standards.

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.

Audio file formats/codecs

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

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.

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

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

additional characteristics

Some devices have characteristics that do not fall into the above categories, but it is important to point them out.

Smartphone LG G4c– a powerful and bright phone in an original, slightly curved body, which, according to the manufacturer, fits better in the hand and ensures comfortable use of the device. The device is positioned as a mid-price model, with some aspirations for the premium segment. However, up to the premium characteristics LG G4c falls short a little.

Main features and features

1. The already legendary arched design LG G4c. We are talking about that very slight curvature of the case: the display is slightly concave.
2. Five-inch IPS display made using innovative LG In-Cell Touch technology. A new product from a Korean company, the essence of which is to reduce the distance between the touch screen surface and the display that displays colors. As a result, you get the feeling as if you are touching the images directly. A bright picture and a feeling of live touch create special magic. With a resolution of 1280x720, the display provides a density of 294 pixels per inch, which ensures that individual pixels on the screen are almost completely indistinguishable to the eye.
3. A powerful CPU with 4 cores and a frequency of 1.5 GHz will ensure smooth operation of the device even under heavy load.
4. Front camera (or, as the manufacturer calls it, selfie camera) 5 MP with virtual flash due to the bright backlight of the screen, which provides clear selfies even in low light.
5. The Adreno 306 video processor will be an excellent assistant in 3D virtual worlds.
6. An important detail: the device is equipped with a slot for memory expansion, you can increase the volume up to 32 GB
7. 1W speakers provide deep bass. A unique phenomenon for phones: really high quality low frequencies no plastic sound.

Phone for long parties

One of the important advantages is a capacious 2540 mAh battery. This volume allows the phone to last quite a long time, and after activating the energy saving mode, you can last for several hours on the last percent of the charge. Therefore, even if the party lasts, you won’t have to put your phone in your purse or pocket like a lifeless brick.

The importance of respecting traditions plays a fundamental role in Eastern philosophy. They treat past merits and past achievements with due respect and try to pass on all the accumulated knowledge to the next generation in order to reach new heights. But sometimes this approach can become a source of rather conservative thinking, when the continuity of traditions gradually replaces the desire to develop, which ultimately can lead to a lack of fresh ideas.

In this article we will get to know the new flagship smartphone LG G4, which is an ideological continuation of the popular line of mobile devices from the Korean industrial giant, and at the same time we will try to find out how far modern engineering has come in comparison with the previous generation. What interesting ideas the updated gadget is endowed with, and what new and unusual it can offer to a potential buyer - you will learn from our further review. And we will begin it traditionally with a consideration of the technical characteristics.

Delivery and configuration

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

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Characteristics

• Class: company flagship
• Form factor: monoblock
• Case materials: plastic, glass, replaceable covers made of genuine leather or plastic
• Operating system: Android 5.1 Lollipop, LG UX 4.0
• Network: GSM/EDGE, WCDMA, LTE Cat 9 (microSIM)
• Platform: Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 (MSM8992)
• Processor: Quad-core 1.44 GHz (Cortex-A53) and dual-core 1.8 GHz (Cortex-A57)
• Graphics system: Adreno 418
• RAM: 3 GB
• Data storage memory: 32 GB, card slot microSD memory(cards up to 2 TB are supported)
• Interfaces: Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 4.1 (A2DP, LE), microUSB connector (USB 2.0) for charging/synchronization, 3.5 mm for headset, NFC, IR port
• Screen: IPS LCD (IPS Quantum), 5.5”, capacitive, 2560x1440 pixels (QuadHD), 538 ppi, automatic backlight level adjustment, Gorilla Glass 3
• Main camera: 16 MP, f/1.8, 1/2.6” sensor size, laser focusing, three-axis optical image stabilization (OIS), color spectrum sensor, LED flash
• Front camera: 8 MP, f/2.0
• Navigation: GPS/GLONASS (A-GPS support)
• Extras: FM radio
• Sensors: accelerometer, position sensor, light sensor, gyroscope, barometer
• Battery: removable, Li-Ion, capacity 3000 mAh
• Dimensions: 148.9 x 76.1 x 9.8 mm
• Weight: 155 grams

For several years now, LG has been producing excellent smartphones in the upper price segment. Naturally, the release of another successful expensive device does not mean an automatic increase in sales around the world, because the middle and budget segments play no less, and often even a greater role in sales. But when it comes to flagships, the South Korean company has shown steady progress in recent years, and the LG G4 is no exception. Released in 2013, G2 was simply interesting smartphone With potential, in 2014 the company introduced the G3 with an excellent camera, performance and a user-friendly shell, that device lacked integrity in general, and there were problems with the quality of the display in particular (the “sharpness” effect). The new flagship of 2015, LG G4, does not have these shortcomings. We are faced with competent work on errors, introducing not only corrections, but also new ideas. What is attractive about the company’s next top-end smartphone and does it have any disadvantages?

Design, body materials

If you look at the LG G4 from the front, the device can easily be confused with last year's G3. Although there are, of course, differences between them in details, in general, the devices are similar from the front. Then the differences begin, and significant ones at that.

The main innovation in the design of the LG G4 is associated with the body materials used, and here, it seems to me, there was a desire to catch up and overtake Samsung. When the latter presented smartphones with covers made of plastic that imitated a leather surface, LG probably began to consider similar solutions. Perhaps it was this way that they came to a lid made of real leather, and not its imitation, perhaps in some other way, it’s not so important. The important thing is that in the LG G4 you have the opportunity to choose those body materials that you like and will be comfortable. There are three versions of LG G4 - with a plastic cover, with a cover made of genuine soft leather or made of genuine rough leather. The first option for Russia includes models in white and dark silver colors: “white ceramic” and “titanium”, in which the lid is made of plastic. The second option is soft natural leather of light brown or burgundy color: “brown” and “red” according to the official LG naming system. The third is black, the lid is also made of leather, but rougher and, accordingly, more reliable and wear-resistant.

Personally, I liked the device with the lid the most yellow color, it is bright, but at the same time, it uses rough leather, which is more reliable, in my opinion. In Russia, alas, this color is not yet available. Of the ones available to us, I liked two: black and brown. The first is more practical and reliable, the second looks very bright and beautiful, but the skin begins to wear off with prolonged use of such a smartphone. I've been using the LG G4 with the brown cover for about three weeks, and I'm starting to get some scuff marks on the corners of the phone, and if I put it in my pocket with my keys or scratch it in some way, the consequences can be worse. If you decide to take the G4 with a soft leather cover, you need to carry and use the smartphone carefully. There is no such problem with models in black and with plastic covers. Now I have a black LG G4, I sometimes carry it in my backpack pocket with various small things and don’t notice any damage or scratches on the body.

If you really want to, you can do something like this with an LG G4 with a soft leather cover; in three weeks, my G4 in brown got a little worn on the corners, but no more

Another feature of the LG G4 is the curved shape of the body. The cover is curved lengthwise and crosswise, if you can call it that, due to which the smartphone fits more or less comfortably in the hand despite its rather large dimensions. The screen is curved along the body, here the bend is minimal and barely noticeable; you can clearly see it by placing the G4 display on a flat surface. The slight bend of the screen, as noted by LG, is not only a decorative effect, but also a practical one. If the glass is dropped on asphalt or another hard surface, the LG G4's screen is slightly less likely to break than a flat-screen smartphone.

Let me summarize the design and materials. I like the direction LG is heading. Yes, I still can’t call the G4 ideal in terms of design, body shape and materials, personally I don’t have enough metal in visible areas here (the body is actually completely plastic on the outside, with the exception of the lid), but progress compared to previous ones smartphones is obvious. LG is not afraid to experiment; in the G3 it was an attempt to make plastic with a “metal-like” effect, and it was quite successful; in the G4 it has leather covers. It is unknown how the skin will behave during long-term use of the devices, but the fact itself and LG’s desire to try something new are commendable.

Assembly

Despite the collapsible design (removable cover, removable battery), the LG G4 is assembled well. The lid “sits” on the body using fifteen grooves and does not play or wobble at all. At the same time, you can remove the cover in just a couple of seconds, and this does not require additional devices. The block with three keys on the “back” is also excellent. Separately, I would like to note the complete absence of gaps between protective glass screen and edges of the smartphone. Some flagships have such a gap between these elements, and dust gets clogged there; the LG G4 is free of this drawback.

Dimensions

With the LG G2, the company demonstrated the ability to make a smartphone with very thin bezels around the screen, but then moved away from this practice - unfortunately, in my opinion. In the LG G3, the frames became thicker, and in the G4 the situation is repeated; the thickness of the side frames on the left and right of the screen in the smartphone is approximately 4.5 mm. The margins at the top and bottom are not too large, but not minimal either, something in between. As a result, in terms of dimensions, the LG G4 is a typical representative of models with a 5.5-inch screen, not too huge, but far from compact.

To estimate the dimensions of the LG G4, I suggest you take a look at the list with the dimensions of the current flagships:

• Apple iPhone 6Plus(5.5"") - 158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1 mm, 172 grams
• LG G3(5.5"") – 146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9 mm, 149 grams
• LG G4(5.5"") - 148.9 x 76.1 x 9.8 mm, 155 grams
• Meizu MX4 Pro(5.5”) – 150.1 x 77 x 9 mm, 158 grams
• Samsung Galaxy S6(5.1”) – 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm, 138 grams
• HTC One M9(5"") - 144.6 x 69.7 x 9.6 mm, 157 grams

As you can see, compared to the LG G3 with a screen of the same diagonal, the dimensions of the G4 have even increased slightly, this is probably due to the curves and general shape of the case.

Of course, I can’t call the new G4 very comfortable to grip and use with one hand; for me personally, almost all devices with a diagonal above 5.2” are too large, and it takes time to get used to them. LG G4 is no exception, and the problem here is not in a specific device, but in the “shovel” form factor with huge screens in general. To the credit of the manufacturer, it should be noted that almost everything has been done in the smartphone to somehow smooth out the dimensions. You can change the location or even the set of keys on the touchpad at the bottom so that you don’t have to reach frequently used buttons. For example, I most often need the “Back” button, and it is more convenient when it is on the right rather than on the left, as originally intended in Android. You can add a notification curtain button to the panel, for example, so as not to stretch your finger to the top area of ​​the screen (which is difficult to do on a 5.5-inch device). In addition to redistributing and adding keys to touchpad, it can be changed externally by choosing color and transparency.

Compared to Meizu MX4 Pro

Compared to Huawei P8

Controls

Like the LG G2 and G3, the company's next flagship does not have hardware keys on the front panel or on the ends. Three smartphone buttons are located on the back of the device in the upper area, near the main camera. I've gotten used to this key layout and find it very convenient, but if this is your first time switching to an LG smartphone with buttons on the lid, it will take some getting used to.

There are two ways to unlock your smartphone (turn on the screen) - by pressing the power key on the back of the device or by double tapping on the display surface. The system works perfectly. I have never had a situation where the first two taps on the screen would not be recognized by the smartphone and I had to make two repeated taps.

The proprietary KnockCode unlocking system also remains. In a square of four fields, you need to touch each field in a certain order; to unlock the device, you need to carry out this procedure twice in any area of ​​the display. This method is convenient because it does not require you to enter numbers (they can be seen by someone else besides you during the input process), but it also protects the device from random people.

The volume keys on the LG G4, like the G3, have assigned actions for standby mode. If you quickly press the volume down button twice while the screen is off and the smartphone is locked, the camera will launch, and if you press the volume up button, handwritten notes will launch. Unfortunately, it is still not possible to assign other actions to pressing these keys in standby mode, although I personally expected this feature to be added in the latest firmware for the G3.

The gesture system that LG introduced in the G3 smartphone is also included in the new flagship, naturally. The device implements the following gestures:

• Automatically answer calls when you bring your smartphone to your ear (even if a Bluetooth headset is connected to the device)
• Muting the ringer volume when you pick up your smartphone from a table, shelf, or anything else
• Switch to silent mode during an incoming call when you turn your smartphone over
• Stop the alarm or set it to go off again when you turn your smartphone over
• Pause video playback when you flip your smartphone over

Now about the location of elements and connectors. At the top end there is an infrared port and an additional microphone. On the bottom there is a microUSB connector, a 3.5 mm mini-jack for headphones and a main microphone. The speaker, camera, as well as the volume and power keys are located on the “back” of the device. The side ends are free from elements.

On the front side, in the upper part, there is a speaker, light and proximity sensors, as well as a light indicator and an 8 MP front camera peephole. The G4's LED light can be turned on or off for several types of events: incoming calls, missed calls and messages, charging, and notifications from third party programs. A small feature: the indicator blinks often when you seemingly have no missing events. In this case, you need to go to Wi-Fi settings and uncheck the “Wi-Fi network notification” option.

The smartphone has a removable cover and a removable battery, slots for two SIM cards in microSIM format and a memory card are located above the battery, to the left and right of the main camera module.

Screen

The LG G4 has a 5.5" diagonal screen based on an IPS matrix (IPS Quantum). Display resolution – 2560x1440 pixels (534 ppi). That is, the diagonal and resolution of the display in the new flagship are exactly the same as in last year’s G3, but the screens are still seriously different in terms of characteristics. The fact is that the LG G3 display had one unpleasant feature - when you read text on a light, especially white background, you could notice the “sharpness” effect, as if the system was programmatically trying to make the letters clearer by adding halos around them. At that time, I personally practically did not notice this effect, because, firstly, it was the first time I had seen a smartphone with such a high-resolution display and tried to pay attention to other things: picture clarity, image smoothness, and so on. And, secondly, I rarely read texts from a smartphone, and it’s not so easy to see this effect just in the menu.

In the LG G4, this feature was removed, so in the end we just get a very high-quality display based on an IPS matrix in this smartphone. There is a good reserve of brightness, the viewing angles are maximum, even if you tilt the screen diagonally, there will be absolutely no distortion of the picture in color or brightness. The automatic screen backlight sometimes works to save battery power, that is, it sets the backlight level lower than what you want to see, but during the day its operation is quite correct. The color temperature is set well, in my opinion, and the only drawback I would note is the inability to change it.

The screen is covered with protective glass Gorilla Glass 3 and has an oleophobic coating, so that the few fingerprints and marks that appear on the display can be easily removed.

Camera

The main camera of LG G4 is a module with a resolution of 16 MP, new system three-axis optical stabilization (OIS 2.0), laser focusing system, flash, f/1.8 aperture and color spectrum sensor. This sensor is used to more accurately determine the correct color rendition in the frame and is used to set the correct white balance and flash tone when it is fired.

However, one of the main features new camera, as in G3 – laser focusing. This type of focusing refers to the so-called. active, ultrasonic and infrared, for example, are also located here. A sensor near the camera module sends many rays to the focusing object for a short period of time, then they are reflected and returned back, then the system calculates the time required for the rays to travel the path, and based on this data it performs accurate focusing. The advantage of this system is very high speed performance – the LG G4 focuses on a scene in literally a matter of moments, even if it is a complex scene with many objects at different distances. In some situations, laser focusing doesn't work as accurately or correctly as you'd like, which is why the G4 also has an optional contrast focusing system.

In addition to taking photographs, the smartphone allows you to record video in maximum quality, close to 4k (3840x2160 pixels), as well as video with an increased frame rate, up to 120 fps.

Briefly about the interface. The LG G4 has three shooting modes: Easy, Basic and Manual. The first one is simple, there are no elements or information on the screen at all, you just touch the screen anywhere and the smartphone takes a photo.

The second is basic, with all settings displayed. In this case, to shoot you need to press a key, here you can also change various parameters, from image resolution to shooting mode.

Finally, the third and most important mode is manual; it appears in LG smartphones for the first time; it did not exist before. In this mode, you can shoot with automatic settings, but with the creation of two files at once: RAW (DNG extension) and JPEG, and also in completely manual mode. In the second case, you can adjust the white balance, exposure value (from +2 to -2), shutter speed (from 1/6000 to 30 seconds), ISO (from 50 to 2700) and adjust the focal length. In short, this is a full-fledged manual mode, as detailed as it can now be required in a smartphone camera. At the same time, shutter speeds such as 30 minutes and 1/6000 second are not even available in all digital cameras.

Now about the quality of the pictures.

Auto. In the “Auto” mode, it is optimal to shoot in the morning and during the day, when the electronics intelligently set all camera values ​​and allow you to get a decent result. The smartphone takes excellent photographs on a sunny day outside, even with a slight lack of light, somewhere in the shadows, and so on, in some situations you can get simply gorgeous shots.

If you have the desire and skill (my skill is not very developed, but sometimes I was just lucky), the LG G4 can take pictures with a quite noticeable “bokeh” effect. Yes, the background blur here will not be as artistic as when shooting with a good “portrait” lens, but it is there and is quite noticeable, giving the frames depth and richness.

Sometimes depth and excellent detail can be obtained even in a seemingly completely simple and uninteresting scene, as here, for example:

In difficult situations, in the evening or at night, ideally you need to photograph in manual mode, or even better with a tripod, but in “Auto” you can get quite acceptable results, especially if you take several frames of each scene.

Shooting at night. For example, shooting at night in the “Auto” mode, there is a lot of noise, but overall the pictures are very good, for my taste.

Manual mode. This mode allows you to get very cool shots on your smartphone if several conditions are met. Firstly, you understand that you will be shooting in RAW and then editing the frames in Photoshop or somewhere else. Secondly, you know at least basicly what settings are responsible for what, and are ready to set all the parameters for almost every new photo. Third, and most importantly, you are not in a rush. The manual mode is, of course, unnecessary for most, and if you use it without understanding the capabilities, you will most likely ruin your photos. However, if you have the understanding and desire, you can take smartphone photography to a new level with the help of this mode, knowledge and sometimes a tripod.

Below are examples of handheld shots taken in manual mode. On the left are photos in JPEG, on the right are original RAW files converted to PNG, without any intervention or correction. If you want to download the original DNG files, they are available.

The smartphone has a panorama and dual shooting mode, when in one frame there is an image from two cameras at once - the main and the front. Continuous shooting is enabled when you hold down the shoot button. The shooting speed is high, up to 99 frames can be taken at a time in continuous continuous shooting mode.

Examples of pictures in different conditions

If you compare the camera in the LG G4 with the camera in the G3, the main difference comes down to the presence of a manual mode in the G4 and the ability to take photos in RAW format. Slight differences in automatic mode They're not saying that the G4's camera wasn't better, but rather that it was already very good in the G3. In general, the camera in the LG G4 is universal - it allows you to take cool, high-quality photos in good weather outside and more than acceptable in difficult conditions. And if you're willing to take the time to shoot in RAW using manual mode, the results will be even more impressive.

LG G4	LG G3

Video. Maximum quality recording – UltraHD (3840x2160 pixels), standard – FullHD (1920x1080), in addition to recording at 30 or 60 frames per second, there is recording at up to 120 fps. In video recording mode, autofocus tracking works. The quality of the recorded video is good, however, you can evaluate the video examples yourself.

Front-camera. The front camera with a resolution of 8 MP and an f/2.0 aperture allows you to take good shots, but nothing more. To be honest, I expected much more from the front camera in the LG G4, probably projecting the quality of pictures from the main camera onto it, but, alas, front-camera completely ordinary here. During the day on a sunny day, the quality can be called acceptable; when conditions worsen or in the dark, the photographs turn more and more into “soap” with very noticeable post-processing.

Autonomous operation

The LG G4 has a removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 3000 mAh, exactly the same as the LG G3.

My LG G4 sample lasted an average of a full day, until the evening or late at night. The load was as follows: an hour and a half of conversations, 10-20 text messages, Gmail, 3-4 hours of listening to music and about 1-2 hours of active use mobile internet(Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, browser). Difference in operating time normal conditions between the LG G4 and last year's LG G3 is within the margin of error; with active use, both smartphones die down in the evening, with moderate use they work a full day.

I can’t say that everything is good, I personally expected progress from the new flagship precisely in terms of battery life, but LG, like other manufacturers, are so far in no hurry to move in this direction, unfortunately. As a result, the LG G4, like the Samsung Galaxy S6, Apple iPhone 6, HTC One M9 and other smartphones, works for one day under normal load, but nothing more.

In the power settings, you can enable the “power saving” mode when the charge level drops below 5 or below 15 percent. In this mode, the brightness is reduced, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are turned off, vibration, auto-synchronization of services and the indicator light are turned off.

Platform, memory

The smartphone is built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 (MSM 8992) platform with a quad-core processor with a frequency of 1.44 GHz (Cortex-A53) and a dual-core 1.8 GHz (Cortex-A57), graphics subsystem (GPU) - Adreno 418. The device has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB built-in, as well as a slot for a microSD memory card.

On the one hand, choosing a non-top platform may seem strange, since we are talking about a flagship. On the other hand, problems with the top 810 chipset from Qualcomm are no longer a secret, and in light of this, LG’s choice of a junior solution looks justified. The Qualcomm 808 platform provides a good level of performance, but does not have the main drawback of the 810 - excessive heating under load.

Performance, tests

As for the overall speed of the LG G4, everything is good here. Despite the use of a non-top platform, the smartphone runs smoothly, without delays or slowdowns. Of course, if you set out to find microlags in the process of flipping through screens or menu pages, this can be done by simply starting to frantically scroll the screens back and forth at maximum speed, but this use case has nothing to do with real life.

Below are the results of testing the LG G4 in various benchmarks.

Interfaces

The smartphone works in GSM, HSDPA and LTE networks. For LTE there is support for all common bands and frequencies; the device works without problems in Russian fourth-generation networks. The smartphone has one radio module and two slots for SIM cards; I’ll talk about the implementation of working with two SIM cards a little lower.

USB. To synchronize with a PC and transfer data, the included microUSB cable is used. USB interface 2.0. The USB-OTG and USB-Host standards are supported - you can connect flash drives and other storage devices, for example, a camera, to the smartphone via an adapter to transfer pictures from it to the device’s memory.

Bluetooth. Built-in Bluetooth 4.1 module with support for A2DP, LE (low energy) and Apt-X profiles.

Wi-Fi (802.11a/ac/b/g/n). The LG G4 uses a dual-band Wi-Fi module, this interface works flawlessly. Like any other modern Android smartphone, the G4 supports the function of sharing mobile Internet via Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi router), as well as DLNA and Wi-Fi Direct standards.

NFC. Standard interface for any Android-based flagship since 2013, the LG G4 also has it. It can be turned on and off in the settings, in the menu " General access and connection."

Working with two SIM cards

The LG G4 version H818 is sold in Russia; this is a variant of the smartphone with two SIM cards and a slot for a memory card. There is only one radio module in the smartphone, so when talking on the first SIM card, the second one is inaccessible; both SIM cards work in standby mode.

Both SIM cards can work for data transfer; the active one is selected through the settings. You can also assign names to SIM cards and select one of two color profiles for each; the notification shade bar will be colored in it when there is an outgoing or incoming call from this SIM card.

I would also like to note the “smart forwarding” mode, with its help you can set up forwarding from each SIM card to another, so that if one is unavailable, the call will be transferred to the second, if it is available.

Navigation

The smartphone supports GPS/A-GPS and Glonass; searching for satellites takes a minimum amount of time. There has been no special navigation software in Android smartphones for a long time, and manufacturers usually limit themselves to pre-installed Google Maps, LG G4 in this sense is no exception.

Software features and software

The smartphone is running Android systems 5.1 with proprietary LG UX 4.0 interface. Most of the settings and the shell as a whole have undergone virtually no changes compared to the UI in the LG G3. Of course, the new interface is externally stylized according to Material Design, but in general, it is still the same UI familiar from the previous model.

Now I’ll briefly talk about the most interesting features of the interface.

Telephone, The address book . The smartphone has a convenient dialer with the SmartDial function; you can find a contact without switching to the address book, but simply by entering the first letters of the person’s first or last name. However, there is also an address book here, with search and sorting.

During an incoming or outgoing call, the caller's picture is displayed in the center of the screen in a round window. In my opinion, the subscriber’s image could have been made larger.

Messages. The standard message window is presented with a list of contacts with whom you are chatting. Inside, everything is as usual – messages in chat format. For correspondence with individuals, you can choose a chat theme - a background image and chat bubble graphics. An interesting feature of messages is the ability to configure the sending of an already written message at a certain time on a certain day.

Desktop. Grid of icons on desktop screens, 5x5, and up to six icons can be placed in the bottom panel. Various effects for flipping screens on the desktop are available. You can also change the design of application icons and their size.

Lock screen. The lock screen displays new notifications and the time in one line, and a number of shortcuts are available in the lower area for quickly jumping to applications. The set of shortcuts can be changed in the settings, and it will not necessarily be the same as the shortcuts in the bottom bar on the desktop.

What upset me most about the LG G3 was the strange and illogical system of transitioning from notifications on the lock screen to the applications that generated them. For example, I get a notification about a new message in WhatsApp, I click on it to open the program, but before I get into the program, I need to swipe again to unlock the screen. In LG G4 this system is back in place! And this despite the fact that in Android 5.1, to switch from the notification card on the lock screen to the notification itself, you just need to double-tap on the card, and that’s it. To be honest, I never got used to this stupid system, and it constantly annoys me.

The smartphone has a dual-window mode, when one program is displayed at the top of the screen and the other at the bottom.

Pre-installed software. The smartphone has a convenient file manager with the ability to view files by category or in general storage, search and sort by criteria. A weather application with animated graphics, if you do not launch it as a widget. Calculator, voice recorder, radio - all these programs are made in the same graphic style as the rest of the interface.

QuickMemo+ lets you create text or handwritten notes.

Like the LG G3, there is a clock and weather widget with a Smart Notice notification panel attached to it. The idea is simple - in the form of short notifications, remind the user about important things: weather changes, calendar events, missed notifications, and so on. True, the functionality of Smart Notice is still limited to notifications of just a few types: weather and new events, as well as tips.

The LG G4 has the LG Health service, which counts the distance traveled, the number of steps and calories burned.

Conclusion

After almost a month of using the LG G4, I had no complaints about the quality of signal reception. The volume of the ringing speaker is slightly above average, despite the fact that a single speaker is used. In most situations it is clearly audible if the volume is turned up to maximum. The volume of the earpiece is also at a good level; there is a small volume reserve for conversations in noisy rooms. The vibration alert is average in strength.

The official price of LG G4 in Russia is 40,000 rubles (39,990), and here, of course, the company found itself hostage to the situation in the Russian smartphone market and price wars of retail chains. At the time the price of the LG G4 was announced, its competitors were valued higher; the same Samsung Galaxy S6 cost more than 50,000 rubles, and today it sells for an average of 35,000 rubles due to the price war being waged by the networks. As a result, LG's flagship, which was expected to be cheaper with similar characteristics to its competitors, costs on average exactly the same as the HTC One M9 at launch and the Samsung Galaxy S6 Duos after the price reduction. However, you can only compare the LG G4 with these smartphones indirectly; after all, there is a big difference between 5" and 5.5" diagonals, and, as my experience shows, they usually choose either among five-inch models or among the so-called “phablets”, where LG G4 with a 5.5" screen would be more logical.

Yes, perhaps LG was expected to take a bolder step after the release of the successful, but at some points controversial LG G3. However, the company chose a different path - to figure out what objective shortcomings were in the previous model, and first of all eliminate them. Some things worked out, some didn’t, but overall, new flagship the company was a success. Some may not like the idea of ​​genuine leather covers due to possible wear and tear, but no one is stopping you from opting for the G4 version with a plastic cover. The new smartphone has a high-quality display, unlike the one in the G3, the camera has also become better, and given that in the LG G3 this was one of the strongest points of the device, in the G4, as you understand, the module is also one of the highest quality according to the totality of characteristics and capabilities. Starting from truly working image stabilization to a convenient and practical manual shooting mode with saving photos in RAW. Personally, I am confused by LG UX; in terms of capabilities and the number of settings and options, this interface is simply excellent, but here it is appearance raises many questions. There was a feeling that the developers had a desire to transfer UI to Material Design, but somewhere in the middle of the process the inspiration or strength ran out, and as a result we have a strange mixture of MD and stylistics previous versions Android plus pieces of style from previous versions of LG UX. The result is something strange, I can’t say that the interface looks scary or ugly, but it doesn’t seem harmonious and solid, it’s just a set of different graphic solutions that they tried to bring together, but, alas, without success. There are also questions about the unlocking system, and I wrote about this above.

However, despite these disadvantages, I liked the new LG G4. Suffice it to say that now this is my main smartphone, while I have a hard time getting used to devices with screens larger than 5.2" diagonal, but for the sake of the cool camera in the G4, a comfortable case with a genuine leather lid, no heating and an acceptable operating time, I’m ready to forgive the device some disadvantages.

The release of LG's flagship G4 created a real sensation. However, not everyone could afford such an expensive device, and the manufacturer found a solution. A “light” version of the G4s has gone on sale. What will please the stripped-down model of the flagship you like so much?

Design

The appearance of the G4s is similar to its predecessor, with the exception of small details. For starters, it has become slightly smaller, and the material of the device has also changed. The simplified version of the flagship uses plastic rather than leather.

The changes had almost no effect on the style of the device. The design is very unusual and definitely stands out among the crowd of the same type. The arched shape attracts the eye and gives the smartphone elegance.

An interesting decision was the location of the controls. together with the power button are located not on the side, but on the back of the device. At first it will be unusual to work with them, but the location is very convenient.

The shape of the case adds convenience when using the phone. Although the size of the device is impressive, it fits like a glove in your hand. Adds comfort and light weight, only 139 grams.

The external details turned out to be very catchy due to their unusual location. The front part houses the display, front camera, sensors, speaker, and also an indicator. The upper part is reserved for the headset jack, and the lower part is for the USB connector. In addition, both ends have a microphone. The back side is home to the camera, flash, volume control, power button, speaker, logo and autofocus.

The LG G4s smartphone received three colors. The standard white was not avoided, but gray and gold colors were added to the variety. It is worth noting that the front of all colors is black.

The back panel of the device is removable. Behind it are two slots for cards. Unfortunately, the user is forced to choose whether to sacrifice one SIM card in favor of a flash drive or refuse to expand the memory. Although, given the small amount of memory of the device, the owner will have to be content with one communication card.

Display

The LG G4s smartphone has an excellent screen. The diagonal was slightly reduced from 5.5 to 5.2 inches, but this is almost unnoticeable. The large display has a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels and 423 ppi. The user, even with a detailed study, will not find any shortcomings. Actually, a Full HD image is already an indicator of quality.

The matrix installed in the LG G4s will also please you. The color rendering characteristics of the display are not satisfactory. The only drawback is the lack of a brightness sensor. The owner will be forced to configure this parameter manually. Despite this small detail, the device’s screen does not fade in the sun. The matrix provides excellent for corners, although we would not expect otherwise.

Camera

As for pictures, the predecessor significantly surpassed the LG G4s. The characteristics have changed very noticeably, namely, 16 megapixels have been replaced by only 8 megapixels. Surprisingly, the camera allows you to take good photos, but is not up to par with the prototype.

The resolution is quite common for 8 megapixels and is only 3264 by 2448 pixels. The situation is smoothed out by many functions left over from the LG G4. For example, the device has improved color rendering and color spectrum recognition.

The device has a five megapixel front camera. Of course, you shouldn’t expect much from a front-facing camera, but it will do for self-portraits. With good lighting, you can achieve good quality images.

Hardware

Without a doubt, the “filling” will greatly please LG G4s owners. The characteristics of the processor are similar to some representatives of Samsung, namely the A7 model. The smartphone received a Snapdragon 615 chip, providing high performance. In addition, as many as eight cores were installed in the device, four of which have a frequency of 1.8 GHz, and the rest received 1 GHz.

The RAM, which is 1.5 gigabytes in the device, did not disappoint either. The memory is quite enough for most of the device's needs. Adreno 405 was installed as a video accelerator, designed specifically for devices with Full HD.

Unfortunately, there are also shortcomings in the LG G4s. The characteristics of native memory definitely do not meet the needs of most users. The phone was equipped with only 8 GB, but in fact only 5 GB is available. Naturally, there is the possibility of expansion up to 32 GB, but there is a problem here too. The smartphone has only two slots, intended for either SIM cards or a flash drive.

System

The phone is run by Android, new version 5.1. Actually, the owner will not need to worry about updating. In addition, the smartphone has almost all the necessary applications for work. Most of the system's features are hidden behind a proprietary shell, but the manufacturer's interface is also quite pleasant.

Autonomy

Manufacturers pay a lot of attention to the design and functionality of devices, but sometimes they forget about the operating time. This happened with the LG G4s, which contained a battery with a capacity of only 2300 mAH.

The autonomy of the device is depressing, because when active use The device will only last 4 hours. This is an incredibly bad indicator for a member of the middle class. The only solution to the problem is to replace the battery.

Equipment

The delivery set is standard. Comes with the device USB cable, documentation, adapter. As in most expensive devices, there is no headset here. Perhaps, in addition to headphones, the user will need to purchase a case for the LG G4s.

Price

Although the G4s was released as a cheap analogue of the flagship, the cost turned out to be impressive. You can become the owner of the device for 18 thousand rubles. In principle, the price is not particularly scary for the middle class with excellent “filling”.

Negative reviews

For some owners, the problem was the unusual placement of controls. Instead of the usual side panel, the power and volume buttons are located on the back of the device. It's quite difficult to get used to such a change.

Looking at the review compiled for the LG G4s, you can understand that the phone is incredibly dependent on the outlet. The small battery capacity is not at all suitable for such an advanced device.

An unpleasant moment was the need to choose between a flash drive or a second SIM card. This is especially strange to observe in a mid-range device.

Positive reviews

The smartphone has significantly more advantages than disadvantages. You should start with a powerful “filling”. The only thing that lets us down is the memory, but otherwise everything is great.

It is impossible not to note the high-quality screen. Large diagonal and high resolution will allow the user to enjoy the image.

Modern Android also stands out. A new version 5.1 significantly expands the selection of games and applications.

Bottom line

In general, the budget version of the flagship was fully implemented. There are minor flaws, but they are not significant. The only downside is the constant need to recharge. It is clear that among its competitors, the LG G4s looks incredibly attractive.