Decided to pick up an LG G3 on Thursday... So far, I am mostly pleased. Here's a review/comparison...in random order:
The display is nice and large, but doesn't feel like a bulky 5.5" in my hand. Easier to hold than my Galaxy S5, believe it or not...I definitely don't think about it as much, probably because of the thinner bezel and body.
While it is high quality, I wouldn't say the display is most amazing screen on the planet - considering the impressive specs on paper. You'll just have to see it. On several occasions, I've noticed that text looks fuzzy/washed out on white backgrounds. But I think now that it's actually an issue with certain apps not being able to produce high enough resolution - not the display's fault.
It does very well in bright sunlight, and seems to have the most reactive light sensor compared to the Galaxy S5 or the Moto X.
Removable battery and wireless charging back (coming soon) are handy conveniences. It also has an IR blaster, which I really missed from the Galaxy S5. Believe it or not, I actually use it very regularly.
I picked up a 32gb MicroSD... The phone can handle up to a 128gb...'nuff said
Photo quality is definitely above average. Night and day compared to the Moto X - even with the most recent Moto X firmware updates. I'd say the G3 is on par with older iPhones; which has always been the one to beat. Stunning? No, but closer than most any Android phone I've owned. Better than the Galaxy S5... The laser focus feature is somewhat noticeable, though I'd say it helps the camera act more like my expectations than being a substantial bonus.
LG has made quite a few tweaks to 4.4.2. Most all are complimentary, and freshen up the interface in a better way than most. Like many though, I was very surprised to find the stock launcher a bit slow and stuttering - especially considering that the phone is quad core with 3gb of ram. I suspect they'll update things in a revision soon... Overall, the phone is snappy. And other than the stock launcher itself, everything else performs very well/fast. I really don't perceive anything negatively as "bloat".
I dearly miss the breathing Moto X notifications. LG does make up for it to some degree by offering the knock-to-power-on convenience. If you aren't familiar, you can simply double tap the screen to turn it on...no buttons to fumble for and press. So this helps to check things very quickly. The notification light on the front also compliments...
The stock keyboard is zippy and performs as well as the Google one. I like that you can change the color scheme and some of the button format, as well as the fact that it has a number bar at the top all the time.
I've been able to root the phone, which has helped to satisfy some of my hacking nature. I quickly got a bit burned out with custom roms on the Moto X - partly because things tend to glitch more than I wanted, and surprisingly because the Moto X actually has a very limited development community...even for my Developer Edition model.
I'm slightly concerned that LG has not announced any support for Android L yet.
Battery life is on par with the Moto X and Galaxy S5...probably because it's powering such a large screen.
Physical build quality is great. And I have quickly embraced LG's genius of placing all the buttons on the rear of the phone. They're very convenient, and you can even program long-press actions (with a hack) to quickly launch the camera or an app from screen off. And again, the knock-to-power-on is by far my favorite. While the Galaxy S5 uses higher quality materials, I definitely find the G3 more attractive and convenient.
I also like that the headphone jack is on the bottom of the phone.
The Moto X speaker blows away the G3. The G3 is on par with the Galaxy S5...somewhat quiet and boring. This affects music and the speakerphone negatively. Call quality on the G3 is disappointing with the earpiece as well (non-speakerphone call)...tinny and dull. Too often I find that I have a noticeably harder time hearing people than on the S5 or Moto X.
Overall, I am pleased. Tradeoffs outweigh disadvantages, and I love that I didn't have to install a ton of add-on apps to improve functionality and remove bloat. If I could unlock the bootloader, increase battery life about 3 hours, and improve the speaker/earpiece quality, it would just about be a perfect phone...
I have a moto x and am really struggling on whether or no to get the g3 or wait for the moto x+1. The g3 is only 100 now but I'm sure that price will be offered again with the iPhone coming soon.
I really like the moto x; size, features, battery life.
I guess my main concern is the size. I remember when the note 3 came out I said I'd never get a phone that big and the g3 is pretty much the same size haha
hijax2001 said:
Decided to pick up an LG G3 on Thursday... So far, I am mostly pleased. Here's a review/comparison...in random order:
The display is nice and large, but doesn't feel like a bulky 5.5" in my hand. Easier to hold than my Galaxy S5, believe it or not...I definitely don't think about it as much, probably because of the thinner bezel and body.
While it is high quality, I wouldn't say the display is most amazing screen on the planet - considering the impressive specs on paper. You'll just have to see it. On several occasions, I've noticed that text looks fuzzy/washed out on white backgrounds. But I think now that it's actually an issue with certain apps not being able to produce high enough resolution - not the display's fault.
It does very well in bright sunlight, and seems to have the most reactive light sensor compared to the Galaxy S5 or the Moto X.
Removable battery and wireless charging back (coming soon) are handy conveniences. It also has an IR blaster, which I really missed from the Galaxy S5. Believe it or not, I actually use it very regularly.
I picked up a 32gb MicroSD... The phone can handle up to a 128gb...'nuff said
Photo quality is definitely above average. Night and day compared to the Moto X - even with the most recent Moto X firmware updates. I'd say the G3 is on par with older iPhones; which has always been the one to beat. Stunning? No, but closer than most any Android phone I've owned. Better than the Galaxy S5... The laser focus feature is somewhat noticeable, though I'd say it helps the camera act more like my expectations than being a substantial bonus.
LG has made quite a few tweaks to 4.4.2. Most all are complimentary, and freshen up the interface in a better way than most. Like many though, I was very surprised to find the stock launcher a bit slow and stuttering - especially considering that the phone is quad core with 3gb of ram. I suspect they'll update things in a revision soon... Overall, the phone is snappy. And other than the stock launcher itself, everything else performs very well/fast. I really don't perceive anything negatively as "bloat".
I dearly miss the breathing Moto X notifications. LG does make up for it to some degree by offering the knock-to-power-on convenience. If you aren't familiar, you can simply double tap the screen to turn it on...no buttons to fumble for and press. So this helps to check things very quickly. The notification light on the front also compliments...
The stock keyboard is zippy and performs as well as the Google one. I like that you can change the color scheme and some of the button format, as well as the fact that it has a number bar at the top all the time.
I've been able to root the phone, which has helped to satisfy some of my hacking nature. I quickly got a bit burned out with custom roms on the Moto X - partly because things tend to glitch more than I wanted, and surprisingly because the Moto X actually has a very limited development community...even for my Developer Edition model.
I'm slightly concerned that LG has not announced any support for Android L yet.
Battery life is on par with the Moto X and Galaxy S5...probably because it's powering such a large screen.
Physical build quality is great. And I have quickly embraced LG's genius of placing all the buttons on the rear of the phone. They're very convenient, and you can even program long-press actions (with a hack) to quickly launch the camera or an app from screen off. And again, the knock-to-power-on is by far my favorite. While the Galaxy S5 uses higher quality materials, I definitely find the G3 more attractive and convenient.
I also like that the headphone jack is on the bottom of the phone.
The Moto X speaker blows away the G3. The G3 is on par with the Galaxy S5...somewhat quiet and boring. This affects music and the speakerphone negatively. Call quality on the G3 is disappointing with the earpiece as well (non-speakerphone call)...tinny and dull. Too often I find that I have a noticeably harder time hearing people than on the S5 or Moto X.
Overall, I am pleased. Tradeoffs outweigh disadvantages, and I love that I didn't have to install a ton of add-on apps to improve functionality and remove bloat. If I could unlock the bootloader, increase battery life about 3 hours, and improve the speaker/earpiece quality, it would just about be a perfect phone...
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Click to collapse
I agree the LG UI is laggy/stuttering. Some people say they don't see it..must be magic phones.
I am confused as to why you said you missed the IR blaster on the S5? Maybe it was a mis-type, but it has an IR blaster. I agree with a lot of what you said, but I find the G3 to have worse battery life than the S5, also less polish. I miss little things (lock screen text preview vs "New Message", Native flashlight, call reject, facebook calendar sync, etc) I sold mine, but I'm actively trying to work out a deal to trade my G3 for another S5.
The headset 'loudness" on the g3 is on par with the G2 IMO, which is pretty lack luster. The M8 was the best (obviously).
For me the G3 is amazing. The only time I get any lag is when I first unlock the phone. It takes a little bit of time for the on screen buttons to come up and if I try to swipe down the notifications it stutters. But after that it is like butter. I have grown tired of Samsung. I had the S4, it was a good phone, but I am over Samsung, I needed a change and this is a change in the right direction.
Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk
I still haven't seen any lag on mine. I must have a magic one, lol!
Best phone I have had imo, granted it is not head and shoulders. I loved my g flex for entertainment purposes, but in the end was to big for my new job.
Parents are rocking that and now I am on this, it's a beautiful phone!
Also it's smaller than the Note series. I had a n2 and n3 for a short while and this I can use one handed. The other two, no way!
Rippley05 said:
I agree the LG UI is laggy/stuttering. Some people say they don't see it..must be magic phones.
I am confused as to why you said you missed the IR blaster on the S5? Maybe it was a mis-type, but it has an IR blaster. I agree with a lot of what you said, but I find the G3 to have worse battery life than the S5, also less polish. I miss little things (lock screen text preview vs "New Message", Native flashlight, call reject, facebook calendar sync, etc) I sold mine, but I'm actively trying to work out a deal to trade my G3 for another S5.
The headset 'loudness" on the g3 is on par with the G2 IMO, which is pretty lack luster. The M8 was the best (obviously).
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Click to collapse
Not one bit of lag on mine, must be one of the magic ones that you speak of....
thegrants82 said:
Not one bit of lag on mine, must be one of the magic ones that you speak of....
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Yea..,suuuure. No lag, at all. Ok
Rippley05 said:
Yea..,suuuure. No lag, at all. Ok
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This lag issue I think is very hard to gauge from user to user. What someone thinks is a perfectly fast phone could be considered a laggy phone for someone else.
I have my G3 almost completely Debloated. .I use Nova Launcher and have Animation scales at .5 and the only perceivable lag I see is sometimes going into Settings or Recents. It's definitely not anything major to me and could probably just be me nit-pickin lol
Hard to say though across the board for everyone since people have their phones set up so differently. Just my two cents my friend....
- Sent From My G3
Mistertac said:
This lag issue I think is very hard to gauge from user to user. What someone thinks is a perfectly fast phone could be considered a laggy phone for someone else.
I have my G3 almost completely Debloated. .I use Nova Launcher and have Animation scales at .5 and the only perceivable lag I see is sometimes going into Settings or Recents. It's definitely not anything major to me and could probably just be me nit-pickin lol
Hard to say though across the board for everyone since people have their phones set up so differently. Just my two cents my friend....
- Sent From My G3
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Click to collapse
This x100!
Some people just notice every little bit of everything. I am glad I am not one of those people as it would be hard to be content with anything.
It's ok guys. It started with me mentioning the lag that myself and several others experience. Then the fanboys follow me from thread to thread to remind me that they have "no lag". I'm ok with people not having the same experience , most people would just rather lie and argue about it than admit their beloved device isn't perfect.
I'm having a hard time deciding between my galaxy S5 and my LG G3. My experience is a little different from most because i'm coming from the other flagship:
S5:
-In my opinion the screen is MUCH better. colors, contrast, viewing angles and most importantly brightness. In sunlight the S5 is so much easier on the eyes than the G3
-daytime photography: overall nicer photos and more detail from shots with great lighting
-Slightly better battery life
-slightly better 4G connection
-Smoother UI
G3:
-noticeably bigger screen
-really good standby (screen off) battery life
-preferring the back buttons over side buttons as well as knock code
-night and low light photos: major improvement over S5
-video recording audio: clear vs distorted audio from S5
Rippley05 said:
I am confused as to why you said you missed the IR blaster on the S5? Maybe it was a mis-type, but it has an IR blaster.
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Click to collapse
The comparison was between the G3 and the MotoX (see the title of the thread.)
hijax2001 said:
It also has an IR blaster, which I really missed from the Galaxy S5. Believe it or not, I actually use it very regularly.
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Click to collapse
OP is saying that the IR blaster was used a lot when the S5 was owned. After moving on to the Moto X, the IR blaster from the S5 was really missed. BUT! YAY! G3 has an IR blaster!!! Back to being "that person" that changes the channels on the TVs at the bars again!
Hope this helps.
t1n0m3n said:
The comparison was between the G3 and the MotoX (see the title of the thread.)
OP is saying that the IR blaster was used a lot when the S5 was owned. After moving on to the Moto X, the IR blaster from the S5 was really missed. BUT! YAY! G3 has an IR blaster!!! Back to being "that person" that changes the channels on the TVs at the bars again!
Hope this helps.
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Click to collapse
Yea, I did see the title. He worded funky I guess.
Related
When I finished watching the launch I was amazed - nothing less. LG is really good at the marketing.
I looked at my 6 month old G2 and just wanted to throw my trusty companion away for that new beauty - then it struck me that the difference is mostly on the software and not on the hardware.
What the G3 has to offer that your G2 doesn't have.
- A 5.5 inch QHD screen which is apparantly really good. I won't comment on whether it's better or not since there is nobody who actually has compared them - yet. This is ofcourse subject to change and it might turn out that a QHD is indeed needed and good for a smartphone.
- Laser Autofocus - There's no way our G2 will focus on an object in less than 300 miliseconds. That's a fact. This thing is really cool!
- The design is awesome - like really awesome albeit a bit too big for my small hands. I would most likely use a cover on it anyway because I care a lot about my phone.
What the G3 has that your G2 can have in the future with a G3 ROM:
All those cool and smart changes to the software like
- Flat UI that looks great and Smart notifications
- The new LG Keyboard which has an increased accuracy and helps you correct typos easier
- Increased security features
- Focus and shoot with just one touch
Please note that the battery in the G3 is a 3000 mAh battery, just like the one in our G2 (although the G3 battery is removable). Yes it has been optimised and so on but the Snapdragon 801 is pushing 1.8x as many pixels as a full HD screen and that naturally means an increased power consumption. The G3 is said to have 3 GB RAM and a microSD slot.
Things the G2 has that the G3 won't have :
A more compact form factor - 5.5 inches will still be 5.5 inches no matter how sleek the body is.
Great developers like @dorimanx @Cloudyfa @xdabbeb (to name a few) and many many many many others who do a great job supporting our G2.
And finally:
Reasons not to toss out your G2 just yet:
The Snapdragon 801 is only a minor improvement over the Snapdragon 800 but it has a much bigger load to carry (the screen).
Same battery capacity but a 1080p screen instead of a 1440p one.
More compact
Developer support
It has been your trusty companion for so many months
The camera on the G3 is still only a 13MP shooter.
Nobody has actually tried the G3 to see how good it is.
I'm loving my G2.
me to love g2
but expecting soon to port lg g3 rom
JEEVADON92 said:
me to love g2
but expecting soon to port lg g3 rom
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same with me,
the only thing I love about G3 is the laser autofocus.
the rest still can be compensate with current my LG G2
DjKr1z said:
same with me,
the only thing I love about G3 is the laser autofocus.
the rest still can be compensate with current my LG G2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes laser cam made g2 to heads down
I'm extremely happy with the G2 still. 5.5" is too big. The 5.2" pushes my comfort zone already for one hand use. It teeters on the balls of my fingertips already. The higher res screen is a mute point. the G2 already has an extremely high DPI. Outside of a numbers game, the extra DPI is wasted. It is just a waste of system resources on such small screens.
I didn't watch the launch but the laser cam sounds cool but I can live without. The screen and software are the only thing that is really different.
If the laser cam can detect distance, it would be cool if there was a app that would spit out the distance from objects. I seen a guy measure my basement with that and it was awesome.
If only it had SD805, also the era of 64 bit processor is upon us, so very soon 801 and 805 would be out, i would rather wait out G4 and install a custom G3 rom as soon it is available.
I came to this phone via a dead s3, and a replacement HTC One x. I absolutely love this thing. I even love the button placement in the back. Can't see myself upgrading anytime soon.
Sent from my LG-D800 using Tapatalk
Yeah I'm just waiting for 64 bit processors at this point. Will. Upgrade to the G4 for sure
Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk
Next stop for me is the G4.
Gesendet von meinem LG-D802 mit Tapatalk
ckyy said:
Next stop for me is the G4.
Gesendet von meinem LG-D802 mit Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
+1
There were a few things I was hoping for in the G3 :
- Replaceable Battery
- SD Slot
- Better Camera
- Waterproof like 1 meter or so
- Slim bezels (which is something G2 gave me and I will never give up.)
- Battery Life (which is something G2 gave me and I will never give up.)
They gave me 5 out of 6 of these, while the 4th is the most important to me. If the 4th was also a reality, i'd be filling up my pre-order now.
But without it, I don't see any reason to jump now. I'll wait for prices to go down, and wait for Software to update after all bugs have been ironed out, and I'll wait to see if other phones maybe compete (I doubt that though)...
I agree with you guys, purchasing another 32-bit model with the new 64-bits coming out soon is generally a bad idea. In fact, I was debating whether I really wanted my G2 or not since 64-bit processors were coming out soonish. Also another thing I would like is some sort of active cooling to counter thermal throttling during heavy loads.
I haven't even rooted my G2, let alone install a custom rom and I know I can transform my G2 to a G3 without the camera and screen in the matter of hours
LG says they "listen to their customers". Apparantly they don't listen well enough. I'm pretty sure the only reason why they made a 5.5 inch panel was because they had a hard time fitting all those pixels in a smaller screen.
I'm waiting for 64-bit processors and hopefully some sort of cooling to counter thermal throttling.
Give me that sexy UI and I'm happy with my G2
I haven't seen the launch stream, but had read some of the coverage by press.
1. I love the new design, both on the software and hardware side. They have really raised the bar with that.
2. We still will have to wait for the reviews about laser focus. It can be either a gimmick or true breakthrough for smartphone photography. Think how it could easily improve focus in low light situation where infrared rays would easily acquire object.
3. Waiting for the port of G3 roms. I'm really looking forward for new stuff like Content Lock (oh boy, how many times I was THIS CLOSE to revealing my gf's "for my eyes only" pics)
Hope our awesome devs will make it happen in no time!)
Also graphite anode is amazing new feature in batt technology. Especially as I've studied electrochemistry and I'm sure it will make great results for battery life. GO LG LABS
I love my G2 but ever since I have had it I can't seem to get the camera to work correctly unless I am outside and it is completely sunny. The camera in the dark is absolutely useless for me even with the flash on it takes 6-7 seconds to snap. Do I have some settings incorrect? I love everything else about the phone especially the button placement.
DooLocsta said:
I love my G2 but ever since I have had it I can't seem to get the camera to work correctly unless I am outside and it is completely sunny. The camera in the dark is absolutely useless for me even with the flash on it takes 6-7 seconds to snap. Do I have some settings incorrect? I love everything else about the phone especially the button placement.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you try resetting the camera to default
Camera sensor is the same on the g3 as the g2
Sent from my LG-D802 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
It seems like they actually were looking into some of the criticism that the G2 received, and made their best efforts to try and make things even better. The design looks less generic, the interface (which I just hope they backport to the G2) looks way better than before, and I was shocked they even bothered to make the battery removable (given that, much like physical keyboards, the removable battery is an endangered species).
Given I own a G2, some of the specs on the G3 seem like overkill; they need to focus less on the specifications arms race and more on genuine innovation.
The camera is the same identical Sony imx135, only differs in laser to focus. At Max you will need a bit of more time to focus, but the output is the same if you know how to shot a photo
Inviato dal mio LG-D802 utilizzando Tapatalk
I'm in love with case and new apps in there. Sadly tho
Sent from my LG-D802 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Currently have a Moto X Dev Edition, bought it back almost a year ago I believe. I like the phone but the camera sucks and the battery could be better. It's super slick and smooth, rarely have any issues with it except for Bluetooth from time to time. But I'm also already noticing a little bit of screen burn-in, and I'm not on my phone 24/7 either. I've always questioned Motorola's AMOLED screen quality, I had an S3 and S4 and those screens were great. Plus I miss having expandable memory so I don't have to stream all of my 20+ GB of music through Google Play Music...
Long story short, it's time to replace the X. I thought about the Turbo but the lack of voice/data usage, the marginally better camera, and reports of poor wifi reception are keeping me away, not to mention the brightness also is subpar. After having the S4 and all it's laggy problems, I said no more Samsung phones, but it seems the S5 is greatly improved. However I've always had my eye on the G3, seems like LG has stepped up their game. My choices right now are the S5, G3, the new Sony whateveritis, and possibly the Note 4 but that's pushing the size limit a little bit.
Thoughts?
I came from and occasionally go back to my Moto X Dev Edition. Everything about this phone is better except the software. The LG software isn't bad, but its not stock + Moto awesomeness. I'm still not sure if I'm going to keep it for that reason. I'm thinking hard about the 64gb Turbo.
I had an S3 and was going for the Turbo but seemed to be a few issues with it that killed it for me. One being zero development, screen warping/distortion and reception. So I switched to T-Mobile and bought the G3 there. It was unlocked out of the box with development going for it. I have always had an OMELED screen but the IPS on this G3 is aweome and never wish to go back. I really don't think the G3 is a bad device at all. I am very happy with it!
I had an S5 for about a week before I switched over to the G3. For the same price I got twice the internal memory, an extra gb of RAM, and a larger/better display. I like the G3 camera better as well, even though the pixel count is lower. Samsung pics were always a little noisy in indoor shots to me, the G3 is super crisp. Battery life is very good, although its much better if you debloat, root, and use a custom rom.
Also - Samsung has been locking their phones down more lately, but not so much with LG, so it looked like the G3 would end up having more development in the long run. Now with stump root and bump twrp we have unlocked bootloaders and are just waiting patiently for some ROMs. ROM choices are limited right now, but bootloader unlock only happened a month or two ago, so that's expected.
So, for me, I'm sticking with the G3 for a while because I think it has a lot of potential to get even better, but it all depends on what you're looking for really. Good luck.
I came from a 2013 moto x to the g3. Everything about the g3 is better, except for software. I'm still very happy though.
No experience with Moto X of any vintage, but came to G3 after S4 and Note3 (still have the S4 as backup phone). Never looked back. Even pre-BUMP, with just root / TiBu Freeze debloat / Nova Launcher = smooth and fast sailing here with outstanding battery management. Good build, great screen.
I would say considering the ability to modify, battery life, and specs,
nexus 6>note 4 dev edition>lg g3>droid maxx dev>droid turbo>moto X dev
Lol funny how I rated my two current phones (maxx and g3) as better than the turbo. But it's true, why get something I'll be unhappy with...
I came from a 2013 MotoX. Like others have said, the only thing you will really miss is the Moto software that worked amazingly. It outclassed the G3 in everyway. Other than that though, the screen, battery, and just about everything else is better. Did I mention the screen is better by the way? It really is amazing.
I upgraded my wife to the G3 from an iPhone. I upgraded my S3 to the Note 4. In all I must say that I was really impressed with the G3. It's a solid performer and the screen is superb. I don't have any experience with the Moto-X... but on paper, it's hard to beat the G3. It was only $99 on a 2 year contract. I wouldn't knock the lack of dev ROM's out there. Lollipop 5.0 is on it's way out now. If I wasn't getting the Note 4, I probably would have picked up the G3 over the S5.
iamq said:
I upgraded my wife to the G3 from an iPhone. I upgraded my S3 to the Note 4. In all I must say that I was really impressed with the G3. It's a solid performer and the screen is superb. I don't have any experience with the Moto-X... but on paper, it's hard to beat the G3. It was only $99 on a 2 year contract. I wouldn't knock the lack of dev ROM's out there. Lollipop 5.0 is on it's way out now. If I wasn't getting the Note 4, I probably would have picked up the G3 over the S5.
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Click to collapse
How do you like the Note 4 over the G3? The N4 is also on my "consideration list".
I love my N4. It's a toss up. I prefer the button configuration and home button on the N4. The buttons on the back of the G3 are a little awkward to get used to. I like the G3 being 5.5" display and still having the size of an S5. The G3 has a nicer looking screen than the N4 to my eyes.
I have a fairly compact case on the N4, but it's tough to get it into the pocket compared to the G3 with its case. They both have their strong considerations. Neither one will disappoint. It would boil down to price and size comfort. I got the $200 Best Buy gift card with the N4 that made the difference. If it wasn't for that deal I would have bought the G3. I was impressed with what LG came out with.
Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk
triton302 said:
Currently have a Moto X Dev Edition, bought it back almost a year ago I believe. I like the phone but the camera sucks and the battery could be better. It's super slick and smooth, rarely have any issues with it except for Bluetooth from time to time. But I'm also already noticing a little bit of screen burn-in, and I'm not on my phone 24/7 either. I've always questioned Motorola's AMOLED screen quality, I had an S3 and S4 and those screens were great. Plus I miss having expandable memory so I don't have to stream all of my 20+ GB of music through Google Play Music...
Long story short, it's time to replace the X. I thought about the Turbo but the lack of voice/data usage, the marginally better camera, and reports of poor wifi reception are keeping me away, not to mention the brightness also is subpar. After having the S4 and all it's laggy problems, I said no more Samsung phones, but it seems the S5 is greatly improved. However I've always had my eye on the G3, seems like LG has stepped up their game. My choices right now are the S5, G3, the new Sony whateveritis, and possibly the Note 4 but that's pushing the size limit a little bit.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best buy has some slick prices on the g3 some of them are 99 bucks with a $150 best buy gift card.
Sent from my Verizon LG G3 using Tapatalk
I've never used the Moto X, but from what I have read, it does have some really nice software/features like the driving mode, "OK Google", etc, etc, etc. That being said, I believe that is the only way the X outshines the G3. Hardware wise, the G3 beats the X - bigger and replaceable battery, SD card, better camera, larger screen.
The ONLY thing I don't like about my G3 is the fact that the speaker is on the back. I'd rather have the speaker on the front, but I totally understand and agree with LG on why they put it on the back - to make the bezels as small as possible. In doing so, they got the size of the 5.5" screen size G3 to be the same overall dimensions as other brands 5.2" screen size phones.
I was really intrigued by the always on "OK Google" feature of the X, but I actually bought an Android Wear device (a LG G watch - refurbished for $80) and now I have that same capabilities with the watch, so I don't miss that feature of the X.
I read a lot of reviews and opinions here about the Z5C that are from people that were or still are using a Sony device. The Z5C is usually compared in terms of the Z3C or even the Z1C. Those comparisons are good if you own those devices, but I have no prior contact with Sony. My current device is a Moto G (1st Gen).
So I'd like to know what people who had no prior contact, or at least not in the past years, with Sony say about the phone. How does it feel and how much "crap" is on a Sony phone compared to a Nexus or Motorola phone? How good/bad are the Sony-Apps ? What "oddities" do Sony phones have?
Thanks for your opinions.
I came from a Moto G (2nd Gen) to the Z5C which is my first Sony phone. So a similar path to what you are considering. It comes with way more "crap" on in than the Motorola did. Where my Moto G (2nd Gen) might have had 5 Motorola utilities, the Z5C has maybe 30. Many of them are app/tools that seemingly connect you into the Sony Sphere. PlayStation stuff, Dinosaur images pop up in the camera you can stamp on your photos and super cheesy Japanese schoolgirl emoticons for your text input.
If you like the clean native Google apps such as Gmail, Calendar, Photos messaging and so on you will find yourself having to disable the Sony versions.
One oddity my Z3C has is that is is fussy about which micro USB cable will charge it. So if like me you have a collection of micro USB cables and chargers from previous phone they may not all work. I guess this may be due to tighter tolerances required water proofing the charge port. Not a biggy but worth knowing.
I find the Xperia Keyboard gesture input (aka Swype input) to be a PITA. Miss rate is too high and deleting errors is tedious. Shame becuase it works very well on other phones.
Small size is great. Can easily slip it in a front trouser pocket.
BUT I have yet to feel "vibrate on for calls" when it is my pocket. When someone does call when Z5C in pocket when I am doing somehting noisey like mowing a lawn, I dont feel the vinration alert, it seemingly wakes the phone and thereafter movement leads to random screen presses. So when I eventually retrieve it form my pocket an hour later the screen is still on and it is in some weird screen such as the camera or emerg dialer. Perhpas I am missing something here though. Oh and definitely don't buy it for the camera if you are expecting a point and shoot with a high % of great shots.
That's my thoughts.
Coming from a nexus 5, I love this phone! Never charge it from the mains only from my car every day(1 hour commute each way) and it keeps going strong! Pretty quick and feels good.
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
Coming from Samsung S3
This Z5 is very bad...unstable sw, no optimization, really slow...bleah! I think i will never buy again a sony device. Oh...customer care is bad too.
Camera is slow and poor quality, GPS is very inaccurate, BT disconnet and reconnect every 15 secs (i think the problem is trhow but i can't disable it...)
So...i'm not a satisfied user..
Thank you all for your replies.
logger said:
I came from a Moto G (2nd Gen) to the Z5C which is my first Sony phone. So a similar path to what you are considering. It comes with way more "crap" on in than the Motorola did. Where my Moto G (2nd Gen) might have had 5 Motorola utilities, the Z5C has maybe 30. Many of them are app/tools that seemingly connect you into the Sony Sphere. PlayStation stuff, Dinosaur images pop up in the camera you can stamp on your photos and super cheesy Japanese schoolgirl emoticons for your text input.
If you like the clean native Google apps such as Gmail, Calendar, Photos messaging and so on you will find yourself having to disable the Sony versions.
One oddity my Z3C has is that is is fussy about which micro USB cable will charge it. So if like me you have a collection of micro USB cables and chargers from previous phone they may not all work. I guess this may be due to tighter tolerances required water proofing the charge port. Not a biggy but worth knowing.
I find the Xperia Keyboard gesture input (aka Swype input) to be a PITA. Miss rate is too high and deleting errors is tedious. Shame becuase it works very well on other phones.
Small size is great. Can easily slip it in a front trouser pocket.
BUT I have yet to feel "vibrate on for calls" when it is my pocket. When someone does call when Z5C in pocket when I am doing somehting noisey like mowing a lawn, I dont feel the vinration alert, it seemingly wakes the phone and thereafter movement leads to random screen presses. So when I eventually retrieve it form my pocket an hour later the screen is still on and it is in some weird screen such as the camera or emerg dialer. Perhpas I am missing something here though. Oh and definitely don't buy it for the camera if you are expecting a point and shoot with a high % of great shots.
That's my thoughts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually never use the original cables since I have set up a "charging station". Which cables does the Z5C not accept? Is there a pattern?
And I'm not buying this for the camera, I have a DSLR for that
Tuonorosso said:
Coming from Samsung S3
This Z5 is very bad...unstable sw, no optimization, really slow...bleah! I think i will never buy again a sony device. Oh...customer care is bad too.
Camera is slow and poor quality, GPS is very inaccurate, BT disconnet and reconnect every 15 secs (i think the problem is trhow but i can't disable it...)
So...i'm not a satisfied user..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have the newest firmware ? AFAIK a few things should have been fixed with the latest update. What experience do you have with the customer care ?
ricostuart said:
Coming from a nexus 5, I love this phone! Never charge it from the mains only from my car every day(1 hour commute each way) and it keeps going strong! Pretty quick and feels good.
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How was the Z5C in terms of "snappiness" compared to the Nexus ?
nazgoul said:
Do you have the newest firmware ? AFAIK a few things should have been fixed with the latest update. What experience do you have with the customer care ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, last fw: 32.0.A.6.152
Customer care have reset the phone 4 times. Each trial did not resolve the problem. In the end they told me to bring it to service but they had no idea of the repair time and they not given me any temporary phone.
My phone has only one month and i need it for work...i can't stay weeks without it. For a 600$ phone i think this is unacceptable.
At this time i have the same initial problems...
I hope in Marshmallow ...
Coming from Moto G first Gen (falcon)
Coming from Moto G 1st Gen. This is my first Sony Phone.
I am loving the Z5C.
Few things to note that that will give you an idea between the two phones
1. The flash on the moto g is noticeably brighter and warmer. Idc about cameras, but I find I use the flashlight a lot
2. The chip on the Z5C does feel much faster. Not sure how to describe it other than the UI on the Z5C being more "fluid"
3. The chip on the Z5C does get noticeably warm (but not hot) on the back under certain loads. E.g. running long sessions of RDP or installing lots of apps in quick succession or recording 4K video. Under normal use like browsing the web or watching youtube it does not get warm.
4. The camera is way better than the Moto G
5. The hardware feels really solid. It feels dense. I like it
6. The battery life is significantly better. At my usage, the Moto G will die at about 8pm or 9pm (taking off the charge at 7am). I have yet to kill the Z5C in a single day in my normal use
(my normal use usually has a few hours of music, and at least 4 hours of screen time)
7. The stereo speakers are much nicer, but the stereo effect is small, and they aren't not as loud as the moto g's single speaker
8. The max brightness of the Z5C's screen is about the same as the one on the Moto G. The min brightness is on the Z5C is lower though.
9 The physical dimensions of the Z5C is smaller in width and height. The Z5C does feel thicker because of its more boxy shape though
In terms of bloatware, there is quite a bit. I have a lot of apps disabled from settings or hidden (I use Apex)
There are some features that sony added that are nice though.
1. Built in screen recording
2. "Small Apps" - a bit like floating widgets
3. Nice audio optimizations that make my music experience nicer
4. Being able to customize the quick settings in the notification center
5. Battery percentage in the status bar (this is important to me )
6. The screen colours can be calibrated to your liking
Other things to consider
- The fingerprint sensor is pretty bad, but that could be just my fingers.
- The phone is really slippery compared to the Moto G. A case is highly recommended.
- Stamina mode - I havent tested if this has a positive effect on battery life, but i'm letting the placebo effect take place
- The microsd slot is nice for future proofing, although given that I had a 8GB moto g, and the Z5C comes with 32GB, Im not going to need a microsd in the near future.
- Water proofing
- Of the 32GB, about 10GB is taken up by the android system, and thus we cannot use for our own stuff
- I found the volume button placement on the Z5C wierd until I got used to it in less than a week. Unless you actively need access to it all the time, its not annoying
- I find that everything on screen is too large for my liking, so I have my DPI set to 280, the same as what I had on my Moto G
In response to some of the things said above:
- Bluetooth works fine for me. It has never lost connection to my Microsoft Band when I needed them to be connected
- I've used my Z5C with 3 different usb cables, none of them have a problem.
- Camera does launch slow if Photo Analyser Service is not disabled. The camera launches quite fast now (but admittedly not as fast as say an iPhone 6s)
- The GPS locks quicker than the Moto G, and has yet to be inaccurate for me.
I am really looking forward to Marshmallow
I hope that answers your questions. Sorry for long response lol
I have both nexus 6p and z5 compact. Previously had nexus 6.
I went for the z5c as it had wifi calling, and is a pretty small but powerful phone.
Notables, z5c is under-clocked, could be because heat dissipation on small device yielded unsatisfactory result, could be another one of those battery optimisation things.
It also seems to be on a conservative or power save profile, making it slow to start, but if you launch a game it gets into gear.
It was stuttering even with the OTAs of which i had received two, just a few days ago, even with factory resets it did not go away.
I used the sony PC companion to do a full firmware flash, not an incremental OTA and it became pretty smooth and slick to use again with all 0.5 speed animations and about 20 apps installed. I also disabled all of the original media apps and extra Sony stuff and use my own, poweramp and mxplayer is all i really need.
Pretty good experience to use now. Too bad about it using some sort of powersave profile even with stamina disabled. Good thing i have an nexus 6p to play with too.
you5urf said:
I used the sony PC companion to do a full firmware flash, not an incremental OTA and it became pretty smooth and slick to use again with all 0.5 speed animations and about 20 apps installed. I also disabled all of the original media apps and extra Sony stuff and use my own, poweramp and mxplayer is all i really need.
Pretty good experience to use now. Too bad about it using some sort of powersave profile even with stamina disabled. Good thing i have an nexus 6p to play with too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you know how to disable throw?
Coming from the N5:
Disadvantages:
- Much less free RAM (N5X also has this issue, I think it's related to Android 64 bits).
- Much lower photo quality
Advantages:
- 200% or much more battery life.
- overall quality
- vídeo quality
Sent from my E5823
I am coming from the HTC One M7 which can be considered an old phone now I guess.
Good:
-Battery life finally gets me over the day and sometimes into the second.
-Better camera, but by far not great.
-Better display brightness
Bad:
-Sonys Android design looks like a toy. It lacks the beautiful HTC Sense look and features.
-Even with the latest firmware and fresh format its doesnt feel any fast than the old HTC One. Sense had a nicer flow overall.
-In general, switching between apps is not faster, once in the app, the processor surely shows its power. Antutu gave me 31k on HTC One and 62k on Z5C, so technically twice as fast.
-Having the phone in the front pockets of your jeans just looks stupid with the hard edges. The HTC one with its beautiful round design was basically invisible in your pocket.
The HTC One was far from perfect and had its issues, but my heart is still with that phone and I dont beleive I am gonna buy another Sony phone. I wanted a small powerful phone, but its not easy to like this phone I am afraid.
eivissa said:
I am coming from the HTC One M7 which can be considered an old phone now I guess.
Good:
-Battery life finally gets me over the day and sometimes into the second.
-Better camera, but by far not great.
-Better display brightness
Bad:
-Sonys Android design looks like a toy. It lacks the beautiful HTC Sense look and features.
-Even with the latest firmware and fresh format its doesnt feel any fast than the old HTC One. Sense had a nicer flow overall.
-In general, switching between apps is not faster, once in the app, the processor surely shows its power. Antutu gave me 31k on HTC One and 62k on Z5C, so technically twice as fast.
-Having the phone in the front pockets of your jeans just looks stupid with the hard edges. The HTC one with its beautiful round design was basically invisible in your pocket.
The HTC One was far from perfect and had its issues, but my heart is still with that phone and I dont beleive I am gonna buy another Sony phone. I wanted a small powerful phone, but its not easy to like this phone I am afraid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm also coming from a HTC ONE M7 and I'm feeling exactly as you. I have had the phone for 5 days now and I'm seriously considering to sell it and keep using my M7 since I'm seeing the same things than you see.
I have great expectations for this phone but now that I have it, I'm a little bit disappointed...I don't know if it's cause I'm so use to my old phone or cause my old phone is sooo good that I don't see anything new or improved on the z5c...maybe expect for the waterproofing things.
I'll give it another week to see If I can fall in love with it...maybe when the custom roms start showing up I'll start to see the advantages of changing.
I've been used some HTC and got a Z1c and S6. Guys plz give sometime to this phone, my S6 also took a couple of months to improve before got satisfy result. I believe Android 6.0 will give a new life to this phone.
I've only experienced Apple's devices so I came over from an iPhone 3G, iPhone 4S and then an iPhone 6S. I absolutely LOVE this sucker. And I must have gotten very lucky because I haven't seen any of the issues that others have.
Pros:
1. Fascinated by the Android OS. There's just so much you can do with it! So much more freeing than Apple's IOS. They both have a few positive and negative quirks, but I'm not really missing IOS that much. I did miss the Safari left/right swipe browser initially, but found out about the Rbrowser app with built in ad-block and the swipe feature, and couldn't be happier.
2. The device is quick. Compared to my iPhone devices haven't experienced nearly as much lag even under load.
3. I love the camera and video. Takes far better pictures and video than any camera I've ever used before, and with the latest update, the menu selection is so easy to use. I think the side button to open the camera app is a genius. I also never experienced the blur issue that a lot of others complained about.
4. The size and look of the device totally compliments me. I find modern phones like the Galaxy S6 and the iPhone 6S way too big and clunky. This device is exactly the right size. Slightly larger than my old 4S, but still comfortable to hold, and type one handed with. I also absolutely love the sharp right angles on the phone. I dig the thickness of the Compact, and I love the bright punky yellow of the case color I selected.
5. The fingerprint scanner is so fun to use. I had one on the 6S that worked maybe slightly better, but that's only because there was more surface area to press, but still having a fingerprint reader makes me feel like a spy a bit.
6. I haven't had any issues with the heat of the phone. It gets warm, but after a month of use, I've never experienced it getting warmer than the 4S or the 6S even while playing graphic intensive games, using the GPS, or recording video. It never gets warm while browsing websites, or doing day to day smartphone things.
7. The device did have a little bit of bloatware, but then, so did Apple's devices. Removing/disabling the bloat was easy to do.
8. So far no unexpected surprises. The alarm works. the phone rings and vibrates as it ought. The apps all open fine. I get all my expected alerts and then some. Messaging works fine. The screen is bright and easy to read and watch. I love the little FM radio app (though I don't use it too much). Haven't had any issues with the GPS. Everything does what it's supposed to do.
Negatives:
1. Coming from devices with only one bottom speaker, I thought that having two front facing stereo speakers would make this device monster loud....it isn't. In fact, it's slightly quieter than the 6S (though louder than the 4S). That said, I do love the stereo effect, and I think having so many audio controls is awesome. I just wish the device was a bit louder. Hopefully when the device becomes rootable I can find a fix for that.
2. The boot up time on this device is pretty slow. From powered off, the 6S starts up in a matter of a couple seconds. It takes like half a minute or longer for the Z5 to start up. Course, this isn't much of an issue most of the time since the device doesn't usually need to be powered off or restarted.
3. The iPhone 6S 3D touch is pretty amazing, and I can see them doing some cool things with it over time. There was nothing about it that was super amazing while I had it. No apps to really take too much of an advantage of it yet, but I can see that it'll be awesome to have some time down the road.
4. The voicemail was a bit odd to set up. I'm used to Apple's easy voicemail integration that just works out of the box. For this device I had to download and setup a "visual voicemail" system that I'm not used to, and that I found a bit annoying.
My first Android phone was a Sony xperia mini. Was worse than Motorola Milestone (gsm droid) that replaced it. I since moved onto Samsung original Galaxy S and then Galaxy Nexus. Then the original Moto X dev edition which is the same size as this Z5C. I love the form factor. Ever since the Nexus 6 which I have one of those, Moto is obsessed with phone size. The Nexus 6 was named Shamu for a reason. I am hoping the just under 5" phones are not s dying breed because this device is the perfect size for me. I also like the subtle tweaks Sony does with their ROM compared to vanilla stock. Its also a fast device and I like the build quality compared to the Samsung devices I have owned. Those are my thoughts anyway.
So for context, my first smartphone was the LG optimus g pro. And my next phone was the lg g3 followed by the OP3 2 years later. I used LG phones for 4 years before a brief oneplus 3 interlude. I now use the LG G6 as my daily driver and my op3 as my work phone/backup phone and I constantly use custom roms on there.
I decided to get the korean version of this phone largely just because I wanted the quad dac and the 64gb of storage. I am a bit of an audiophile and am willing to live without wireless charging if I got the dac. Here are some of my thoughts on the LG G6 after having used it for a few days now. I will be comparing it to the G3 and the OP3 in this post to give some perspective if any of you are familiar with those devices. I will just talk about the aspects of the device that I actually use or encounter the most. As I've realized what I care about in a phone is its utility. I don't mind a weaker processor if the phone is generally more useful or accessible for whatever reason.
Quick note about performance and the camera- benchmarks aside it runs like an SD821 phone. as you would expect very well. I am still taking test photos for the camera no opinion yet.
Ergonomics and General Use Features
-This is the first thing I want to talk about is just how this thing feels in the hand. The thing feels really comfortable it's just the right width and is somewhat usable with one hand. It does feel really premium as well. Compared to the OP3, the G6 is less wide and it feels comparably better than the OP3. Honestly I never really had complaints about how the OP3 felt in the hand but it is thinner and wider than the G6 but I actually prefer the slightly fatter and less wide profile of the g6. The OP3 can feel a bit like it's digging into your hand when you grip it.
-Related to that is the placement of the fingerprint sensor, which I have some gripes about. I much prefer fingerprint sensors on the front of phones. If I want to unlock my G6 when it is sitting on the desk, I have to lift it up or use my pin/pattern lock like a chump. Not my favorite. The fingerprint sensor is also slower than the OP3, but the G6's scanner is by no means slow. It's just not as fast.
-The other issue is the placement of the headphone jack. Why in god's name would they put that **** at the top? I mean I know that isn't as wacky as the fingerprint sensor placement on the s8 but still not great. The problem is that when I put the phone in my pocket, I have to put it camera side up in there. When I go to take the phone out of my pocket I inevitable have to be careful about not touching the camera, which is annoying. With the OP3 I would just be able to grab the thing out of my pocket really quickly. I am really trying to take good care of the camera lens because it is only gorilla glass 3 like my old G3.
The Screen and Quick Battery Notes
-I have a lot of opinions about this one. Everyone on youtube and other places gives LG so much **** for having phones with IPS LCD displays but I honestly don't know why. All those samsung fanboys go on at length about how the AMOLED is so much better despite not having seen the G6's screen in person. Compared to the OP3, which is AMOLED mind you, the G6's screen is essentially as good. I mean sure it's not as colorful as the OP3's screen, but the second I picked up the G6 it was barely noticeable. Also you have to remember with IPS LCD you get much better color accuracy, which is kind of a plus in its own way. Either way, it's really a non issue. Compared to the IPS LCD of the G3, the G6 is in a whole league of its own.
-The aspect ratio is interesting. The android ecosystem doesn't fully support it yet, but they will given samsung and LG's move to 18:9. It does make certain movies with the right aspect ratio quite enjoyable to watch on the screen. It's a very cinematic view on screen, which is nice. You guys are probably aware of the way that some of LG's apps play with the ratio a bit and they are largely successful with it.
-The always on display. GREAT. It's as good as the ambient display on the OP3 with a bit more utility. I like that it stays on and that it will flash the icon of an incoming notification. The battery drain is pretty minimal so that's nice.
-As for the screen on time and the battery life, they are good on the G6. I get 4.5 hours of screen on time with my normal use, which is more than I get on the OP3 which is usually 3.5 hours at most unless I get fancy with the custom kernels and stuff. The battery definitely lasts the whole day and the audio doesn't drain it too much.
The DAC
So the DAC. It's everything I hoped it would be and more. Honestly I get very dubious about audio enhancements and stuff like that. I had an HP laptop once that had "beats audio" on it and it was frankly terrible. With this though, when I turn the DAC on, I honestly do feel like it's contributing real quality to the sound I'm listening to. It's not just some cheap bass equalizer setting. And it speaks for itself when it successfully drives high impedance headphones without breaking a sweat. They also give you precise volume controls, which is the best feature ever. I don't know why I ever lived without it. Overall, the DAC is really great and makes the audio coming out of a pair of headphones truly incredible. Hats off to LG. They knocked the media experience out of the park. And the best part, having the DAC on doesn't even drain your battery by much, I leave it on throughout the day. The OP3 is only okay and the G3 audio is horrid compared to what you get from the G6.
Network Connectivity (WIFI and LTE)
-I have the Korean version (G600S), which is GSM only to my knowledge. I have successfully gotten LTE with my ATT and T-mobile sim cards, so it will work in the US no problem. It might say 3G at first with ATT, just let it sit, after the carrier database updates you will eventually get LTE, just be patient. With T-mobile I got LTE from the get go as soon as the sim was in. I will put a screen shot of my ATT lte screen shot below.
-The wifi connectivity is good. Better than the OP3, which has terrible wifi performance sometimes, and WAY WAY WAY better than the G3 thank god. The G3 having poor wifi connectivity was the bane of my existence for 2 years and I am so glad that is over.
Final Thoughts
LG has come a long way, and they've delivered something so good that I don't actually really care about what else is out there. The G3, while cutting edge for the time, suffered hardware issues and strange software choices that left me wanting more. The OP3 while very cool at a great price lacks the DAC and the dual cameras, which really is what sets the G6 apart.
I was using the S8 (USA Sprint version) from late May until about 2 days ago and I've also been in Spain since late May for work. Unfortunately I broke the **** out of my S8 (it scratches, cracks, and or breaks extremely easily without a case) and while I have the Samsung insurance, they don't ship outside of the USA apparently.
Since i'd be in be in Europe for a few more weeks, I decided to pick up the G6 since it was way cheaper than the S8 (at least in Barcelona). I was surprised to see how much more I liked this phone than the S8, I would have never seen myself as getting a LG phone but it was the only other phone with a high display ratio like the S8.. and after I used the high display ratio on the S8 I just couldn't go back (even temporarily).
Anyway, let's talk about the good stuff.
-Display/Design: I like the S8's design a little better (narrower and easily to hold, curved screen looks cooler). LG Display is still great though. As for the design, the metal sides on the G6 feel much better. I also like how the fingerprint scanner is placed on the G6 but moreso how it's also a power button. I don't like how the G6 has the headphone jack on the top, though, but I'm glad it's at least there.
-Software: The S8 was so slow. Even going through Package Disabler and disabling a good amount of the bloatware (and using Nova Launcher Prime) the thing lagged way too much. This drove me nuts. I tried optimizing it as best I could. I got it a little better, but still nowhere near as fluid as I thought such an expensive flagship would be. On the G6 the software is so much quicker. There's much less added bloatware (don't get me wrong, some of the bloatware on the S8 is actually really nice) and everything is much more fluid. It's extremely close to stock Android. On the S8 you click the home button and there's sometimes a delay; I haven't really noticed this with the G6.
-Camera: I took some jaw dropping photos with my S8 -- haven't had much time to try the G6's yet but hopefully it's as good. G6 has dual cameras and wide angle options on the front and back, so there's that.
-Battery: Too early for me to make a judgement on this but I wasn't really happy with the battery I was getting on the S8 (with optimizations). Fast charge is nice and on both.
-SideSync: SideSync is a Samsung only feature that lets you control AND mirror your entire Android device and get all of its notifications on the PC. I was blown the **** away at how well Samsung developed this (it wasn't half assed like some Samsung stuff is). It worked very well connected via both Wifi and USB. It actually saved my life when my LCD died by enabling me to use every aspect of my phone.
-Iris Scanner: It worked really well, but its not practical. You have to hold the phone up and angle it a certain way EVERY TIME you try to unlock using it. It's stupid.
-Fingerprint Scanner: Both devices have really good ones. I think the G6's is slightly better but I could just be perceiving this because it's easier to put your finger on and its bigger).
-Heartbeat sensor: S8 has one, works pretty well (not sure about accuracy but seems accurate). Can't say I really used it much.
My deciding factor on why I prefer the G6 is the software. There's a lot of negative attention on the fingerprint scanner but not so much on how slow the software was. I expect a flagship to have minimal stutter and be pretty fluid. The S8 was a huge disappointment when it came to that despite the several optimizations I made. The S8 has a killer design, great hardware, and some great features (like SideSync), but the software lag is a deal breaker.
Note: I was using a US variant of the S8 with the ****tier processor, but personally I don't believe that the processor difference would be big enough to make it as slow as it was.
Since 2015 when I had purchased the amazing LG G4 where I didn't like the Galaxy S6 (no more Samsung for me) I had strong belief that LG is superior to Samsung in some ways! From these 2 years to present, LG is slowly gaining popularity and momentum due to better UI (LG UI is best imo and also better than boring and simple stock Android) in 2016 LG G5 was really underrated that it defeated flat Galaxy S7 in most aspects where as the LG V20 was better than the Galaxy S7 Edge as well as Galaxy Note 7! Now the more surprising thing is how can a really powerful device running on latest SD 835 with Samsung's software TouchWiz isn't smooth as any LG ! LG G6 with slightly older SD 821 is seriously very well optimised with LG UX 6.0 very smooth and fast just like the One Plus 3T or the Google Pixel. Hats of to LG for the LG G6 for amazing cameras, all round proper optimizations including fantastic battery life lasting whole day etc. Imagine another LG device like the upcoming LG V30 running on SD 835 with LG UX 6.0 and also similar or better than the G6's camera sensor (something better than IMX 258 but LG G6's camera optimization is superior with this sensor and oh that wide angle is crazy) would be the ultimate beast which can be a favorite for years! Galaxy Note 8 would be really boring. LG can do a lot better in sales if all variants of the LG G6 can be bootloader unlocked where as only single SIM international version can be rooted and will have more community support.
Two coworkers of mine got their S8+ a little over a week after I got my G6. One of them just had to get a replacement due to pixels being green all the time even when the screen is off and her boyfriend is having green screen burn in issues.
My G6 has been dropped (Yes I have a case and Tempered Glass Screen Protector) multiple times and it's having no issues at all.
This is how the pixel and pixel XL should have been designed.
This phone is the best device of 2017 only ones that have a chance to beat it are the next Pixels and the OnePlus 5.
Ali Mirza said:
Since 2015 when I had purchased the amazing LG G4 where I didn't like the Galaxy S6 (no more Samsung for me) I had strong belief that LG is superior to Samsung in some ways! From these 2 years to present, LG is slowly gaining popularity and momentum due to better UI (LG UI is best imo and also better than boring and simple stock Android) in 2016 LG G5 was really underrated that it defeated flat Galaxy S7 in most aspects where as the LG V20 was better than the Galaxy S7 Edge as well as Galaxy Note 7! Now the more surprising thing is how can a really powerful device running on latest SD 835 with Samsung's software TouchWiz isn't smooth as any LG ! LG G6 with slightly older SD 821 is seriously very well optimised with LG UX 6.0 very smooth and fast just like the One Plus 3T or the Google Pixel. Hats of to LG for the LG G6 for amazing cameras, all round proper optimizations including fantastic battery life lasting whole day etc. Imagine another LG device like the upcoming LG V30 running on SD 835 with LG UX 6.0 and also similar or better than the G6's camera sensor (something better than IMX 258 but LG G6's camera optimization is superior with this sensor and oh that wide angle is crazy) would be the ultimate beast which can be a favorite for years! Galaxy Note 8 would be really boring. LG can do a lot better in sales if all variants of the LG G6 can be bootloader unlocked where as only single SIM international version can be rooted and will have more community support.
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It seems to me like the Note 8 is just going to be an S8 with a few upgrades along with the pen and the bloatware thay comes with it. It's disappointing. Samsung did an excellent job with the hardware and design though. I wish they could just make a real international phone compatible with all networks (my European G6 probably won't work on Sprint which wasn't a problem until I realized I want to stay with it). Though I think it's not psosviel.
StonerSteve420 said:
Two coworkers of mine got their S8+ a little over a week after I got my G6. One of them just had to get a replacement due to pixels being green all the time even when the screen is off and her boyfriend is having green screen burn in issues.
My G6 has been dropped (Yes I have a case and Tempered Glass Screen Protector) multiple times and it's having no issues at all.
This is how the pixel and pixel XL should have been designed.
This phone is the best device of 2017 only ones that have a chance to beat it are the next Pixels and the OnePlus 5.
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I read a lot about the production issues but I personally didn't have any manufacturing defects on mine. The phone was just extremely fragile and I disliked every case I tried so I went caseless. Maybe one day we will have phones that are well designed and also durable.
Great write up OP. Samsung did a great job about marketing the hell out of the Infiniti display. And I think most people are seduced by it's display
For me, I didn't want the gimmicky curved screen and wanted a phone that was buttery smooth and didn't lag. After playing with both at the store I went with the LG G6 and couldn't be happier.
Sent from my LG-H871 using Tapatalk
There should be more comparison like this. Samsung UI (whatever they call it - Experience or TouchWiz) is lagging regardless the launcher, how strong the CPU is (of course, things get bettet with the stronger CPU).
Samsung should spend some of advertising money on optimizing their UI. I did get frustrated when my S6 Active and S7 Active lagging while surfing on Chrome....
Sent from my MI 6 using Tapatalk
ted presley said:
There should be more comparison like this. Samsung UI (whatever they call it - Experience or TouchWiz) is lagging regardless the launcher, how strong the CPU is (of course, things get bettet with the stronger CPU).
Samsung should spend some of advertising money on optimizing their UI. I did get frustrated when my S6 Active and S7 Active lagging while surfing on Chrome....
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Yes exactly. It wasn't just the TouchWiz launcher as I was using Nova Launcher Prime. There are definitely some serious underlying issues with the software.
HanMan5000 said:
It seems to me like the Note 8 is just going to be an S8 with a few upgrades along with the pen and the bloatware thay comes with it. It's disappointing. Samsung did an excellent job with the hardware and design though. I wish they could just make a real international phone compatible with all networks (my European G6 probably won't work on Sprint which wasn't a problem until I realized I want to stay with it). Though I think it's not psosviel.
I read a lot about the production issues but I personally didn't have any manufacturing defects on mine. The phone was just extremely fragile and I disliked every case I tried so I went caseless. Maybe one day we will have phones that are well designed and also durable.
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Spigen ultra slim hybrid hard case is brilliant, check it out.
Sent from my LG-H870 using Tapatalk
S8 is bleeding edge, G6 is cutting edge.
After years with Samsung (Nexus, S4, S5), I waited for Samsung to get back on course for my needs (primarily expandable storage) so I held on to my S5 for as long as I could. This year though, it was time to move on so I explored the S8. The curved screen design did nothing for me, my hands-on experience with it at stores was meh, and the in-depth and real-user reviews gave me some doubts. And the lack of a proper case with included screen cover (i.e. Otterbox Defender) was the proverbial nail on the coffin.
Adding to the comments on a few of the features of the LG G6:
Design/Software I liked the LG G4 when it came out but didn't need a new phone at the time, so I jumped at the chance to get the G6 (US997 unlocked) and I can say I am extremely happy with the phone so far. Still getting used to the way LG does its software thing, but no deal-breakers so far. I am not jumping into customizing it right away, not until I get used to it or annoyed by it, lol. The phone's physical design is extremely comfortable on the hand, even with a case. It fits nicely in the hand and one-handed use is still possible despite the increased screen real estate.
Fingerprint Scanner The scanner works extremely well, at least compared to the slide-your-finger design of the S5 and lot of laptops. I just have to get used to not pressing down on the button. More than once I've unlocked/locked my phone in one fell swoop. The position of the scanner is certainly better on the G6 than the S8, particularly if you use the phone with your left hand. I do wonder if Samsung designers didn't consider left-hand usage.
Camera: I've had excellent results with the G6 camera though I can see what people refer to when they say the camera tends to overprocess the images. The wide-angle lens has come in handy multiple times. The fact you can shoot raw with this phone is something I can't wait to explore as I know it will address the overprocessing issues. Others have recommended using alternative camera apps, so that might be another option.
Battery This is of course anecdotal, but battery life has been excellent so far, lasting all day for my use. It's nice to get home with over 50% of battery life, even with the always on display enabled, various messengers firing off all day, calling, and streaming/playing music from my phone.
SideSync OMG, not having SideSync (or its equivalent) is the one thing I am absolutely struggling with. I use it at work to manage my phone, monitoring alerts, and streaming music from my 128 GB card without having to keep the phone unlocked all the time or wiring up the phone to my computer to control audio. SideSync was a seamless integration of the phone into my computer, just one more app on my screen that I could fully control. All LG tools I've tried are pretty much a joke compared to SideSync.
I have both a LG G6 (quad-DAC version) and a S8+ (Exynos). Got the G6 first and the S8 a couple of days ago. I have had both variants of the G6, with and without DAC and they don't differ in feel or performance. My main findings are these:
Fingerprint scanner: The LG one blows the Sammy out of the water. Not only because of the placement but for function and accuracy too. The obvious flaw with the Sammy is the placement. But that coupled with that you have to place your finger correctly on it instantly does not help. On the LG you can slide your finger over it and when you stop, the scanner reads your finger. The Samsung can not do this. You have to put your finger on it without swiping upon it. It sucks. End of story. It's to narrow too.
Camera: Both phones overprocesses images. Specially sharpness and noise reduction. However S8 has the much cleaner images image quality wise as it has a better sensor than the LG. However the wide angle on the LG is super fun and no other brand has it so it's a big plus for the LG. Photos in the dark specifically looks much better on the S8. In daylight it's pretty much even. LG camera software lags a lot from time to time though. It can sometimes take up to 5 seconds to start the camera and up to 2 seconds shutter delay. Not OK at all. Have not experienced this on the S8.
Software: The S8 is much smoother in scrolling but LG is quicker and has much less lag overall (camera is the exception). But I do get a much smoother experience on the S8 which quite frankly surprised me a lot. The G6 stutters a lot compared to the S8. S8 is stuffed with functions, too much if you ask me but a lot of it is also fun. However I don't miss any of it on the G6. I do miss the pull down notification button in navbar from the G6.
Battery: A little too early for me to tell. But G6 seems to have the better battery life when using full brightness out in broad daylight on mobile data. However inside on WiFi on lower brightness the S8 most likely wins fairly easily.
Display: No secret here that the screen in the S8 is a winner. However whites are a little more white on the G6 and has more "punch" to it. But blacks obviously suffer instead. But it has good blacks for being an LCD. Both screens are very good but S8 has the advantage. G6 screen is sharper because of RGB-matris and not pentile like the Sammy. Even at the same screen size the LG would be sharper.
dannejanne said:
I have both a LG G6 (quad-DAC version) and a S8+ (Exynos). Got the G6 first and the S8 a couple of days ago. I have had both variants of the G6, with and without DAC and they don't differ in feel or performance. My main findings are these:
Fingerprint scanner: The LG one blows the Sammy out of the water. Not only because of the placement but for function and accuracy too. The obvious flaw with the Sammy is the placement. But that coupled with that you have to place your finger correctly on it instantly does not help. On the LG you can slide your finger over it and when you stop, the scanner reads your finger. The Samsung can not do this. You have to put your finger on it without swiping upon it. It sucks. End of story. It's to narrow too.
Camera: Both phones overprocesses images. Specially sharpness and noise reduction. However S8 has the much cleaner images image quality wise as it has a better sensor than the LG. However the wide angle on the LG is super fun and no other brand has it so it's a big plus for the LG. Photos in the dark specifically looks much better on the S8. In daylight it's pretty much even. LG camera software lags a lot from time to time though. It can sometimes take up to 5 seconds to start the camera and up to 2 seconds shutter delay. Not OK at all. Have not experienced this on the S8.
Software: The S8 is much smoother in scrolling but LG is quicker and has much less lag overall (camera is the exception). But I do get a much smoother experience on the S8 which quite frankly surprised me a lot. The G6 stutters a lot compared to the S8. S8 is stuffed with functions, too much if you ask me but a lot of it is also fun. However I don't miss any of it on the G6. I do miss the pull down notification button in navbar from the G6.
Battery: A little too early for me to tell. But G6 seems to have the better battery life when using full brightness out in broad daylight on mobile data. However inside on WiFi on lower brightness the S8 most likely wins fairly easily.
Display: No secret here that the screen in the S8 is a winner. However whites are a little more white on the G6 and has more "punch" to it. But blacks obviously suffer instead. But it has good blacks for being an LCD. Both screens are very good but S8 has the advantage. G6 screen is sharper because of RGB-matris and not pentile like the Sammy. Even at the same screen size the LG would be sharper.
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I just traded my G6 for an S8 (T-mobile JOD), and I pretty much agree with everything you said, except that for me, the G6 was all around a smoother software experience. I COMPLETELY agree about the issues with LG's camera app launching too slowly. That was probably my biggest pet peeve about the device.
I'm happy with my s8, just as I was happy with my G6. Both are great devices.
mhill1986 said:
I just traded my G6 for an S8 (T-mobile JOD), and I pretty much agree with everything you said, except that for me, the G6 was all around a smoother software experience. I COMPLETELY agree about the issues with LG's camera app launching too slowly. That was probably my biggest pet peeve about the device.
I'm happy with my s8, just as I was happy with my G6. Both are great devices.
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Just out of curiosity did you have the Exynos version or Snapdragon? The S8+ really has much smoother scrolling for me while it's slower overall. The G6 stutters a lot for me and I mean a lot.
dannejanne said:
Just out of curiosity did you have the Exynos version or Snapdragon? The S8+ really has much smoother scrolling for me while it's slower overall. The G6 stutters a lot for me and I mean a lot.
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Snapdragon. It isn't because my S8 is bad with stuttering, though (except with animations returning to the home screen). It's just that my G6 didn't stutter much at all with scrolling and had more fluid animations in general.
The strange thing to me is that low end devices offer such a similar experience with regard to smoothness. I was trying out a Nokia 6 the other day and thinking, why am I paying so much for these high-end devices. Okay, screen and camera, but it seems like these things should offer an (almost) perfectly smooth user experience.
mhill1986 said:
Snapdragon. It isn't because my S8 is bad with stuttering, though (except with animations returning to the home screen). It's just that my G6 didn't stutter much at all with scrolling and had more fluid animations in general.
The strange thing to me is that low end devices offer such a similar experience with regard to smoothness. I was trying out a Nokia 6 the other day and thinking, why am I paying so much for these high-end devices. Okay, screen and camera, but it seems like these things should offer an (almost) perfectly smooth user experience.
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I have the Exynos version. There might be differences. GSMArena mentions fairly big performance difference between the Exynos and Snapdragon version in favor of the Exynos. But yes, returning to homescreen often stutters.
I know what you mean. I've had a Lenovo P2 for €30 and its smoothness beats the crap out of both phones. Horrible camera though. But Nexus smooth for the most part.
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
I bought a G6 coming from a Note 5, first Samsung phone I have owned since the original Galaxy S.
I won't be going back to Samsung anytime soon, the bloat, the lag and the random battery drain 'features' of touchwiz have really soured me. Which is a shame, as build quality and features wise I think Samsung are producing the best Android phones on the market, sadly the software completely destroys the experience.
dannejanne said:
I have both a LG G6 (quad-DAC version) and a S8+ (Exynos). Got the G6 first and the S8 a couple of days ago. I have had both variants of the G6, with and without DAC and they don't differ in feel or performance. My main findings are these:
Fingerprint scanner: The LG one blows the Sammy out of the water. Not only because of the placement but for function and accuracy too. The obvious flaw with the Sammy is the placement. But that coupled with that you have to place your finger correctly on it instantly does not help. On the LG you can slide your finger over it and when you stop, the scanner reads your finger. The Samsung can not do this. You have to put your finger on it without swiping upon it. It sucks. End of story. It's to narrow too.
Camera: Both phones overprocesses images. Specially sharpness and noise reduction. However S8 has the much cleaner images image quality wise as it has a better sensor than the LG. However the wide angle on the LG is super fun and no other brand has it so it's a big plus for the LG. Photos in the dark specifically looks much better on the S8. In daylight it's pretty much even. LG camera software lags a lot from time to time though. It can sometimes take up to 5 seconds to start the camera and up to 2 seconds shutter delay. Not OK at all. Have not experienced this on the S8.
Software: The S8 is much smoother in scrolling but LG is quicker and has much less lag overall (camera is the exception). But I do get a much smoother experience on the S8 which quite frankly surprised me a lot. The G6 stutters a lot compared to the S8. S8 is stuffed with functions, too much if you ask me but a lot of it is also fun. However I don't miss any of it on the G6. I do miss the pull down notification button in navbar from the G6.
Battery: A little too early for me to tell. But G6 seems to have the better battery life when using full brightness out in broad daylight on mobile data. However inside on WiFi on lower brightness the S8 most likely wins fairly easily.
Display: No secret here that the screen in the S8 is a winner. However whites are a little more white on the G6 and has more "punch" to it. But blacks obviously suffer instead. But it has good blacks for being an LCD. Both screens are very good but S8 has the advantage. G6 screen is sharper because of RGB-matris and not pentile like the Sammy. Even at the same screen size the LG would be sharper.
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You should try a factory reset on the G6. It can greatly reduce the scrolling lag , as it did för me.
There is a topic about here somewhere...
_jonte said:
You should try a factory reset on the G6. It can greatly reduce the scrolling lag , as it did för me.
There is a topic about here somewhere...
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I did. Did not help. It's just badly optimized.
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dannejanne said:
I did. Did not help. It's just badly optimized.
Skickat från min iPhone med Tapatalk
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Yeah, still far from perfect.. But my phone was very laggy at first, and it it did help.
How would you compare it to the S8+?
dannejanne said:
I did. Did not help. It's just badly optimized.
Skickat från min iPhone med Tapatalk
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Whoops, didn't realize it was you I replied to... :silly: