LG has just released it’s third successor to the LG Optimus G and there’s no denying that the smartphone has come a long way. Every top smartphone manufacturer has now started to take their own routes with build design, hardware features and software and the LG G4 has never been so far from the crowd.

There are plenty of unique features that make the LG G4 great, but there are also some additions that smartphone users will feel a familiarity with. In this review we delve into what makes the LG G4 tick.

Build Quality

Whilst the LG G4 does come in plastic, LG has put a lot of emphasis into the genuine leather-backed variant. This version of the LG G4 feels very high end thanks to the leather material and whilst it takes a lot of design cues from the G3 there are subtle changes that make the device even better than it’s predecessor. There’s definitely a slightly more definitive curve to the LG G4 and the leather on the smartphone is the most high quality leather option we’ve seen on any mobile thus far.

Thankfully the back cover of the LG G4 is removable. Not only does this give you the opportunity to swap out your back cover for another style, but it also gives you easier access to the SIM card slot but more importantly it allows LG to include a removable battery. The LG G4 also comes with a microSD card slot.

Display

Despite being such a high resolution, there’s something about the LG G4’s display that feels a little … off. It’s colors look a little overblown when compared to the hyper color-accurate Galaxy S6. If you need help to unlock your LG G4 just visit here!

With that being said, the LG G4’s display is still quite nice - it weighs in at 5.5 inches and it’s resolution is 1440 x 2560. The brightness on the LG G4 is superb, but once again, it could never match the color temperature on the S6. That’s what LG gets for experimenting with the IPS Quantum display they’ve used on the LG G4, as opposed to the Super AMOLED display on the Galaxy S6.


Software and UI

Here’s another area where LG keeps differentiating itself. Despite not taking a huge design overhaul, the LG UX 4.0 interface feels like a perfect blend of functionality and appearance. The neat, minimalistic design that debuted on the LG G3 is back on the G4 and many of the great LG features such as Knock Code and QSlide are back. You can unlock now your LG G3 just read the details here!

The Smart Notices features is quite interesting - with this, you’ll be given various notifications that your smartphone will recognize as being useful to you.

As you use your smartphone more often, these notices will be come more in tune with what your daily life entails. Besides from Smart Notices, there isn’t really that much new about LG UX 4.0 but that’s perfectly okay.

Hardware

The LG G4 has more than enough to deal with most tasks on the Android operating system, but LG’s decision to opt for the Snapdragon 808 over the more powerful, but less reliable Snapdragon 810 has meant that the performance of the LG G4 just can’t quite compete with the Galaxy S6, especially when it comes to gaming and graphical processing.

The fact that the display on the LG G4 is so large and it’s resolution is so high just further cements the idea that the LG G4 is really not the best Android device for playing games in 2015, especially if you plan to use it to play 3D games.

Whilst gaming performance may not be the best, the 3GB of RAM and the hexa-core big.LITTLE CPU array give the LG G4 enough power to make using the operating system and most apps a smooth experience.

The LG G4 does come with 32GB of internal storage, which is more than enough for most users. Fortunately the G4 also has a microSD card slot for expandable storage, unlike most other 2015 flagships.

Camera

There’s no denying that the camera on the LG G4 produces some of the best, if not the best images a smartphone has ever shot. Thanks to the 16 megapixel 1/2.6” camera sensor, the huge f/1.8 aperture lens and the enhanced OIS optical stabilization, you’ll always be able to get clean, non-grainy shots in almost all lighting conditions.

Low light shots have always been a nightmare for smartphone users, but low light results for the LG G4 are surprisingly impressive. We’ve yet to see a smartphone camera that can perform as well as the LG G4’s can in low light.


Summary

The LG G4 has a wide range of features that make it an attractive buy for many smartphone users. Whilst it might not have the biggest, best specs on the market, it’s useful removable storage, removable battery and smooth LG UX make it useable and built for the long term.

It’s camera is also out of this world and deserves a lot of attention.

It would have been nice to see a better SoC setup for the LG G4, but this is the only area where the G4 really lacks.

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