LG G4 Review

While The S6 lineup is garnering all the attention in the market right now, there is yet another device that is working in the shadows. A device that caused all sorts of craze when it hit the market,and even today, it is ranked at par or even better than the other flagships in its segment. The phone I am talking about is none other than Samsung’s very own Derby rival, LG’s G4. The G4 is essentially a device that one would call flagship the moment he/she set their eyes on it. With premium build, butter smooth UI and top of the line features, this is one phone you really want to own, irrespective of the type of smartphone user you might be. So, without further ado, lets get straight into the device. But, before we get into the details, lets take a quick look at the key specifications of the LG G4 –

From the list above, one can easily see that when LG made this device, they weren’t kidding around. I would go as far as saying that if the phone had been marketed to the maximum and smartly, the world would have gone gaga over LG instead of its hometown rival. But thats in the past now, and all we can do is look into the innards of this device and determine whether or not it should be your top choice. So, lets get started –

Design –

When it comes to design , the LG G4 looks a lot like its ‘Experimental’ sibling, the G Flex 2. The only thing that differentiates the two is the leather back cover on the G4. However m when you compare it to its predecessor, the G3, thats where you can compare the changes. While the G3 had more of a svelte , rounded figure, the G4 has been made a lot more macho, with sharper edges and a narrower bend. The bezels have been reduced compared to the G3, while the display has been changed to a new ‘Quantum’ Display. While the company has a slightly complicated explanation for the Quantum tech, what you have to keep in mind is that, the new ‘Quantum’ Display will do everything in its power to amplify the display performance while remaining power efficient at the same time. Another thing you might want to consider is the fact that even though the display is a handful 5.5 inches, the overall chassis is quite slim to the point where you literally don’t realise that its there once you put the device in your pockets.As far as the durability is concerned, the phone lacks the IP certifications, which means the phone is neither water proof nor shatter proof. However, you still get the Gorilla Glass 3 protection which means you need not worry about scratches and minor collisions here and there. However, if you are one of those users who make sure that their phone remains in pristine order, you are better off buying the screen guard and cover for your device as well.Coming to the back of the device, we have two panel options in Plastic and Leather. Should you choose plastic, you get the option of choosing from three colour options – Ceramic White, Gold and Metallic Gray. While a few of you might feel that the era of plastic bodies is done, the G4 brings it back with a bang. The Quality of plastic is stellar, and to add to the bling factor, LG has designed subtle diamond patterns on the back which add to the looks and give you some grip on the device as well. Another bit of detail that the Korean Giant has put into their plastic panels is that the Ceramic White panel is actually coated with ceramic paint, giving it the authenticity it so deserves. However, if the plastic option is not to your liking, LG has given you the more exclusive alternative in Leather. More recently , we saw motorola pull off the leather gimmick on their Moto X with surprisingly successful results, but it was the G4 that really brings out the best in the genre. While the G3 lacked the leather option altogether, it doesn’t look like LG felt any difficulty at all in bringing it into the mix for the G4. While the other flagships go in for standard leather options, the G4 goes a step beyond. The Leather panels in the G4 are tanned in vegetable oils, which is widely considered as the more environmental way of doing it. What should also be noted is the fact that since Vegetable Oil tanning is a highly laborious process, it is only done in the most exclusive of cases, and G4 is one of them. To take it notch higher, LG has also gone forward and acquired the threads from some of the most exquisite sources in order to give the customers a truly authentic leather feel. So, if its the leather that interests you then you can choose from the following shades – Black, Brown and Red. However, I expect that more colours will follow.All in  all, the LG G4 has everything you would look for in a truly exclusive flagship phone. I would have liked the IP certifications , but it is something that is still in its rudimentary stages, so I guess we can overlook that small left out detail. So, if you are someone who is looking for a device that looks drop dead gorgeous, the G4 should be right there at the top of your wish list.

Display –

Mobile phone displays have come a long way since the dawn of the devices it self, and today, we are looking at smartphones donning the same resolution as high end TVs. When we talk about the resolution of flagship devices these days, its the QHD that takes the win as people want the maximum for the money they putting in. Of course, you could argue that Full HD (1080p) isn’t exactly extinct, but to be honest, if I was to choose between a flagship with 1080p resolution and a flagship with QHD resolution , I would choose the latter any time. The LG G4 is one of the latter. Armed with LG’s new ‘Quantum’ display and a stunning QHD resolution ( 1440 x 2560 pixels ), this is a device that will give you one of the most immersive viewing experiences of your life. Whats more, it even boasts a rich pixel density of 538 ppi. Now, for those who are new to the world of smartphones, the human eye saturates at around 300 ppi, which is aptly known as the retina ppi. Anything more than 300 ppi cannot be perceived directly by human eyes. However, if you really want to see the effects of such a pixel density, you can try zooming in on your images or webpages. Rest assured, you will find zero pixelation. Now that we have the basic outlook of the display package, lets go into LG’s trump card – The Quantum Display.LG’s new ‘Quantum’ display is something similar to the Triluminous display of Sony, quite obvious considering the fact that both of the companies re at loggerhead sin the TV business as well. The difference though is that while Sony was quick to release their Triluminous tech into their devices, LG took their time, and only when they were certain of hitting a home run, they made the swing. For the development of this Quantum display, LG turned to DCI ( Which normally works with the likes of professional TV studios ) to calibrate their displays. Turns out that the Display on the LG G4 achieved 98% of DCI’s coverage standards , which means you will get accurate colours with almost zero over saturation.The Quantum display also fixes two of the most niggling problems that were found in the display of the LG G3 – Lack of saturation and contrast. The colours are punchy ( but not oversaturated), while the viewing angles are near perfect. The brightness levels have been retained , but the new display is less reflective , which means you get some incredible sunlight legibility.Overall, LG has made sure that G4 users are well equipped with the best in the business when it comes to the display. While some of you might find the brightness settings  bit dimmer than expected, its not really a nagging problem as such. A few tweaks with the brightness bar should give you the results you desire. Other than that, the display is a big thumbs up.