LG G4 Review: A Competent, Capable Android Alternative
Camera and Battery Life
2015 may go down as the year where Android camera sensors finally began to match those found on Apple's iPhone line. For years, the iPhone has ruled the camera roost versus Android, mostly due to Apple's vertical supply chain that enables it to fine tune the sensor with iOS software elements.
LG's 16 megapixel shooter on the rear of the G4 has an incredible ability to step to f/1.8, which to those who aren't photographers, enables the phone to pull in more light than usual. This is quite useful indoors and in other areas of dim lighting. In our testing, the G4 was capable of capturing blur-free shots in very low lighting without the flash, which hasn't been possible with Android cameras in the past.
LG also has a robust manual settings menu, enabling photographers to set up shots using an array of settings that aren't typically made available on a phone. It's easy to use in Auto mode for those who aren't interested, but at least it's there for those who want to dive in. The G4's camera is on par with Samsung's GS6, which is to say that either phone's camera will impress in a way that Android phones have not in the past. Colors are sharp and photos are taken instantly, but we can't help but wish that there were a dedicated camera launch and/or shutter button along the edge. Tapping on a phone's screen to capture a photo isn't always convenient. However, the G4's rear mounted down volume button, when double-tapped quickly will wake the phone up take a snap all in one fell swoop, which is a nice feature add to be sure.
At any rate, we've compiled a gallery of unedited G4 photos for your perusal.
Unedited photos from LG's G4 (click any to enlarge)
On the battery front, the G4 is a champion. For starters, the 3000mAh battery is far larger than anything it competes with. The One M9, iPhone 6 Plus, and GS6 all have batteries around 10 to 20% less capacious, and to boot, the G4's battery is removable and replaceable.
The test below is our standard browser loop test, which keeps the screen on at 50% brightness and reloads a web page every few minutes until the battery conks out. Not surprisingly, it rivaled the Galaxy Note Edge, which also ships with a 3,000mAh battery.
LG's 16 megapixel shooter on the rear of the G4 has an incredible ability to step to f/1.8, which to those who aren't photographers, enables the phone to pull in more light than usual. This is quite useful indoors and in other areas of dim lighting. In our testing, the G4 was capable of capturing blur-free shots in very low lighting without the flash, which hasn't been possible with Android cameras in the past.
LG also has a robust manual settings menu, enabling photographers to set up shots using an array of settings that aren't typically made available on a phone. It's easy to use in Auto mode for those who aren't interested, but at least it's there for those who want to dive in. The G4's camera is on par with Samsung's GS6, which is to say that either phone's camera will impress in a way that Android phones have not in the past. Colors are sharp and photos are taken instantly, but we can't help but wish that there were a dedicated camera launch and/or shutter button along the edge. Tapping on a phone's screen to capture a photo isn't always convenient. However, the G4's rear mounted down volume button, when double-tapped quickly will wake the phone up take a snap all in one fell swoop, which is a nice feature add to be sure.
At any rate, we've compiled a gallery of unedited G4 photos for your perusal.
Unedited photos from LG's G4 (click any to enlarge)
On the battery front, the G4 is a champion. For starters, the 3000mAh battery is far larger than anything it competes with. The One M9, iPhone 6 Plus, and GS6 all have batteries around 10 to 20% less capacious, and to boot, the G4's battery is removable and replaceable.
The test below is our standard browser loop test, which keeps the screen on at 50% brightness and reloads a web page every few minutes until the battery conks out. Not surprisingly, it rivaled the Galaxy Note Edge, which also ships with a 3,000mAh battery.
Even heavier users could eke two days of use from the G4 without a
charge, and few phones can say similar these days. Power users can rest
soundly knowing that this phone will last an entire work day, regardless
of how taxing that work day ends up being.
