The LG G4 follows an impressive G3 which may not have been as famous as its Samsung rivals but definitely had its following. Too often do we hear the phrase, “Which Samsung is that?”, because the word ‘Android’ has somehow been linked to Samsung to the extent that they are now confused to be the same. Nothing is further from the truth and there are many other companies that are making decent Android Flagships. LG is a prime example and ironically, they are Samsung’s Korean neighbours.

The G4 is definitely not a bad looking device but is no head turner like the Samsung S6 Edge. The front is covered by Gorilla Glass 3, which makes it more likely to survive a trip to Maracas. It is also equipped with a metal frame and ships with a plastic back. The good news here is that the back plate is removable so you can easily change it for one of LG’s more premium leather backs (sold separately). This also allows for a removable battery as well as the now so extinct Micro SD expandable storage.

It has a 5.5 inch screen, which is more than manageable due to the device’s thin bezels. The G4 continues LG’s button philosophy by placing the volume keys and power/lock buttons at the back of the device.

This makes them easier to reach, especially during phone calls. However, it would definitely take some getting used to.

There is little doubt that the G4 is fast, not “4G” fast (like some operators claim), but actually fast. It’s powered by a Snapdragon 808 and paired with 3GBs of RAM. Performance is no issue, which is a relief since it has to power the G4’s awesome screen. This is no exaggeration: the screen is bright, sharp and a joy to use. Everything just looks great on this screen The G4 is packed with a large 3000mAh battery which easily gets it through a day’s use. Standby time is superb and conservative users can probably squeeze a few days use out of the device before needing to plug in.

Let’s get this out the way upfront: the G4 won’t replace your professional grade DSLR. However, this may be the sole limit of the camera. It caters for both novice users as well as enthusiasts by offering a simple automatic mode (which almost always produces a great shot) and also providing an advanced mode with every manual adjustment one could hope for, including the option to save as a RAW file. The front facing camera is no slouch and even offers some nifty features to help with those selfies at Movietowne.

The LG G4 is a great device: it performs superbly in every respect and even innovates in the little things (which translate into a big difference). There probably won’t be any huge banners of this device hanging at the mall and you might not see LG with their own dedicated stores anytime soon. The G4 has a lot of competition and it is definitely the underdog in this fight, but then again, who doesn’t like an underdog?

Tech Pulse Rating :

4.5