Overview
The LG G3 looks impressive. The workmanship is top, the quad HD display is extremely sharp. However, the screen achieves normal values for brightness and contrast. The poor online runtime remains in the retest, but the working speed increases noticeably with Android 5.0.
Pros
Clean workmanship, high-quality appearance
Android 4.4.2 with modern UI
LTE Cat4, NFC, WLAN-ac, infrared transmitter, microSD slot
Excellent camera with fast focus
Ultra-sharp quad HD screen
Cons
Poor online runtime
Weak handsfree speaker
LG G3: Quad HD display and processing
The LG G3 is the first smartphone available in Germany with a so-called quad HD display. The resolution of the screen is 2,560 x 1,440 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of an incredible 538 PPI. The 5.5-inch screen looks extraordinarily sharp, but does not make current Full HD competitors pale with envy. This is also proven by our laboratory measurements. With 409.7 cd/m² the screen is bright, but the contrast of 153:1 could be better and the white point is not in the ideal range. Instead, the G3 LCD tends to bluish. The ergonomics of the G3 are excellent, despite the 5.5-inch display. The rounded back and the extremely narrow edges around the display make the XXL smartphone feel like a 5-inch device. Here LG has a clear advantage over Samsung and colleagues. The processing of the smartphone is very good, the plastic back in metal optics makes a valuable impression. The cover on the back is removable, underneath there are slots for microSIM and microSD as well as a removable battery. Unlike the Sony Xperia Z2 or the Galaxy S5, the G3 is not explicitly protected against dust or water.
LG G3: Performance Problems and Memory Variants
LG offers the G3 in two different memory variants. There is a version with 16 GB internal memory and 2 GB RAM, which is currently available for around 350 euros. Furthermore, the South Koreans have a version with 32 GByte memory and 3 GByte RAM on offer, which costs 405 Euro. The quad-core Snapdragon 801 (2.5 GHz) with the graphics unit Adreno 330 works in every version of the G3, the G3 suffered from annoying performance problems under Android 4, with Android 5.0 both versions are really fast, but cannot keep up with the elite.
LG G3: Android 5.0 and the new Optimus UI
LG has gone to great lengths to make its overloaded user interface more accessible. This includes a completely new optical design. iOS-like symbols, bright colors and sometimes very large fonts provide a clear experience, but cannot hide the fact that the UI has hardly changed functionally. The settings menu is further divided into four sections, and you can select widgets and apps after a long press on the home screen. In addition to numerous DeepL accesses, the message center provides controls for brightness and volume. For certain apps such as YouTube and the browser, a split-screen mode is available, some applications can also be minimized PC-like in a small window. The new Smart Notice is a useful widget for the home screen. Smart Notice displays weather and time as well as time- and location-based messages. For example, it recommends activating WLAN at a known location, uninstalling apps that have not been used for some time, and reminds you of missed calls. To the left of the home screen you will find the so-called Smart Bulletin. There the G3 shows special information such as health tips from the LG Health app or information on how to use the smartphone. With the pre-installed security app, the G3 has a kill switch. You can therefore delete the device remotely.
LG presents here as usual a very versatile UI, which also looks modern due to the optical reorientation. The South Koreans are at least on a par with the competition.
