Any flagship – is a product that primarily demonstrates the technological potential of the company and its vision of the ideal smartphone. Today we look at LG G5 SE review – it is almost the same G5 Reputation:, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 instead it uses a slightly simplified Snapdragon 652. In this case, between the models is to equate, for sale SE version is displayed, and the appearance of the original leader is questionable. Let’s move on to meet you and to assess the potential and vision of the market by LG sample 2016.
DESIGN, MODULAR DESIGN LG G5 SE REVIEW
Thanks to numerous rumors and leaks any smartphone begin to evaluate long before it arrives on the market. In the case of LG G5 real pictures appeared a few days before the announcement and made a lot of noise – in the first flagship pictures looked too strange, one might even say ugly.
Many came to the conclusion that “it is not so sad,” but it was acquainted with a real smartphone. Needless to say – G5 looks strange as compared to G2 / G3 / G4, and in comparison with competitors.
Why? Mainly because of the back, which made two “influx” – large modules camera, flash and autofocus and a small laser with a fingerprint reader. In our case, not enough even G5 and inscriptions on the back, because we are introduced to the sample. In fairness, we note that the front side looks more familiar and normal, only confuses a large indentation on top, where the glass is rounded (flat, without 2,5D effect).
In fact, the company has crossed all the work and the concept of the last three years of development – there is not the usual sloping backrest, volume keys again moved on its side, and the screen is arched backward. There was only a folding case design.
Another called G5 flagship metal, although this is a very controversial statement. A most likely plastic substrate coated with gray metalized paint or something similar. Our sample makes it clear that in a case of a fall on the body will be chipped, opening a real gray material is similar to the metal.
It is said that in the hands of the G5 is good – all the faces are rounded, nothing cuts into the palm and in daily use smartphone easy to use, although it does not give “bonus” experiences.
Location of controls is quite traditional – a camera is a mechanical power button, it is combined with a fingerprint reader. Last works very well and simply swipe your finger to the sensor, specifically to press do not need to unlock the smartphone. As with all the LG, the screen turns on and off by double-tapping, there Knock Code feature.
On the left side is a volume rocker – in our Semple it was not very convenient to use because it is short and slightly protruding above the hull. On the right there is a hybrid tray, it is possible to install two Nano SIM or “sim card” and the card. The headphone jack on the top edge, and USB Type and speaker on the bottom. The smartphone is available in one of four colors: Titan, Silver, Pink and Gold.
LG G5 – one of the first modular smartphone. Together with him the company has shown a whole set of “friends” flagship. The list includes VR-glasses, the robot-ball camera for video shooting with a viewing angle of 360 degrees, a proprietary headset, and two modules LG CAM Plus and Hi-Fi Plus.
The first – it’s just the accessories, and the last two – the real modules that extend the functionality of your smartphone.
Bottom left is a special key. By clicking it, and pulling the lower part of the body can be detached from the base inserted the battery. To install another module you need to rearrange the battery in it and assemble it all back.
The idea with the modules looks interesting on paper, but practical implementation was controversial. , Frequent replacement of modules will result in a loosening of structure, but always use you will except that “friend» Hi-Fi Plus, even though this module significantly increases the smartphone length and CAM Plus To connect the “other” need to enable-disable the smartphone more than twice the thickness of the G5. Rather modules are only available in black and gray color and smartphones will look questionable. There remains the question of prices: in the United States CAM Plus costs $ 70, and Hi-Fi Plus the price is not announced, but taking into account the positioning of B & O, he is unlikely to be cheaper than the first.
Not optimal felt in many moments – buying each module you will pay more for a single connector USB Type-C, a speaker, a microphone, and the rest of the electronics. It is unclear why the sound of the B & O can not be build in by default, and CAM Plus implemented as a simple cover-plates, connected via a pair of contacts on the body, without the need to disassemble the smartphone, as it was in the Lumia 1020? Taking an existing implementation would like to ask – why housing is not a miniature battery, which would allow the smartphone to stay on while replacing the modules?
SCREEN LG G5 SE REVIEW
LG one of the first to equip its flagship display with a resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels, and remain faithful to such screens. Compared with diagonal G3 and G4 decreased from 5.5 to 5.3 inches, the case was already a couple of millimeters, but its height increased. As before, use IPS matrix is covered with a protective glass with oleophobic-coated glass is bent at the top, there is a sensor automatic brightness control, the screen can be switched by double-tapping.
In terms of the quality of the calibration screen is not ideal – extended color gamut and closer to the AMOLED displays, the color temperature is much too high, there are differences in the gamma curve. The measured contrast ratio was 1 to 1430, and brightness adjustment range – from 3 to 206 cd / m². During testing, I have the impression that the auto-brightness sensor always works, even when it is turned off in the settings. The display is quite readable on the street, but on a very sunny day, there is a lack of brightness.
In terms of the perception of the screen like – I feel it is not as cold as for the measurements. Saturated colors, the high resolution gives a very smooth image sensors work quickly and correctly – the screen corresponds to the title of leader. Did not like the only unfortunate polarization of the glass – if you use sunglasses with polarized lenses, in a vertical position on the screen can not see anything.
PLATFORM LG G5 SE REVIEW
LG G5 is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, but for the markets of Europe and others have created a model with the prefix SE – its foundation acts Qualcomm Snapdragon 652. From a formal point of view the difference between
820 and 652 Snapdragon essential: easy positioning in the lineup, the technical process 28, rather than 20 nm, the standard core Cortex-A53, and Cortex-A72 instead of their own Kryo, lower clock speed, a little simpler graphics (but also from the Adreno 5xx range), more modest results in benchmarks, and so on. RAM was reduced to 3 GB, but at least it did not touch the built-in left and 32 GB. There is combined with Nano SIM MicroSD slot.
There are problems in figures – competitors have a more advanced “stuffing.” In practice, the LG G5 SE has seemed to me fast – a platform to cope with the high-resolution screen, smartphone responsive in everyday tasks and normal “pulls” the modern game. Heating is within the norm.
CALLS AND MULTIMEDIA UNIT HI-FI PLUS LG G5 SE REVIEW
We were hit LG G5 SE c index H845 – smartphone supports simultaneous operation of two SIM-based single radio. Pleased contact settings – each can specify a ringing tone for each “Sims” is defined as a separate ringtone, and vibration type, you can adjust the intensity for different events.
Vibrate feels earpiece loud. The multimedia speaker is very loud, it sounds clean and nice. Music playback quality in the G5 SE is at the level of the other champions. If you connect a Hi-Fi Plus module sound becomes more saturated – the noticeable difference. In addition, there is an additional item in the settings that allows you to adjust the balance and adjust the volume up to 1 division of the 100 possible.
More Hi-Fi Plus module can be used as a separate DAC and headphone amplifier for devices on Android / iOS-based, Mac and Windows. In the latter case, the need to install drivers and applications downloaded from the LG website. The device worked when connected to a PC, but the attempt to connect the unit via the OTG adapter for Huawei gave nothing Mate7.
THE OPERATING SYSTEM AND SHELL LG G5 SE REVIEW
The smartphone runs on
Android 6.0, supplemented with proprietary shell LG UX 5.0. Corporate simplified interface. Key changes: there was the always-on mode to lock the screen (displays the time or the signature and notification labels), disappeared separate applications menu, changed the design of labels and firmware.
From left useful features to customize the location of the on-screen buttons, the number, and color of the substrate. In the settings you can select the application in which the keys will be hidden automatically, even if the developer did not provide such an option.
CAMERA MODULE AND CAM PLUS LG G5 SE REVIEW
LG G5 boasts two main chambers and one front. “Normal” main module has a resolution of 16 megapixels, the lens aperture of f / 1.8, is equipped with optical image stabilization and laser autofocus. Next to it is the second module with a wide angle lens (135 °, f / 2.4) and the sensor is 8 megapixels. Resolution front camera module – 8 megapixels.
The application has not undergone fundamental changes. It has three basic modes: simple, basic and manual. In all of them, the top two icons are displayed with a “Christmas tree”, with which you can switch between the two cameras.
Basic mode allows you to set video resolution, aspect ratio photos, apply color filters, turn on / off the HDR, the use of special modes of collage, shooting photos from all cameras recording time-lapse and slow-mo videos, and so forth (examples). The essence of the manual mode is reflected in its name – you can set the shutter speed, ISO, white balance, the sharpness.
Like all flagships, G5 SE removes fine day – most of the photos obtained successfully, autofocus is not missed, the white balance is correct. In difficult shooting situations, ranging from the premises with no perfect lighting and ending twilight result becomes a little less predictable, but it is still worthy. Flagship only available for sale and LG will tighten even software. G4 was one of the best camera phones, and G5 takes over the baton.
The second wide-angle camera is also useful – it allows you to get interesting shots and is especially useful when shooting architecture or buildings, for example.
The front camera is the flagship, is rather weak, but it can be a feature of our sample.
Additional CAM Plus module is questionable from the standpoint of convenience, continuous use due to its size. It is useful only if you plan to take pictures, not letting smartphone hands. It is a pity that there is no ear for a carrying strap.
Extremely convenient to take pictures with it – there is the shutter button halfway and shooting video, built-in battery, the protrusion with the plate. Especially liked the zoom ring. With it, you can seamlessly switch from the wide-angle camera on an ordinary (it seems that the smartphone one camera with a large zoom).
WORKING HOURS LG G5 SE REVIEW
From the point of view of
G5 SE battery capacity can be attributed to – in all removable battery 2800 mAh, while most competitors offer 3000 mAh and more. The smartphone supports fast charging (Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 technology).
In synthetic tests autonomy,
G5 SE shows average results. In normal use, count on bright day or a day of work with three or four hours of active screen. I used my standard set of messengers and other applications, photographing, reading, listening to music, and the always-on feature was enabled. Her trip will increase the operating time.
In general, the results can be called normal for a leader – a smartphone can withstand time and is not discharged so rapidly as did LG G4. If your usage profile requires a heavy load, it may need shorter charging during the day – a normal support fast charging facilitates this process, and a full charge takes just over an hour if you use the Quick Charge-compatible charger.
PROS LG G5 SE REVIEW: CASE FORM, DISPLAY, SPEED, QUALITY OF THE CAMERA, THE SECOND WIDE-ANGLE CAMERA, THE IDEA OF ADDITIONAL MODULES
CONS LG G5 SE REVIEW: THE DESIGN, AVERAGE BUILD QUALITY, LOW MAXIMUM BRIGHTNESS OF THE DISPLAY, NOT THE FLAGSHIP SPECIFICATIONS, PRICE, IMPLEMENTATION OF ADDITIONAL MODULES
CONCLUSION LG G5 SE REVIEW
After spending a week
LG G5 SE review would like to say that in terms of ergonomics, screen quality, camera performance and the “chips” in front of our flagship. But if I was ready to give him 705$? No. User experience and impressions come in use, preceded by buying, as it goes by comparing the characteristics, design and personal perception of things. On the side of the flagships of LG has always been the price, because the characteristics are the same as those of competitors, but asked for them a little less. G5 SE, as a whole, is equipped with easy opponents and costs the same. At the same time, it is difficult to identify any specific shortcomings – there is just a bunch of little things that add up to one big disadvantage. Unfortunately, the competition is leaving less and less room just good and a good smartphone – the product must be either the best or at least accessible.
