Design/Build/Size/Hardware
The box contents are fairly standard with mains adapter, microUSB cable, headphones and SIM ejector tool. A small but nice touch is that the ejector pin is in the shape of a G.
The G2 itself is available in Black and White. Having used both colour options I am still undecided as to what colour I would opt for. The white appears to show up general dirt more, whilst the black model makes greasy fingerprints more obvious.
The white is arguably the more stylish, although I think the black coloured unit edges out in front for me as it is that little bit more practical. Whilst the back cover is smooth to the touch, there is a slight pattern to it which stands out more in certain lights.
As you no doubt already know, the rear is home to the physical controls for the G2. This has taken some serious getting used to, especially when adjusting the volume. Having been using smartphones for 10+ years, I have gotten a little too used to side mounted power and volume keys. With this said, in apps like the video player where you might want to adjust the volume, LG have included an on-screen volume control icon, negating the need to find the rear buttons.
The base of the G2 has the microUSB port, stereo speakers and headphone jack. This is the most logical place in my opinion as it makes more sense to slide a phone into a pocket ‘top down’ so a headphone cable trails nicely out of it. It also makes sense when used in a vehicle as it is easier to access and cables do not pull on the device, as happens on some devices with side mounted microUSB ports.
Display
The screen on the G2 is superb. It really pops out at you. This is helped massively by the tiny bezel around the edge of the screen and the actual technological innovation the LG have in the screen in itself. Personal opinion will always exist here, but I think it is better than the display on the Samsung S4 that has been my daily phone for the last 6 months.
I do also think that the black bezel on the device makes the display look more impressive than it does on the white, although the white appears to give the screen a more definitive edge.
The G2 uses a huge 5.2” full HD IPS display that has a resolution of 1920 x 1080p with 423 ppi. If anyone can complain about this then I struggle to know what they could possibly desire. There is the addition to of Corning Gorilla Glass for added strength and protection as well.
That 5.2″ screen makes for no small device, the laws of physics win here, but LG have managed to make it feel really quite slender in the hand and appear far smaller than other handsets of this class. Perhaps it is the screen quality that immerses you so you forget about the overall size.
Performance
The G2 has performed extremely well throughout my testing and only once did I experience some lag; this was probably more due to the number of apps I was running at the time rather than the handset itself. The lag itself was very brief at just a second or so. The G2 flew through most tasks effortlessly. I am no gamer so I probably didn’t test the 4 cores to their maximum but at all times the phone was a pleasure to use. I would class myself as a medium to heavy user so I would say I put the device through its paces in as much as a general consumer would.
Battery
I think even the heaviest of users should be able to get a good day out of this device, unless you are doing something that is specifically intensive on the battery. Lighter users may even get a full 2 or 3 days. I should also note that this was without the ‘Battery Saver’ mode switched on. Whether everyone gets the same performance only time will tell, but I was impressed.
Some will grumble at the fixed internal battery and I can see their reasons. More devices are going this way now though and for good reason. If the 3,000 mAh cell and power saving options really are not enough for you then so be it; you will need to opt for a different device. There are however very few with larger batteries.
Camera
The G2 has everything you could really ask of a camera in my opinion, bar one small thing; a dedicated shutter button. The lack of this on the G2 and many others does I think make it trickier to get a decent picture. I understand why this has been omitted, and you can set the volume key as a shutter button rather than zoom controls if you wish. You can also use voice controls, which is something I am a real fan of as others will know from previous reviews.
Conclusion
There is a reason LG has the slogan “Life’s Good” because this is the case when using the G2, cheesy as it sounds. There is little to find fault with. I mean this truthfully. Yes, there are a few small annoyances, but none are perfect. The G2 is very close though.
The main frustrations are ones that many users will not look to use regularly, if at all. At no point have I felt a real urge to go back to my S4. I would quite honestly have no trouble switching to the G2 as my primary device.
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