Of course, LG is widely expected to announce the
LG G5
in the next couple of weeks, as this year's Mobile World Congress show
is just round the corner. While it's not yet certain whether we'll see
another leather-backed phone from LG, the G5 is widely expected to come
with two screens, much like LG's newly-announced
V10.
We're also expecting a larger 20-megapixel camera sensor and Qualcomm's
brand-new Snapdragon 820 chip to make an appearance as well.
That doesn't mean you shouldn't stop reading and wait for the G5,
though, as the G4 is still an excellent phone in its own right. What's
more, you can currently pick one up for just £300 SIM-free, or
£27.50-per-month on contract, making it much cheaper than the likely
launch price of the G5, which is likely to be around £500. It's also a
great alternative to the
Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo and
Nexus 5X, particularly if you're looking for a smartphone that stands out from the crowd. And it's not just me who's a fan with
Know Your Mobile also giving the handset a glowing review.
Design
The leather is certainly an intriguing choice of design, but I was
pleasantly surprised by just how comfortable it felt. The stitching down
the centre is a particularly classy touch, and the smooth tan leather
option provided just as much grip as the stippled black version.
^ The tan leather has a much smoother texture compared to the grainier black model
Measuring 149x75x8.9mm thick, it's not the slimmest of phones, but LG
said that its customers were more than willing to sacrifice a few extra
millimetres for a more ergonomic design – and I'd be inclined to
agree. However, the leather cladding does add a considerable premium
onto the handset. If leather isn't quite your bag, it's also available
in cheaper 'ceramic and metallic' versions (both of which are really
plastic).
They're still decent alternatives, as the ceramic model I had in for
testing has a very subtle diamond-shaped pattern on the back of the
handset. This adds a bit of visual flair to the phone when it catches
the light, but in the hand it feels almost exactly the same as the
plastic
LG G3,
making it a bit dull and tacky compared to the attention-grabbing
leather versions. Having tested both models, I personally prefer the
G4's curved leather rear.
^ The diamond pattern on the back of the ceramic model is very subtle but you barely notice it once it's in your hand
The curve extends to the front of the screen as well, but the arc is
so infinitesimally small that you'll barely even notice it unless you
put the phone face down on the table. It's certainly nowhere near as
curvy as the
LG G Flex 2, but at least it should still help protect the screen if it happens to fall face down on the floor.
Display
The 5.5in 2,560x1,440 display was one of the stand-out features on
the LG G3, so it's no surprise that LG has reprised this resolution for
the G4. The resolution isn't quite as special as it once was, though, as
both the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge now have 2,560x1,440 resolution displays
as well. What's more, they both have higher pixel densities of 576
pixels-per-inch (PPI) thanks to their smaller 5.1in screens, beating the
G4's pixel density of 534PPI by quite some margin.
LG may not have the sharpest screen in the business any more, but its
secret weapon is undoubtedly its brand new IPS Quantum panel. Not to be
confused with LG's
Quantum Dot technology
used inside its TVs, the G4's screen uses a new type of liquid crystal
that's meant to enhance brightness and overall colour accuracy.
^ On first glance, you could almost mistake the G4's IPS Quantum display for an OLED panel
In practice, the screen really does pop out at you when you first
turn it on, showing lovely rich, vibrant colours and eye-searingly
bright whites. Subjectively, it's almost comparable to the OLED display I
saw on the G Flex 2 in terms of sheer colour intensity, but the G4
higher brightness level of 505.66cd/m2 really helps to keep those
colours looking just as punchy both inside and out, particularly if
you're out in the sun.
Blacks were deep at 0.27cd/m2 and we were suitably impressed with the
G4's contrast levels, which LG says are supposedly 50% higher than
those on the G3. This would certainly seem to be the case according to
my own tests, as I measured a huge contrast ratio of 1,715:1, which
beats the G3's measly 741:1 by quite some margin. Again, when I compared
the G4 side by side with the G Flex 2, I could barely tell the
difference in terms of image detail, which is good news for anyone still
debating whether to go for this or a Galaxy S6, and the G4's viewing
angles were just as wide as its curvier brother.
However, LG's boldest claim about the G4's display relates to its
colour reproduction, and sadly that's not one I could back up during my
calibration tests. According to LG, it's the only smartphone display
that can reach 98% of the Digital Cinema Initiative (DCI) colour gamut,
which covers a much wider range of colours than the traditional sRGB
gamut, particularly when it comes to the number of shades of red.
