Table of Contents
- Layout and Finishing
- Fabric
- Hardware, speed and performance
- Modules
- System
- Cameras
- Battery Life
- Price and availability
- Conclusion
- Image gallery
- Technical specifications
O LG G5 was launched at MWC 2016 with much fanfare about the design modular, which allows the use of accessories such as a camera grip or a high definition audio player. In Spain, the device arrived in early June with striking differences: the Snapdragon 820 processor was replaced by the Snapdragon 652 and the RAM memory went from 4GB to 3GB.
With these changes, it was named LG G5 SE, but still carrying a top-of-the-line price, from R$ 3.499,00. Did these changes affect performance a lot? Does modular design really serve any purpose? We spent the last few days with LG G5 SE and below are our impressions:
Layout and Finishing
A LG changed several elements of the construction of its top of the line. The previous model was big, a little clumsy; uncomfortable. The manufacturer finally hit the lines for a firmer grip.
The entire device is built in aluminum, although we get a different feeling when looking at and picking up the cell phone. That's because the metal is painted rather than anodized. At the edges, a thin metallic line gives a elegant touch ao G5. The sides house the volume control buttons, the button to unlock the module (more on this later) and the tray for inserting the SIM chip and memory card.
Na rear, the space housing the cameras protrudes slightly. Just below we find the on/off button with a metallic circle that is very reminiscent of the design of the Nexus 6P; it even houses the fingerprint sensor. Positioning is uncomfortable because it makes unlocking difficult when the device is on the table.
Na front part there is the module space that loads the LG brand, from there on it is all made of glass, which has a discreet curve at the beginning, close to the front camera and the speaker for calls. The display occupies the front of the phone very well.
The media speaker was at the bottom, along with the input USB-C. At the top there is just the headphone jack.
The device has 7,7 mm thick and weighs 159 grams, is thinner and a little heavier than the last generation. The feeling, however, is completely different. Holding the G5 is much better.
Fabric
Contrary to what several manufacturers have done, LG decreased the screen of your flagship, going from 5.5″ to 5.3". The resolution remains the same, they are 1440 2560 pixels x resulting in a density of 554 pixels per inch. The display has technology IPS LCD and the experience is very similar to the G4: balanced colors, good brightness gamut and slightly grayish blacks.
If last year we said it was one of the best, if not the best screen on the market, we need to point out that this time the story is different. The competition has improved a lot and LG has changed little.
The device has a mode Always-On, which displays the time and notifications at all times, following the trend launched by Motorola and adopted by Samsung.
Hardware, speed and performance
O LG G5 SE has a processor Snapdragon 652 with eight cores (four at 1.8 GHz and another four at 1.4 GHz), 3 GB of RAM e Adreno GPU 510. It is a set that delivers good performance in daily tasks, such as web browsing, social networking and various games.
At no time did he show difficulty performing tasks, even when the device requires it, quickly switching between apps in multitasking, running heavy games and viewing multimedia content. I.e, if you were disappointed with the 'capado' hardware, you can rest assured because in terms of performance it doesn't leave anything to be desired.
On the other hand, it is a smartphone that gives less long-term security. It's hard to beat the hammer on this issue, but it's only natural that a device with a more powerful processor and GPU and more RAM can maintain performance at a high level for longer.
The version I tested has 32 GB Internal Storage (8,33 GB occupied by the system), which can be expanded with microSD card up to 256 GB. Any external storage can be integrated into the system, ensuring that applications are also transferred.
O fingerprint sensor which is on the on/off button showed itself Very competent. Reading is fast and is usually efficient, regardless of how the finger is positioned there. It is possible to register five different fingerprints to unlock the device, authorize payments on the Play Store and access third-party apps (Telegram, for example, allows you to unlock conversations).
USB-C
Here, an addition worth a special comment in the review. THE LG G5 SE has connector USB-C, which will gradually become the new standard. It can be connected from either side, has a higher transfer rate, among other advantages.
Modules
LG brought 4 peripherals that make up a kind of ecosystem of the device. I couldn't test any, but these are them:
LG CAM Plus: Camera module to be attached to the battery slot, making the device easier to hold and allowing it to be handled with the same convenience as a digital camera. It increases the battery capacity to 4.000 mAh (the gadget provides an additional 1.200 mAh). The suggested price is 699 reais.
LG 360 CAM: 360 degree angle camera, equipped with two 200 degree 13MP angle cameras. The LG 360 CAM also has a 1.200mAh battery and 4GB of unique internal memory and a micro SD card slot. The suggested price is 1.799 reais.
H3 by B&O Play: High-end, noise-canceling in-ear headphones, compatible with high-quality sound. The suggested price is 1.399 reais.
LG Hi-Fi Plus com B&O Play: Supports 32-bit audio playback (twice that of a CD) and 384KHz high definition. The LG Hi-Fi Plus with B&O PLAY can be used either as a module for the LG G5 SE, or as a standalone Hi-Fi DAC that can be attached to any smartphone or PC model. The suggested price is 1.299 reais.
System
The device rotates Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, with an LG customization layer that is different. The changes are few compared to the original system and the look is cleaner compared to the software of the previous generation.
A LG Home 5.0, new home screen of the model, waived the gaveta of apps. In practice, this means that the homescreen is the same as on the iPhone: all applications are organized right there. If you don't like this idea, just change it to the LG Home Launcher 4.0, found in the LG SmartWorld app.
There are a lot of pre-installed apps. Most of them are services that the manufacturer itself offers, such as LG Health, LG Backup, Weather, Tasks, QuickMemo+. They are usually unnecessary, we usually already have our favorite apps for these functions. Some can be turned off, while others will take up space on your screen.
O knock Code is still present and can be used together with the fingerprint sensor, although this function does not need the on/off button. Configuring a sequence of four touches on the screen, just play them to unlock the device, even if it is off. To make it go away, just double-tap any empty spot on the home screen.
The software also has some shortcuts: press and hold the multitasking button to view a menu with quick adjustments; when the device is sleeping, quickly double-click the volume button – to open the camera.
Moreover, dropped support for multiwindows. LG's justification is that this feature will come natively in the next version of the system.
Cameras
As LG G5 cameras are highlights of the device. There are three in total: the front with 8 MP of resolution; on the back there is a camera 16 MP and f/1.8 aperture and another with 8 MP, f/2.4 aperture and lens 135 degree wide angle. Both have laser focus and LED flash.
Inheriting the praise of the past generation, the cell phone camera is one of the best on the market. It does very well in natural lighting conditions, with a high level of detail and faithful colors. In darker environments, it also does a good job, but only on the 16-megapixel sensor with an f/1.8 aperture.
One of the highlights is the camera software. Auto mode meets the needs of the average user, but there is a professional mode where you can adjust all parameters for the photo, including shutter speed, white levels, ISO and even focus.
Switching between sensors is very simple and intuitive in two small icons in the right corner. In addition, there is a collage mode called “Pop Out”, with which it is possible to use both in just one photo; the result is very interesting.
For video capture, the G5 SE records by default in 1080p resolution, but also supports recording at 4K (2160p).
Battery Life
While most flagships are coming with 3000mAh batteries or more, LG has opted for a 2800 mAh. It's still enough to use for a whole day, as long as you don't put too much strain on your cell phone.
In moderate use, I always reached the end of the day with about 20% charge remaining. When I needed to abuse the 4G connection, use GPS and consume more videos, he asked for a plug in the late afternoon.
A nice addition: the device has the technology Quick Charge 3.0. In our tests, the battery took 1 hour and 20 minutes to fully charge. And in 25 minutes it charged 50%.
Price and availability
O LG G5 SE went on sale in early June. The suggested price for the device is R$ 3.499,00. Paying in cash, the price drops to R$ 3.079,12.
Conclusion
O LG G5 SE it's a good smartphone, just it's not amazing. It's a nice device and innovator, the balcony of two rear cameras is a lot of fun, I would say the main feature of the mobile. You modules, in turn, did not come as a surprise. Although it is a sensational idea, the current application leaves something to be desired, as the additional functions are not eye-popping, in addition to being expensive.
The software experience and the fingerprint sensor are very consistent and very pleasing. Performance doesn't seem to be compromised by the hooded hardware, but as mentioned earlier, it's concerned about having a shorter lifespan.
Ultimately, the G5 SE it's a top of the line that doesn't surprise beyond the camera set. The competition is there, with better processors and displays, more RAM and battery and similar cameras; only do not have two rear sensors and modules.
Image gallery
Technical specifications
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 – quad-core de 1.8 GHz + quad-core de 1.4 GHz;
- RAM memory: 3 GB;
- Fabric: 5.3-inch IPS LCD with a resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels (554 dpi);
- Camera: 16 MP (f / 1.8) + 8 MP (f / 2.4), laser autofocus, optical image stabilizer (3-axis), LED flash;
- Frontal camera: 8 MP (f / 2.0);
- Battery: 2800 mAh;
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, DLNA, Bluetooth v4.2, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, NFC, Rádio FM e USB Type-C;
- GPU: Adreno 510;
- Internal memory: 32 GB;
- External memory: microSD up to 256 GB;
- Dimensions: 149.4 x 73.9 x 7.7 mm;
- Weight: 159 grams;
- Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, color spectrum;
- Platform: Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.
