First Impressions: LG G3

LG's answer to the GALAXY S5, One (M8), and Xperia Z2 has finally hit the Indian market. Dubbed the G3, the device's specifications are on par with today's top-end phones. It's one of the few handsets available in our country to feature a Quad HD display. it crams in 2560x1440 pixels in a 5.5-inch screen, which leads to the pixel-density of 535 ppi. However, does it make sense in the real world scenario?

Design
The LG G3 shares the design with its predecessor. The front is all dominated by a screen. The bezels have been kept thin to keep the phone's size in check. The Volume Rocker and Lock button are on the back. Such button placement is unique for sure, but I wouldn't say it's any better than the conventional setup. In fact, you tend to lose the grip when using the volume buttons.


It does differ with the G2 in some aspects though. For starters, the South Korean brand has done away with the G2's glossy plastic. Instead of that, the G3 offers the faux-metal finish. The phone is still made of plastic, so don't expect the iPhone-esque metallic charm here. Much like the M8, the G3's back is slightly curved. Unlike most flagship phones, the G3 comes with a removable back-panel that gives access to the battery, microSD, and SIM card slot.


Display
The LG G3 features a 5.5-inch IPS with 1440x2560 pixels. With the pixel density of 534 ppi, the display is incredibly sharp. The pre-loaded Quad HD videos look amazing on this screen. However, you can't spot much of a difference between the G3 and other flagship phones if you're playing 720p and 1080p videos.
Since it's an IPS-type display, the viewing angles are wide. The colour reproduction is great too, save for the blacks. For scratch protection, LG has used Corning's Gorilla Glass 3.
Key Specifications
LG's latest flagship is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.5 GHz. The 32 GB model packs in 3 GB RAM, whereas 16 GB model settles for 2 GB. In the photography department, you get a 13 megapixel camera. Other features include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, A-GPS, and 3000 mAh battery.
Software
The LG G3 offers Android 4.4 Kitkat out-of-the-box with Optimus UI on top of it. In the latest iteration, LG has toned down the gaudiness. Similar to Apple and Samsung, the Korean brand has gone with a 'flat' UI elements. The notification area does more than just displaying alerts. It feature a bunch of quick toggles, notifications, and brightness slider. You can also squeeze in a remote in there.


Thanks to the absurdly powered SoC (System on Chip), the G3 mostly runs smooth. There's a slight stutter throughout the interface. But, it's nothing when compared to the sluggish GALAXY S5. Games run in their full glory on this handset. However, Real Racing 3 doesn't support the G3's Quad HD screen yet, which is a bummer. Those interested in synthetic benchmarks can check out the scores below:
AnTuTu: 33,931
Quadrant: 22,670


Camera
Similar to the high-end Lumia phones, the G3 comes with OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation). It's the first smartphone to feature laser-assisted auto-focus mechanism. In this system, laser beams are fired from the camera assembly. These beams bounce off the objects and come back towards the camera. That's similar to how SONAR (SOund Navigation And Ranging) works. Calculating the return time, the camera figures out how far the object is. The use of lasers, make the focusing very fast. From the first few shots, we can comfortably say that it's one of the best 13 megapixel snapper available in the market.
- See more at: http://www.techtree.com/content/features/6941/first-impressions-lg-g3.html#sthash.iZmd7atS.dpuf