LG G Flex Review
LG G Flex Hands-On
Introduction
LG G Flex is the first smartphone with curved display from bottom to the top that is equipped with OLED screen. It arrived on the mobile arena soon after its rival Samsung Galaxy Round and it grabbed the hearts of users right away. G Flex has a lot of benefits, including the innovative curved battery powering the device. It is something new and exciting to see working in real, just like G Flex itself. Sleek design, unique body, self-healing back and slightly flexible display are only a few of the advantages of the smartphone. It works with Snapdragon 800 chip and runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.
Design and Display
LG G Flex arrives with unique and fascinating 6-inches OLED display with a resolution of 720p. It boasts a pixel density of 245ppi which is rather modest compared to the Retina displays with more crisp, vivid and bright picture. G Flex features impressively wide viewing angles, mainly because of its extraordinary shape. It provides a superior visual experience for watching videos, named by LG “IMAX-like experience.”
LG has been working on the new technology for foldable screens made of plastic instead of glass. Earlier this year we saw the progress of the company in the flexible displays. However, the concept for real bendable OLED displays integrated in smartphones and devices is still at early stages. Apart from what the name of the flagship suggests, G Flex does not “flex.” It is designed with a permanent gentle curve from the bottom to the top. It follows the line of the face and according to LG, it delivers much improved audio, when the phone is used outdoors.
The unique design and shape of G Flex creates the impression for smaller size of the 6-inches device. It fits nicely in pockets and purses and feels great in the hand. The phone weighs the modest 177 grams which is relatively small compared to some other phablets, like HTC One Max and Nokia Lumia 1520. LG G Flex is available in titan silver color. Similar to its sibling LG G2, the phablet is equipped with control buttons on the back panel.
Among the advantages of the new models smartphone is its “self-healing” rare panel. LG has used a special paint serving as an elastic coating usually used in the automotive industry to make the device extra durable to scratches and hits. In a recently published video LG presents the capabilities of G Flex to slightly bend under pressure. We have no doubt that the temptation for owners of the phone to try this experiment at home is huge but we highly recommend not to do this with your device.
Hardware
In terms of hardware LG G Flex boasts an excellent performance thanks to its quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chip under the hood ticking at 2.26GHz. It is paired up with 2GB RAM. Multitasking, internet browsing, watching movies, playing games – everything you need, you will enjoy with the smooth and fast performance of the processor. LG G Flex boasts 32GB of storage which is not expandable. The lack of support for microSD cards is a bit disappointing for users that love to keep all their favorite music and videos on board.
The battery of the smartphone is curved, non-removable with a capacity of 3500mAh. LG has not announced officially details for the battery life but it seems that users can rely on satisfying performance in this matter.
Camera
LG G Flex is armored with two cameras. The rare shooter is with 13MP, while the front-facing camera is with 2.1MP. The cameras are not the strongest features in the phone. The primary 13MP delivers decent picture quality in strong light but disappoints when taking pictures in low light.
Software and Connectivity
LG G Flex runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS. If is equipped with the standard features and capabilities for a phone of its class. Among the interesting features is the KnockOn capability that enables users to “wake up” the phone by quick double tapping on the display. Another interesting feature is the Q Theater that enables watching photos and videos from the lock screen.
In terms of connectivity the phablet boasts NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and LTE-A support.
Availability and Price
LG G Flex is officially launched in Korea. LG has confirmed that the extraordinary phablet will be released globally. There is still no information for the exact launch dates for G Flex in the states. The expected carriers that will release the phone are AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint. It is already available at some US retailers for the price of $1109.50 (Negri Electronics website). This is similar price to its main rival Samsung Galaxy Round. The phone is released in titan silver version.
Conclusion
LG G Flex is unique, extraordinary and very attractive phablet. It boasts a decent package of specs with the blazing fast Snapdragon 800 processor and the LTE-connectivity. The smartphone is the first generation mobile devices by LG that work with OLED displays. The company is constantly progressing on the developing of the technology for the plastic displays. The main goal is to create unbreakable foldable screens with an exceptional picture quality. The OLED displays will be integrated in wearable techs as well, such as smartwatches. Rumors say that LG is working on developing a smartwatch in the next year. Among the advantages of LG G Flex are its self-healing rare panel and the curved battery that makes it possible for the device to boast great battery life and to arrive in relatively thin and light body. If you are eager to own the LG G Flex, wait a few more weeks and the phone will land on the carriers’ shelves. We will be looking forward to hearing your first impressions, here in PhonesReview.com.
