LG G2 Hands on Review

LG G2 Hands on Review

Introduction

You needn't be particularly involved with the smartphone world to notice the considerable – and more importantly, constant – growth in devices' dimensions. This observation has been cemented time and time again, and it appears that LG is next in turn. Still hot off the conveyor belt, the high-end G Pro 2 is one big phone at 5.9 inches. That's a considerable jump from its 5.5-inch predecessor – the original G pro.

But while the phablet form factor may have been something pushed down our throats by manufacturers initially, there's no denying that the wider public response has been overwhelmingly positive. Demand for phablets is now large enough that every handset maker is scraping to get a phablet of their own out on the market. Packing a potent, 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 and 3GB of RAM, the G Pro 2 handles everything and anything you throw at it with finesse, and the same type of results are achieved by the optically-stabilized, 13-megapixel unit on the rear of the phone.

Before we get into this, however, do keep in mind that our review unit is the Korean version, which may differ in some aspects from the international model that we expect to reach the shores of Europe and the States in the coming months. We're still expecting LG to shed some more light on specifics, such as carrier availability and release date.

In the box:

• Wall charger
• microUSB to USB cable
• Earphones
• Secondary, 3300mAh battery (International availability unclear)
• Dock with a battery charging slot (International availability unclear)

Design

A lot can and should be said about the G Pro 2's exterior. For starters, this is one sweet-looking device, even though it's unlikely to win consumers' hearts on looks alone. LG hasn't used truly premium materials with the build of the device, but there's simply no way that one would confuse this for anything less than a top-of-the-line phablet.

Starting with the front, we have very narrow bezels all around, so this is a relatively conservative device in terms of its dimensions (6.22 x 3.22 x 0.33 inches). In comparison, the 5.9-inch HTC One Max commands dimensions of 6.48 x 3.25 x 0.41 inches, so it's considerably larger and thicker. We also simply have to point out how light and well-balanced the G Pro 2 is. At 6.07 oz (172 grams), this is possibly the lightest phablet in its class, and it isn't top- nor bottom-heavy like some devices we've come across. In other words, while this will never be seen as a one-handed device, it's still more comfortable to use than quite a few other phablets in this size class.

Anyways, those aforementioned bezels all tout a fancy texture which shimmers under light, much alike the rear of the Nexus 4. In comparison, the rear is less intriguing. The plasticky shell  has something of a mesh texture, which doesn't exactly scream premium, but it does feel practical. Moreover, the G Pro 2 borrows the rear-placed volume and power buttons from the G2, and these are worth a moment to discuss, because they have seen some noteworthy improvements. For starters, they're now far less flush with the surface, and you can make them out by touch alone, which definitely helps. What's more, they have a roughly doubled travel time upon impact and you don't have to push too hard to get feedback from them. We never quite warmed up to the rear combo, as outlined in our long-term LG G2 review, but the G Pro 2 definitely begs a rematch.