Our friends over at LG USA Mobile have sent us the T-Mobile LG G2 for us to review. The claim to fame for this device is that the buttons are on the back, but this is just the tip of the iceberg for this device. This is the new flagship device from LG, it is going head to head with the other flagship smartphones like the Galaxy S 4 and HTC One. Not only will it be coming to T-Mobile, but it is coming to Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. With T-Mobile you can get the LG G2 for just $0 down and now at the end of October 2013 you can have access to the entire globe. Will the LG G2 be your next smartphone? We will answer that in our full review, which begins right now!
Design
The LG G2 looks like the many other smartphones on the market, it goes away from the design of the LG G2. The biggest difference is that there are no buttons on the sides of the device. Nothing is too be found on the right hand side or the top of the device. The bottom is home to a headphone jack and a micro USB port. Your SIM card slot is on the left hand side. The back of the device is where the party is or at least where the buttons are. Under the 13 megapixel back camera, you will find the volume rocker and a power/sleep button. It does take some to get used too, but there are some neat software features that you can use to unlock the device. It lets you make the device a little thinner, but it does take some to get used too. It comes in at only 0.35-inches and weighs just 5.04-ounces. In terms of branding on the device you will find both a T-Mobile and LG logo on the back. Under the screen on the front of the device you can find another LG logo. Above the display you will find the 2.4 megapixel camera.
The back of the device does not come off, but it is a mostly plastic build. I would have liked to see a nicer design, since there is no removable back. With that being said the LG G2 feels really nice in the hand. The smooth back only has texture on the buttons. By having such a thin device the display stretches right to the edge. Even though the back is non removable and it has a plastic design, I enjoy the design. LG did a nice job and it does not feel like a low-end device and while design is a part of making a high-end smartphone, there are other killer features that will let you look past this.
Speed And Software
The LG G2 is the first device to feature the 2.26-Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Processor with 2GB of RAM. The T-Mobile LG G2 is a super fast device, I did not experience any lag with the device. Even with LG’s user interface this processor makes the experience super fast. It is on par if not faster at times than an HTC One or a Galaxy S 4. Switching between applications is very smooth and quick, the animations do not slow the device down. When you want to take a screenshot, simply tap QuickMemo and within a second you are ready to customize and share your screenshot. Downloading applications is quick and as soon as it is on the G2, you can open it within a few seconds. To say the least I am very impressed with the speed of the LG G2.
T-Mobile is now offering nationwide 4G LTE and has a 4G HSPA+ network as well. We tested out T-Mobile’s 4G networks in New Jersey we got an average download speed of 8.50Mbps and an upload speed of 2.50Mbps. Keep in mind that depending on T-Mobile’s network in your area you speeds may be either fast or slower.
The LG G2 is running Android 4.2.2 with a LG User Interface. LG has created and added many unique features on the G2. Many of these features were found on the LG Optimus G Pro, like the dual recording with the camera. For those who are a little weary of having a smartphone with the buttons on the back, LG has a cool software feature that takes care of this. When the device is in sleep mode, simply knock on the front of the device. This is one of many favorite features of the device and it would make a great addition to any other smartphone. It sometimes take more than just two knocks on the front of the device, but the LG G2 will wake up pretty quickly.
QuickMemo is back on the device and this is another great feature of any LG device. By simply taping the QuickMemo button you can take a screenshot. After that you can customize the device to your liking and then you can share it via email or text it. Another feature is AnswerMe and this will let you answer an incoming phone call by lifting the device to you head. You can shut it off or turn it on in the settings menu. This is jut the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the LG G2, there are many great features like GuestMode, QuickRemote, and TextLink.
In terms of pre-loaded application on the T-Mobile LG G2 there are some. From T-Mobile you will get Mobile Hotspot, My Account, Name ID, T-Mobile TV, and Visual Voicemail. The entire Google App Suite and the Google Play Suite is on board. Alarm/Clock, Google Chrome, Isis Wallet, Lookout Security, LG Backup, Memo, QuickRemote, Setup, Update Center, Video Editor, Voice Mate, YouTube, Dictionary, QuickTranslator, Task Manager, and Polaris Viewer 5 are on board with the T-Mobile LG G2.
Battery, Display, And Camera
Inside the T-Mobile LG G2 you have a beast of a battery, in fact during my testing I got around a day and half of usage from the 3,000mAh battery. It was a busy day and a half filled with email, streaming music, streaming video, playing games, texting, and making phone calls. I was very impressed with the battery and with the LG G2 battery life is not something you should be worried about.
A 5.2” Full HD 1080p IPS display is on board and this screen is gorgeous. LG has perfected their technology for there displays and the LG G2 is amazing. Colors are vibrant and the images look very life-like. 16:9 HD display and you get a large 423 pixels per inch. If you are using the LG G2 in direct sunlight, as long as your brightness is high you can see it very nicely. I am very impressed with the display on the LG G2.
The T-Mobile LG G2 has two cameras like most high-end smartphones. A 2.4 megapixel camera is on the front and the photos are pretty nice. It works great for taking selfies or making some video calls. As you may remember the LG Optimus G Pro had a 13 megapixel camera and this camera is back on the LG G2. Photos and video were really nice, every once in a while you make get a shot that is over compensated for. This is back on the LG G2 but, most of the time the images come out nice. The LG G2 came sometimes over compensate in the low light photos and when taking video auto focus may not work 100%. There are many different settings options like Voice Shutter, Brightness, Focus, Image Size, ISO, White Balance, Color Effect, Timer, Geotagging, Shutter Sound, and Volume Key. In terms of different modes you get Normal, Shot & Clear, Dynamic Tone(HDR), Panorama, VR Panorama, Burst Shot, Portrait +, Dual Camera, Time Catch Shot, Intelligent Auto, Sports, and Night. You can use the volume rocker on the back of the device to capture the photo or use the on-screen shutter button. Below you can see our camera test with the T-Mobile LG G2.
Bottom Line
The T-Mobile LG G2 is a great smartphone and can live with the other high-end devices on the market. While the plastic build does not give it the most high-end feeling, it still feels very nice in the hand. If you can’t wrap you mind around have buttons on the back, the KnockOn feature can solve your problems. The LG G2 is super fast thanks to T-Mobile 4G LTE and a 2.26 Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Processor. You will not find any lag or at least I didn’t during my testing, I am very impressed with the speed of the device. You have a nice set of cameras and a gorgeous display. All of the unique software features like QuickMemo, AnswerMe, and the rest will enhance your experience. The T-Mobile LG G2 retails for $600 with no plan or you can get it for $0 down for select T-Mobile customers. The T-Mobile LG G2 is one of the best smartphones on the market and if you are looking for a new phone be sure to check out the LG G2. For More Information On The T-Mobile LG G2, Please Click Here. We would like to thank LG USA Mobile for providing us a “T-Mobile LG G2″.
