Innovative and modular phone LG G5 - Modular smartphone review. About LG Electronics Mobile Communications. And now about the sound

Specifications LG G5 SE

Case materials: plastic, metal, glass
operating system: Android 6.0, LG UX 5.0
Network: GSM/EDGE, WCDMA, LTE (nanoSIM)
Screen: IPS LCD, 5.3”, capacitive, 2560x1440 pixels (QuadHD), 554 ppi, automatic adjustment backlight level, Gorilla Glass 4
Platform: Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 (MSM8992)
Processor: Quad-core 1.2 GHz (Cortex-A53) and dual-core 1.8 GHz (Cortex-A72)
Graphics system: Adreno 510
RAM: 3 GB
Storage memory: 32 GB, microSD memory card slot
Main camera: 16 MP, f/1.8 and 8 MP, f/2.4 (wide-angle), laser focusing, three-axis optical image stabilization (OIS), LED flash
Front-camera: 8 MP, f/2.0
Interfaces: Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/ac) Dual-Band, Bluetooth 4.2 (A2DP, LE, Apt-X), connector USB Type-C(USB 2.0) for charging/syncing, 3.5 mm for headset, NFC, IR port
Navigation: GPS/Glonass (A-GPS support)
Extras: FM radio, fingerprint scanner, fast charging (Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0), Always-on display technology
Sensors: accelerometer, position sensor, light sensor, gyroscope, barometer
Battery: removable, Li-Ion, capacity 2800 mAh
Dimensions: 149.4 x 73.9 x 7.3 mm
Weight: 156 grams

South Korean LG is one of the few companies in the smartphone manufacturing market that is not afraid to experiment in the upper price segment, in other words, constantly invent something new for its flagships. Usually the situation is the opposite - companies try to keep top-end devices identical to each other for as long as possible from year to year, tightening up the characteristics and occasionally refreshing the design. There are plenty of examples - from Apple, Samsung and HTC to the most striking - Sony, where the design of devices in the upper price range has remained almost unchanged since the Xperia Z1, released in 2013.

For LG, flagships are a field of experimentation. In the LG G2 smartphone, the company tested a solution with control buttons located on the “back” of the case, and made the most thin frames. LG G3 took the path of increasing the screen diagonal for the flagship (5.5” versus 5.2” in LG G2), redesigned the camera and decided to “play” with the metallic texture of the plastic, giving the smartphone a more expensive look. The next flagship - LG G4 - was in many ways an improved version of the G3, but completely changed in appearance: they abandoned the “metal-like” plastic, came up with replaceable covers made of genuine leather, and made a display slightly curved inside the body to protect it from damage when dropped. For my taste, in terms of design and ergonomics, the LG G4 was not a role model; in other respects it was comparable to its competitors, but in one thing it was ahead of literally everyone - photo quality. This smartphone still does the best photos with a lack of lighting and at night (we are not talking about the speed of photography, but about the quality), surpassing in this regard Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, and devices from Apple.

The next flagship - LG G5 - has again become an object for experimentation. The company again completely redesigned the design, moved some of the keys from the “back” to the ends, added a scanner, came up with a system of replaceable modules and a slightly simplified version of the device - the LG G5 SE on a simpler platform. Otherwise the devices are identical. In this review, I will tell you about all the features of the LG G5 using the example of a simplified version - the LG G5 SE. Go.

Design

There are practically no external similarities between the LG G4 and LG G5; the company has once again “overhauled” the design. The smartphone turned out to be more strict and, at the same time, simpler and calmer than its predecessor. For some, the lack of bright details is a plus. For some it’s a minus; it’s a matter of personal preference.

The front panel with a protective glass curved at the top, the two-camera module on the back, and the bottom end with a system of replaceable modules attract attention, but in general the new LG G5 looks simple. Perhaps this is the case when I don’t have much to write about the design, it’s so simple here.

The smartphone is available in four colors: silver, gold, pink and gray. In any variation, these are shades of the indicated colors; the body remains approximately monochromatic and dim. Again, some will like this, some will not.

Housing materials

Associated with materials in LG G5 SE interesting feature. The fact is that at all presentations and on the official website the device is called a smartphone in a metal case. At the same time, when you take the device in your hands, the metal is not felt at all. Moreover, if the smartphone is accidentally scratched or falls and gets chipped, then you will most likely see characteristic traces of peeling paint and plastic underneath on the back side. And yet – the body is really made of metal.

I don’t know why LG decided to use this solution, there is no visible benefit from it, but it is what it is. The base of the case in the LG G5 SE is made of aluminum, in particular, the entire “bath” in which the electronic filling is located, and the ribs. However, on the outside, the case is covered with a thick layer of plastic, on top of which a “metal-like” coating is applied. This explains the fact that if you take scissors and scrape along the lid, then, having erased the primary layer, you will most likely decide that the case is made of plastic. To get to the metal base, you literally need to pick apart several layers of the lid.

Painted plastic over metal causes another problem (besides not feeling like you're holding an expensive device). Along the edge of the case there is a chrome-like color, and in these places the paint begins to peel off the fastest, so that after a month or two, gaps in the plastic will appear on the device. It's not too noticeable if you don't pay attention, but it's still annoying.

The front panel is made of specially curved Gorilla Glass 4. Unlike the now fashionable 2.5D glass, in the LG G5 it curves at the top, creating a smooth platform for conveniently calling up the notification shade. When you need to open it, your finger does not cling to the end, but comfortably slides down. The solution turned out to be not only beautiful (like simple glass with a 2.5D effect), but also useful from a practical point of view.

Assembly

There are almost no complaints about the assembly of the device. With the exception of the lower replacement element created for installing modules. When you take the device out of the box and just use it, there are no problems, the base module with the battery sits securely in its place, there is no play, and so on. But judging by the LG G5 SE samples that have been in use for more than one month, after some time and after frequent module changes, the mount may become loose. Let me rephrase, maybe it will come loose, maybe not, everything will depend on the specific usage scenarios, frequency of changing modules and other things.

Dimensions

In terms of size, the new LG G5 is almost exactly the same as last year's model. Due to its smooth curves and rounded edges, the device fits comfortably in your hand and is comfortable to hold and use. At the same time, calling a smartphone small, of course, will not work. With a diagonal of 5.3"", the device, to put it mildly, is not a record holder in size and is comparable to models with higher diagonals - 5.5"".

Apple iPhone 6S Plus(5.5"") - 158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3 mm, 192 grams
LG G5(5.5"") – 149.4 x 73.9 x 7.3 mm, 156 grams
LG G4(5.5"") – 148.9 x 76.1 x 9.8 mm, 155 grams
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge(5.5”) – 150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm, 157 grams
HTC 10(5.2"") - 145.9 x 71.9 x 9 mm, 161 grams

A year ago, I would have paid more serious attention to the dimensions of a smartphone, but, in my opinion, now devices with a 5.5” diagonal have become commonplace and any model that fits the dimensions of popular devices in this category is perceived as normal.

Compared to Galaxy S7 Edge

Compared to Huawei P9

Controls

I want to grumble a little here. Experiments are good, but I think there should be some limit, some things, points that, having been accepted once and promoted, should not be changed after a short period of time. Yes, I'm talking about the controls, specifically the power and volume keys. It would seem like a small thing, but I don’t think so. With the LG G2 smartphone, the company began promoting the idea of a key block on the back of the smartphone. Three buttons were located on the back of the device in the upper area, near the main camera. Unusual, but generally convenient, and the company made the right emphasis when promoting this idea. Then there were the LG G3 and LG G4, as well as intermediate models (like the LG V10) with the same key layout logic.

And now comes the LG G5. The volume buttons are on the left edge, the power key is on the back and is combined with a fingerprint scanner. There is some logic here general principle? To be honest, I don't see it. Yes, I personally also quickly got used to that arrangement, but the approach itself is confusing, because the whole block of buttons on the back of the device was a great idea.

You can unlock your smartphone (turn on the screen) in three ways: by pressing the power key on the back of the device, double tap on the display surface or by touching the power button (fingerprint scanner on it). At the same time, the third method is convenient because you don’t need to press the power button (as in the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, for example, where you need to press the Home key), you just need to touch it.

The scanner allows you to save up to five prints, it works quickly and accurately, I have not had any complaints about this element during the month of using the device (unlike the scanner in the Samsung Galaxy S Edge, which for some reason is “stupid”).

Like other smartphones from the company, there is a gesture system:

Automatically answer calls when you bring your smartphone to your ear (even if a Bluetooth headset is connected to the device)
Muting the ringer volume when you pick up your smartphone from a table, shelf, or anything else
Switch to silent mode during incoming call when you turn your smartphone over
Stop the alarm or set it to go off again when you turn your smartphone over
Pause video playback when you flip your smartphone over

Now about the location of elements and connectors. At the top end there is an IR port, an additional microphone and a 3.5 mm mini-jack. On the bottom there is USB Type-C, the main microphone and speaker.

On the front side, in the upper part, there is a speaker, light and proximity sensors, as well as a light indicator and an 8 MP front camera peephole. Tray for two nanoSIM cards or one nanoSIM card and the memory card is on the right edge.

Screen

The LG G5 has a 5.3" diagonal screen based on an IPS matrix (IPS Quantum). Display resolution – 2560x1440 pixels (554 ppi). In terms of characteristics, the screen resembles that of the LG G4 - that is, good. There is a reserve of brightness, viewing angles are maximum. Even if you tilt the screen diagonally, there will be absolutely no distortion of the picture in color or brightness. Automatic backlight The screen sometimes works to save battery power, that is, it sets the backlight level lower than what you want to see, but during the day its operation is quite correct. Colorful temperature It’s configured well, in my opinion, and the only drawback I’ll note is the inability to change it.

The screen is covered with protective glass Gorilla Glass 4 and has a high-quality oleophobic coating, so that the few fingerprints and marks that appear on the display can be easily removed.

Like Samsung's flagships, the LG G5 supports Always-on technology, when some useful information is constantly displayed on the screen. In the G5, you can display the time, date and a line of new notifications (system), as well as some arbitrary signature.

Again, like Samsung, LG notes the extremely low power consumption of this thing, but, like Samsung, if operating time is important to you, it’s better to forget about Always-on. And although Samsung uses an AMOLED screen that is more efficient for this scenario, and here IPS, I turned off the option in both cases (in the S7 Edge and G5 SE).

Camera

There are two main cameras in the LG G5 - one with a resolution of 16 MP, an f/1.8 aperture, a color spectrum sensor, a three-axis optical stabilization system (OIS) and a laser focusing system. The second is wide-angle, with a resolution of 8 MP and an f/2.4 aperture.

The idea is that for usual scenarios you use a 16-megapixel camera, but if you need to take a photo that covers as much space as possible (a general photo at a holiday, some beautiful landscape, etc.) - switch to a wide-angle camera.

You might think that this is some kind of advertising gimmick and in fact the cameras in the LG G5 do not differ too much in the shooting angle, but this is not so. The second camera is really wide-angle and allows you to get several times in the frame more information than the main one. Here's what it looks like in reality:

Main camera (16 MP)	Wide-angle camera (8 MP)

The photo quality from the wide-angle camera is worse than from the main one, but for my purposes, it seems to me that it is quite sufficient. You are unlikely to use it constantly. So let's talk about the main camera.

Like the LG G4, the main camera module here is equipped with an optical stabilization system and laser focusing. Focusing speed in the G5 is approximately at the same level as the LG G4. The photo quality on the first firmware, to be honest, is not as high as I expected, although it is good overall. But now the company is preparing new firmware, and with each next camera will improve, so we can expect progress in this regard.

Below - small comparison cameras in LG G4 and LG G5:

LG G4	LG G5

In my opinion, during the day the devices shoot about the same; in low-light conditions, the LG G4 looks stronger.

Now let's take a look at comparative examples of pictures at night; there will already be three devices: LG G4, LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.

LG G4	LG G5	Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

Here I would distribute the devices as follows: the highest quality and closest to reality picture is produced by the LG G4. I believe that this smartphone is still without competition when it comes to shooting at night; there are simply no better devices yet. In second place is the LG G5 - its picture is not so sharp and natural, but overall it is still close to what you actually see with your own eyes. The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is the latest - yes, the smartphone takes pictures instantly even at night; against its background, both the LG G4 and LG G5 take forever to focus, but the pictures themselves on the S7 Edge turn out too artificial: oversharpening, overexposure, everything looks completely wrong in the photographs, like really.

Examples of photos in good weather

Now briefly about the interface. Like the LG G4, there are three shooting modes (for both cameras): easy, basic and manual. The first one is simple, there are no elements or information on the screen at all, you just touch the screen anywhere and the smartphone takes a photo.

The second is basic, with all settings displayed. In this case, to shoot you need to press a key, here you can also change various parameters, from image resolution to shooting mode.

Finally, the third and most important mode is manual. In this mode, you can shoot with automatic settings, but with the creation of two files at once: RAW (DNG extension) and JPEG, and also in completely manual mode. In the second case, you can adjust the white balance, exposure value (from +2 to -2), shutter speed (from 1/3200 to 30 seconds), ISO (from 50 to 3200) and adjust the focal length. In short, this is a complete manual mode, as detailed as it can now be required in a smartphone camera.

Shooting in manual mode on the LG G5 is a different story. Even taking into account the fact that the first firmware does not reveal the potential of the camera (I am sure this will be corrected in the future), the manual mode allows you to take cool shots in a wide variety of situations and conditions. Perhaps someday I will make a separate article with examples of pictures taken on the LG G5 SE in manual mode.

If you compare the cameras in the LG G4 and LG G5, the main difference comes down to the appearance of an additional wide-angle module. Slight differences in automatic mode there is, but, in general, in good conditions G4 and G5 produce comparable results. At night, the G4 takes better pictures so far, but I hope this will be corrected in future firmware and the G5 will become better.

Video. The maximum recording quality is UltraHD (3840x2160 pixels), the standard is FullHD (1920x1080), in addition to recording at 30 or 60 frames per second, there is recording at up to 120 fps. In video recording mode, autofocus tracking works. The quality of the recorded video is good, however, you can evaluate the video examples yourself.

Front-camera. The front camera with a resolution of 8 MP and an f/2.0 aperture allows you to take good shots, but nothing more. To be honest, I expected much more from the front camera in the LG G5. Just like at one time from the camera in the G4. During the day on a sunny day, the quality can be called acceptable; when conditions worsen or in the dark, the photographs turn into “soap” with very noticeable post-processing.

LG G4	LG G5

Autonomous operation

LG G5 SE has a removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 2800 mAh, slightly weaker than that used in the LG G3 and G4.

My LG G5 SE sample worked on average until the evening, being completely discharged by 17-18 hours at heavy load(for example, my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge lasts up to about 20 hours in this mode, but I still have to use an external battery). The difference in operating time under normal conditions between the LG G5 SE and last year's LG G4 is within the margin of error, with active exploitation Both smartphones die down in the evening, and with moderate use they work all day.

I can’t say that everything is good, I personally expected progress from the new flagship precisely in terms of battery life, because the LG G4 was by no means a record holder in this regard, but, alas, there is no progress here. Like other manufacturers, unfortunately, they are in no hurry to move in this direction.

In the power settings, you can enable the “energy saving” mode when the charge level decreases below 5 or below 15 percent. In this mode, the brightness is reduced, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, vibration, auto-synchronization of services and the indicator light are turned off.

Platform, memory

The smartphone is built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 platform (MSM 8976) with an eight-core processor: four Cortex-A72 cores with a frequency of 1.8 GHz and four Cortex-A53 cores with a frequency of 1.2 GHz. Graphics system (GPU) – Adreno 510. The device has 3 GB random access memory and 32 GB built-in, as well as a slot for a microSD memory card. Actually, this is, in fact, the only thing that distinguishes the “stripped down” LG G5 SE from the flagship LG G5 – the platform. The flagship runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, has Adreno 530 graphics and 4 GB of RAM on board.

If in the case of the LG G4 the company simply, for a number of reasons, opted for a non-top platform, then for the LG G5 they made two versions - the regular G5 and the slightly simplified G5 SE. It is the latest model that is available in Russia, and the Snapdragon 652 platform in it provides a good level of performance, although it is inferior to other flagships on top platforms in synthetic tests.

Interfaces

The smartphone works in GSM networks, HSDPA and LTE. For LTE there is support for all common bands and frequencies, including Russian networks fourth generation the device works without problems. The smartphone has one radio module and two slots for SIM cards.

USB. Used for synchronization with PC and data transfer complete cable USB Type-C. USB 2.0 interface (in LG G5 – USB 3.0). The USB-OTG and USB-Host standards are supported - you can connect flash drives and other storage devices, for example, a camera, to the smartphone via an adapter to transfer pictures from it to the device’s memory.

Bluetooth. Built-in Bluetooth 4.2 module with support for A2DP, LE (low energy) and Apt-X profiles.

Wi-Fi (802.11a/ac/b/g/n). LG G5 SE uses dual band Wi-Fi module, this interface works flawlessly. Like anyone else modern Android smartphone, G5 SE supports sharing function mobile internet via Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi router), as well as DLNA and Wi-Fi Direct standards.

NFC. Standard interface for any flagship Android based starting from 2013 it is also available in the LG G5 SE. It can be turned on and off in the settings, in the menu " General access and connection."

Navigation

The smartphone supports GPS/A-GPS and Glonass; searching for satellites takes a minimum amount of time. There is no special navigation software in Android smartphones, and manufacturers usually limit themselves to the preinstalled Google Maps, LG G4 is no exception in this sense.

Software features and software

The smartphone is running Android systems 6.0 with proprietary LG UX 5.0 interface. Most of the settings and the shell as a whole have undergone virtually no changes compared to UX 4.0 in the LG G4. Of course, externally new interface has become even smoother, neater and calmer in design.

One of the innovations in the fifth version of LG UX is that now application icons are located on the desktop, and the application menu is no longer there, that is, the company has switched to the “iOS-like” interface logic. It is important that, if you wish, you can switch to the usual interface display mode with a separate application menu, as it was before.

For the rest - familiar interface and a set of programs that has hardly changed compared to the LG G4.

Lock screen. The lock screen displays new notifications and the time in one line, and a number of shortcuts are available in the lower area for quickly jumping to applications. The set of shortcuts can be changed in the settings, and it will not necessarily be the same as the shortcuts in the bottom bar on the desktop.

What upset me most about the LG G3 and G4 was the strange and illogical system of transitioning from notifications on the lock screen to the applications that generated them. For example, I get a notification about a new message in Telegram or WhatsApp, I click on it to open the program, but before I get into the program, I need to swipe my finger again to unlock the screen. You won't believe it, but in the LG G5 this system is back in place! And this despite the fact that in Android 6.0, to switch from the notification card on the lock screen to the notification itself, you just need to double-tap on the card and that’s it. There are no words.

Pre-installed software. The smartphone has a convenient file manager with the ability to view files by category or in shared storage, searching and sorting by criteria. A weather application with animated graphics, if you do not launch it as a widget. Calculator, voice recorder, radio - all these programs are made in the same graphic style as the rest of the interface.

QuickMemo+ lets you create text or handwritten notes.

Like the LG G4, there is a clock and weather widget with a Smart Notice notification panel attached to it. The idea is simple - in the form of short notifications, remind the user about important things: weather changes, calendar events, missed notifications, and so on. True, the functionality of Smart Notice is still limited to notifications of just a few types: weather and new events, as well as tips.

The LG G5 SE has the LG Health service, which counts the distance traveled, number of steps and calories burned.

Replaceable modules

The main feature of the LG G5 and LG G5 SE is the replaceable modules. The lower block is removed, and in its place you can install a special module that expands the capabilities of the device. The basic module with a battery can be considered standard, in addition to this, there are two more - with an amplifier for better music quality and with camera control keys (and an additional battery inside).

This is how beautiful a smartphone looks with the module removed!

Now a little more detail.

The first module is a massive block with camera control keys: a shooting button, a zoom wheel and several other elements. It also has built-in extra battery. It looks something like this:

The second module, with a separate DAC, branded by Bang and Olufsen, is needed in order to get higher quality sound on the smartphone. As with the first module, this one increases the size of the smartphone, albeit not so much.

The idea of modules itself is interesting and I personally like it, but so far its implementation raises a lot of questions, from the very beginning to specific modules. Why do you need to remove the battery to replace the module, thereby interrupting the operation of the smartphone? If I want to connect a camera module at an important moment, then for half a minute I will simply be left without a working device, this is inconvenient. The modules themselves are large. Why make the camera module so massive? How useful is it anyway? The same goes for the sound module. Finally, why did the company manage to prepare only two modules before the start of sales of the flagship? Were there really no ideas? Honestly, I can't believe it.

Conclusion

After almost a month of using the LG G5 SE, I had no complaints about the quality of signal reception. The volume of the ringing speaker is slightly above average; one speaker is used. In most situations it is clearly audible if the volume is turned up to maximum. The volume of the earpiece is also at a good level; there is a small volume reserve for conversations in noisy rooms. The vibration alert is average in strength.

The official price of the LG G5 SE in Russia is 50,000 rubles (49,990), that is, comparable to the Samsung Galaxy S7, Sony Xperia X Performance, HTC 10 and other flagships. Each of the listed smartphones has its own strengths and weak sides, of course, like the LG G5 SE. My main complaint about the new LG smartphone comes down to one thing - it turned out to be vague. The company got too involved in experiments, came up with replaceable modules, but never developed this idea fully enough (two modules for release is not serious). Perhaps new modules will appear, but for now everything is like this. The LG G4 had an emphasis on replaceable leather covers and a cool camera, while the LG G3 had an emphasis on a high resolution screen, in LG G2 - on thin frames and compact dimensions. I used each of these devices as my main device for more than six months, which is a significant period of time for a person who has the opportunity to change a smartphone literally once a week. I liked the “tubes” from LG precisely because of their completeness. For my taste, this is exactly what the LG G5 SE lacks. It has a good screen, moderate dimensions, sufficient performance for work (although in SE tests it is inferior to all flagships on top platforms), operating time comparable to competitors, a very high-quality main camera comparable to the LG G4 and Samsung Galaxy S7, as well as an additional wide-angle camera for different situations, something that other manufacturers do not yet have. But still, this smartphone is missing something. Perhaps I was expecting too much careful work to improve the LG G4 in the new flagship, but I received a completely different device, and my conclusions are connected with this. Don't know.

The new product became the first mass model a smartphone with a modular concept, although not like in the Ara project from Google, where any component will be replaced. To expand the capabilities of the LV Zh5, the manufacturer suggests using special replaceable modules that are attached to the bottom of the device. At MWC, the manufacturer showed the first available modules and several accessories, which will be discussed further.

The plug-ins will use the so-called Magic Slot, which is at the head of the smartphone's modular system. The process of removing and installing attachments is quite simple. At the bottom of the case there is a button that disconnects its lower part. Next, you just need to remove the battery and move it to the desired plug-in module.

LG CAM Plus

One of the mentioned attachments is LG Cam Plus, the image of which appeared a few days before the announcement of the LG G5 smartphone. The module is a rather bulky box, with controls located on the body, which are already available in the mobile device itself. However, Cam Plus makes the smartphone more comfortable to hold in your hand when taking photos and improves battery capacity.

The LG Cam Plus is equipped with a 1200 mAh battery, and when combined with the 2800 mAh battery, the G5 has a total capacity of 4000 mAh, which is pretty good. The controls on the module include a shutter button, a button to switch to video recording, a zoom wheel and a button to launch the camera application. In addition, this attachment has an LED indicator and is equipped with intuitive autofocus and autoexposure locking functions.

LG Hi-Fi Plus is a plug-in audio module developed in collaboration with Bang & Olufsen for audiophiles and connoisseurs of high-quality sound. The module is equipped with a 32-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC), which supports 384kHz/32-bit audio playback and oversampling technology. For comparison, the LG G5 has a 24-bit DAC.

The Hi-Fi Plus module with B&O Play player has its own audio jack with high priority for output, and therefore in its connected state standard port will not work for LG G5 headphones.

The attachment does not have its own battery, so it only works when connected to a new flagship from LG or another smartphone or even a computer as a Hi-Fi DAC chip. The module comes with a special plug and H3 B&O Play headphones.

LG 360 CAM

LG 360 CAM acts as a standalone 360-degree camera that connects to the LG G5 via Bluetooth. The camera has a 4 GB flash drive with expandable capacity MicroSD cards, 3 microphones, a 1200 mAh battery and two 13 MP cameras, which together form flat or spherical images with a resolution of 16 MP.

Each camera captures a 200-degree angle, and then they are combined into a full 360-degree image. LG 360 CAM supports 2K video recording with 5.1 surround sound. The removed material can be stored in internal memory camera or upload it to YouTube 360, Google Street View and smartphone. With LG G5 you can watch videos in real time,

LG 360 VR

LG 360 VR is a headset virtual reality with the ability to connect to LG G5 using only USB cable Type-C. Unlike its competitors, the device from LG received a built-in display and this made the gadget lighter and more compact, and the folding design allows you to take it with you on a trip. The weight of this gadget is 118 grams.

The LG 360 VR headset features 1.88-inch adjustable lenses with a resolution of 960 x 720 and a pixel density of 639 ppi. According to the company, this design simulates a 130-inch TV in front of your eyes at a distance of two meters. The device has a headphone jack, which allows you not only to view the picture, but also to hear its sounds. You can also use your LG G5 smartphone to play audio while pairing it with the headset.

In addition, the 360 VR comes with Home and Back buttons, but for more convenient control, it's better to use the new flagship device. Using the headset, you can watch 2D movies from your smartphone and content from YouTube 360 and Google Cardboard.

LG Rolling Bot is a spherical robot with a little smaller size than a soccer ball designed for house and pet care. The bot's movement is carried out using two independently rotating hemispheres, which allows it to move in any direction. The robot contains an 8 MP camera, speakers, microphone and laser pointer, which, as you know, cats love to chase.

You can control Rolling Bot and view video in real time using a smartphone with a special application installed. The bot is compatible with everyone mobile phones third party manufacturers, but according to the South Korean company, owners of LG smartphones will have a more advantage convenient management and configuration thanks to the proprietary LG Friends Manager application. Having used up the charge battery, the robot nurse will independently return to the charging point.

The cost of modules and other mobile devices of the LG G5 & Friends line is not yet known.

Be sure to evaluate the design of the new product by looking

“So you want a smartphone with an all-metal body and a removable battery?”— the promo video for the G5 model shown at the LG presentation begins with these introductory words. Actually, new flagship South Korean company, which will be discussed below, fully fit into the voiced concept. In addition, when developing a smartphone, the emphasis was not on standard features devices of this class, but on original and unusual auxiliary options.

Down with plastic, long live modularity!

LG G5, whose presentation took place in Barcelona, managed to intrigue and even surprise the public with its non-standard solutions that were unusual for competitors’ products. It’s worth starting with the fact that the smartphone’s body is made entirely of metal - this, according to the manufacturer’s plan, should give the gadget additional solidity. And if this feature Since the G5 model deserves only a brief mention, the battery removal mechanism - the main feature of the smartphone - needs a more thorough study.

How to replace the battery on a smartphone? Typically, you will first need to remove the back cover and then remove the battery. However, the usual manipulations do not work for the LG G5, since a different method of removing the battery is implemented here due to the removable lower part of the case.

But the main thing is that the slot for the retractable smartphone module, which houses the battery, is used to connect third-party friendly accessories. Yes, LG engineers thus embodied their vision of modularity in the G5 smartphone: the user can pull it out of the device with a slight movement standard battery and connect one of the gadgets offered by the developers - the Hi-Fi Plus audio player, created by LG and Bang & Olufsen, or the LG CAM Plus module with an additional battery and a set of physical buttons to operate the LG G5 as a full-fledged digital camera.

The idea itself seems very original, but time will tell how practical and relevant it is.

Screen that's always on

The always-on display, which displays basic notifications and the time, was talked about long before the official announcement. The only question was whether the smartphone would receive additional screen, or LG will show something truly new.

Indeed, the LG G5 boasts an always-on main display that will display current time and date, missed SMS/calls/e-mail. This was done to ensure that the owner of the smartphone did not once again wake the device from “sleep”, unlocking it only to make sure that there were no notifications. In theory, an active display can somewhat extend the battery life of the LG G5, since the owner of the smartphone will not have to unnecessarily activate the screen backlight. However this function, according to the manufacturer, consumes 0.8% of battery power every hour.

From useful options— the presence of Daylight Mode, which makes using the LG G5 on a sunny day even easier. Maximum brightness the screen in this mode can reach a value of 850 nits.

From auxiliary functions to main parameters

What exactly is today's top mobile product from LG? The G5 model has become a little more compact than its predecessor by reducing the screen size to 5.3″. The device uses a Quantum Display IPS matrix with support for a resolution of 2560 × 1440 pixels. During the presentation, the developers drew attention to the fact that the protective glass, called 3D Arc Glass, has rounded edges. This, in fact, does not affect the functionality in any way, but the design of the smartphone receives an additional plus (or even a small plus) for this. In fact, the mentioned 3D Arc Glass technology is an analogue of the 2.5D protective glass loved by Chinese manufacturers, which impresses more in renders than in real life.

For the performance of Android 6.0 OS in the LG G5, as it should be top smartphone 2016, answers Snapdragon processor 820 coupled with 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM. The need to use a top-end chip from Qualcomm is due to the fact that the smartphone takes on the role of a “computing center” and processes data when interacting with the LG 360 VR virtual reality helmet, which is connected to it via USB interface Type-C.

The specifications of the new product also include:

built-in 32 GB storage;
microSD card slot;
dual rear camera with 16 megapixel and 8 megapixel sensors, allowing shooting with a viewing angle of 135°;
8 MP front camera;
NFC chip;
fingerprint scanner on the back;
battery with a capacity of 2800 mAh;
fast standard support charging Quick Charge version 3.0;
USB Type-C interface;
case with dimensions 149.4 × 73.9 × 7.7 mm and weight 159 g.

The smartphone will be available in four colors- silver, titanium, pink and gold. The cost of the LG G5 has not been announced, however, according to experts, the price of the device is unlikely to drop below $650. The start of sales of the flagship is scheduled for April of this year.

LG G5 and friends

In conclusion, I would like to note that the developers are positioning their smartphone not as a device we are used to for communication, accessing the Internet, exploring multimedia content and performing other functions. daily tasks, but as part of a larger system.

For example, the LG G5 is also a controller with which you can control the LG Rolling Bot robotic ball or, say, the H3 by B&O PLAY acoustics.

LG faced a giant challenge in 2016; its new smartphones will have to compete with the Samsung Galaxy S7. To counter Samsung and the ubiquitous iPhone, LG decided to innovate and reimagine the way we use smartphones with the release of the LG G5.

Modular LG G5 - Reviews

The LG G5 is truly different. This is a phone that has a detachable bottom and battery, a better camera than its predecessors and more High Quality sound. It's a small change, but damn exciting because of what it represents and what it could mean for the future.

For the LG G5 to be successful, people must not only see the potential, but also love the phone. Eclipsing the glories of Samsung and Apple is a mammoth task for LG. Does the G5 have something that will make people buy it and dive into the world of modular smartphones?

The magic is hidden in the LG G5 slot

The magic of the LG G5 lies inside the slot, the phone's modular port. It is located at the base of the device, where the battery is located. On the right side of the phone there is a small button for hidden mounting. It pops out the bottom of the phone and disconnects the battery, allowing you to remove the entire module. It's all well designed, and wisely done. It’s not easy to unhook the module and let it crash onto the floor. You have to put in some effort if you want to pull it out. It takes a steady hand to remove the battery and a firm final push to secure it into place. None of these steps will happen by accident, so G5 won't figure itself out on its own.

However, it all feels alien because we are used to treating our phones as thin and fragile devices. But, with regards to the G5, rough handling is necessary here, unless of course you want to swap modules. The first few times you do this, you will be surprised, because everything is on the verge of breaking.

The amount of work, thought, effort and commitment that went into creating the LG G5 is amazing.

The first time we swapped modules, we were very afraid not to break the phone, so we asked another colleague who already had practice and did it. It took several rounds of changing modules to learn how to smoothly and harshly tug and pull on the module.

We would like to have an easier way to replace modules, or for each module to have its own battery and not have to yank it every time moving from place to place. Alternatively, the battery could be hidden in the rear so that changing modules would not require relocating the battery. Of course, this will be annoying for those who don't want a removable battery.

The amazing G5 camera that steals the show

The LG G4 and V10 are two of the best camera phones ever made, and LG hasn't sacrificed any of the photography features in the G5. The G5 is absolutely fantastic and we can't stop shooting with it. The sensor is almost identical to the V10, with 16 MP and an F/1.8 aperture, as well as laser autofocus and optical stabilization Images. There is also a dual lens here, but not for selfies - on the front, like the v10, but on the back.

The first camera provides a regular view of the world, while the second provides an expanded 135-degree field of view, providing ample opportunities for creativity. They are used independently of each other unless activated special mode, in which two points are meshed with each other to create strange photo hybrids. This is a feature you won't use often, but it can produce fun collages.

The wide-angle lens is addictive. It changes the look of the camera completely, and changes the way and type of focal points. The results look great, especially when shooting perspective and wide open spaces. There is a slight fisheye effect on the G5's wide-angle shots, but again, as long as you put some thought into the final image, it's not distracting.

LG has included its incredibly easy-to-use Manual mode for the G5, where ISO, shutter speed, focus and white balance can be adjusted. This manual mode is the most convenient for users. You'll find it very easy to use for adjusting images due to its simplicity.

The 8MP front selfie camera also has a wider angle than other phones like the iPhone 6S Plus and comes with effective regime to smooth out tones.

The LG G5 camera is a pleasure to use; This is a huge plus for phone sales. The wide-angle lens sets the phone apart from its competitors - and is an improvement over the G4 and V10.

Using the CamPlus module

Considering how well the LG G5's camera does its job, you might be wondering what the camera is for. CamPlus module. However, after using CamPlus, we can honestly say that it enhances the G5's camera, producing even higher quality images.

The module is not very big, but it has an extra battery to keep your phone charged. There is a dedicated photo button, a video recording button, and a zoom wheel. We compared it to the standard zoom of the Galaxy S7 Edge and iPhone 6S Plus, and the results with both phones were grainier.

The CamPlus module sees things that other smartphone cameras can't, and it's truly impressive. If you take the LG G5 and CamPlus on vacation, you won't need to pack any other camera to take great photos. The addition of a camera button and zoom wheel will also be useful when you're shooting with gloves in the winter. This eliminates the need for your phone's touch screen to get the best quality images, making your G5 feel like a real camera.

For LG G5 there is also a special module for improving audio.

OS Android 6.0

The LG G5 is equipped with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow OS with some modifications; it differs from previous LG smartphones, primarily due to controversial decisions that are similar to Apple firmware.

Now all your apps are spread across multiple home screens. The list of pre-installed applications is not that long, it includes regular applications For Email, contacts, weather, plus tools such as voice recorder, calculator, task manager and FM radio.

LG G5 is powerful device with Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 and 4 GB of RAM on board, which allows the smartphone to not heat up so much during processing large quantity data as 810 version.

Battery life needs improvement

Let's start with the positive. It's completely replaceable, so if you're carrying a spare battery, it only takes a few seconds to swap out a dead one for a charged one. Try this on any other flagship phone in 2016?

Recharging will have to be done every day, and possibly more than once. If you find yourself in GPS action for two hours, took several photos, and generally used the phone for email, messages and applications; the battery will “die” at the end of the working day. It's not much different from the Galaxy S7 or iPhone 6S Plus. At least if you have a second LG G5 battery, it's not a disaster.

Charging also features QuickCharge 3.0, which is a step up from the Galaxy S7's standard QuickCharge 2.0.

And finally we come to the sophisticated design of the G5. At first glance it looks boring, but not ugly. Over time, we've grown to love the subtle design details of the LG G5.

There are curves in unexpected places - the screen slopes back at the top, and there are no nasty sharp edges to make it awkward to hold. The metal is smooth and without seams.

In any case, the design of the LG G5 should not be judged right away. You have to live with it for a while, and you will be grateful to the developers for their well-thought-out design and shape.

LG should also be congratulated because the implementation of the modular system is almost invisible on the G5. There are no buttons of unusual shape or size, or stupid drawn arrows on the body, everything is done aesthetically and in the same style.

Although the LG G5 is not much smaller than the LG G4, its streamlined shape makes the smartphone very compact. It's slightly larger than the Galaxy S7 and weighs 159 grams. The display is 5.3 inches diagonally, smaller than the G4 and slightly larger than the Galaxy S7, but it has the same 2,560 x 1,440 pixels. The fingerprint sensor, as is standard for LG, is located on the rear panel, although the volume control on the G5 has been moved to the rear side.

Need more updates

LG usually updates its phones at least once a month, but it's not much better than Samsung or any other Android phone maker. It's a shame and we'd like to see more initiative from phone makers receiving Android updates. Because Android phones do not receive regular updates, are vulnerable to hackers, viruses, and are generally less secure than the iPhone. They also don't get new features often software. LG and others need to work to fix this epic problem.

G5 Warranty and Durability

LG offers a one-year warranty with the G5, so if there are problems, you'll have to send it back to the company for repairs.

It is not known how strong and durable the modules are, if they are replaced over and over again, will this cause problems? But this will be determined over time of use. The LG G5 is not waterproof, which works against it compared to the Galaxy S7. However, when it comes to drops and shock, the G5 will likely win the Galaxy S7's drop tests.

Bottom line

The amount of work, thought, effort and commitment that went into creating the new LG G5 is amazing. While other brands are accused of copying technology, LG has come up with something that will lead to new types of smartphones. It's bold, exciting and full of glorious potential.

However, at the moment, the potential of a modular phone has not yet been fully realized, and there are only a couple of replaceable modules.

However, the LG G5 is undoubtedly one of the best flagship phones of 2016, and you won't be disappointed with it, whether you have the modules or not.

LG G5 smartphone – video review

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LG announced the launch on Russian market replaceable LG Friends modules that can be connected to the flagship smartphones LG G5 and G5SE. Three additions have become available to Russian gadget owners: the LG Cam Plus camera control module, the LG Hi-Fi Plus audio module, as well as a battery and charger kit.

LG G5 was presented in Russia at the end of April. In addition to two main cameras and a powerful processor, the device received several “friends” - replaceable modules for music lovers and photography enthusiasts. As a result, the South Korean company has created a kind of transforming gadget.

At the bottom of the LG G5 there is removable panel, with the help of which a bright yellow 2800 mAh battery is removed from the depths of the case. It is then easily installed on any of the modules to choose from, each of which has its own set of features and is aimed at a specific audience.

LG CAM Plus is designed for photography lovers. After all, it essentially turns a smartphone into one familiar to most users. digital camera. The module is a handle with buttons for controlling the camera, zoom, video recording and flash, so now users can simultaneously hold the device with one hand and adjust camera settings. In addition, the accessory is equipped with intuitive autofocus and autoexposure locking, and is also equipped with extra battery at 1200 mAh. The cost of the module in Russia is 4,990 rubles.

The second “friend” of LG G5 is intended for connoisseurs of good sound. The LG Hi-Fi Plus was developed jointly with Bang & Olufsen and is essentially a 32-bit DAC. This means that it is capable of playing ultra-high definition audio (384kHz/32-bit), both when connecting headphones and playing back on the device itself. In addition to the LG device, it can be connected to any other smartphones, as well as to computers as a portable Hi-Fi DAC. Sales of the Hi-Fi Plus module will start at a price of 9,990 rubles.

The third addition to the LG G5 is a battery and charger kit. With its help, you can not only replace a dead battery with a fully charged one, but also charge other devices. Replaceable module offered for 2,990 rubles.