LG G6

After using the LG G6 extensively, I am still constantly amazed at how compact the phone feels in the hand. With its screen-to-body ratio of 80 percent, the G6 is just around 4 percent shy of Galaxy S8’s screen ratio of 83.6 percent. Both the phones are extremely compact. Here’s the trick, both Samsung and LG have decided to go for a wider aspect ratio for the displays. I shall talk about the display and what it means for content consumption, but here is what you need to know: owing to the wider aspect ratio you get a taller display, and a taller phone as a result. And this tall phone, feels ergonomic as well.

The 5.7-inch IPS LCD panel on the G6 does not immediately capture your attention like the Samsung Galaxy S8’s display. Don’t get me wrong though, the front is all screen and most of what you are looking at is screen on the LG G6, but thanks to the curved edges on the Galaxy S8, the bezels get neatly hidden under the glass layer on top making it look a lot more attractive. The G6's display offers a screen resolution of 1,440 x 2,880, which translates to a pixel density of 564 ppi. The screen is crisp and offers fairly accurate colours as well. I found the colour calibration to be slightly on the cooler side, though.

Fun fact: the LG V20 was the first phone to run Android 7.0 Nougat outside the box. The LG G6 also runs Nougat by default but not the latest 7.1.1 version for some odd reason. Anyway, LG has employed a heavy skin on top of Android which completely subverts the original look for one that is totally unrecognisable on the face of it. In fact, the very first time you switch the phone you are presented with a stack of tutorials that get rather annoying.

LG has gone with the tried-and-tested dual camera carried from the G5 and the V20. The second camera on the rear can shoot wide angle shots. Both the cameras on the rear use 13MP sensors but are vastly difference in terms of image quality produced. This is owing to the fact that the primary camera is attached to a f/1.8 aperture lens, has 3-axis OIS and phase-detection autofocus. In comparison, the secondary wide angle lens is attached to a slower f/2.4 aperture lens and no OIS or autofocus.

Internally, the LG G6 comes with last year’s flagship SoC - the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 - coupled with 4 gigs of RAM. While it is a little disheartening that LG couldn't procure the Snapdragon 835 in time for the launch, or so I hear, the 821 is not really a bad option. It is plenty powerful and LG has somehow managed to optimise the software to ensure that it doesn’t lag even if you push it to its limits. All heavy graphics games run absolutely smoothly and quite honestly, you won’t be left wanting for more power. In my time with the device though, I found it to heat up once or twice but it is not something that I’d worry too much about because most high-end smartphones do get hot once in a while.

After using the phone, I am pretty convinced that LG’s decision to not make another modular flagship smartphone this year was a good one. To top it off, I am glad that LG has decided to price the G6 aggressively, at least as far as flagship smartphone pricing is concerned. The G6 is definitely a top-tier smartphone that begs for your attention. I can’t really think of anything that is a deal breaker.