Lg ji flex. LG G Flex - Specifications. Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device

Design, buttons ...

At first, the smartphone seemed too big. Of course, this is not a record size of the device, but, nevertheless, not every pocket can fit it. And not in every hand such a large body will look appropriate. But this is a subjective moment, because there are definitely people who will be delighted with this device size. It's not that big when you consider the size of the display. In the category of lampshades, the LG G Flex is not the largest, let's call it the average size - 160.5 x 81.6 x 8.7 mm, it weighs 177 grams, but I would not call it heavy, according to the sensations.

The case is plastic, glossy and also unusual. Besides being bent, it is also scratch resistant. Yes, I know that all manufacturers say this about their creations, but Flex has a special polymer ball (interlayer / coating) that heals, so to speak. After a scratch appears on the case, it gradually tightens. It all depends on the complexity of the damage: small scratches will heal during the day, and deep "cuts" can leave a scar on the coating of your smartphone.

Another feature of the body is the ability to bend. Literally. You can sit on it weighing up to 40 kg (and some say that 80 is not a problem). In this case, the smartphone may crunch slightly, but it will still not be damaged. Everything inside seems to bend - the display is flexible, the case is flexible, the battery is flexible. These are all joint developments of LG Chem and LG Display. The manufacturer claims that the device can be safely carried in the back pocket and not be afraid to sit on it. Honestly, I would still try to be neat with the G Flex, but the experience turns out to be very interesting. After all, we've all seen pictures of working samples of curved iPhones after the back pockets - not a pleasant sight.

The layout of the elements was based on LG G2. So, the volume buttons and the power button are located at the back. There is also a camera, a flash and, # suddenly, an infrared port. Yes, to control the telecom, you will need to point your smartphone back at it, and not like a regular remote control. The power button is illuminated over the entire area. The speaker has moved to the back and is located at the bottom. There is a SIM card tray on the left side, the right side is empty. At the bottom of the case there is a MicroUSB, a main microphone and a headset jack, and an additional microphone at the top.

The form

One of the advantages of the curved shape of the device is the convenience when talking. So the smartphone bends around the user's face and this has a positive effect on the quality of voice transmission and reception. The advantage is very doubtful, because modern smartphones are very difficult to catch in poor speech quality. Another positive aspect of this form is the convenience when watching videos. Indeed, watching video on such a display is cool, but it's not a fact that someone would have noticed any improvements if they hadn't been told about it. Such a placebo effect. Unfortunately, it takes more time to form a conclusion about convenience / inconvenience, but first impressions remain quite positive.

Display

As you can imagine, they couldn't do with a traditional display. It was in a smartphone with such body capabilities that a flexible display was used. Although it's hard to say which was the first, flexible display or case. The LG G Flex has a 6-inch pocket TV (read "display"). Its resolution is 1280 x 720 pixels, which ultimately translates into 245 ppi. Matrix type - POLED. This is the same OLED, only with a plastic base. You can find fault with the color rendition, the picture is a little oversaturated, but in general the sensations are normal. The viewing angles are maximum, in contrast to the same G2. The maximum and minimum backlight levels, it seems to me, should be enough for a sunny day and reading under the covers. HD resolution is quite tolerable. Although the pixels can naturally be seen, such a display will be comfortable in daily use. A full HD screen would make the device more expensive.

The camera in the G Flex is similar to that in the LG G2, with one difference - there is no optical stabilization module. All the same 13 MP, the same software, that is, it is possible to shoot video in 1080p at 60 frames per second.

The hardware has not changed either: Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, Adreno 330 graphics, 2 GB RAM, 32 built-in memory. There is no memory card slot. I don’t know what it’s connected with, software or design features, but the smartphone heats up more than the G2, although it has a larger body. This is also noticeable in the tests - with each next run, the result gets worse. So, in AnTuTu Benchmark X, the first run showed 34000 points, the second run lowered the result to 28000. I think the reduced display resolution, coupled with such hardware, make the G Flex faster than the flagship G2.

Battery capacity - 3500 mAh. That's a lot, even considering the 6 "screen. Some say the G Flex is the longest-lived smartphone on the market. It should show about 12 hours of display operation in Moscow 3G, I think the smartphone is not inferior to Motorola Droid Maxx. The claimed standby time is 560 hours.

Android version is quite old - 4.2.2, there is no information about updates. On top of the OS, a proprietary interface is installed - Optimus UI. It is slightly different from what we see in G2. First, the light background in the settings, standard applications and pop-up windows has been replaced with a black one. Obviously for a longer runtime, as OLED displays practically do not consume power when displaying black. But all the menus look nicer this way. There are two themes to choose from: LG and Flex. The new one is much prettier than the regular one.

• Dimensions: 160.5 x 81.6 x 8.7 mm.
• Weight: 177 g.
• Operating system: Android 4.2.2 JB.
• Processor: Quad-core, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974), 2.26 GHz
• Graphics: Adreno 330.
• Display: POLED, 6 ″, 1280 × 720 pixels, 245 ppi
• Memory: 32 GB flash
• RAM: 2 GB.
• Camera: main - 13 MP, video recording at 1080p, 60 fps, front - 2.1 MP.
• Wireless technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0.
• Interface connectors: 3.5mm headphone jack, Micro USB.
• Battery: Li-Pol battery 3500 mAh.

Covers

As is the case with other modern models of the manufacturer, several cases are available for the G Flex: silicone, covering the back and sides, as well as flips with a window that displays important information: missed, hours, weather, player. The flip also has a hole for the LED. By the way, he is more intelligent than before. If you missed a call - it blinks in a calm color, if the person tried to call several times - the notification turns red.

Oddly enough, I liked the G Flex, and more than the G2. Even its display is more pleasant - without color distortion at various angles. Yes, it has a noticeably lower pixel density, but more autonomy and performance. To all this, you need to add a bendable case and display and a polymer coating that hides minor scratches. The device will not become a mass product, primarily because of the high price tag.

In Korea, the LG G Flex costs over $ 900. So, first of all, this novelty should be regarded as a demonstration of technologies, as a concept and exhibition sample. Which, if desired, can be purchased.

LG G Flex preview on video

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Information about the brand, model and alternative names of a specific device, if any.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, offered colors, certificates.

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

Mobile technology and data rates

Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data rates.

Operating system

The operating system is the system software that controls and coordinates the operation of the hardware components in the device.

SoC (System on a Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) integrates all the major hardware components of a mobile device into a single chip.

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) fixed memory.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical metrics into signals that the mobile device can recognize.

Main camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.

Additional camera

Additional cameras are usually mounted above the screen of the device and are used mainly for video calls, gesture recognition, etc.

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technology supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Locating

Information about the navigation and positioning technologies supported by the device.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is a technology that enables wireless communication for transferring data over short distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless transfer of data between different types of devices over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio connector. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Video file formats / codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode / decode digital video data.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge required for their function.

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

SAR level refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body when using a mobile device.

Undoubtedly, one of the most promising trends of the outgoing year in the mobile industry is flexibility and all kinds of curvature. Flexible screens, batteries, cases - all this brings us closer to the era of wearable devices (wearable computers).

However, for now, the curvature is showing itself in traditional form factors. From demonstration of developments, manufacturers have moved to the release of real devices. One of these first-borns is the LG G Flex smartphone. We recently got to test this smartphone in the Kiev office of LG. Let's take a look at the LG G Flex together and try to understand if there are advantages to such a curved device or if this is another marketing ploy from the manufacturer.

Performance Benefits of LG G Flex

Our first question to LG representatives was the following: "Have you even figured out what are the advantages of such a curved smartphone? Why is it like this, and why does the consumer need it?"

And it turns out that the company has reasoned enough arguments for the benefits of curvature. It's worth noting here that the LG G Flex isn't just a curved smartphone. He's really flexible. This means that you can apply a force of up to 40 kg to it and nothing will happen to your smartphone.

The smartphone unbends - becomes straight or even more curved, and bends again, taking the previous shape. What happens inside the device is magic. But it is known for sure that the LG G Flex is equipped with the recently presented one.

How long a smartphone can withstand such periodic deformations and remain fully functional is also a big question. I would not recommend bending and unbending it all the time. However, during operation, this is probably not necessary. It is enough that in certain situations this curvature and flexibility gives the smartphone certain advantages over its competitors. Let's consider these situations.

The smartphone follows the shape of the body and the curvature makes it more comfortable to use. For example, this 6-inch shovel fit perfectly in the front pocket of my jeans, lay down to my leg, repeating the shape of the body, and I could easily sit with the device in my pocket. At the same time, the smartphone protrudes less from the pocket in a sitting position and is less exposed to the stress on the fracture, in contrast to a conventional straight smartphone. Much the same can be said if you put the device in your back pocket. In this case, you can even sit down and nothing will happen to your smartphone. Again, I don't recommend getting on it all the time. But on the internet there are many photos of the effects of bending at home, when users forget about the smartphone in their back pocket - the consequences are usually dire. In the case of the LG G Flex, most likely, nothing bad will happen. Advantage? Definitely. Move on.

A fall. This is a terrible and tragic process for any modern device. Lucky or unlucky is unknown. And it is in monolithic, well-assembled devices that the probability of severe damage is especially high - the excessive hardness of materials and the rigidity of the structure leads to their increased fragility. Accordingly, this lack of flexibility leads most often to a broken screen. Often, even if the smartphone fell not with glass, but, for example, with its end. And in this case, the screen can crack from the slightest deformation when exposed to the impact force transmitted to it by the body. Agree, such incidents are not uncommon and many have faced a similar disaster. Again, the LG G Flex is the winner in this situation. It is very difficult to break it. Probably almost impossible, except on purpose. Flexibility rules!

Watching videos and playing games. We've all seen curved screens in theaters. This is done in order to minimize distortion and enhance the effect of presence. A similar solution is used in the LG G Flex. I cannot judge how effective it is for use in a smartphone. Probably, there is a certain improvement effect, but I would not call it a particularly critical factor. But at the same time, there is an improvement and a novelty effect.

Another advantage of the LG G Flex is its ease of use. And in this matter, the form is of considerable importance. The smartphone is huge. This is a real shovel with a 6 "screen. Here's a comparison with:

But at the same time, the smartphone lies comfortably in the hand, repeats the shape of the face when we put it to our ear during a phone conversation, when using the device with one hand, it is easier to reach the upper area of \u200b\u200bthe screen. And all this is largely due to the curved shape.

And one more feature of the smartphone, or rather its body. It is the ability to heal itself. This phenomenon is probably due to the properties of the lacquered surface of the housing cover. The deeper the damage, the longer the recovery time. Small scratches disappear within 20-40 minutes. Larger ones can take 70 hours to recover. In general, this property of a smartphone cover can be called a significant advantage. Of course, I again do not recommend scratching it on purpose, but there is no need to be afraid of accidental small scratches, you can put the device on any surface and not worry about the consequences.

Materials and assembly, component layout

The smartphone is completely made of plastic. The lid, as I mentioned earlier, is glossy. There is a diagonal pattern under the varnish. In general, nothing special in the design of the smartphone is observed - this is the traditional format of a classic candy bar for LG today.

Overall, the LG G Flex resembles the same, but increased in size. The frames are not that thin. The main controls are located at the back - the already familiar Rear Key solution, when the power button (equipped with LED lighting) and the volume rocker are located in the camera area. Right there, to the right of the camera, we see a flash, and to the left - an IrDA cap. Yes, the port has been moved here - a bit unusual, but in general it is even more convenient to use it, because you can look directly at the screen and not turn the device so it is facing forward.

At the bottom of the lid is the only speaker of the smartphone.

On the left side of the smartphone is the micro SIM slot carriage:

The right side is completely empty.

On the top you can see only the additional microphone of the noise canceling system.

On the bottom - 3.5 mm audio jack, main microphone and microUSB port:

The assembly itself is quite tight, although some crunching is felt when the smartphone is deformed. But in this case, this apparently cannot be avoided, given the flexibility of the device.

In general, and this is traditional for LG devices lately, the quality of materials and workmanship of the LG G Flex can be considered excellent.

LG G Flex Screen

The device uses a flexible 6 "OLED display with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels. With today's trend of constantly increasing screen density, this resolution may seem low to some users. However, it is worth remembering that the LG G Flex is the first device with such a display and is actually happening now. At the same time, the manufacturer wants to make the device salable right now, so 720p resolution should reduce its overall cost, which, by the way, is rather big and amounts to about $ 1000 in Korea, where the smartphone has already gone on sale.

In practice, the screen shows itself from the good side. My colleague and I could not see the pixels, no matter how we looked. At the same time, the screen has a bright and vibrant picture, deep blacks typical for OLED and excellent viewing angles. In general, the screen made a pleasant impression on us and it is quite possible to use it without looking at the dry performance numbers. There is no doubt that in the future, in future generations of devices, the resolution and screen density will be increased. However, even now it is a great display. I answer!

Performance

Let's first take a look at the characteristics of a smartphone.

As we can see, the LG G Flex is an advanced flagship smartphone. We did not notice any problems with the speed of the device. The interface is fast. Synthetic tests show maximum results. And this is not surprising, because the smartphone is built on a modern powerful platform - the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and the Adreno 330 graphics chip, is equipped with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory. There is no microSD slot. I tried playing Asphalt 8 and did not notice any problems - everything is smooth, fast, smooth.

Autonomy

The LG G Flex packs a huge 3500mAh battery. In combination with an energy-saving OLED screen of a low resolution by today's standards and an economical Snapdragon 800 platform, you can hope for decent autonomy. This guess was confirmed by LG employees. They say that in this mode of active testing (and we were not the first and not the last), the smartphone has been working for the second day. And just in the evening, and it was about 17.30, the device began to ask for charging. In any case, we did not have the opportunity to properly study the issue of autonomy, but the bare numbers of characteristics allow us to hope for the best.

Sound

The main speaker of the smartphone is quite loud. In addition, due to the curved shape of the case, it does not overlap when the smartphone is lying face up. The sound quality did not surprise us, but it will most likely be sufficient for typical smartphone tasks - watching videos and playing games.

LG G Flex Camera

According to LG employees, the smartphone uses a 13 MP module similar to that used in the LG G2. In practice, it seemed to me that the camera is much faster. Possibly due to the lack of eight-point focus. The camera software is also similar to other LG smartphones.

Examples of photos:

Interface

Standard Optimus UI, like we could see in all the latest phones from the company. The current firmware version is based on Android 4.2.2 and LG says an update to 4.4 will arrive early next year. I don't see much point in describing the interface. You can see some moments in a small introductory video that we filmed while testing the smartphone.

The smartphone supports all the latest shell functions from LG - Knock ON, Slide Aside, Privacy Keeper, Tracking Zoom, Audio Zoom, Quick Remote, as well as support for multi-window applications. Read more about the unique features of the LG shell in the review.

Video - Introducing the LG G Flex

Flexible displays are expanding the horizons of the smartphone market and are a good starting point to showcase the potential of a new technology. It seems to us that in the future they will take the leading place in the mobile device market. While some may be skeptical about the benefits offered by flexible displays. Note: Before proceeding, please note that the LG G Flex is only available in certain regions of Asia. However, the very fact that LG has appeared in the US for a demonstration can be seen as a sign that more widespread adoption of this model is possible in the future.

One of the pioneers in this area is the Korean company LG, a company that has become one of the leaders in the market with the release of its flagship model LG G2. Now they want to draw people's attention to flexible displays. And using the example of LG G Flex to show us new technologies that we have not seen before.

Indeed, this is one of the most powerful tablet phones out there, but it also has some new features like a unique curved design, new battery technology, and a self-healing coating. Is he unusual? Absolutely! But more importantly, whether the presence of all these new features will be of practical importance for smartphone users - time will tell. Contents of delivery:

• Charger
• microUSB cable
• Stereo headphones

Design and construction

When you look at the phone directly from the front or back, you won't be impressed by the design, simply because you've seen it before - it's practically the LG G2, although obviously larger. Essentially, its size puts it in the tablet-phone category, making it quite cumbersome to operate with one hand. Rotate it to look at it from the side and you will see its main trump card - a graceful curved profile. In addition to its aesthetic difference from other smartphones, this curved shape provides better ergonomics, for example, during phone calls.

Like all LG-branded devices, the G Flex is made from the same plastic. This choice was made mainly because plastic is more flexible than metal - and therefore more resistant to damage. Unlike other phones with a plastic case, it has a self-healing coating on the back.

Yes, it gives the phone a glossy look, but it makes it less susceptible to fingerprints and smudges. When they build up, they wear off easily thanks to the self-healing coating. Moreover, it also resists scratches well, which is a very rare occurrence among smartphones. And all this is due to the use of a special resin in the composition of plastic, which is capable of tightening damage to the coating under the influence of temperature.

In general, the design is innovative in several directions at once, and this applies not only to size and curved shape, but also to the technologies used in its manufacture. Firstly, it is very durable - so you can sit in a chair with it without taking it out of your back pocket. Secondly, the self-healing coating maintains its original appearance.

However, do not think that he will be able to heal even deep scratches. Finally, the curved shape gives it a special ergonomics when used like a telephone. Just like the flagship LG G2 smartphone, the G Flex has placed the main power and volume buttons on the back. At the same time, slightly improving this solution - by raising the power button above the volume key and adding small squares to the volume key for a better tactile perception.

In addition, you can find a standard set of connectors on the phone - a microUSB 3.0 port for charging and data transfer, built-in microphones, a 3.5mm headset jack, an antenna jack (for connecting to a Korean TV service), and a microSIM card slot. On the back, we will also see a remarkable 13MP autofocus camera, flanked by LED flash and an IR transmitter. The latter turns the phone into a universal remote control. Meanwhile, the speaker is located in the lower right corner of the rear cover.

Screen

The curved design of the G Flex means the display must support that kind of flexibility. Before diving into the technical details of the screen, it's worth noting that this tablet phone features a giant 6-inch 720p P-OLED display with subpixel rendering. Probably, many of you are wondering - why is a screen with a normal 720p resolution used here, and not the now fashionable Full HD 1080p?

Perhaps the reason lies in the price of the issue or the limited supply of components - so it was decided that 720p resolution would be more suitable for such a large device. The picture looks normal and sharp at first glance, but when compared to devices with 1080p resolution, we begin to realize that the screen lacks the sharpness and stunning clarity that rivals with Full HD screens can boast.

Now let's talk about how they managed to achieve screen flexibility. Returning to the name of the screen manufacturing technology - P-OLED, pay attention to the first letter - “P” - it means polymer, the panel is made of plastic, not glass. With this technology, the display can be fantastically flexible and ultra-thin - less than 1mm in thickness. At the same time, it is more durable than traditional glass layer and is difficult to break. Since the display is made using OLED technology, it is noticeable that it has a characteristic color saturation - a large number of warm tones and a bluish tint of white.

Fortunately, we can adjust the saturation in the screen settings, where we can find the preset modes for "Standard", "Vivid", and "Natural". But even if you set the maximum brightness in the settings, it will still fade outdoors, in bright sunlight - and this despite the fact that it has good viewing angles. Despite the overall good impression of the display, it is frustrating to see an obvious drawback, especially noticeable at 50% brightness. Or rather, these are stripes and image distortions that sometimes appear on it.

Processor and memory

Equipped with the same heart as its LG G2 sibling, or rather a 2.26GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor paired with an Adreno 330 GPU and 2GB DDR3 RAM, it will appeal to high-end fans. He is energetic and quick to handle all operations - simple and complex.

It is a pleasure to watch him playfully process YouTube videos while simultaneously providing web surfing in two windows. Ultimately, the benchmark indicators once again prove to us that we are facing a thunderstorm of authorities and one of the leaders in performance. Unlike other recent tablet phones, the LG G Flex sadly lacks a microSD card slot. However, it comes with 32GB of storage onboard, which is pretty impressive for a device like this. But keep in mind that a decent amount is reserved for the system and installed applications, and in the end, "out of the box" you get 24.12GB for your use.

The LG G Flex is the world's first self-healing flexible body smartphone. The device has a 6-inch POLED display, a 3500 mAh battery and an improved Optimus UI 4.0 shell. The rest of the smartphone is almost completely identical to the LG G2.

Design and ergonomics

The smartphone is large, I would even say very large. When you pick it up after LG G2, you understand that you can use it not only for communication 😉 But after a few days you catch yourself thinking that the convenience of using the G Flex is at least as good as it gets, and this is surprising.

The body of the smartphone is protected on one side by a hardened Gorilla Glass, and on the other, a glossy plastic with a surface capable of tightening minor abrasions. When the smartphone fell into my hands, it was clearly noticeable that someone had already worked on it. Therefore, I shamelessly tested the strength of the plastic with my keys. I looked at the scratches and thought: I shouldn't have done this to him. Most of the time, the G Flex spent in the side pocket of the jacket, where, in addition to it, there were keys, coins and other rubbish. There was no other place for him, because in those days, besides the G Flex, there were five more devices in the pockets, albeit not so unusual. As for the glass, everything is clear here - protected, but not eternal, with an oleophobic coating and an ultrasensitive sensor capable of responding to touch even with gloves. But the plastic, if you don't look at it, turned out to be quite pleasant to the touch: not slippery, which is important for such a whopper, and noticeably soft, but not rubbery. That is, when you run your fingernail over the body, you feel how the plastic is pressed through. Apparently, this is one of the features of the self-healing body. You can see this specific layer with the naked eye - it looks like a film that I tried in vain to peel off. Those who have bought LG smartphones are aware of the manufacturer's great love for films in all sorts of places. I stopped trying to peel off another one only when it dawned on me that this was the very protective coating of the case.

So let's take a look at what's on the G Flex other than what's already described. On the front, from left to right, there are: camera, proximity sensor and light sensor, a slot for a speaker and an LED indicator. Duplicates this indicator light on the power key located on the back of the case. The manufacturer's logo is located under the 6-inch screen.

There are no elements on the right side, the SIM card tray is on the left side. At first, the gaps around the tray are embarrassing, but after mocking the smartphone a little, you realize that if the gaps were smaller, the plastic would just crack from friction.

At the top you can see the microphone hole. The main microphone is located at the bottom, to the left and right of it there are a MicroUSB connector and a headphone jack. Speaking of microphones, one cannot but mention that one of the curved body chips, according to the manufacturer, is the closer location of the speaker and microphone to the ear and mouth, respectively, which, in theory, should have a positive effect on the audibility of the interlocutor and speech transmission. I don’t know how good the G Flex would be if its body were flat, but the interlocutor's audibility is excellent. The interlocutors did not complain either.

The back side is covered with dark gray plastic with a textured metal pattern. The layout of the control elements is similar to the LG G2, with the only difference that the volume keys have a noticeable protrusion, the power key is transparent with a multi-colored indicator inscribed in it, and to the left of the camera lens there is an IR transmitter peephole, which is located on the upper end of the G2. Another difference is in the location of the multimedia speaker. Here it is at the bottom end, and not like in LG G2, on it. Perhaps this design feature has contributed to the fact that the G Flex sounds noticeably louder than the G2.

Like the LG G2, the G Flex case is not disassembled, although you can still do it if you want, the main thing is to know which side to start with. Doing so will reveal a curved 3500 mAh battery. You can find out what miracles the G Flex battery can do in the corresponding section.

Operating system and shell

There are two reasons why we won't cover the G Flex interface in great detail. First, it practically does not differ from that used in the LG G2. The second - in two days it is simply impossible to have time to test the autonomy, shell chips, camera, and the rest. Therefore, we will only talk about what you will definitely not find in any other LG smartphone. At least for now (we are aware of the Korean firmware for LG G2, which has the ability to hide the touch keys).

Let's start with the fact that wherever possible, the background of the interface is black. This is done for one simple reason, to save battery power, since when displaying black, OLED displays do not use backlight, which means they do not consume energy.

The first thing that the user is offered to configure when turning on the smartphone is the area of \u200b\u200bthe screen shot (screenshot)! and the location of the touch keys. As for the first, this feature is useful in that by making screenshots, you get rid of unnecessary information: the status line and the line with control keys

The second feature is present only in LG smartphones:, G2. In the LG G Flex, the manufacturer went even further, now you can customize not only the location and number of touch keys, but also which part of the screen they will be: left, center or right, as well as use the automatic setting of the background (black or white) depending on the main color of the running application.

Given the size of the device, no user can reach the notification panel without intercepting the smartphone or using a second hand. With the LG G Flex, this problem simply does not exist, since all the necessary keys are near the thumb. It is so simple that a logical question arises: why has no one thought of this before? If even a six-inch smartphone can be operated with one hand, then what about "compact" devices? By the way, after the G Flex, the LG G2 feels tiny. But that's not all, in the settings of the touch keys you can specify in which applications they will be hidden. In this case, instead of the keys, a small transparent tab will be displayed, pressing on which the keys will appear. Considering all of the above, it's unlikely that LG will ever go back to mechanical keys. At least in the mid- to high-end models, as evidenced by the recently announced LG Gx, which is essentially a cross between the LG Optimus G Pro and the LG G Pro Lite Dual.

The next thing to talk about is the notification panel. It can be seen that LG continues to improve it. For example, the date and the "Settings" icon have been moved up, freeing up space at the bottom. The truth is why this is done, if the button "Clear" is still present at the bottom and no one needs the inscription "Notifications", it is unknown. I would like the programmers to add the ability to remove not only the line with QSlide applications, but also the scale for adjusting the sound and screen brightness. Now all this mess takes up too much usable space. By the way about the settings. In addition to displaying items by bookmarks, you can switch to a more traditional display - a list. You can move between the tabs of the settings menu by swiping left and right.

This part of the review should be skipped by both LG and Samsung employees. By improving its interface and adding more features to it, LG forgets that some of the new chips are no longer chips, because they are present in Samsung smartphones. In particular, we are talking about a multitasking mode of operation, when the screen is divided into two parts, in each of which an application can work. The area that the application will occupy and its location are regulated. The implementation of the multitasking mode in the performance of LG is somewhat deeper, for example, there is a quick call of the last launched applications, but the very fact of such borrowing is surprising, because the manufacturer already has QSlide applications that can be launched on top of other windows, adjust the degree of their transparency, etc. ...

On the other hand, if someone needs it, you can work with three different applications at once. In addition to the described mode and the Slide Aside mode, the usefulness of which is in doubt, the "new" multitasking of Optimus UI is also expressed in the ability to open links in the browser in the second (pop-up) window.

The lock screen has the ability to display interactive pictures that change the image depending on the degree of tilt of the device. The usual Optimus UI 4.0 widgets and shortcuts have not gone anywhere. There was a choice of screen modes: standard, bright and natural, as well as a raster density setting, which, it seems, should save battery power. By enabling this mode, the image becomes grainier, although the macro screen did not reveal any noticeable changes in the image.

Hardware platform

The smartphone is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 hardware platform. In this regard, there are no differences between the LG G Flex and LG G2, including the size of the internal memory. Flash drives are supported.

The performance of the LG G Flex is one of the best to date, as evidenced by the benchmark results. One cannot but rejoice at the support of all possible (within reasonable limits) audio and video codecs, as well as the widest possibilities of a standard video player. Headphone volume and sound quality are among the best. The quality and volume of the spoken and multimedia speaker has already been discussed.

Playing video files

The speed of data transfer in a Wi-Fi network is comparable to that, the speed of finding satellites is the maximum possible - 2-3 seconds when using A-GPS and about 10 seconds when searching through GPS.

The autonomy of a smartphone is something that surprises no less than its appearance. When reading news through clients of social networks, browsing, you can count on eight to nine hours of work, when watching HD-video - 20 hours of work, and 15 hours of reading. Today, LG G Flex is the unconditional record holder in terms of autonomy. Charging time (2 A) of a smartphone from 19% to 100% takes 2:35 minutes.

* - for the file, the characteristics of which are shown in the screenshot.

In read mode, all wireless communications are disabled, including data transmission in the mobile network, and the display brightness is set to 50%. When listening to music, automatic data synchronization and data transmission worked. Headphone volume at 12 out of 15 levels. All music files in MP3 format, bit rate 320 Kbps. Navigation includes getting directions in the Google Navigation app. Brightness is set to 50%, all communication modules are disabled. During video playback, data transfer is active in the mobile network, the display brightness is set to 50%, the sound volume in the headphones is at level 12 out of a possible 15. Video file format MKV, resolution 1024x432 pixels, frame rate 24.Video playback from Youtube was accompanied not only by work in the Wi-Fi network, but also by active data transfer. Display brightness is set to 50%, headphone volume is set to 12 out of 15 possible levels.

Display

The LG G Flex uses a 6-inch POLED matrix with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels and an RGB pixel structure. The letter P in the matrix type stands for Plastic - one of the features of the display that makes it flexible. And as we already know, the LG G Flex smartphone is not just curved, it really bends, which makes it flexible.

Despite its main feature, the display cannot be called the strong point of the smartphone. The main complaint about the resolution, which in a coupe with a diagonal gives 245 dpi - an indicator of the year before last smartphones. But this is not what upsets, but the presence of noise in the image. To understand what this is about, it is worth imagining a matte photograph. This is what the image looks like on the LG G Flex screen. Perhaps if the pixel density was higher, the grain would not be so striking. Alas! Disabling the check mark above the "Bitmap" item somewhat improves the situation. Perhaps this display feature is the weakest point of the smartphone. This is not to say that in everyday use this causes any inconvenience, but when switching from an IPS display to POLED, this is the first thing you pay attention to.
Brightness values \u200b\u200brange from 29 cd / m² to 318 cd / m² (when displaying white at 50% screen coverage) and 308 cd / m² (when displaying white on 75% of the screen). For reading in the dark, the minimum level can still be considered acceptable. On a sunny day, and we still managed to catch it in winter, the maximum brightness is more than enough. This is facilitated by both the absence of an air gap between the display and the sensor, and the presence of an anti-reflective coating.

As for the factory calibration, everything is not so rosy here. The display features cool tones and oversaturated colors. The gamma curve in Natural and Standard modes is only slightly higher than 2.2, which indicates slightly darker tones, while using the Vivid mode affects the image more significantly: dark tones appear darker and light tones brighter. If you do not take these data into account, but evaluate the image subjectively, then on a five-point scale, then in the "Natural" mode, the display deserves a four. Especially when you consider that for LG, this is a test of the pen.

Standard mode

Bright mode

Natural Mode

Cameras

In addition to the hardware platform, the novelty inherited from the LG G2 and cameras, with only one difference - the main camera was deprived of optical stabilization. In view of this, it makes no sense to describe the settings and capabilities of the cameras. The picture quality on a sunny day is on par with the LG G2. At night, if you exclude hand tremors, the situation is similar. But what surprised the smartphone was the ability to record 4K video.

You can evaluate the quality of photos and videos using the examples below.