LG G5: Release date, price, specifications

The LG G5 was officially unveiled at Mobile World Congress 2016 in Barcelona and has since become available to pre-order in the UK. It seems LG making quite a large departure from the G3 and G4 handsets that came before, so is definitely one that should pique your interest if you're in the market for a new phone. There's a new design, a shift in focus and a number of innovative features that LG hopes will help the G5 hit the big time. LG launched this phone saying it wasn't about the numbers. But it is about doing, it is about experiences, and it is about playing. With that all in mind, here's everything you need to know about the new LG G5.

PROS:

• Strong screen
• Super performance
• Useful wide angle camera

CONS:

• Questionable design
• No app drawer
• Battery could be better

Versions: H850 (Europe); VS987 (Verizon); H820 (AT&T); LS992 (Sprint); H830 (T-Mobile); US992 (US Cellular); Vodafone
Also known as LG G5 Dual H860N with dual-SIM card slots

NETWORK	Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE

LAUNCH	Announced	2016, February
	Status	Available. Released 2016, April

BODY	Dimensions	149.4 x 73.9 x 7.7 mm (5.88 x 2.91 x 0.30 in)
	Weight	159 g (5.61 oz)
	SIM	Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)

DISPLAY	Type	IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
	Size	5.3 inches (~70.1% screen-to-body ratio)
	Resolution	1440 x 2560 pixels (~554 ppi pixel density)
	Multitouch	Yes
	Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 4
		- Always-on display - LG Optimus UX 5.0 UI

PLATFORM	OS	Android OS, v6.0.1 (Marshmallow)
	Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820
	CPU	Dual-core 2.15 GHz Kryo & dual-core 1.6 GHz Kryo
	GPU	Adreno 530

MEMORY	Card slot	microSD, up to 200 GB (dedicated slot)
	Internal	32 GB, 4 GB RAM

CAMERA	Primary	16 MP (f/1.8) + 8 MP (f/2.4), laser autofocus, OIS (3-axis), LED flash, check quality
	Features	Geo-tagging, touch focus, face/smile detection, panorama, HDR
	Video	2160p@30fps, 1080p@30fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., check quality
	Secondary	8 MP, f/2.0, 1080p@30fps

SOUND	Alert types	Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones
	Loudspeaker	Yes
	3.5mm jack	Yes
		- 24-bit/192kHz audio

COMMS	WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot
	Bluetooth	v4.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
	GPS	Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
	NFC	Yes
	Infrared port	Yes
	Radio	FM radio
	USB	v3.0, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector, USB On-The-Go

FEATURES	Sensors	Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, color spectrum
	Messaging	SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM
	Browser	HTML5
	Java	No
		- Fast battery charging: 83% in 30 min (Quick Charge 3.0) - Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic - MP4/DviX/XviD/H.264/WMV player - MP3/WAV/FLAC/eAAC+/WMA player - Photo/video editor - Document editor

BATTERY		Removable Li-Ion 2800 mAh battery
	Stand-by	Up to 400 h (3G)
	Talk time	Up to 20 h (3G)

MISC	Colors	Silver, Titan, Gold, Pink
	SAR EU	0.52 W/kg (head)     1.24 W/kg (body)
	Price group	9/10

TESTS	Performance	Basemark OS II: 2425 / Basemark OS II 2.0: 2314 Basemark X: 27577
	Display	Contrast ratio: 1855:1 (nominal), 2.905 (sunlight)
	Camera	Photo / Video
	Loudspeaker	Voice 68dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 73dB
	Audio quality	Noise -92.6dB / Crosstalk -93.3dB
	Battery life	Endurance rating 60h

Buy For

• Robust configuration
• Excellent cameras
• Modular design
• Large storage capacity

Beware Of

• Average battery life
• No FM Radio

The world's first modular smartphone is here

Display and Configuration

The LG G5 arrives with a 5.3-inch IPS LCD display with full HD (1,440 x 2,560) screen resolution and a sharp pixel density of 554ppi. The display is cushioned by a Corning Gorilla glass v4 which makes sure the display is free from scratches and usermarks. The phone generates its strength from Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 octa-core processor (quad-core, 2.2 GHz + quad-core, 1.5GHz). The processor gets aegis from a massive 4GB RAM and Adreno 530 graphic processor which ensure the phone delivers seamless and rich gaming experience. The phone sails on Android's latest Marshmallow operating system.

Design

The G5 is the world's first Modular design phone which allows you the flexibility to transform the phone into a digital camera, Hi-Fi player, swap out a depleted battery with a fully charged one and many more. The phone sports aluminium body and measures 7.7mm around the waist which gives it a sleek look. The phone appears in Silver, Titan, Gold and Pink colours. The phone comes with Fingerprint sensor which gives added protection to your personal data.

Camera and Storage

The phone comes with an outstanding 16MP autofocus primary camera which captures high quality pictures. The main camera consists of features like Optical Image Stabilization and Optical zoom; along with the standard inbuilt features such as Auto Flash, High Dynamic Range mode (HDR), ISO control, Laser AF and Touch to focus. The phone is a delight for the selfie fanatics as it comes with an 8MP front camera. The G5 consists of an internal memory of 32GB which gives you enough space to install apps and store entertainment files; if it falls short of your requirement then you can rely on a mammoth expandable memory up to 2TB.

Battery and Connectivity

The LG G5 is backed by a powerful 2,800mAh li-ion battery which provides an excellent hours of talktime and supports fast charging. The phone is compatible to support 4G, Wi-Fi 802.11, a/ac/b/g/n, Mobile Hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct, USB Port, USB On-The-Go, microUSB 2.0 and NFC among others. The phone also comes with fingerprint sensor which enhances the security of your personal data.

Verdict

The LG G5 is the world's first modular flagship smartphone which comes with a powerful configuration and metallic body. The phone can be used just as a camera or Hi-Fi Wireless audio which adds to its host of unique features. All these attributes make this phone one of a kind and absolute priceless.

Update: Our LG G5 review now includes additional speed, battery life and camera tests in three separate comparison videos you'll want to watch below.

The LG G5 is a massive change of pace for the South Korean firm. It's done away with the cheap plastic and confusing leather finishes of the LG G4 in favor of a full metal body, while keeping fan-favorite features like a removable battery and microSD card.

That's a big deal, because Samsung disappointed a vocal minority when it ditched its swappable battery and expandable storage hallmarks for the Galaxy S6, although it realized the errors of its way as it reinstated microSD support in the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge a year later.

The LG G5 may not be as ornate as Samsung's glass-and-metal-fused phone, or Apple's aluminum iPhone 6S, but it's a step in the right direction after the questionably styled G4.

• LG G5 tips and tricks

Not only does it include perks for power users, LG's changed the way we access the battery with a cartridge-like input so you don't have to remove the back cover.

This 'magic slot' is located in the bottom frame of the phone and doubles as an accessory port. Add-ons so far include a battery grip with physical camera controls and a Hi-Fi audio module.

You don't really need either of these accessories to enjoy the camera or audio, though. LG G5 has a dual-camera setup on the back, with one lens that provides extra-wide photos.

The front is highlighted by an always-on, 5.3-inch display. It never goes to sleep, with the time, date and notification icons visible when the phone is off.

When it comes to price, you're looking at around US$650 (£500, AU$890) SIM-free for the LG G5, which puts it slightly below the Galaxy S7 and iPhone 6S - although they're all pretty much in the same ball park.

There are lots of parts to the LG G5 - but do they all add up to make a best phonescontender? Let's explore, as I put it through the in-depth review process.

Of the five phones it was pitted against only the iPhone 6S performed worse, with a drop to 22%. The Sony Xperia Z5 scored slightly better with 40% and the Huawei P9, Samsung Galaxy S7 and HTC 10 all performed better still.

A way around the battery drain problem is to invest in LG's Cam Plus module for the G5, which sports an integrated 1200mAh battery as well as a shutter key, zoom wheel, record button and hand grip.

At £79.99 (US$69.99, around AU$90) it's not exactly a cheap fix, and as I mentioned in an earlier section of this review it does add significant bulk to the handset making it a little tricky to use when you're not snapping pictures.

Having used the LG G5 for a number of days with the Cam Plus module attached I was easily able to get a full days use from the phone, and at a push I could eke out a day and a half.