LG has been coming up with superb devices for a while now. We saw them launch the Optimus G, Nexus 4, G Pro, G2, Nexus 5 and various other devices that impressed us. This Korean manufacturer has working hard to give tough competition to the market leader. The recently launched LG G2 is a powerful device which brought some new hardware and software features with it. Now they have showcased another new device which would go against the popular phablets in the market. This new device is LG G Pro 2, the second iteration of their LG G Pro phablet.
This device is slightly bigger than the previous device and has got some new hardware and software features. They have put the powerful Snapdragon 800 chipset in it that we saw on the LG G2 and Nexus 5. Also they have increased the display size and battery capacity over the G Pro. The camera has also been improved and you can do lot more than ever. So here is a closer look on this upcoming device.
Design
The device measures 157.9 x 81.9 x 8.3 mm and weighs 172 gms, exactly the same as G Pro. You can see already from the numbers that the device is huge, even bigger than the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Using the device with one hand is something we humans can’t do. While the G Pro had a physical home key up front like older LG devices, this one follows the scheme we saw on the G2. The power and volume controls are on the back of the device. You can easily operate these controls using your first finger once you get accustomed to this setup.
The build quality is pretty good though now we would love to see them use some premium materials. The device will be available in three colours: white, silver and titan. Just like the G2, the G Pro 2 has got a very slim bezel around the display. The display measures 5.9 inches measured diagonally. The LG logo sits below the display where the physical key used to be on the G Pro. Overall the design is neat and the device surely feels premium.
Display
The device, as we already said, has a 5.9 inch display. It is an IPS LCD display like on many other high end LG devices. It has a resolution of 1080 x 1920 which gives it a pixel density of 373 pixels per inch. It used to be almost 400 pixels per inch on the G Pro due to smaller display size. Being an IPS display, it has got superb colour replication and viewing angles. Sunlight readability should be good too as it has got decent brightness. Watching high definition videos would be an absolute treat on this device. To protect the display from scratches, they have gone for gorilla glass 3 protection on the display. So even if you put keys and coins in the same pocket as your phone, you won’t end up with scratches on the display.
Hardware
Like the Nexus 5 and G2, this device runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset. This is one of the most powerful chipset powering many popular devices. The quad core processor runs at a clock speed of 2.26 GHz. The graphics are handled by an Adreno 330 GPU and it has got 3 GB of RAM. You get the storage option of 16 and 32 GB with a micro SD slot that can house storage up to 64 GB. They have switched the 3140 mAh battery in G Pro for a slightly bigger 3200 mAh battery in this one.
For connectivity you get the usual options like USB 2.0, GPRS, EDGE, 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and Infrared.
Camera
The device has got a 13 megapixel camera. While the resolution is same as the G Pro, there have been a number of other improvements. It has got optical image stabilisation with the lens assembly mounted on springs. The competition is stiff with all the rivals boasting high end camera specs so they would have to live up to the expectations. You get the usual goodies like face detection and high dynamic range photography. They have added something called ‘magic focus’ which allows you to alter the depth of focus. The upgrade here is in the video section. Instead of 1080p, you can record videos in 2160p at 30 fps. You can also record slow motion videos at very high frame rate. It supports 1080p videos at 60 fps and 720p videos at 120 fps.
They have done something fresh to the front camera as well. With the 2.1 megapixel front camera, they have added something to shoot selfies in dark. You can reduce the size of viewfinder and it would put a white border around it. This would illuminate your face in dim lit environments.
Software
The device runs android 4.4.2 Kit Kat with the LG UI on top of it. This is pretty standard but they have added some new features like the Knock Code. Some LG devices previously got the Knock-on feature which allowed people to turn on the display by tapping on it twice. On this device, the display is divided into four zones and you can set a combination to tap on the display. This would turn on the display and unlock the device as well. Also there is content lock which can be used to password protect certain files, photos and videos. There is also a mini view like on the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 which scales down the display for one handed operation.
Verdict
This device seems promising and with all the new software features, a tough rival to the Galaxy Note 3. We are yet to see when this device makes it to our market. If they price it well, it might sell in good numbers.
Author Bio: The article has been written by Kundan Kumar, who is passionate about technology. He’s working at 91mobiles.com and writes about the latest in the tech domain, right from devices to innovations. You can follow me on Twitter
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