LG G Flex (D598) Review: For Technology. Test and review: LG G Flex (D958) - curved smartphone with a self-healing coating OS and software

Curved screen model: LG version

We recently reviewed the world's first mass-produced smartphone with a flexible display. It was the product of the Korean company Samsung, which will never miss an opportunity to be noted for a technological novelty. The smartphone received the not very elegant name Galaxy Round, corresponding to an unusual curved body around the vertical axis with the same concave display, made using Super Flexible AMOLED technology. A longtime antagonist and fellow countryman of Samsung, the Korean company LG, naturally, could not allow the enemy to dominate in a new market niche and just a few weeks later released its own version of a mobile gadget with a curved screen on the market.

LG Electronics, as usual, was helped in this by not only the immense production area, but also by several related vertically integrated companies such as LG Chem and LG Display.

As a result, thanks to the joint development of several divisions, LG Electronics offered the market a new smartphone, which differs not only with a curved screen, but also with a number of other innovations. The LG G Flex model (this is the name given to the hero of today's review), in addition to the curved screen, also has a curved battery, as well as an extraordinary self-healing coating on the back of the smartphone. But what is really quite unusual, the smartphone can be bent without harming it. This naturally makes the device more resistant to damage, especially when it comes to carrying it in the back pocket of your trousers. We will tell you about all this and much more in our review.

Main characteristics of LG G Flex (model LG-D958)

	LG G Flex	Samsung Galaxy Round	LG G2	Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (N9005)
Screen	6 ″, P-OLED	5.7 ″, Super Flexible AMOLED	5.2 ″, IPS	5.7 ″ Super AMOLED
Permission	1280 × 720, 244 ppi	1920 × 1080, 386 ppi	1920 × 1080, 424 ppi	1920 × 1080, 386 ppi
SoC		Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 @ 2.2 GHz (4 cores, Krait 400)	Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 @ 2.2 GHz (4 core Krait 400)	Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 @ 2.2 GHz (4 core Krait 400)
GPU	Adreno 330	Adreno 330	Adreno 330	Adreno 330
RAM	2 GB	3 GB	2 GB	3 GB
Flash memory	32 GB	32 GB	32 GB	32/64 GB
Memory card support	—	microSD	—	microSD
Operating system	Google Android 4.2	Google Android 4.3	Google Android 4.2	Google Android 4.3
Battery	non-removable, 3500 mAh	removable, 2800 mAh	non-removable, 3000 mAh	removable, 3200 mAh
Cameras	rear (13 Mp; video - 4K), front (2.1 Mp)		rear (13 Mp; video - 1080p), front (2 Mp)	rear (13 Mp; video - 4K), front 2 Mp, video 1080p)
Dimensions (edit)	161 x 82 x 8.7 mm, 177 grams	151 x 80 x 7.9 mm, 154 g	139 x 71 x 8.9mm, 143g	151 x 79 x 8.3mm, 168g

• SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM 8974), 2.27 GHz, 4 cores Krait 400
• GPU Adreno 330, 450 MHz
• Operating system Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
• Touch display P-OLED, 6 ″, 1280 × 720, 244 ppi
• Random access memory (RAM) 2 GB, internal memory 32 GB
• 3G (HSPA +), 4G (LTE / LTE-A)
• Bluetooth 4.0, IR LED (Remote Control)
• USB 3.0
• Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n / ac (2.4 + 5 GHz), Wi-Fi hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct
• NFC, Miracast, OTG
• GPS, Glonass
• Camera 13 MP, autofocus
• Camera 2.1 MP (front)
• Battery 3500 mAh
• Dimensions 160.5 x 81.6 x 8.7 mm
• Weight 177 g

Appearance and usability

So, on November 1, 2013, LG Electronics officially unveiled its first curved smartphone called LG G Flex, which was included in the premium G series. first of all, to demonstrate new technologies, and not to make a profit (however, this did not prevent LG from setting an exorbitant price of $ 950 for this device in its homeland, Korea).

As mentioned above, the LG G Flex showcases several really new and not previously used in mass production of technological innovations, such as a curved battery, a new type of screen, and a coating that self-absorbs scratches. In addition, the LG G Flex is the world's first smartphone of this shape. The fact is that, unlike its competitor, the smartphone received the curvature of the screen and, accordingly, the entire body not around the vertical axis, like the Samsung model, but around the horizontal one.

Be that as it may, it turns out that the new LG not only follows the contour of a person's face, but also reduces the distance from the lips to the microphone when the phone is attached to the ear - by analogy with how it was before when using ordinary (landline) phones. In truth, we were fine with regular, straight smartphones, but LG claims that the degree of curvature of the LG G Flex was calculated and optimized for the average human face in order to provide better voice and sound quality.

Pictures show: LG G Flex smartphone versus Acer Liquid S2 and Sony Xperia Z Ultra

According to the company, the curved shape increases the sound level by 3 decibels compared to standard straight smartphones. Thanks to its new shape, this smartphone should fit better in the hand, and when horizontally, its screen offers an almost IMAX feel, providing the most comfortable viewing angle for video or gaming. From all this, perhaps, one can unconditionally agree with the fact that the novelty is more suitable for the back pocket of trousers than its unbent counterparts. However, if you choose the lesser of two evils, then we must admit that the bending option of the LG G Flex gives the user more advantages and convenience than the Samsung Galaxy Round option.

As for the materials, in general the body of the novelty is completely plastic, there is no metal here. However, the plastic is unusual: firstly, it is so flexible that the smartphone can be freely bent, even straightening it to a flat state (this is clearly demonstrated in our video, which you can see at the end of the article).

Secondly, one of the new technologies used in the LG G Flex for the first time is the use of the so-called "self-healing" coating on the back of the smartphone. The elastic coating has the ability to heal from minor scratches and minor damage that smartphones without a case are prone to, making the G Flex look new for longer. We carried out a series of experiments, slightly scratching the back of our sample, and they confirmed what the developers said. The coating of the smartphone is really capable of smoothing out some of the scratches over time, keeping the appearance of the device more presentable. We all know what kind of mesh is sometimes made by a cobweb of small scratches on the lacquered coating of the back walls of our glossy phones - but here it is not. However, this does not mean at all that the coating is capable of curing any, even the most deep and gross injuries - we are talking only about shallow wounds.

If we abstract from the unusual curvature of the novelty's body, as well as the self-healing specific coating, then in general the smartphone has not become more convenient for an ordinary human palm. To the touch, it is still the same glossy, easily soiled and very slippery coating, which, coupled with the huge dimensions of the case, makes the smartphone not very comfortable to hold in the hand. The device is large and slippery, so it always runs the risk of falling out of your fingers. In principle, it is also heavier than all its competitors, but the considerable mass of the smartphone, to be honest, is not very felt here and does not affect the overall impression of the device.

The smartphone is made in monoblock form factor, which does not imply any sliding parts. The back cover is also non-removable, and the SIM-card is usually inserted into a sliding metal slide fixed in the side slot. The card is removed by pressing a key-paper clip into a secret button, and this is the only slot open for the user in the device - there is nowhere to insert a memory card, since the developers did not foresee such an option, as they did not provide for it in the previous models of the G series.

The location of the connectors is also familiar: both are cut into the bottom end and spaced far enough not to interfere with the cable plugs, even if both cables are connected at the same time. Nearby you can see a hole for the main microphone, and the second one, used for noise cancellation, is cut into the upper end of the body.

But with hardware mechanical buttons, everything is not the same as with others. The central power and lock key, as well as two separate volume keys are located not on the sides of the case, but on the back wall. This solution is similar to that used in the LG G2 smartphone, in which we first encountered such an unusual arrangement of elements. According to the developers, due to the absence of buttons on the sides, the risk of accidental switching off of the phone is reduced and the convenience of switching the volume during a call is provided. Judging by the feedback from users, including among our readers, opinions on the convenience of this option were divided: someone really liked it right away, someone was completely not happy with it.

Unlike LG G2, here the central power and lock key can be highlighted in different colors, thus playing the role of a light indicator of events. Its range of functions is extensive:

• Face Detection Indicator: is displayed with a green LED-backlit around the hardware buttons on the back of the smartphone, confirming the focus of the camera on the face;
• Camera Timer: LED-backlit hardware buttons on the back of the smartphone, indicating that the countdown has started before the start of shooting with the camera;
• Urgent Call Alert: LED-backlighting in red around the hardware buttons on the back of the smartphone, which appears when several calls from the same subscriber went unanswered.

But we have listed only the most unusual of the built-in options - naturally, this indicator can inform about incoming / missed events, charging status, etc. In this sense, by the way, the rear LED indicator duplicates the capabilities of the front one, traditionally located on the front surface not far from the speaker grill. All functions of these two LED indicators can be reconfigured by the user himself - for this there is a special detailed menu in the corresponding settings section.

In addition to this block of hardware mechanical keys with a built-in indicator light, there are some more familiar elements on the back surface. There is a camera window protected by a sapphire glass, a one-section LED flash located nearby, as well as an infrared port eyelet, which serves to control a variety of equipment in conjunction with a built-in virtual remote control. The “remote” is universal, its memory is already loaded with a lot of different configurations, so that it easily coped with the control of a ten-year-old Philips TV, not to mention more modern solutions. The program is convenient, works flawlessly, we have already seen such solutions earlier in both Samsung smartphones and LG itself. It is only necessary to remember that in this case the smartphone must be held not horizontally, but vertically, with its back facing the TV or other device.

As for the front of the smartphone, the entire front surface is completely covered with protective glass of the same curved shape as the display itself. Otherwise, everything is familiar on the front panel: on top - the speaker grill, eyes of the front camera and sensors, below - not too wide free area of ​​the panel with the silver logo of the company applied to it.

There are no control buttons in the lower part under the screen, they are all moved to the display itself in the form of virtual icons. In the latest LG smartphones, starting with the LG G2 model, there is not a fixed set of three or four specific buttons, but a combination that suits a specific user. It is very convenient: now everyone can choose their own arrangement and combination of control buttons. For example, on Samsung devices the buttons are always "confused" (they are not in the same order as in other manufacturers) - but here you can organize both options for yourself, as well as change the color of the buttons themselves and the color of the substrate.

As for the color of the device, the LG G Flex smartphone is still available in only one color - it is "silver titanium" according to the official description, and we would call it the usual "gray metallic" or "wet asphalt". Beneath the unusual transparent coating, which is capable of tightening scratches on its surface, you can see a silvery substrate with a barely noticeable texture in the form of a matte, roughly sanded metal, which gives the impression of a metal surface from a distance. Other possible color options for the LG G Flex have not yet been reported.

Screen

As stated above, the unusual LG G Flex display is the result of a collaboration between subsidiaries LG Display and LG Chem. The 6-inch display of the novelty has become the world's largest Plastic OLED (POLED) screen designed and manufactured specifically for smartphones. The thin and flexible POLED panel is made of plastic substrates, not glass, which allowed the smartphone to be given such an unusual shape. According to the developers, the POLED screen is more bright and accurate due to the use of Real RGB technology. We won't argue about brightness, but the clarity of the image on a huge 6-inch screen with a resolution of only 720p leaves much to be desired. The pixel density here is only 244 ppi, which is almost half that of the modern flagships of most manufacturers, including LG's own flagship - G2. So there is a slight friability at the edges of small images, of course, there is no "printing" image clarity, like in LG G2.

In numbers, the characteristics of the LG G Flex screen are as follows: size - 75 × 133 mm, diagonal - 6 inches, resolution 1280 × 720 pixels; pixel density - 244 ppi.

The thickness of the side bezels from the edge of the screen to the edge of the body is less than 3 mm here, which is quite good for such a giant. The brightness of the display can be adjusted manually, you can also use automatic adjustment. Multi-touch technology allows you to handle up to 10 simultaneous touches. The smartphone also has a proximity sensor that locks the screen when you bring the smartphone to your ear.

Alexey Kudryavtsev, editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections, carried out a detailed examination using measuring instruments. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the test sample.

Despite the curvature and relative flexibility, the front of the screen is made of mineral glass with a mirror-smooth and scratch-resistant surface. Judging by the reflection of objects, there is an effective antiglare filter, which in terms of reducing the brightness of the reflection is slightly worse than that of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereinafter simply the Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected in the turned off screens (on the right - Nexus 7, on the left - LG G Flex, then they can be distinguished by their size and curvature):

Due to the difference in the color tone of the reflection and bezels, it is difficult to assess the amount of reduction in the brightness of the reflection visually - however, statistics from the graphics editor show that the screen of the LG G Flex is indeed slightly lighter than that of the Nexus 7.

The doubling of reflected objects on the LG G Flex screen is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen. On the outer surface of the screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, slightly better than that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are much easier to remove, and appear at a slower rate than in the case of ordinary glass.

With manual brightness control and with the display of the white field in full screen, the maximum brightness value was about 315 cd / m², the minimum - 30 cd / m². Despite the not the highest brightness value, even in bright daylight, the smartphone can be used, since an effective anti-glare filter helps out. You also need to take into account the fact that in this case the smaller the white area on the screen, the lighter it is, that is, the actual maximum brightness of the white areas will almost always be higher than the specified value. For example, when displaying white on half of the screen, the maximum brightness when manually adjusted increases to 330 cd / m². In complete darkness, the brightness can be lowered to a comfortable level. There is an automatic brightness control by the light sensor (it is located to the right of the front camera). In automatic mode, when the ambient light conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. This function depends on the position of the brightness adjustment slider. If it is set to 100%, the screen brightness does not change (remains equal to 310-315 cd / m²), if by 50%, then in complete darkness, the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to a minimum of 30 cd / m² (normal), in conditions of artificial light office (approx. 400 lux) sets to 70 cd / m² (not enough, but acceptable), and in very bright environments increases to the maximum. If the brightness control is set to 0 with automatic brightness control enabled, then in the first two conditions given above, the brightness remains at the minimum value, but in a very bright environment it still rises to the maximum. As a result, the automatic brightness control function works more or less adequately. At any brightness level, modulation is practically absent, so there is no screen flickering.

This smartphone uses an OLED matrix - an active matrix on organic light-emitting diodes. Rather, as the manufacturer specifies - Plastic OLED (POLED) - organic light-emitting diodes on a plastic basis. Recall that the outer glass is still mineral, which, due to its high hardness, increases the wear resistance of the screen and increases the life of the matrix, since glass, unlike plastic, does not allow oxygen diffusion, which causes rapid degradation of organic light-emitting elements. A full-color image is created using subpixels of three colors - red (R), green (G) and blue (B) in equal numbers, which is confirmed by a fragment of a micrograph (we have combined fragments of micrographs of this and other types of screens on a separate page):

This distinguishes this screen for the better from the screens of the top models of the main competitor, which use the PenTile RGBG matrix with twice the number of green subpixels (or halved the number of red and blue subpixels - that's how to count). To highlight the benefits of its screen, LG uses “ Real RGB". As a result, if we compare this screen with a screen, for example, Samsung Galaxy Note 3, then it is not easy to answer unequivocally which screen is better, because, despite the higher resolution of the Note 3, small elements of the image on it look less smooth due to behind the different density of green subpixels and subpixels of the other two colors.

The LG G Flex screen has good viewing angles. True, when deviated to relatively large angles, the white color acquires a slight tint, but the black color remains black at all angles (although the reflection from black areas at some angles has a greenish "metallic" tint), and it is so black that the contrast parameter in this case just not applicable. When viewed from a perpendicular view, the uniformity of the white field is excellent. For comparison, here are some pictures showing the same images on the screens of LG G Flex and the second competitor, with the brightness of the screens set to about 200 cd / m². White field perpendicular to screens:

Good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field can be noted. And the test picture:

The color rendition is clearly not bad, but with all the conventionality of the forced color balance in the camera, set at 6500 K, it can be seen that the colors of the LG G Flex are clearly "colder". Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:

It can be seen that the colors did not "float" on all screens, and the brightness of the LG G Flex at an angle is noticeably higher. And white box:

Angle brightness on both screens has decreased noticeably (more than three times based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of the LG G Flex, the drop in brightness is much less pronounced. Everything is fine with black and white fields, but with intermediate shades, especially with dark ones, it is not very good, since, for example, when displaying a dark gray field in full screen, unevenness is clearly visible at the brightness level of individual pixels and in the area in the form of some structuredness and afterimages, which, however, are quickly blurred. This is what a dark gray field looks like:

And so - the pixels on this field:

Variations in the brightness of individual subpixels are easily seen. Nevertheless, real images are always slightly “noisy” and practically do not contain large dark and strictly monochromatic fills, so this feature of the screen can be noticed only on test images.

The switching of the state of the matrix elements is actually performed instantly, but a step (or two) with a width of 16.7 ms (corresponding to a screen refresh rate of 60 Hz) may be present on the on and off edges. In some conditions, the presence of such a step can lead to trails trailing behind moving objects, but in normal use it is almost impossible to see these artifacts - more precisely, we could not see them with all our efforts. Rather, the opposite: dynamic scenes in films on OLED screens are distinguished by high definition and even some "jerky" movements.

The 32-point gamma curve showed no blockage in highlights or shadows. The exponent of the approximating power-law function is 2.31, which is slightly higher than the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve deviates little from the power-law dependence:

When selected in the profile screen settings Brightness the gamma curve takes on a pronounced S-shaped character, which increases the visible contrast of the image.

In general, there are three modes:

Color gamut in case of profiles Standard and Brightness very wide:

When choosing a profile Natural the coverage shrinks to the sRGB borders, but still remains a little wider:

Without correction, the spectra of the components are very well separated:

In case of a profile Natural the color components are already slightly mixed with each other:

Note that on screens with a wide gamut, the colors of conventional images optimized for sRGB devices appear unnaturally saturated. However, a visual assessment showed that when choosing a profile Natural saturation is noticeably reduced, and colors become close to natural (screen photos are mainly taken with the selected profile Natural). However, some excessive redness of Caucasian faces still persists, which is somewhat annoying when viewing photos and videos.

The balance of shades on the gray scale does not depend on the selected profile and does not differ in particularly high quality, since the color temperature is higher than the standard 6500 K and varies significantly from shade to shade, which negatively affects the visual assessment of color rendition. However, the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is 10 or less, which is considered acceptable for a consumer device, and does not vary much from hue to hue. (The dark areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since there the color balance does not really matter, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

As noted above, the selected profile determines the appearance of the gamma curve (in the case of a profile Brightness the gamma curve is slightly S-shaped) and color gamut (in the case of Natural it's closer to sRGB). The photographs below (the original file of the first and second test images) also characterize the visual difference between the profiles. Profile Standard:

Profile Brightness:

Profile Natural:

These photos illustrate the above graphs and also show that in the profiles Standard(less) and Brightness(more) the software increases the color saturation, as a result of which the color images become brighter, but the detail of bright and saturated areas is also reduced, which is clearly visible on the test image with color gradients and horizontal stripes.

As we have shown in comparative testing, OLED screens, despite not very high brightness, retain excellent readability in all conditions and even when viewed from large angles. This is facilitated by effective anti-glare properties and a relatively small decrease in brightness when the gaze is deviated from the perpendicular to the plane of the screen. The pluses of this particular screen also include a very good oleophobic coating, adequate automatic brightness adjustment, no flicker, and a good (but still imperfect) color balance. I am glad that LG provided the user with the opportunity to choose a profile in which the color saturation is adjusted downward towards the sRGB gamut limits, as a result, recognizable colors (for example, skin tones) in photos and videos look more or less natural, and not oversaturated. as is the case with OLED screens in devices from some other manufacturers. The disadvantages include the visible unevenness of dark monochromatic fills, but this is a very specific drawback, which practically does not affect the consumer properties of the screen. In general, the screen corresponds to a top-level device.

Sound

In terms of sound, the smartphone is generally not bad, except, perhaps, not too clearly present low frequencies in the ringing speaker. The sound outlet grille is cut into the raised lower end of the curved backrest, so that the table surface does not muffle the sound when the smartphone is lying down. The speaker clearly and accurately conveys all the intonations and timbre of the familiar voices of the interlocutors - there is no problem with that. In the settings of the standard audio player, it is possible to programmatically enhance some audio effects, and this can be done both when connecting headphones and for the ringing speaker. The music player can be controlled directly from the notification menu. Like the LG G2, the new product is capable of reproducing audio in 24-bit / 192 kHz studio quality Hi-Fi.

We did not find an FM radio in the standard configuration of the smartphone, but we did find a dictaphone, but it does not know how to record a conversation from the line by standard means.

Camera

LG G Flex comes standard with two digital camera modules. The front camera has a sensor of only 2.1 megapixels, takes photos with a maximum resolution of 1920 × 1080.

The main rear camera is equipped with a 13-megapixel module. Unlike the LG G2, it is not equipped with an optical image stabilization (OIS), but the multi-point autofocus (Multi Points AF) remains here. By default, the camera shoots in normal mode, in which the resolution is set to 10 megapixels, the images are 4160 × 2340 (16: 9). You can achieve the maximum resolution by manually setting the settings for shooting at a resolution of 13 megapixels, then the images will be 4160 × 3120 (4: 3).

Examples of photos with our comments are presented below.

	Sharpness is good on all planes.
	The branches are well worked out. Light sharping is visible in some places.
	The inscriptions on the building are clearly visible. The contrasting details of the house are accentuated.
	Decent field sharpness. Details are quite well discernible.
	The number of a decently distant car is clearly distinguishable. Many details are also discernible.
	Sharping in the shadows works quite roughly, however, almost no noise is visible.
	The camera does not do very well with macro photography. The situation is aggravated by insufficient lighting for normal camera operation.
	The text is well done and almost intact, apart from the blur caused by the relatively long exposure.

	Illumination ≈3200 lux. The camera is doing well.
	Illumination ≈1400 lux. The situation is not changing.
	Illumination ≈130 lux. The detail is slightly degraded.
	Illumination ≈130 lux, flash. The flash returns to its original resolution.
	Lighting<1 люкс. В темноте камера практически не справляется, однако некоторые объекты различить можно.
	Lighting<1 люкс, вспышка. Вспышка улучшает ситуацию, но до исходного разрешения не дотягивает.

In the pictures, you can notice a certain accentuation of dark contours - one of the options for sharping: the camera enhances the contrast at the edges of objects to improve sharpness, so some details look like they were outlined with a graphite pencil. Nevertheless, this function copes with the task quite well. And the natural sharpness of the camera is pretty decent - some license plates are worth something! But according to the results of the laboratory test, as you can see from the graph, the camera loses to the LG G2 in sharpness.

The camera has a little rough noise control, and if at this resolution the results of its work are almost invisible, then at a lower resolution they would spoil the details, and they would just be striking. In general, the camera copes well with noise.

Exposure times longer than 1/25 of a second are long for the camera, so the camera does not cope very well with macro photography and shooting text in low light.

If excessive software processing is attributed not to disadvantages, but to features, the camera can be called good. In addition, despite this, it is distinguished by good detail. The camera is quite suitable for documentary shooting or for a kind of art.

The camera can shoot video, there are several resolutions to choose from, up to a maximum of 3840 × 2160. There is also a 60fps recording mode in the settings. Examples of test clips are presented below (video: MPEG4 Video (H264) 3840 × 2160 30 fps 30 Mbps; audio: AAC 48 kHz stereo 156 kbps).

• Movie # 1 (108 MB, 3840 × 2160)
• Movie # 2 (65.9 MB, 1920 × 1080, 60 fps)
• Movie # 3 (42.3 MB, 1920 × 1080, 30 fps)

The capabilities of the LG G Flex camera are similar to those of the flagship model LG G2. In addition to the usual shooting mode, the camera software also provides others that allow you to supplement the familiar picture with unusual elements. For example, in the "Live effect" mode, you can distort the hero's face with a small mouth, a large nose, etc. The "Dual Record" mode allows you to display in a separate window over the main picture what is being filmed with the front camera. The last mode is called "Tracking Zoom" and produces a picture similar in composition, only here in a separate window, superimposed on top of the usual video sequence, the area on which the crosshair is focused will be displayed on an enlarged scale. In the process of filming this window with a "lens" magnifying the image, you can move your finger across the entire screen from object to object. It is impossible not to mention the Audio Zoom mode, in which you can increase the volume emanating from a specific selected object in the shooting field. Taking a photo can be done either by touching the screen or by pressing any of the volume keys located on the back of the smartphone.

Telephone part and communications

The smartphone works as standard in modern 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA networks, and there is also support for fourth-generation (LTE) networks used in Russia. With the SIM-card of the domestic operator Megafon, the smartphone in practice confidently works with the LTE network. In general, support for wireless networks is excellent, Wi-Fi 5 GHz is supported, NFC technology, you can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels, there is a Wi-Fi Direct mode. The navigation module supports both GPS (with A-GPS) and domestic Glonass.

No freezes or spontaneous reboots / shutdowns were observed during testing. When brought to your ear, the screen is blocked by a proximity sensor. The light sensor automatically monitors the brightness level of the screen. Incoming event notification LEDs are provided on the front and rear panels.

The screen is large, so drawing letters and numbers of virtual keyboards is quite comfortable to operate. The layout and arrangement of the keys is standard: here you can switch languages ​​by pressing a special button, there is a separate top row with numbers - without the need to switch the layout. Naturally, there is also the possibility of continuous writing by sliding your finger across the screen from button to button (here it is called Path input).

In order to make it easier to operate the on-screen keyboard with one finger, here, as in previous LG models, it is possible to reduce the keyboard unit and move it closer to any of the edges of the screen. LG developers went even further by implementing the sliding block in the form of a separate window, which can not only be moved to any place on the screen, but also changed its size and transparency. All this is called Qslide. In order to narrow the standard application window to a small one, you just need to click the corresponding cross button in the upper left corner. You can transfer to a separate Qslide window not only the on-screen keyboard, but also some other standard applications - for example, Notes, Calendar or Calculator.

OS and software

LG G Flex is currently running on Google Android software platform version 4.2.2. The company has installed its own user interface on top of the OS interface, significantly modifying and complementing the standard one. The arrangement of all elements, drawing of icons, the number and selection of additional preinstalled programs - everything is very familiar from the previous LG models with the Optimus UI 3.0 shell. For example, as soon as you plug in the headphones, a strip appears on the screen with the choice of the application (Plug & Pop), which is most associated with working with headphones. In the regular composition, the strip contains icons for music and video players, telephone dialing, and a YouTube player, but, of course, you can display any other applications here at your discretion. There is such an additional feature as Guest Mode. That is, you can let someone use your smartphone without fear of personal information that will be password protected. There is gesture control (answering a call by bringing it to the ear, for example). Slide Aside allows you to swipe with three fingers to remove running applications from the screen, and also return them back. QSlide allows you to make working windows smaller, detach them by moving them around the screen, and also change their transparency and number. Like the LG G2, it has the ability to wake up the device by tapping the screen (KnockOn). In addition, in addition to what was described in the LG G2, the new model also has several minor improvements:

• QTheater provides quick access to a photo, video or YouTube channel directly from the locked screen. Touching the screen and dragging the application to the side with two fingers opens them on the screen with a theater curtain effect;
• Dual Window splits the screen into two desktops for multitasking;
• Swing Lockscreen changes the picture on the lock screen depending on the position of the smartphone in space.

Performance

The hardware platform of the LG G2 is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC. The central processor here has 4 Krait 400 cores, clocked at 2.27 GHz. The processor is supported in graphics processing by the most modern video accelerator Adreno 330. The device has 2 GB of RAM, and the storage available to the user for uploading his own files is about 24 GB out of the nominally designated 32 GB. The device does not support memory cards, but it is possible to connect external media to the Micro-USB port (USB host). By the way, when you connect a USB drive, the mentioned Plug & Pop function is immediately triggered, displaying a bar with a selection of applications that are most associated with the situation. In the standard composition, the strip contains icons for music and video players, a photo gallery, and a built-in file manager.

To get an idea of ​​the performance of the tested smartphone platform, let's run a standard set of tests.

All the results obtained by us when testing the smartphone in the most recent versions of popular benchmarks, we have summarized in tables for convenience. Several other devices from different segments are usually added to the table, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry numbers). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison, it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain behind the scenes - due to the fact that they once passed their "obstacle courses" on previous versions of test programs.

The results obtained during testing demonstrated the expected performance of the novelty: it almost fully corresponds to the performance of the flagship model LG G2 built on the exact same platform.

Test results in MobileXPRT, as well as the latest versions of AnTuTu 4.x and GeekBench 3

Results of testing the graphics subsystem in the Epic Citadel gaming test

Video playback

To test the "omnivorous" video playback (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats that make up the bulk of the content available on the Web. Note that it is important for mobile devices to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is often impossible to process modern versions using processor cores alone. Also, do not expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are summarized in a single table.

Since the Micro-USB connector here supports USB-host (OTG) mode, a device with such a large and high-quality screen can comfortably be used as a multimedia combine. It is enough to connect any flash drive through the adapter, and you can play music, movies, view photos directly from it, especially since the developers initially supplied the device with all the necessary decoders. The smartphone is capable of playing most of the common file types out of the box, making it one of the best solutions for multimedia needs on the mobile market.

Format	Container, video, sound	MX Video Player	Native video player
DVDRip	AVI, XviD 720 × 400 2200 Kbps, MP3 + AC3	reproduced normally	reproduced normally
Web-DL SD	AVI, XviD 720 × 400 1400 Kbps, MP3 + AC3	reproduced normally	reproduced normally
Web-DL HD	MKV, H.264 1280 × 720 3000Kbps, AC3	reproduced normally	reproduced normally
BDRip 720p	MKV, H.264 1280 × 720 4000 Kbps, AC3	reproduced normally	reproduced normally
BDRip 1080p	MKV, H.264 1920 × 1080 8000Kbps, AC3	reproduced normally	reproduced normally

This smartphone has support for SlimPort (or Mobility DisplayPort) adapters, which connect to the Micro-USB connector and provide video (and sound) transmission to external display devices. For testing, we used a monitor LG IPS237L... With this monitor and our existing SlimPort adapter, video was output at 1920 x 1080 pixels at 60 fps. When the smartphone is in landscape orientation, the image is displayed on the monitor screen in landscape orientation, while the image on the monitor is inscribed within the boundaries of the screen and is an exact copy of the smartphone screen. In the portrait orientation of the smartphone, the image is displayed on the monitor screen in portrait orientation, while the image on the monitor is inscribed in height and its actual resolution is already lower than on the smartphone screen, and wide black fields are displayed on the left and right of the monitor screen.

Sound via HDMI is output (in this case, the sounds were heard through the headphones connected to the monitor, since there are no speakers in the monitor itself) and is of good quality. At the same time, multimedia sounds are not output through the loudspeaker of the smartphone itself, and the volume is controlled by buttons on the smartphone body. The smartphone connected to the SlimPort adapter is being charged, and the adapter must be connected to a power source through its existing Micro-USB connector.

The video output by means of a standard player deserves a special description. To begin with, using a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see "Testing methods for video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)"), we checked how the video is displayed on the screen of the smartphone itself. Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped to determine the nature of the frame output of video files with various parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p), 1920 by 1080 (1080p) and 3840 by 2160 (4K) pixels) and the frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps). The results of this (block entitled "Smartphone Screen") and subsequent tests are summarized in the table:

Note: If both columns Uniformity and Skips green ratings are set, this means that, most likely, when watching movies, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and skipping of frames will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems with the playback of the respective files.

According to the criterion for outputting frames, the quality of video playback on the screen of the smartphone itself is high, since frames (or groups of frames) are displayed with a more or less uniform alternation of intervals and frame drops or not, or single frames are skipped. The smartphone can even display 4k files, though up to and including 25p. However, the uniform interleaving of frames is a relatively unstable state, since some external and internal background processes lead to periodic failure of the correct interleaving of intervals between frames and even to the skipping of individual frames. When playing video files with a resolution of 1280 by 720 pixels (720p) on a smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly in the width of the screen, one to one pixel by pixel, that is, in the original resolution. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the standard range of 16-235 - all shades are displayed in shadows and highlights.

With a monitor connected via SlimPort, during video playback with a standard player, the video file is displayed only in landscape orientation, while only the video file is displayed on the monitor, and only information elements and virtual controls are displayed on the smartphone screen:

Note that when using the MX Player video player, an exact copy of the smartphone screen was displayed on the monitor screen, including with virtual buttons, albeit muted during video playback. This fact excluded this player from testing. When playing video files with a resolution of Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) on the monitor screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the edge of the screen, maintaining the true proportions, and the resolution corresponds to the Full HD resolution. The brightness range displayed on the monitor is equal to the standard range of 16-235, that is, in the shadows and highlights, all gradations of shades are displayed. The results of the monitor output tests are shown in the table above in the "SlimPort" block. Output quality is very good, albeit imperfect.

It turns out that the connection to external monitors, TVs and projectors, carried out using the SlimPort adapter, can be used for games, watching movies (including in Full HD resolution), displaying web pages and other activities that benefit from multiple size increases. screen.

Battery life

The capacity of the lithium-polymer battery installed in the LG G Flex is almost a record for a smartphone by modern standards, 3500 mAh. The battery itself, as mentioned above, is not entirely ordinary: LG Chem developed the world's first curved battery specifically for use in the LG G Flex. This battery was created using LG's patented Chem Stack & Folding technology, which reduces the physical stress on the battery pack due to its curved shape. Despite its small thickness, the LG G Flex battery turned out to be very capacious. Accordingly, the results of testing the battery life of the device in the most common user scenarios turned out to be quite good.

Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at the minimum comfortable brightness level (the brightness was set to 100 cd / m2) lasted more than 23 hours until the battery was fully discharged, and when continuously watching YouTube videos in high quality (HQ) with the device lasted about 13.5 hours with the same brightness level through the home Wi-Fi network. In 3D gaming mode, the smartphone lasted 6 hours and 40 minutes. These are all excellent indicators!

Outcome

In general, as mentioned at the beginning of the article, you should not treat the LG G Flex smartphone with a deep addiction. This model is designed for a narrow circle of specialists, as well as technologists who morally and financially support any unusual undertakings in this area, and, in general, does not pretend to be in wide demand among ordinary users. The model is sold more expensive than its counterparts (more precisely, “ordinary” flagship smartphones), and the innovations presented in it do not yet look like a clear advantage for which it would be worth overpaying. Most likely, the G Flex will remain for LG a kind of first milestone in the history of creating devices with flexible displays, although in general I would like to note that the use of flexible screens we see as much more useful in other product categories than in pocket gadgets. But as they say, time will tell.

In conclusion, we bring to your attention our video review of the LG G Flex smartphone. Still, it is better to evaluate the flexibility of the body and the ease of grip on the basis of the video, and not from the words of the site editor.

LG G Flex is an interesting novelty from the Korean company. The smartphone has a curved body with a self-healing coating. Accordingly, there is not only a curved screen and a curved battery, but also the ability to remove scratches from the case without additional tools. A kind of smartphone-Wolverine. And thanks to the curvature, as stated by the manufacturer, it is more convenient to use the device. We got the opportunity to check this by receiving a new LG product for a test.

Until recently, LG was considered successful mainly due to inexpensive smartphones, while the flagships of this brand were not in great demand. The situation began to change with the release of G2, although not as quickly as expected. Reportedly, 2.3 million units were sold in 4 months. With the release of a new smartphone called the G Flex, LG is not chasing mass sales, but experimenting and demonstrating innovation.

The G Flex isn't the world's first curved smartphone. Here LG was overtaken by its neighbors from Samsung, which released the GALAXY Round a few weeks earlier. However, the models are not exactly the same - Samsung is curved to the left and right, while LG is at the top and bottom. Both smartphones are not yet officially shipped to Russia. Which is understandable, because this Korean experiment costs 999,900 Korean won, which is approximately $ 940.

But as for the self-healing coating, here LG is beyond competition. The G Flex is the world's first smartphone of its kind. Looking ahead, I will say that for many it will be no less important than a curved body, but rather, even more useful. But first things first…

LG G Flex is the world's first smartphone with a self-healing coating. Small scratches on the case will disappear by themselves.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Network: EDGE / GPRS / GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), WCDMA (850/900/1900/2100 MHz), LTE
• Operating System: Android 4.2.2, LG Optimus UI
• Processor: Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 2.26 GHz
• Graphics: Adreno 330
• Memory: 32 GB, 2 GB RAM, no memory card support
• Display: 6 inches, 1280 x 720
• Camera: 13 MP, 1080p video recording, 2.1 MP front camera
• Communications: Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n direct, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, IrDA, FM radio, GPS / GLONASS
• Battery: 3500 mAh, non-removable
• Dimensions, weight: 160.5 x 81.6 x 8.7 mm, 177 g
• Price: 999,900 Korean won (approximately $ 940), dates of appearance in Russia unknown

DESIGN, ERGONOMICS

The main feature of the LG G Flex is its curved body. In addition to the obvious wow factor, this feature of the Korean novelty has other advantages. As conceived by the manufacturer, the vertically curved shape of the LG G Flex reduces the distance from the lips to the microphone when the smartphone is held to the ear, similar to what it used to be when using conventional (landline) phones.

The LG G Flex flex is optimized for the average human face to deliver better voice quality. As the Koreans note, the curved shape increases the sound level by 3 decibels compared to standard straight smartphones. It is also mentioned that due to its shape, this smartphone fits better in the hand and fits better in the back pocket of trousers, and in the horizontal position the screen provides a comfortable viewing angle for video or games.

This is all a beautiful theory, but in practice we have a large 6-inch smartphone with all the ensuing features of ergonomics. The G Flex is awkward to hold in one hand. As for the sensations from the image, they are unusual, but you quickly get used to it. I would not say that there is a big advantage from films or games on such a diagonal. The call quality is high, but it is comparable to the G2. Accordingly, LG's curvature is more of a marketing.

The most interesting feature of the curvature of the G Flex is the slight flexibility of the case, which allows, for example, to sit on a smartphone without fear and generally makes it more practical.

The self-healing coating of the back cover of the smartphone is a special feature of the G Flex, because the smartphone is unique in this at the moment. The bottom line is that the elastic coating has the ability to regenerate after minor scratches and minor damages that smartphones without a case are exposed to, allowing the G Flex to look new for longer. I emphasize that the innovative G Flex coating will be powerless against serious scratches, you should not overestimate it. But in general, the feature is very interesting, so let's talk about it in more detail:

LG G Flex is the first mobile device with a self-healing coating. This coating is different from the self-healing coating of cars or furniture. In contrast to the UV hard coat, a soft element made of specially modified rubber has been used to reduce scratches during daily use. The new element has the ability to fill in small scratches, making them less noticeable.

Regardless of the original features, the design of the LG G Flex is quite ordinary. It's a glossy plastic body with a barely noticeable backing texture. Like the G2, it has a non-removable battery, no memory card and Rear Key. The latter includes a power button with an indicator, two buttons at the top and bottom, and is located on the back of the smartphone - in general, the picture familiar from the G2.

HARDWARE FILLING

In terms of stuffing, the LG G Flex is the closest analogue of the G2. The smartphone is based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with a frequency of 2.26 GHz and has 2 GB of RAM. Graphics Adreno 330. RAM 2 GB. LG's proprietary interface is perfectly optimized. The LG G2 is not just fast, but very fast, and you can feel it without any benchmarks.

As for the quality of shooting itself, everything is decent here. LG has taken a big step forward in the camera in the latest models. Already in the G Pro there was an improvement over the G, and here and in the G2 the camera is even better. The only place where the G Flex doesn't look very good is when shooting in conditions where optical stabilization is important.

Examples of shooting LG G Flex at maximum quality settings:

OPINION HI-TECH.MAIL.RU

The LG G Flex is an experimental model. And it is necessary to treat it accordingly. Design, specifications, price in Korea are not the strengths of the new item, in this mass G2 is better. On the side of the G Flex, there are two unusual features - a curved body and a self-healing coating. If the latter can be useful, then the need for bending will be difficult to explain to the consumer, LG did not come up with enough weighty arguments for this. In the future, I would like to see additional functionality in such solutions, as well as full flexibility, and not just curvature. Most likely, this is what we will soon see. In the meantime, LG is among the pioneers of this direction, which in itself is worthy of praise. True, as the manufacturing company notes, the price of the G Flex in Russia is unknown, since there is currently no information about whether the smartphone will go to Russian retail.

If we evaluate the G Flex, regardless of the curvature, then we have a good tablet phone, albeit with not the highest screen resolution. I liked the performance and battery life. As well as excellent call quality. The disadvantages are boring design and high price, I would also like a removable battery and a slot for a memory card. If you decide to buy yourself this achievement of Korean engineering, you will have to wait. The time of the start of sales in Russia is still unknown. The main and only competitor of Samsung GALAXY Round is also in no hurry to go to Russia.

This leaves LG with the massive flagship G2 for the widest possible audience. The model is quite successful and quite popular (for LG products). The G Flex, on the other hand, is just a demonstration of technology and an application for future developments. The model is unique, but very niche. Nevertheless, Koreans are determined, and next year we will see the development of this direction - more advanced and affordable curved smartphones. This is a good chance to stand out from the background of numerous identical pipes on the modern market and to oppose the iPhone, coming up with something new.

Specifications:

• Class: Smartphone
• Form factor: candy bar
• Body materials: plastic
• Operating system: Google Android 5.0
• Network: one sim card microSIM, GSM / HSPA / LTE
• Processor: 8 cores, Qualcomm Snapdragon 810
• RAM: 2 GB
• Storage memory: 16/32 GB
• Interfaces: Wi-Fi (b / g / n), Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB (USB 2.0) connector for charge / synchronization, 3.5 mm for headset
• Screen: capacitive, P-OLED 5.5 "" with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels
• Camera: 13 MP OIS + Laser AF, 2.1 MP, flash
• Navigation: GPS, GLONASS
• Optional: proximity and lighting sensors, FM radio, NFC, IR transmitter
• Battery: non-removable, Li-Ion 3000 mAh
• Dimensions: 149x75x8.9 mm
• Weight: 154g

Contents of delivery:

• Smartphone
• Wired headset
• Micro USB cable
• USB adapter for 220V network

Introduction

Last year, LG Electronics introduced a serial smartphone with a curved screen (more precisely, a concave one). The name of the new device was given quite logical - Flex - flexible. Of course, the display was not flexible in the literal sense, but it did have a small move. I can't say that the first Flex was popular, because it had mediocre performance and considerable cost. The only original feature is not a flat screen like most phones. Nevertheless, it produced a wow effect.

In early 2015, another version of the curved device was shown at CES. Let me remind you that at the time of the announcement, the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge had already been demonstrated to the world. However, there was a curvature in it only on one side of the screen - also a kind of move to prove to everyone that Samsung has similar technologies.

The new G Flex 2 turned out to be much more interesting than its predecessor. Judge for yourself: the new model uses a display with a higher resolution and a powerful eight-core processor. In addition, the Flex 2 has one of the best image stabilization and laser focusing cameras built in, like the LG G3 and G4.

This time, in my personal opinion, LG no longer demonstrates technology for the sake of technology, but simply brings to the market a pumped-up serial gadget with a curved screen. Samsung is doing the same with its Galaxy S6 Edge.

Design, dimensions, controls

If you do not take into account the curvature of the case, then you have a gadget with a fairly modern appearance: minimal frames around the screen, a large display that occupies almost the entire area of ​​the front panel, high-quality materials, and so on. Comparing the first Flex and the second, you give preference, of course, to the last one: it looks more interesting, prettier and looks complete, without any unnecessary elements.



As for the curvature, it is not too conspicuous, probably because the body is not as large as that of the old Flex. You can notice the chip only if you put the gadget on a flat horizontal surface and look from the side. The curvature angle is only a few degrees. The difference between the center point of the screen and the ends is approximately 3 mm. The effect is best felt during use, when scrolling the menu up and down. It is rather difficult to describe in words, it is better, as they say, to try once. In any case, unusual: it seems as if the image first slides from top to bottom, and then rises to the bottom edge again. In the hand, of course, it lies a little better than any other similar device with a flat back - this is a significant positive point.

The materials have not changed much, there is still plastic, there is no metal. However, they beat him somewhat more spectacularly than in the G Flex. A thin chrome frame, the sides are glossy, dark gray, the lid is also glossy and also dark gray. The panel has an unusual pattern - radial waves to the sides, similar to Asus devices. The pattern is visible only in the light, in the shadow it seems as if the cover has a gradient from gray to dark gray. As far as I know, there is a device in red. I haven't seen it live, but it looks cool on video and photos.

They say that here, too, a "self-healing" surface is used in the plastic of the rear socket. In practice, even small scratches are noticeable. And in the old "Flex" it was the same. I don’t know why they came up with this marketing thing: downright "tales from the crypt." However, I am more than sure that in the comments people will write and prove the opposite, they say, on their devices "wounds heal" even from being hit by fragments of a grenade.

I got the impression that a tape was pasted on my sample, but I could not remove it.

The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 3. There is an oleophobic coating, but even after removing fingerprints, the light bloom is not completely erased. The finger glides over the surface easily, it is pleasant to use.

At the top center there is a slot where the speech speaker is located. Its volume is very high, its timbre is pleasant: there are both low frequencies and well-heard mids with high frequencies.

To the left of the speaker are sensors, a front camera and an indicator of missed events. Under the display there is a logo and an inscription “LG”.

Neither the bottom end is microUSB, a microphone and a 3.5 mm jack for connecting headphones or a headset. Above - a second microphone and an infrared transmitter (I don't know why it is needed, but let it be "to the heap").

The right and left, as always, are missing elements.

Back side: laser focusing, dual LED flash with warm and cold light, camera, speaker and volume keys with a power button in the center.

I don't like this arrangement of buttons at all: I could not get used to it on the LG G2, on the LG G3 and the first Flex. This is a purely personal opinion.

Comparative dimensions:

LG G Flex 2 and LG G3

LG G Flex 2 and Meizu M1 Note

Display

This device uses a 5.5-inch screen. The physical size is 68x121 mm, the frame at the top is 12 mm, at the bottom - 16 mm, on the right and left - about 3.5 mm each. There is an anti-reflective coating, which is quite effective.

The display resolution of the LG G Flex 2 is FullHD, that is, 1920 × 1080 pixels, the aspect ratio is 16: 9, and the density is 400 pixels per inch. P-OLED matrix without air gap. Despite the high density of dots, if you look closely, you can see the characteristic "pattern" of Pentile.

The maximum brightness of white is 200 cd / m2.

The white line is the goal we are trying to achieve. The yellow line is the actual data for this screen. You can see that we are directly below the target curve, which means that at every value between 0 and 100, the image is not bright enough. The yellow line is actually the average amount of red, green, and blue.

The average gamma value is 2.40. With an increase in brightness of more than 30%, the gamma deteriorates sharply. Too high a gamma, as in our case, means that the maximum brightness will be higher, and we will have deep blacks, but at the expense of loss of detail in dark scenes.

Judging by the level chart, there is a clear excess of blue, while red is lacking.

The temperature changes dramatically depending on the level of brightness: at minimum brightness, all colors will be with warm shades, at maximum brightness, they will acquire a colder shade.

Based on the diagram, the resulting data exceeds the sRGB triangle. It is quite strongly shifted to the right upwards.

The viewing angles are maximum, under certain slopes you can see that the picture takes on a greenish-blue tint. Black looks cool on this matrix.

Viewing angles

Spots are visible on a gray background. "In life" they are not visible.

Settings

Battery

This model uses a 3000mAh non-removable battery.

When working with the device, the battery lasted for about 20-23 hours: about 20-30 minutes of calls a day, about 3-4 hours of using 3G, about 15 hours of Wi-Fi (constant synchronization of mail, Twitter, WhatsApp, Skype, and so on) , several dozen photos, 2 hours of listening to music.

In a more sparing mode (no 3G, music, a little less talk), the gadget works for a day and a half. If you leave only data synchronization (Wi-Fi), then you can count on 3 days. Up to 13 hours of continuous calls.

When auto-adjusting the brightness of the screen backlight, the display works from 3.5 to 5 hours.

Communication capabilities

In this section, in order not to inflate the review, it is worth describing the most important thing: Flex 2 works with LTE CAT 6 networks with integrated LTE 3x20 MHz channel aggregation technology, it has dual-band dual-stream Qualcomm VIVE 2-stream Wi-Fi 802.11n / ac with MU -MIMO (dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot), Bluetooth version 4.1 (A2DP, EDR, LE), NFC chip.

It is easy to connect Flash devices to USB (OTG mode).

LG has GPS (Qualcomm IZat Gen8C) and GLONASS. It functions stably, the speed is very high: even near the window, up to 10 satellites are "visible".

Memory and memory card

With the amount of RAM, LG has been cheating a little: some sources claim that the 32 GB version costs 3 GB of RAM, others claim that it is still 2 GB of RAM. We had a sample for 16 GB of Flash memory and 2 GB of "RAM" in our hands.

The official website says that there is only a 32GB Flash and 3GB RAM version. As soon as I find out the exact information from LG representatives, I will add it to the review.

Of the two gigabytes of RAM, usually less than a gigabyte is free. Apparently, the shell “eats up” a lot.

Cameras

This model uses two camera modules: the main 13 MP (F2.4 aperture) with optical image stabilization and the front 2.1 MP (F2.0) module without "stub" and autofocus. There is laser focusing, there is a double flash with a different glow temperature (thus, an accurate rendering of skin tones is achieved).

I won't go into details about the cameras, since Flex 2 borrowed modules from LG G3.

However, I did compare the LG G Flex 2 camera with the LG G3 camera. The result is interesting: the Flex 2 shoots much sharper than the G3. The only thing that sometimes breaks is the white balance. On the other hand, misses often occur in G3.

Below are the shots on the Flex 2 (right) and G3 (left):

Originals with LG G Flex 2:

Originals from LG G3:

If you compare videos, then there is not much difference. Both cameras are good, especially the accurate and very fast focus, even when shooting in low light conditions.

Settings

Examples of photos:

Examples of photos on the front camera:

Performance

The LG G Flex 2 has installed the latest Qualcomm chipset - Snapdragon 810. Eight cores work here: 4 ARM Cortex A57 cores and 4 ARM Cortex A53 cores with support for a 64-bit platform, 20 nm process technology. Responsible for the graphics Adreno 430.

The first problem faced by mobile device manufacturers is overheating of the chipset. Perhaps that is why many vendors have refused to use the 810 chip. However, the situation has changed in the new firmware. I tested the LG G Flex 2 and realized that nothing terrible is happening: the maximum temperature under load of the processor reaches 45-50 degrees, which, in general, is quite typical for almost any processor.

Unlike the all-metal HTC One M9, the Flex 2's casing barely gets warm, so users won't have much of a problem.

In general, heating, decreased performance and other unpleasant things can only be seen on various sites; in real life, none of this happens. At least on this device with the same firmware as in "Flex".

The interface works smoothly, games start and everything goes, including GTA SA.

Screenshots from games

LG G Flex D958 powerful novelty with a curved design for easy communication, comfortable viewing of videos, web pages and working with applications. The smartphone runs on the latest operating system Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) and is equipped with a powerful 2.26 GHz quad-core processor. The LG G Flex D958 features a 6-inch large curved P-OLED display and a large 2GB RAM. With its powerful technical specifications, large clear screen, RAM, the latest Android platform and stylish curved design, the LG G Flex D958 is one of the most powerful and attractive smartphones that can handle any challenge, be it an application or a powerful game. Capture great photos with the powerful 13MP camera and high quality 1080P video at 60fps, while the 2.1MP front camera lets you chat on Skype and other video calling apps. It is also worth noting the powerful curved battery LG G D958 with a capacity of 3500 mAh, which provides the smartphone with up to 20 hours of talk time. Powerful 4-core processor and the latest platform allow you to open immediately two active windows on one screen Lji D958 and use two applications at the same time, real multitasking and comfort. Self-healing coating on the back cover protects the LG D958 smartphone from scratches, and conveniently located buttons provide quick access to volume control and basic phone functions.

Full features of LG G Flex D958 smartphone with powerful 4-core processor and powerful battery.

• SIM card quantity: 1
• SIM Card Type: Micro SIM
• Software: Android 4.2.2 / Jelly Bean
• Processor: 2.26 GHz / 4-core / Qualcomm® Snapdragon ™ 800
• Display: 6 inches / 1280 x 720 / P-OLED
• Camera: 13 MP / BSI technology
• Front camera: 2.1MP
• Video camera recording: [email protected]
• Battery: 3500mAh
• Standby time: 340 hours
• Talk time: 20 hours
• Built-in memory: 32 GB
• RAM: 2 GB
• Memory card: does not support
• Bluetooth: 4.0
• USB: 3.0
• Wi-Fi: yes
• Wi-Fi Direct: yes
• 2G network: 1900/1800/900
• 3G network: 2100/900 / HSPA + 42Mbps
• 4G network: 2600/1800/800 / Cat4 CSFB
• 3.5 mm jack: Yes
• Navigation: GPS
• DLNA: Yes
• Dual window function: Yes
• Guest Mode: Yes
• Dimensions: W.W. T 160.5 x 81.6 x 8.7 mm.
• Weight: 177 grams

The "G" family in LG's range usually contains the extraordinary smartphones of the top category. But in the case of the G Flex, the other half of the name was more important. "Flex" means "Flexible", that is, flexible. The LG smartphone is actually curved and flexible, which can be seen in several videos. Unlike competitor Samsung, the smartphone was released not only for the Asian market. But the price is rather big - you will have to pay for it from 22.3 thousand rubles in Russia or from 750 euros in Europe.

Of course, early access to new technologies always comes at a premium. But does the LG G Flex really offer such benefits that it's worth paying extra for? The hardware itself does not represent anything special, in the high-end segment there are many similar smartphones at a price of 15.5 thousand rubles.

SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 can already be called an old acquaintance in the premium smartphone market. For the Flex, LG has opted for this time-tested "system on a chip" too. The 13MP camera is also familiar from. There is also a back button, which LG claims will significantly improve the ergonomics of the company's smartphones. But below we will just evaluate the ergonomics of the LG G Flex smartphone with a 6 "screen and a curved body.

The POLED display is not only curved, but also flexible, meaning it won't break if the smartphone is accidentally flattened. But the resolution is only 1280 x 720 pixels, which is not enough for a 6 "screen and the high-end segment. For this price, we expected a higher resolution of six inches. Samsung with its Galaxy Round has implemented a much better Full-HD resolution. Display like us already said above, concave, which should improve the ergonomics of working with a smartphone, as in the case of the competitor Samsung. But is the curved shape so convenient in practice? Is it better to bend one in length or in width too?

Is there a use for a curved shape?

It all depends on personal preferences, that is, on how the user likes to work with the smartphone. The LG's curved shape doesn't fit so well in a jeans pocket, but in landscape orientation it's more enjoyable to watch media. It is also more convenient to speak on the phone, since the microphone is bent closer to the mouth. Samsung's implementation also has its advantages, as the smartphone in the pocket is better pressed against the leg, on the table it can be "tilted" by the side, and the most important updates will be displayed on the screen. But both models have common advantages. For example, if you like to lay your smartphone with the display down, then in this case it will never get scratched - unlike "flat" smartphones.

The side panels of the smartphone do not have additional elements, but the famous button is located on the back, on the bottom there is a microphone, a headphone jack and a microUSB port.

There are indeed advantages to bending the case, but do they justify such a high mark-up? We tested the Flex in daily use, and we'll share our impressions in the review.

Self-healing coating

The LG G Flex smartphone can be considered a direct successor, which is quite noticeable. In addition to the curved body (and flexibility), the smartphone has some other distinctive features. The body has a special lacquer coating (a protective layer of polirotaxane), which has a self-healing function.

In other technological areas, such a coating has been used for a long time, but it has not yet been found among smartphones. How this coating works is best seen in LG's video. Also, many users conducted their own tests and posted videos on YouTube. Deep scratches on the Flex case will remain, but small micro-scratches after a while really smooth out and become almost invisible.

Hardware: stripped-down G2

The back button was inherited from the LG G2. It is designed to improve the ergonomics of working with a smartphone. The power and volume buttons are also combined here, which made it possible to free the side ends of the case. The button is backlit with a blue LED, it notifies about any events if the smartphone lies with the screen down (due to the concavity of the screen, this does not arise any problems).

The back button may flash blue in case of existing alerts. When turned off, it is silvery. Nearby you can see the camera, IR transmitter and LED flash.

We liked the workmanship of the G Flex, it is on the same level as that of the G2, there are no reasons for complaints. On the one hand, despite the narrow bezels with a 6-inch display, working with one hand is problematic, even if you have large hands. On the other hand, it is much better to watch movies and photos on a 6-inch display than on compact smartphones. The display is made using RGB POLED technology, unlike its competitors, it does not use the PenTile matrix, which gives less sharpness and detail at comparable resolutions. So a lower resolution in this case will not be felt so sharply (but, again, for this class of price and size, we consider it important to use a higher resolution).

Unfortunately, the bending of the smartphone is not strong enough to stand firmly on a flat surface, so it is recommended to use a stand. On the other hand, the curvature of the case is already enough to cause problems with narrow pockets.