The new LG G5 smartphone has been unveiled and it’s getting a huge amount of attention.
The G5 replaces the G4 and its a new handset rather than an incremental upgrade. Here is your guide as to how the two handsets compare.
LG releases first modular smartphone
One major change is the fact that the LG G5 is the first modular smartphone made by the company. You can slide the bottom section of the phone off to add other modules like the LG CAM Plus camera or the LG Hi-Fi Plus, which boasts a DAC audio player.
The G5 looks and feels like a premium handset thanks to its all-metal finish, which compares favorably with the plastic design of the G4. However the older handset is perhaps more aesthetically pleasing, as the new smartphone has an ugly camera bulge on the back as well as a fingerprint scanner.
LG has made the G5 slightly narrower than the G4 (73.9mm versus 76.1mm) which should make it more comfortable to hold. The narrower body holds a 5.3-inch screen, compared to the 5.5-inch module on the G4.
Smaller screen, more powerful performance on the LG G5
Both smartphones boast 2560 x 1440 resolutions, but the G5 has 554ppi pixel density compared to 538ppi on the G4. Interestingly the G5 screen is “always-on” which might affect battery life.
The G5 is significantly more powerful than its predecessor, with a Snapdragon 820 processor and 4GB of RAM, compared to the Snapdragon 808 chip and 3GB of RAM on the G4. Both phones have 32GB internal storage.
If you need to add more storage, the microSD slot on the G5 can hold cards of up to 2TB. This is a significant improvement over the G4, which could only handle cards of up to 128GB.
Battery life could be a concern for new smartphone
Both phones run the Android operating system, with the G5 packaged with Android 6.0 Marshmallow. When it comes to cameras, the LG G5 adds significant capabilities over the G4.
The G4 and the G5 both have 16MP rear cameras with laser autofocus and an 8MP front module, but the G5 has a second wide angle 135-degree lens with 8MP. The extra module apparently makes it easier to shoot landscapes, skyscrapers and bigger groups of people.
One area in which the G5 downgrades from the G4 is the battery. The older handset had a 3000mAh unit, while its successor has a 2800mAh battery.
Although the smaller screen size may mean that battery life is not impacted too much, it is still a worry. However the battery module is removable, so you can switch in another if you run out of charge.
The LG G4 made its first appearance in April 2015, with a similar price tag to the Samsung Galaxy S6. However its retail price diminished quickly over just a few months.
Those tempted by buying the new G5 might do well to wait a similar length of time to see if the same thing happens with the new handset. The exact release date of the new smartphone has not been confirmed by LG, but commentators expect it to be on the shelves in April.
Pricing details have not been confirmed by the company. The phone is getting a lot of attention from commentators, and we can expect the first proper tests soon.
