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This is an archive article published on April 30, 2015

LG G Flex 2 Express Review + video: You will have to pay for the curve

LG G Flex 2, is the company's second phone with an arc shape. So what works in this smartphone and what doesn't? Here's our review.

LG G Flex 2, LG G Flex 2 review, LG G Flex 2 specs, LG G Flex 2 pricing, LG G Flex 2 is the second curved screen smartphone from the company. (Source: Nandagopal Rajan)

LG has been experimenting with curved screens for sometime. Even as it pushed its curved innovation is a slightly subtle manner to the flagship LG G4, we look at the LG G Flex 2, its second phone with an arc shape. Though the first G Flex came almost a year back, no one else has been able recreate a curved phone. This means LG has some technology which is not that easy to replicate.

LG G Flex 2
I still don’t know what is the use of a curved phone. Of course, it is a head turner, but there is no practical reason for using a phone that is curved. LG says it is more natural when you are looking at the screen, like with its curved screen televisions. But I cannot see a very big difference when you compare it with a flat Full HD screen, except for the fact that it does not reflect much light.

Watch our video bulletin of the LG G Flex 2 and the Micromax Canvas Spark below:

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Specs: 5.5-inch Curved P-OLED capacitive touchscreen (1080x1920p, ~403 ppi) | Qualcomm MSM8994 Snapdragon 810 (Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & Quad-core 2 GHz Cortex-A57) | 2 GB RAM | 16GB expandable up to 128GB | 13MP rear camera, 2.1MP front camera | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Android Lollipop

Rs 54,990

What is good?
The G Flex 2 is a very powerful phone powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor. Combined with the smooth as butter Android Lollipop operating system. Using the phone is like driving on an Expressway — I’m not bringing a Ferrari into the picture because I have not driven one. There is no lag, no crashes and stutters. But there is a flipside, I will tell you that later.

A picture taken from the LG G Flex 2. (Source: Nandagopal Rajan) A picture taken from the LG G Flex 2. (Source: Nandagopal Rajan)

The overall design is good. Even though the curve does not bring a lot to the table, combine it with LG’s unique back buttons and you have a phone that is easier and more natural during daily use. Yes, you do become a slave of habit and tend to probe the sides for the buttons, but once you get used to it is a good place to be in.

The camera clicks some really sharp pictures and is very fast. But at this price point, I would have wanted some manual features thrown in. This is like a compact camera with just an Auto mode. You can use third-party apps to get more out of the optics.

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(Source: Nandagopal Rajan) (Source: Nandagopal Rajan)

The display is among the better ones in this Full HD range. But maybe at this price point LG could, and should, have offered more.

Some of the software tweaks are good. I could move everything from my old Android phone by just tapping the two phones togethers and then just entering my Google password. The easiest onboarding I have had with any phone ever.

What is not that good?

The phone sadly has a battery that does not last more that 10 hours. Even on weekends, you will need to charge it more than once a day. Maybe, curved phones are not that conducive to long battery life.

LG G Flex 2, LG G Flex 2 review, LG G Flex 2 specs, A picture taken from LG G Flex 2. (Source: Nandagopal Rajan)

One thing that could be affecting battery life is the phone’s tendency to heat up. It heats up even when you are not really pushing the phone and at times it is as cool as a cucumber performing the same tasks. I think the Qualcomm processor has a bit of a role to play in this, like all the other ‘hot’ phones in the market.

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I found the keyboard a bit weird too. I usually write long stuff on Android phones and am quite happy with most keyboards. This one, however, seems to have accuracy issues. But you can just download a third-party app to get over this issue.

Should you buy it?
That is a real curve ball question. If the phone had no curve, it should have been priced under Rs 35,000. So are you willing to pay Rs 20,000 for a curve? That’s your call.

Nandagopal Rajan writes on technology, gadgets and everything related. He has worked with the India Today Group and Hindustan Times. He is an alumnus of Calicut University and Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal. ... Read More

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