LG G2

Welcome to the end of 2013, and LG has just pulled a technical rabbit out of a hat. The LG G2 is a phone that challenges every ergonomic assumption we’ve made since 1992. By moving the power and volume buttons from the sides to the back of the device, directly under the camera lens where your index finger naturally rests, LG has been able to shrink the bezels to almost nothing. The result is a 5.2-inch screen in a body that feels no larger than a 4.7-inch phone. In the UK, it is the dark horse of the year, a 143g powerhouse that makes the Galaxy S4 and the iPhone 5s look like they’re wasting space._x000D_
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Technically, the G2 is a monster of integration. The headline is that 5.2-inch Full HD IPS LCD display. Because the buttons have migrated to the rear, the screen occupies nearly the entire front of the phone, offering a 424 PPI density and a level of immersion that is simply breathtaking. It is arguably the best LCD on the market, bright, colour-accurate, and featuring viewing angles that are virtually 180 degrees. Powering this visual feast is the Snapdragon 800 processor, clocked at a blistering 2.26GHz. In the UK, this makes the G2 significantly faster than the Galaxy S4 in benchmarks, and you can feel it; the ‘buttery smooth’ animations of Jelly Bean never once falter, even during intensive 3D gaming or 1080p video editing._x000D_
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But the G2 isn’t just about raw speed; it’s about high-fidelity everything. It is the first smartphone to support 24-bit/192kHz Hi-Fi sound, allowing you to play ‘studio quality’ FLAC files directly through your headphones. The 13-megapixel camera is another technical triumph, featuring Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS). While the S4 struggles with shaky hands and low light, the G2’s lens physically moves to compensate for your wobbles, resulting in sharper stills and much smoother video. It also features ‘Knock On’, a technical ‘why didn’t they think of this before?’ feature that lets you wake the screen simply by double-tapping the glass._x000D_
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Connectivity is top-tier: 4G LTE, Wi-Fi ac, NFC, and an IR blaster. Under the hood, LG has used a ‘Graphic RAM’ (GRAM) system that reduces the screen’s power consumption by up to 26% when displaying a static image. This, combined with a massive 3000 mAh ‘Step’ battery (which uses a layered design to fit more capacity into the curved chassis), makes the G2 a true two-day phone. The only technical compromises are the lack of a microSD slot and a non-removable battery in the UK model. The LG G2 is a bold, innovative, and brilliantly executed bit of kit. It proved that LG could out-think and out-spec the competition, offering the most screen and the most power in the most compact package of 2013.