This LG G3 review shares how the LG G3 compares to the iPhone 5s, helping potential buyers know how the LG G3 performs from an iPhone user perspective.
After using the Verizon LG G3 as my main device, and still carrying my iPhone 5s it became clear that LG nailed the Android experience combining a large high-resolution display with a great camera and software features that match the iPhone in many areas and beat it in others. Our early LG G3 review gave the phone an Editor’s Choice Award thanks to the amazing features this phone offers, and the Verizon LG G3 earns this same honor.
If you are trying to decide between the iPhone 5s or iPhone 6 and the LG G3 or are looking to upgrade to the LG G3 from an iPhone this LG G3 review from an iPhone user will help you understand what the LG G3 does better and where you will need to make some concessions.
I’m using a Verizon LG G3 review unit, which includes pre-installed
Verizon apps and connects to the speedy XLTE Verizon network, but the
basic LG G3 review from an iPhone user points are the same across other
carriers as well.
Advertisement
The LG G3 is $99 direct from Verizon and on Amazon. The iPhone 5s is also $99 at Verizon right now.
During my time with this LG G3 review unit I also carried a Verizon iPhone 5s, which I carry alongside an Android phone of some type daily.
The photo above offers a LG G3 vs iPhone 5s screen comparison which
helps show the detail that the LG G3 can deliver when looking at a
photo.
Essentially the LG G3 delivers more pixels packed into a small space, which lets it show more detail than an iPhone screen. Many Android apps and streaming video is not in 2k resolution or 4k resolution, but when you look at the photos you take on the LG G3 or even when connecting an SD card to see those from a DLSR, the LG G3 display shows much more detail. The video below shows the detail you can see on the LG G3 display.
Compared to the iPhone 5s, the Verizon LG G3 display is significantly larger than the iPhone. The 1.5-inch difference makes a bigger difference than you might guess, but thanks to the LG G3 design the phone is not obscenely large.
Watching movies, browsing the web and playing games on the LG G3 is a more immersive experience thanks to the large display. I still opt for a tablet when I can, but if I am just running around end up with time to waste I grab the LG G3 for entertainment needs before the iPhone.
The iPhone 5s design and LG G3 design both offer benefits, and
important differences. The biggest differences are material and access
to battery and storage.
Apple designs the iPhone 5s with metal and glass. This is the standard for great smartphone design that plastic will not touch for many users. I was surprised by the feel of the LG G3 design because it uses plastic instead of metal, but it is a high-quality plastic that almost feels like a ceramic. It’s not going to match the feel of aluminum for every user, but it is close enough for me. The biggest reason for this is that it doesn’t feel like a cheap plastic phone.
Part of the plastic LG G3 design is the ability to remove the back
for access to a battery that you can swap out if it runs dead and a
MicroSD card slot that lets users add more storage. The iPhone 5s offers
neither of these options, though you can buy a case to add storage and battery power for $150 or more. A spare LG G3 battery is $30, though not on sale in stores yet, and a 64GB MicroSD card is $36 on Amazon.
It’s nice that I can add storage later instead of buying it right off
the bat. The LG G3 also comes with 32GB of memory instead of 16GB
standard.
The back of the LG G3 is curved and the edges slope up to help with grip and one-handed use. For a larger phone this is essential, and it combines with small bezels to keep the size of the LG G3 as small as possible. Apple opts for a flat back and chamfered edges on the sides. The LG G3 would not work with the current iPhone design, but the iPhone 5s is still a very nice size and feel.
Call Quality on the G3 varies based on your location and network coverage, but I found call quality slightly better than on the iPhone 5s. Both of these devices are on Verizon, but the G3 delivers crisper call audio. The iPhone does sound dramatically better when I make a FaceTime audio call.
Google apps like Gmail, Maps and Hangouts work great across both of these devices and streaming apps for common services like HBO Go and Watch ESPN are available on both. You won’t notice a difference switching between these two devices in terms of speed inside the apps.
The LG G3 battery life is good, lasting all day on all but one of the
days during my LG G3 review. An optional LG G3 battery saver tool can
turn on at 50%, 30% or 10% to increase remaining battery life.
I did not need to use this on most days. On the average day I would end up with 30% of the LG G3 battery life left around 10 PM, after taking it off the charger at 8AM. This includes a few calls, but not the marathon of calls that can drain a smartphone battery quickly. I was pleasantly surprised at the G3 battery life while using it as a hotspot.
My iPhone battery life varies dramatically depending on how much I use it for calls, on days where I don’t talk much it lasts about this long. On days where I am on calls for hours and hours it needs recharged by evening.
The video above shows the LG G3 camera options, and the photos and sample video below show what the LG G3 can do. I am happy using the iPhone or the G3 as my camera while on the go for the past few weeks, but I like looking at photos on the higher resolution LG G3 display.
After using the Verizon LG G3 as my main device, and still carrying my iPhone 5s it became clear that LG nailed the Android experience combining a large high-resolution display with a great camera and software features that match the iPhone in many areas and beat it in others. Our early LG G3 review gave the phone an Editor’s Choice Award thanks to the amazing features this phone offers, and the Verizon LG G3 earns this same honor.
If you are trying to decide between the iPhone 5s or iPhone 6 and the LG G3 or are looking to upgrade to the LG G3 from an iPhone this LG G3 review from an iPhone user will help you understand what the LG G3 does better and where you will need to make some concessions.
Read our Verizon LG G3 review from an iPhone user.
Read: 51 LG G3 Tips & Tricks
One of the biggest differences between a Verizon LG G3 and those on
AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile is coverage. Despite many advances there
are still places I travel in Ohio where Verizon is the best or only
option. This varies from place to place, so check your area before you
switch. My home neighborhood delivers vastly better AT&T service,
but when I go on trips Verizon is typically a better source.The LG G3 is $99 direct from Verizon and on Amazon. The iPhone 5s is also $99 at Verizon right now.
During my time with this LG G3 review unit I also carried a Verizon iPhone 5s, which I carry alongside an Android phone of some type daily.
LG G3 Display
The LG G3 display is bigger and delivers more detail than the iPhone 5s. The LG G3 features a 5.5-inch 2k display. iPhone users are familiar with the 4-inch Retina display on the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5, but may not know the resolution which makes an on-paper comparison easier.- LG G3 – 5.5-inch – 2,560 x 1,440 resolution – 538 pixels per inch
- iPhone 5s – 4-inch – 1136 x 640 – 326 pixels per inch
Notice the difference in the detail of small pieces of moss on this fencepost between the LG G3 vs iPhone 5s displays.
Essentially the LG G3 delivers more pixels packed into a small space, which lets it show more detail than an iPhone screen. Many Android apps and streaming video is not in 2k resolution or 4k resolution, but when you look at the photos you take on the LG G3 or even when connecting an SD card to see those from a DLSR, the LG G3 display shows much more detail. The video below shows the detail you can see on the LG G3 display.
Compared to the iPhone 5s, the Verizon LG G3 display is significantly larger than the iPhone. The 1.5-inch difference makes a bigger difference than you might guess, but thanks to the LG G3 design the phone is not obscenely large.
Watching movies, browsing the web and playing games on the LG G3 is a more immersive experience thanks to the large display. I still opt for a tablet when I can, but if I am just running around end up with time to waste I grab the LG G3 for entertainment needs before the iPhone.
LG G3 Design
The back of the LG G3 is curved, helping users hold it with one hand.
Apple designs the iPhone 5s with metal and glass. This is the standard for great smartphone design that plastic will not touch for many users. I was surprised by the feel of the LG G3 design because it uses plastic instead of metal, but it is a high-quality plastic that almost feels like a ceramic. It’s not going to match the feel of aluminum for every user, but it is close enough for me. The biggest reason for this is that it doesn’t feel like a cheap plastic phone.
Pop the back off to add storage or a spare LG G3 battery, but you can’t do that on the iPhone 5s.
The back of the LG G3 is curved and the edges slope up to help with grip and one-handed use. For a larger phone this is essential, and it combines with small bezels to keep the size of the LG G3 as small as possible. Apple opts for a flat back and chamfered edges on the sides. The LG G3 would not work with the current iPhone design, but the iPhone 5s is still a very nice size and feel.
-
- The G3 is much larger.
-
- The G3′s plastic back feels better than plastic, but it’s not the iPhone 5s’ aluminum back.
-
- The front of the G3 features a large Verizon logo.
LG G3 Call Quality and Audio
The LG G3 does not include front facing speakers like the HTC One, but the single rear speaker out performs the iPhone 5s speaker hands down. The G3 delivers louder, better sound that I can hear in more rooms without a bluetooth speaker or tricks to make the iPhone speaker louder.Call Quality on the G3 varies based on your location and network coverage, but I found call quality slightly better than on the iPhone 5s. Both of these devices are on Verizon, but the G3 delivers crisper call audio. The iPhone does sound dramatically better when I make a FaceTime audio call.
LG G3 Performance
The LG G3 delivers good performance across all activities tested from chat and email to gaming and streaming videos. I did not notice a difference between the iPhone 5s and G3 for these common activities aside from the benefits of a bigger screen.Google apps like Gmail, Maps and Hangouts work great across both of these devices and streaming apps for common services like HBO Go and Watch ESPN are available on both. You won’t notice a difference switching between these two devices in terms of speed inside the apps.
LG G3 Battery Life
LG G3 battery life..
I did not need to use this on most days. On the average day I would end up with 30% of the LG G3 battery life left around 10 PM, after taking it off the charger at 8AM. This includes a few calls, but not the marathon of calls that can drain a smartphone battery quickly. I was pleasantly surprised at the G3 battery life while using it as a hotspot.
My iPhone battery life varies dramatically depending on how much I use it for calls, on days where I don’t talk much it lasts about this long. On days where I am on calls for hours and hours it needs recharged by evening.
LG G3 Camera
For a full in-depth look at the LG G3 camera performance check out our deep dive LG G3 Review, with more sample photos and detailed explanations of how the G3 camera performs. I really enjoy the laser focus, though it does not seem to focus faster than the iPhone 5s, if at all. Both the iPhone 5s and LG G3 deliver good-looking photos and a variety of options to take photos. Neither offers a camera app that is as deep as the Galaxy S5.The video above shows the LG G3 camera options, and the photos and sample video below show what the LG G3 can do. I am happy using the iPhone or the G3 as my camera while on the go for the past few weeks, but I like looking at photos on the higher resolution LG G3 display.
Comments
Post a Comment