LG G Pro 2 Review

Introduction

You needn't be particularly involved with the smartphone world to notice the considerable – and more importantly, constant – growth in devices' dimensions. This observation has been cemented time and time again, and it appears that LG is next in turn. Still hot off the conveyor belt, the high-end G Pro 2 is one big phone at 5.9 inches. That's a considerable jump from its 5.5-inch predecessor – the original G pro.

But while the phablet form factor may have been something pushed down our throats by manufacturers initially, there's no denying that the wider public response has been overwhelmingly positive. Demand for phablets is now large enough that every handset maker is scraping to get a phablet of their own out on the market. Packing a potent, 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 and 3GB of RAM, the G Pro 2 handles everything and anything you throw at it with finesse, and the same type of results are achieved by the optically-stabilized, 13-megapixel unit on the rear of the phone.

Before we get into this, however, do keep in mind that our review unit is the Korean version, which may differ in some aspects from the international model that we expect to reach the shores of Europe and the States in the coming months. We're still expecting LG to shed some more light on specifics, such as carrier availability and release date.

In the box:

• Wall charger
• microUSB to USB cable
• Earphones
• Secondary, 3300mAh battery (International availability unclear)
• Dock with a battery charging slot (International availability unclear)

Design

A lot can and should be said about the G Pro 2's exterior. For starters, this is one sweet-looking device, even though it's unlikely to win consumers' hearts on looks alone. LG hasn't used truly premium materials with the build of the device, but there's simply no way that one would confuse this for anything less than a top-of-the-line phablet.

Starting with the front, we have very narrow bezels all around, so this is a relatively conservative device in terms of its dimensions (6.22 x 3.22 x 0.33 inches). In comparison, the 5.9-inch HTC One Max commands dimensions of 6.48 x 3.25 x 0.41 inches, so it's considerably larger and thicker. We also simply have to point out how light and well-balanced the G Pro 2 is. At 6.07 oz (172 grams), this is possibly the lightest phablet in its class, and it isn't top- nor bottom-heavy like some devices we've come across. In other words, while this will never be seen as a one-handed device, it's still more comfortable to use than quite a few other phablets in this size class.

Anyways, those aforementioned bezels all tout a fancy texture which shimmers under light, much alike the rear of the Nexus 4. In comparison, the rear is less intriguing. The plasticky shell  has something of a mesh texture, which doesn't exactly scream premium, but it does feel practical. Moreover, the G Pro 2 borrows the rear-placed volume and power buttons from the G2, and these are worth a moment to discuss, because they have seen some noteworthy improvements. For starters, they're now far less flush with the surface, and you can make them out by touch alone, which definitely helps. What's more, they have a roughly doubled travel time upon impact and you don't have to push too hard to get feedback from them. We never quite warmed up to the rear combo, as outlined in our long-term LG G2 review, but the G Pro 2 definitely begs a rematch.

Display

The Quad HD displays madness surely appears unavoidable at this point, but the G Pro 2 won't be the device that pushes that frontier for LG. This means that you're getting a 1080x1920 pixel resolution with that 5.9-inch glass, or some 373 pixels per inch. This isn't just a 'good' display – it's downright beautiful.

But an attractive display often comes at the expense of a proper color calibration, and the IPS panel on the G Pro 2 is no exception. Brightness, at 420 nits, and gamma, at 2.17, are both satisfactory, but color reproduction is, strictly speaking, incorrect. With a color temperature of almost 8000K, this is not the most accurate of panels, though color deviations from the target are not that extreme. But whites are perceptibly blueish and this does extend to grays, as well, which is a tad unfortunate.

Interface and functionality

First things first, folks! The LG G Pro 2 comes with the very latest, Android KitKat update, version 4.4.2. LG has, as always, slapped its own proprietary skin on top, and has added a considerable amount of extra code that allows for all the extra features you get with its software. Now, while this is an extremely feature-filled package (much alike TouchWiz, by the way), it's not the most aesthetically-pleasing solution out there.

Speaking of features, you get quite a few useful ones. Perhaps one of the most important ones is a special, one-handed mode, accessible by swiping left or right on the software navigation keys. This will fire up a miniaturized version of your screen, allowing you to get to previously impossible to reach areas of the 5.9-inch screen with just one hand. LG also includes a one-handed mode for its dial keypad and its keyboard, which essentially allows you to shift their position to the left or right for easier access. Another phablet-centric feature is what LG is calling Dual Window, which basically allows you to have two fully-functioning apps side by side at the same time by just long-pressing the Back key.

Last, but surely not least in LG's book, is the new Knock Code feature that the company has been promoting heavily. Knock Code, as the name suggests, allows you to set up a certain combination of up to eight knocks that will serve as your password. You then just tap on the display in the correct order, and it'll power on, even from a powered-off state. Knock Code will work in any area of the screen, which sure is a nice bonus. Unfortunately, while the South Koreans are boasting about how secure this makes your phablet, we can't quite agree. For one, unless you go for the maximum eight knocks, it's quite easy for somebody to remember your combination by just looking over your shoulder. Moreover, eight taps just take too long – you're better off with a pass code really.

Processor and memory

The LG G Pro 2 is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to performance. That's honestly not surprising in the least, seeing as it packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset with four Krait 400 cores ticking at 2.3GHz, and a powerful Adreno 330 GPU. Equally as impressive are the generous 3GB of RAM. Summed up, these internals are likely to ensure that the G Pro 2 stays relevant throughout 2014.

And why wouldn't they? The phablet runs crystal-smooth, with barely any hiccups in just about every scenario we tested out. Whether it's browsing, multitasking, or just doing some gaming, the G Pro 2 has what it takes. Even the newest, most fancy apps ran fluidly, with a sufficiently high frame rate at all times. And, by the way, the G Pro 2 is the first of LG's newer flagships that does not cheat on benchmarks. Bravo, LG!

Last, but certainly not least, the LG G Pro 2 comes with 32GB of built-in storage minimum. At least at this point in time. What's more, our (Korean) version of the phablet has a microSD slot under the removable shell, though we're unclear whether this perk will make it to the international model (in the case of the LG G2, it didn't).

Camera

LG has taken the already excellent, 13-megapixel unit from the G2 flagship, and has even managed to improve upon it. The optically-stabilized camera touts a new generation of the shake-free tech, called OIS+. As far as we're aware, the upgrade is a software one, and has nothing to do with hardware. It's hard to tell how much of a difference OIS+ brings to the table, but we'll make sure to find out and report back.

So let's talk stills. Despite an overcast day, the snapper on the rear of the G Pro 2 performed admirably. The basics – color reproduction, exposure settings, levels of detail and noise – were all excellent. Shots truthfully represented what we were seeing with our own eyes (a bit over-saturated), and even at a 100% crop we found a great amount of fine detail. It's not all champagne and roses, of course, and the software is obviously susceptible to errors in judgment – in one scenario, a shot came out with a severe purple tint -- but that was an isolated incident. 

Call quality

Making calls with the G Pro 2 brings no nasty surprises whatsoever. Both the microphone and in-ear speaker are extremely loud, and the cost in loss of clarity will be worthwhile for most. That said, we do have to point out that there's some distortion, and we've definitely had better. Still, the phablet carries out its underlying function with a decent level of finesses, and certainly performs above average.

Battery

Equipped with a big, 3200 mAh Li-on cell, the G Pro 2 reminds us a lot of the LG G2 in terms of how long it lasts. Sure, the bigger display absolutely means more power drain, yet the slightly larger capacity of the user-replaceable unit should at least partially mitigate the impact on overall up time. As with the G2, stand-by and talk time on a 3G network are excellent, and browsing is pretty decent, as well. It's only when you have to call up on the power-hungry Adreno 330 that you can see the life of the battery get siphoned out as if from thin air. But that's how things are at this point in time – gaming is batteries' least favorite occupation.

Conclusion

The LG G Pro 2 is a great device, full stop. It honestly feels needless to try and spin this into a spiral of accolades, as glamor for the sake of glamor doesn't seem to be the goal the LG engineers had in mind when building the phablet. Instead, the G Pro 2 feels like one of those devices built to last. A device which lives in the real world, the practical and pragmatic world, and it does so with stoicism and attention to the details that actually matter.

Are there weak sides to the G Pro 2? Of course. We definitely wished LG treated us to a set of stereo speakers, and we're far from completely content with the way the company goes about its proprietary software. But that's a small price to pay for what you get in return, and we can't help but recommend this device if you're browsing the phablet section.