LG G5 Pro Reviews

There are two highly probable reasons why you might be reading these lines right now. One: you’re torn between the LG G6 and the LG G5, and two: you’re already a G5 owner who’s wondering whether upgrading is worth it. If you belong to the former camp and your budget isn’t tight, going for the LG G6 is a no-brainer. The phone is superior to its predecessor in many ways, so it’s unlikely that you’ll end up disappointed. But don’t take out your credit card before considering the G5, which has dropped in price significantly since its debut. Online it can be found for less than $400, making it at least $250 cheaper than a G6, depending on which carrier’s service you prefer. For that amount of cash you get a well-performing, up-to-date smartphone with decent hardware specs and a very capable camera at the back. And if you’re already a G5 owner, upgrading to the LG G6 will net you a larger, better screen without any changes in overall phone size. Plus, there’s the added peace of mind of having a waterproof device. Just don’t expect the camera performance and battery life to be significantly better.

At the end of the day, this is understandable: the LG G5 is the cheaper of the two. In the United States, the G5 is currently offered with a $100 gift card at about the same retail price as the iPhone 7, but internationally there is a much more significant gap between the price of the G5 and the iPhone 7. Still, the LG G5, has its strong points: we enjoy its capable camera, the super fast charging, and the fact its interface now runs relatively stutter-free. Sure, the G5’s modularity turned out to be nothing more than a gimmick, but if you can get the phone at a fair (and significantly lower than the iPhone) price, it’s worth taking a look. If money is no concern, though, the iPhone is the winner.

Despite a poor Android 6.0 skin, there is enough to like about the LG G5 to class it as a ‘good’ smartphone. My main issue with the device, though, is that I can’t really recommend it over the Galaxy S7 when both handsets command the same price tag. When competition is so strong, sometimes being ‘good’ just doesn’t cut it.

The LG G5's built-in super wide angle lens and the optional camera grip with a variety of controls earn it some extra points and make it a unique proposition for mobile photographers. Its pixel-level image quality is not among the very best, but exposure and color are good down to very low light levels. The G5's only major drawback is its video mode. It offers very little control over capture and low light footage shows little detail and high noise levels. If that is something you can live with, the LG G5 is an easy recommendation for any mobile photographer.

The LG G5 comes with a brand new modular chassis and a dual camera solution that amount to a unique phone amongst this season's flagships. It is smaller and easier to handle than the iPhone 6s Plus, though the craftsmanship leaves something to be desired in comparison. If you have no use for the still-limited portfolio of extra LG Friends module attachments, though, the G5 doesn't offer something to really set it apart from the 6s Plus in terms of everyday usage like software performance or camera quality. The iPhone has one big basic advantage, however, and that is a much better battery life, which in real life often trumps added options that you may rarely use.The basic 6s Plus is slightly more expensive than the LG G5, though, and offers less storage, plus it is big and a chore to handle and carry around in comparison. Thus, if you aren't sold on the superiority of its software ecosystem and stellar battery life, the G5 is one of the svelter flagship alternatives on the Android side of the fence, if you don't mind its faster value depreciation.

At the end of the day, this is the Android battle of early 2016: the Galaxy S7 edge and LG G5 are clearly two of the best phones you can buy right now. LG has decided to place its bets on new and very different features with the G5: modular design with easily removable battery, modules for better audio and a camera grip. All of those features, however, address marginal issues. Even the wide-angle secondary camera is cool, but not essential. The Galaxy S7 edge, on the other hand, focuses on improving what matters: subtle touches to its design make it a joy to hold and use, while features like waterproofing are practical and useful. There is a nearly $100 price difference between the two in favor of the more affordable LG G5. Being the more affordable one, the G5 can get away with some of its flaws in comparison with the S7 edge. If price is not a concern, though, at $800, the S7 edge is definitely the better-rounded phone in most aspects: with a better display, an actually useful Always-on feature, better battery life, and impressively fast camera

The G5 isn't a "bad" phone in the big scheme of all available Android phones. But despite a great display, awesome camera controls, and an improved battery swapping system, it's still notably flawed.

The LG G5 for AT&T is a powerful smartphone with a semi-modular build, making it a unique alternative to more typical flagship handsets. But heavy software changes won't please Android purists.

This is the phone to get if you want a removable battery, but it fails to live up to its world-changing Swiss Army Knife potential.