We got hold of the LG G Pro 2 seed unit from LG Philippines and like how we enjoyed LG G 2, this one is the beast! Minimalist design has been mastered by LG already.
LG G Pro 2 has the premium features you would want in a smartphone – knock code, the next generation security feature started in G2; power button, volume rocker – all located at the back of the phone. The front has no physical buttons, LG has removed the home button which was present in the first generation G Pro. Out of the box, G Pro 2 has already the latest Android OS – Version 4.3 Kitkat.
Powering the LG G Pro is a Snapdragon 800 processor, quad core at 2.26 GHz, Adreno 330 GPU. It has 3G of RAM, has a 13-MP rear shooter, and a 2.1MP at the back. To sustain an all-day use, LG G Pro 2 comes with a 3,200 mAh battery. And it is commendable to mention that it only takes about three hours to fully charge LG G Pro 2 (as opposed to the Kata M1 with 4,000mAh battery that takes five hours to fill it up.)
LG G Pro, unlike most of the flagship smartphones of today, has a removable battery which is an advantage in my own opinion. The Korean store where I got my G2 casing, has accessories for most of the Korean smartphone like Samsung, LG and Vega. They sell battery charger that comes with a spare battery for most of the phones. I like this better than carrying a “power bank”.
The white G Pro 2 that we got has 32G storage, while it is already huge storage for us, you can still expand it via microSD. You can put up to 64G of additional storage which is perfect if you want to store movies and audio files into the G Pro 2.
Design
The slightly rounded corners of G Pro 2 makes it sexy. And it is very light at only 172 grams, same weight as the former, but its thinner at only 0.33 inch. The back cover is said to be a non-slip metal mesh finish which makes the grip better. And it adds more premium over the glossy cover of the previous Galaxy series of Samsung.
If you like minimal design with a powerful specs inside a smartphone, LG G Pro 2 is something you can boast.
Features
Knock Code has been rolled out to the latest LG L series smartphone. This time the Knock Code can be customized rather than the usual two knocks. LG has also included “Get to Know the G Pro 2″ home screen, the left-most screen will show this feature, it contains education information about G Pro 2 features. To use this feature, you data connectivity must be turned on, or you must be on a WiFi network.
LG has also used the featured called Smart screen – this one when turned on will detect if you are staring on the screen, and if you do, the screen will not turn off. This was pioneered by Samsung. This feature works without any problem during our review.
You can also use the Quite Mode in the G Pro 2, a feature present in the iOS called Do Not Disturb. You can turn it on and off, or set a time where your phone will be in mute mode.
Benchmarks and Battery Life
As expected LG G Pro has high scores in the benchmarks we used – Both Antutu and Quadrant gave a flying colors to the phablet. While these are tests only, the overall performance of the phone is commendable.
The battery life is also impressive – this must be expected on a really large screen with a large battery capacity. The LG G Pro 2 has a 3,200mAh removable battery. If you turn on data from 9AM, you will still have at least 20% left by 8PM. To us, this an outstanding performance. When used with WiFi only, the phone can last you until 10PM.
Sample Photos and Video
Sample video we took along Buendia Avenue and crossing Ayala Avenue in Makati. This is broad daylight. The result is really fantastic, clear and crisp HD video.
Sample photos – sharp and crisp!
Check the hi-res copy in our Flickr account here.
Using the camera’s default setting, it will take photos with this size – 4160 x 2340. And it really takes sharp photos. There is only one little frustration we experienced – it is slow to capture. There has a delay of about a second before it locks the focus and shoot. This little delay will bring you trouble in taking the “moment” you want in your subject.
LG G Pro 2 Specs:
- Quad-core 2.26GHz Krait 400 CPU, 3GB of RAM, Adreno 330 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset
- 5.9-inch 16M-color 1080p True HD IPS Plus FullHD capacitive touchscreen
- Corning Gorilla Glass 2 display protection
- Android OS v4.4.2 KitKat; LG Optimus UI
- 3G with HSPA; LTE cat4
- 13MP autofocus camera with LED flash
- 4K video recording @ 30fps with continuous autofocus and stereo sound
- 2.1MP front-facing camera, 1080p video recording
- 16/32GB of built-in storage, microSD card slot up to 64G
- microUSB port, USB host support, USB on-the-go, SlimPort TV-out
- Bluetooth v4.0
- NFC
- Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA
- GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
- Huge 3,200mAh Li-Ion battery
- IR emitter for remote control of home appliances
Conclusion
At the price point of PhP32,990, to me this still an expensive price point. However, with the features of this minimalist beast, you will be very happy to carry an LG G Pro 2. I must say, this is way better that my LG G2. It is very snappy, photos and videos are crisp and sharp. With LTE connectivity available, you are guaranteed to get the fastest Internet therefore viewing Youtube clip would be breeze. While LG G2 had the most number of awards in 2013, I am sure G Pro 2 will bag more awards in 2014.
Photography by Spidey. High resolution set is in this Flickr album.
