LG Mobile surely does not sit on its success, even if the acclaimed Stuff Magazine already lauded the LG G2 as the “Best Smartphone in the World” last year. LG just unveiled its even more powerful smartphones but polar opposites LG G Pro 2 and G2 Mini from its premium LG G Series at the chic 71 Gramercy bar in Makati City on April 7, 2014.
The Best Just Got BIGGER – LG G Pro 2
For those who can’t get enough of big screens, LG stretched the screen from G2’s 5.2” to G Pro 2’s 5.9” Full HD IPS display. However, for those who only use one hand in texting or playing with their phablet but do not want to strain their thumb, LG offers the Mini View where they can minimize the display to suit them. But, G Pro 2’s screen got bigger for a reason. Thus, it comes with the Dual Browser. We can now have two apps visible simultaneous on the screen. With its 2.2GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset plus 3GBRAM, running those features in the Android 4.4 KitKat is a blast.
For music lovers, G Pro 2 has a new 1 Watt Hi-Fi speaker. Yesterday, during the launch, even in the midst of the din in the venue, I could still hear the sound from this fabulous phablet.
Photo by Eyriche Cortez
From the G2’s 60 frames-per-second (fps), the G pro 2’s 13mp Full HD camera with OIS+ (that translates to 20% improvement) now has 120fps 4K Ultra HD video recording. Coupled with its slow motion playback with adjustable speed, no photo or video nuance will ever be missed or ignored. With its Magic Focus, one can choose whether to focus on the background or the foreground after taking the photo. Great for point-and-shoot photographers like me! It surely outshoots and outperforms most if not all smartphone cameras.
The Best Just Got SMALLER – LG G2 Mini.
However, for some people, a phablet is simply not for them. They still want the one-hand convenience. Thus, from the G2’s 5.2” screen, LG resized it into the G2 Mini’s 4.7” qHD IPS display. During the launch, one lady quipped, “LG is like a sensitive woman. She thinks of our needs.”
Usually, we have to compromise capabilities for comfort. But, though reduced in size, LG did not scrimp on its strength since the G2 Mini retained not only its innovative and minimalist design such as the Rear Key but also its daredevil power with its Quad-Core CPU and Android 4.4 KitKat OS. As Lawrence Kim, VP of LG Electronics Philippines’ Mobile Communications division, proudly declared, “The compact G2 Mini offers design, hardware, and user experience previously unavailable in its class, making it a very attractive option for mid-tier markets.” Never ever again underestimate small.
The Best Just Got Bigger and Smaller
Unlike the G2, both the G Pro 2’s 3,200mAh and the G2 Mini’s 2,440mAh batteries are removable. But what LG is so proud of is the heightened security both smartphones offer. Using G2’s existing KnockOn feature, LG upped the ante with its KnockCode wherein users can enter a personalized tapping or knocking pattern up to more than 80,000 possible combinations and no fingerprint streaks at all. We can also lock our photos and videos for peace-of-mind privacy.
With the LG G Pro 2 and the LG G2 Mini, the best just got bigger and smaller.
SRP: LG G Pro 2 retails for P32,990 while the LG G2 Min for P13,990 only.
The LG G2 Mini is a decent smartphone, but it may have arrived a bit too late to really make the same sort of impact as the S4 Mini or One Mini.