LG has just launched the LG G2 with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and 5.2-inch display, but how does it compare to the HTC One? Read on to find out.
HTC One: Key specs and features
With the HTC One, the Taiwanese manufacturer has pulled out all the stops on the design front and the result is one of the most visually stunning devices on the current smartphone market. It boasts a neatly contoured aluminium unibody with a curved back and which wraps around to the front at both top and bottom of the display. The front panels feature punched stereo speaker grilles for a slightly industrial look, as well as providing a better audio experience.
The aluminium gives a rich feeling in the hand and the device is not oversized or cumbersome. Everything is solidly built and you won’t find any flex to the chassis.
HTC’s displays are usually to a high standard and the HTC One is no exception with a 4.7-inch Super LCD3 screen featuring a Full HD 1920x1080 pixel resolution at 469 pixels-per-inch (ppi) – that’s one of the highest pixel densities on the market. As a result, the HTC One’s image quality is superb with great brightness, colour depth and clarity.
It’s also well-equipped on the internal hardware front as it uses Qualcomm’s quad-core Snapdragon 600 chip clocked at 1.7GHz with an Adreno 320 graphics processing unit (GPU) and 2GB of RAM. This running gear handles Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and HTC’s Sense 5 UI with gusto, along with any apps, games or multimedia you care to mention.
The HTC One has 32GB of onboard storage but no card slot, while the battery pack is a non-removable 2,300mAh unit. Connectivity is your usual assortment of 4G LTE, HSPA+ 3G, microUSB, Wi-Fi (including Direct and Hotspot), DLNA, Bluetooth, NFC and GPS. It also has an infrared blaster for TV control and MHL TV-Out.
With HTC Sense 5 on top the Android interface looks very different but the vast majority of the functionality remains the same. It has an additional homescreen called BlinkFeed which aggregates news, photos and social networking in a tile-based feed.
The HTC One’s camera setup is a little unusual as it’s rated at only 4.3-megapixels, however, it uses a large BSI sensor, Ultrapixel technology with larger pixels, optical image stabilisation and a big f/2.0 aperture to let in lots of light.
In low light conditions this works very well indeed, while in normal use it has good dynamic range and very natural colours. Picture clarity is decent enough and we’d say it’s on par with higher-end 8-megapixel setups seen on rival devices. Video capture is 1080p and there’s HDR, and LED flash, simultaneous video and image capture and face and smile detection.
LG G2: Key specs and features
The LG G2 features a 5.2-inch IPS+ LCD display with a Full HD 1920x1080 pixel resolution at 424 ppi. Image quality is sharp and crisp with vivid colour.
Options for onboard storage include 16GB or 32GB of space and the handset also features Qualcomm’s latest quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.3GHz, together with 2GB of RAM and an Adreno 330 GPU. This is the fastest mobile chip on the planet at time of writing, so you can bet performance is going to be blisteringly quick whether you’re multitasking, playing games or watching films. It handles Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean deftly with smooth UI interaction and performance.
The phone is equipped with a 13-megapixel BSI camera complete with LED flash, face detection, HDR, 1080p video capture and optical image stabilisation (OIS). The OIS should ensure excellent capture quality and low light performance.
The battery is removable and rated at 3,000mAh, so as well as providing long battery life you’ve also got the ability to swap in a spare on the move. Connectivity capabilities are fully fledged and include everything you might expect from a flagship model – that means 4G LTE, HSPA+ 3G, Bluetooth, microUSB, Wi-Fi (plus Direct and Hotspot),DLNA, GPS, NFC and MHL TV-Out.
Comparison
The LG G2 is obviously larger and has a more rounded-off build design made from polycarbonate. While this might not be quite as attractive it’s still durable enough and the handset is still quite a manageable size. The HTC One looks much nicer, but the aluminium has a tendency to scuff in the pocket and is even known to dent if you drop it.
LG’s G2 has a much larger display which makes it a preferable choice if you spend a lot of time browsing the web, watching films, reading eBooks or playing games, but having said that the HTC One’s touchscreen isn’t exactly a small fry. Although on paper the HTC One’s screen outguns the LG G2 on raw specs the end result is that both screens are Full HD 1080p with pixel densities above 440ppi. In other words, both are going to be a great experience for the vast majority of users.
The processor on the LG G2 is a higher ranked model, it uses the Qualcomm Snapragon 800 at 2.3GHz while the HTC One has a Qualcomm 600 clocked at 1.7GHz. Both are quad-core and both offer more power than Android and its collection of apps knows what to do with at present. That’s no bad thing of course, but it does mean that much of the LG G2’s extra muscle isn’t really going to be put to use until further on in the future. In the meantime, both phones are as quick as you might want a smartphone to be on the current market and performance in both cases is smooth and seamless.
While HTC’s Ultrapixel camera is certainly interesting and provides excellent performance it isn’t quite in the same league as a similarly OIS-equipped but higher-rated 13-megapixel opponent. As mentioned in our full review, it would be nice to see HTC’s tech applied to an 8-megapixel sensor to really get the full benefit because although it produces near 8-megapixel quality visuals the detail is a little lacking for a truly premium setup.
Both handsets pack plenty of onboard storage but lack microSD expandability. The HTC One’s battery life is not the best and you’re going to have to plug it into the wall to boost the juice, whereas the LG G2 lets you hot swap a spare on the go in the unlikely event that the massive 3,000mAh unit leaves you caught short.
Conclusion
It pains me somewhat to say it but I think on balance I would probably opt for the LG G2 here.
I much prefer HTC’s design and build, but the simple fact is that aluminium finish doesn’t last long.
The battery life could be better, somewhere where LG appears to have excelled, and the LG G2’s camera should produce better results too.
The higher-grade processor, while not offering a huge advantage in the immediate short term, is added icing on the cake as it ensures the longevity of the phone in the future.
While the HTC One’s display is fantastic, for gaming browsing and films going for bigger is certainly better with the LG G2 and there’s no compromise on image quality in the process.
If it was a bit more sportily styled and made from luxurious Nokia or HTC-style matte polycarbonate, the LG G2 might be damn near perfect. I love the HTC One but I can't honestly say I'd buy one.
by pbriden via Featured Articles
Posts
No comments: