LG has revealed its new flagship G3 smartphone. It looks pretty killer--especially that display. But it’s going to be met with a lot of competition, specifically the (purposely) hard to get OnePlus One. Which is the best choice for you? Let’s take a look.
Specs
First let’s look at the raw specs of each phone.
LG G3
- Screen size: QHD 5.5 inch 2560 x 1440 pixels at 538 ppi
- Weight: unknown
- Dimensions: 146.3 x 74.7 x 8.9 mm
- Colours: Gold, Black, or White
- Processors: Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with 2.5GHz Quad-core CPUs
- RAM: 2GB LP-DDR3
- OS: Android 4.4.2 KitKat
- Storage: 16GB, microSD card slot supports additional 128GB
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity and Ambient Light
- Battery: removable 3000 mAh battery
- Cameras: 13 Megapixel rear camera with 4k video, 2.1 Megapixel front camera
- Connectivity: 3G, 4G, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC
OnePlus One
- Screen size: 5.5 inch 1920x1080 pixels at 401 ppi
- Weight: 162 grams
- Dimensions: 152.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm
- Colours: Silk White or Sandstone Black
- Processors: Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with 2.5GHz Quad-core CPUs
- RAM: 3GB LP-DDR3
- OS: CyanogenMod 11S based on Android 4.4
- Storage: 16 or 64GB
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity and Ambient Light
- Battery: embedded 3100 mAh battery
- Cameras: 13 Megapixel rear camera with 4k video, 5 Megapixel front camera
- Connectivity: 3G, 4G, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC
Design, Display, and Build
The great thing about the OnePlus One and LG G3 is that they both share a lot of common features, which makes comparison pretty straight forward. Let’s start with the most obvious, however, and one way in which they differ: the materials.
The OnePlus One is made of plastic and comes in white or black. The LG G3 on the other hand is made of a lightweight metal and come in black, white, or gold. Material for material, metal always trumps plastic. The metal body is why the LG G3 also has smaller dimensions even though both phones have the same screen size. The G3 measures 146.3 x 74.7 x 8.9 mm while the OnePlus One is slightly bigger at 152.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm.
But let’s talk about the main thing everyone cares about on a smartphone: the displays. The OnePlus One has an impressive 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 pixel display at 401 pixels per inch (ppi). That’s pretty sweet looking until you compare it to the LG G3’s QHD 5.5 inch 2560 x 1440 pixel display at 538 ppi. Look at that ppi--it’s almost 20% more. Hands down, the LG G3 wins this round.
Winner: LG G3.
Processors and RAM
Another area the two phones are similar is in the processor department. They use the exact same CPU, the 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801. It’s a killer CPU for a smartphone, so it’s no wonder why both use it.
The difference with the internals comes when you look at the RAM. The LG G3 comes with 2GB or LP-DDR3. But that is trumped by the OnePlus One’s 3GB of LP-DDR3. Simply put, the OnePlus One gives you 50% more RAM, which means it wins this round.
Winner: OnePlus One.
Operating System
The OnePlus One runs CyanogenMod 11S, which is based on Android 4.4. It’s a custom build of CyanogenMod that does have some nice design refinements to it, yet still offers the full flexibility and customization of Android. I like its ability to learn the user’s voice so you can activate your OnePlus One even when it’s asleep.
The LG G3 runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat. LG has added some custom features to differentiate it from other Android handsets. One such feature is called 'Smart Notice' and it gives you context sensitive information and reminders. An example of this is when you arrive at your office the G3 might ask you if you want to turn on your Wi-Fi. A really nice feature is also the custom round widgets that match the G3’s windowed flip cover's round "porthole" design.
Winner: tie. Both run Android, which is a win-win in itself.
Storage and Battery
The OnePlus One comes in two storage sizes: 16 or 64GB. As I’ve written before, that’s actually a bit of a letdown as the sweet spot for most people is 32GB. 16GB is quickly becoming too little space for any smartphone, so it’s a bit disappointing that users of the OnePlus One will need to buy the top of the line one if they want to make sure they have enough storage. And unlike many Android phones the OnePlus One does not offer a microSD slot for expansion.
The LG G3 offers 16GB of storage but it also includes a microSD card slot, which means you can insert up to another 128GB of storage in your G3. This blows the 64GB maximum storage of the OnePlus One away.
As for the battery, the OnePlus One has a 3,100 mAh cell. That’s compared to the 3,000 mAh cell found in the LG G3. But the LG G3 actually wins here because its battery is removable, which means you can snap a new one in to get you through the entire day.
Winner: LG G3.
Sensors and Connectivity
Both phones are packed with your standard sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, and Ambient Light. They also offer the exact same connectivity including 3G, 4G, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, GPS, and GLONASS.
Winner: Tie.
Camera
The LG G3 offers a 13-MP rear camera that can record video in beautiful 4k. This is the exact same resolution for photos and videos that the OnePlus One offers in its rear camera. Where the two differ is in the front-facing camera. The LG G3 features a 2.1 megapixel front camera while the OnePlus One offers a 5 megapixel one. That means the OnePlus One is going to give you higher quality selfies so you can show everyone how beautiful you are.
Winner: OnePlus One.
Price and Conclusion
The OnePlus One costs £239 for the 16GB model and £269 for the 64GB. That less than HALF?? of the LG G3’s £XXX price. And while the OnePlus One offers more RAM and a slightly better front-facing camera, it can’t match the build quality of the LG G3. The OnePlus One has a plastic body after all, while the LG G3 is made of high-quality lightweight metal. The LG G3 also features a much better display and a removable battery. The LG G3 also has that all-important microSD expansion slot.
So unless price is your main issue the better phone this time around appears to be the LG G3.
by jamesp via Featured Articles
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