LG tries certain to find themselves currently. After several years with distinctive, curved and often coated in plastic mobiles chose South Koreans this year a completely new direction. Or, more directions, to be precise.
First came the very special LG V10, built of steel and the most of all reminiscent of the rubberized surface of a pair of decent work gloves. Two cameras in front had it too.
LG K10
Size: 146 x 74 , 8 x 8.8 mm
Weight 142 grams
Display 5.3 inch IPS LCD, 1280 x 720 pixels
Hardware: Qualcomm Snapdragon 410, 4 x Cortex-A53 @ 1.2GHz, Adreno 306 GPU, 1.5GB RAM
Storage 16GB of built , space for memory cards
Operating System: Android 6.0 + Marshmallow LG UX
Technology 4G / LTE
Camera 13-megapixel main camera, f / 2.2 + 5 megapixels
Battery 2300 mAh
Price: From 1690 NOK
Then the country top model LG G5 as a thunderbolt, with LG’s first unibody metal design and modular battery hatch. Two cameras here too, this time behind, and the top had a somewhat indefinable bend.
In the midst of it all pulled LG veil of the brand new K-series, which seems to take over as cheap option here on the rock. Top model called K10, and tumbled for a little over a week ago in the test bench.
K10 have the so great being called 2.5D glass, and that was popularized by Apple when it launched its iPhone 6 back in 2014. Since then, the glass has been adopted by close virtually all manufacturers, but almost exclusively in more expensive phones.
LG K10 is anything but animals. Indeed it with a retail price of 1,690 crowns it right now decidedly cheapest phone with Android 6.0 Marshmallow – next little brother LG K8, with weaker tripe. Thus, we are also very excited – how much phone you actually get for a good handful of hundred pounds in 2016?
Exceptionally beautiful design
First impressions K10 provides us it is certainly nothing to fault on. The first thing that struck the undersigned – and several others in the newsroom – then we packed up K10, was that, gosh, this was when pearly budget mobile being. The front of K10 adorned by screen that arcs towards the sides, providing a leak “soap” effect. The effect is continued by glossy plastic to the sides, which wraps on a slight edge at the back of textured plastic.
the texture should imitate a woven cloth, and with a rubberized surface gives it a soft and comfortable feel against your palm. It also means that K10 is safer in the hand than most other mobiles, but first and foremost it gives the film a kind of “premium” pregna. The screaming cheap feeling that has haunted many plastic mobiles – and long also Samsung’s top models in the S series – is nowhere to be found here.
On the back we find otherwise a small speaker in the lower left corner, a slightly raised and rubberized LG logo, main camera and (in typical LG style) power and volume buttons. The power button sits between the two volume buttons, camera right over – all framed by a glossy, thin and bold plastic strip. Beside the camera sits a small flash.
Both buttons and camera all have their individual texture rings, and it actually helps to find them in the dark or in your pocket. It also gives an impression that someone actually put some effort into designing the glory – and raises the overall impression considerably.
the front side is more or less completely clean, except for a LG logo at the bottom and a single conversation speaker in shiny plastic top – which incidentally caught in the flow with the rounded glass. Both Micro-USB and headphone jack on the bottom – neat and simple.
in all, we have nothing to fault on either build quality or design. Looseness and squeaking is impossible to trace, and the design is simply one of the prettiest we’ve seen in a long time.
Buttons on the back is a matter of taste, but in fairness it also something you get used to quickly. Furthermore fingers are almost always in the right position to reach them.
Android Marshmallow inside – and damning good performance
It took many almost a year, but finally it been granted to reckon that new Android phones actually have Android 6.0 Marshmallow whirring inside. So also with LG K10, where producer in familiar style has placed its LG UX on top – a fairly heavy customization. The interface is characterized by sharp edges and square icons, and tradition is the color palette of pastels Ellen asterisks. So: soft, light and not very showy.
LG has taken more or less total control over both appveksleren, dropdown menu, home screen layout and settings menu. The only thing we can clearly recognize from Google’s own and “pure” Android’s notifications, which are unchanged. Otherwise, have received a visual and functional overhaul of LG’s side.
the Settings menu is for example divided into four somewhat unclear sections, which atleast undersigned consider less transparent than the conventional layout. This can however be changed to “normal” list view via the settings menu, which we appreciate.
LG is otherwise adept at choices and allows you for example reorder bottom buttons and add buttons. In the storage menu it is even built a separate file explorer – not an everyday occurrence in all mobiles.
A special election – enabled by default – lets you use the volume buttons as hotkeys for camera and note app, by press twice in quick succession – either with the screen turned off or from the lock screen.
the whole thing is mostly a joy to use, and the regular menu swiping and app launching is very little delay to track. It is almost on par with the big favorite Moto G4 Plus performs, which easily withstand comparison with Google’s own Nexus phones purely performance-wise. In other words, smooth and fast menu flow. There is also light years ahead of previous cheap mobile we tested here at the house, namely the awful HTC Desire 530.
the impression we got largely confirmed when we checked the synthetic performance. K10s Snapdragon 410 chip provides simply damning well in all the performance tests, and both signed and others in the newsroom was a little amazed figures. Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016) will basically provide the same, since it is equipped with the same chipset, same GPU, RAM and also has Marshmallow inside – but here the gap is huge.
In AnTuTu hurtling K10 up at over 35,000 points, about the same as the considerably more expensive Galaxy A3 (2016) gave us when tested with Android 5.1.1 after enough liquid. However, taking into account that A3 probably would have given some better numbers if Marshmallow had been found there. In the other two tests are also our head start large for LG cheap mobile. We have no good explanation for this, but it may indicate that LG has done a solid job of optimizing and sew together its software.
The results can even contemplate in the graph below:
A display that does the job – and superb sound from the headphone jack!
5 , 3 inch screen to spend is K10 among the bigger really cheap phones you can find today. The resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels is sufficient, and you should look very closely to make out the individual pixels. In this price range this is certainly approved, and not something you think about in everyday use. Virtually all competitors use the same solution, with a notable exception of Huawei’s brilliant Honor 5X.
Both brightness. viewing angle and color reproduction is work involving, although some might want to experience the latter as something dull. This has however more with LG’s pastel theme to do than with the phone’s own screen, which works excellent for both film and games.
The chipset swallows fine from standard test Asphalt 8, and unlike the HTC Desire 530 also runs Pokémon GO nice here. For what should be realy with a phone that can not handle a couple of pocket monsters in these times?
unlike the Desire 530 is also brightness sufficient for outdoor use, even without slider must be on full stick at any time. It also saves precious battery, as something that is very gratifying. Otherwise you get really surprising much of the 2300 mAh one on the inside, and getting through the day is unproblematic.
On the audio side is K10 surprisingly good. The headphone port seems to have been spent as of a decent amp and play louder and cleaner than many other phones we had at hand. The three times as expensive Xperia X has been beaten, especially on a little bulky headsets. K10 satisfies therefore most in this area. Also the rear speaker plays fine. There are always limited in what kind of sound you get out of these, but the glaring treble often experience – yes, we’re talking to you, Xperia XA – is not finding.
The dedicated call speaker on the front also gives clear and nice sound during calls – in short, K10 is a winner for those who are concerned about the phone to deliver useable sound for most needs. Add to that the phone also supports dual-SIM while a memory card is in use, so the phone can satisfy even demanding businessmen as well as holiday happy Norwegians who both want to take pictures and have local SIM data next to the Norwegian SIM a.
LG delivers good solutions, but something should be uninstalled
We are getting used to that Google services taking over for manufacturers’ own solutions, and also here. Desktop solution consists of software giant’s Docs, Sheets and Slides, and it works well. For most purposes needed nothing more advanced, and should the need enroll’s app store just a few taps away. Note app supplied by LG itself, along with a nifty app called Tasks. You can add notes as reminders, so you not only know what to buy the Rema, but also when to do it.
Otherwise delivers LG also both calendar, FM radio app, a file manager, calculator, recorder, a backup service, weather service and an email app. Especially the latter, we like bad and would rather recommend using Google’s own Gmail app – which is also pre-installed with Exchange support.
Other duplicate apps are also available. Note app Evernote is perceived as redundant, along with the two music players and the two albums apps. LG Smart World app is also something we doubt that people will actually use actively, together with the somewhat cryptic services Remote Call Service and CBS. None of this can also be uninstalled.
With that said, we’ve seen far worse examples too. LG’s app works after all mostly good, and offers moreover often more advanced capabilities than the competition. Note app is for example integrated into the phone, and can be accessed both by two quick press the lower volume button or as a separate shortcut in the bottom row of buttons. Own browser, they have also managed to keep away – here is the Chrome applicable.
We appreciate LG’s built-in keyboard, which has great adaptability. You may include adjusting the size, replacing some buttons, controls how aggressively the spell checker to work for each language and easily switch between multiple languages on the go. Layout in landscape view, you can also change, and you want to have the keyboard permanently shifted to either side of the phone is also possible. It makes it far easier to use K10 with one hand, considering its size.
All in all, we think LG has done a great job with the software, and like interface and options. But it can happily working a bit with duplicate applications, or at least be possible to uninstall what you do not need.
A fine camera – but why missing HDR?
- Note: See bottom for more photos of the carousel!
On the camera side, the phone is equipped with 13 megapixel rear and 5 megapixel front. Of these two, there are plenty main camera which is most impressive, but here we have a large and annoying hen picking with K10: why are there no HDR support?
Camera app is one of the most spartan we have seen, and do not provide great choices. The solution is locked, and the only thing you can change is the format of the image. You get right enough grid, countdown and the ability to capture your voice, but these are things we strictly need.
HDR (High Dynamic Range) is however a necessity. Without HDR struggling K10 getting balanced images in challenging lighting conditions, and in practice you often need to choose between burned out skies or coal-black landscape.
It is a pity that LG has not added support for this, the camera is otherwise fairly similarly capable. The resolution is sufficient to allow you to make small sections, and the noise is treated in a neat and uniform manner. Often spitting also camera out surprisingly good pictures, where both color, contrast and detail are highly acceptable.
We suspect that if the phone sometime in the future would receive HDR, it will be a fairly good kameramobil – priced considering. But as it is now, it can therefore not be said to be that – just mediocre. Photos in a dark environment is also challenging, and the shutter speed is turned quickly down to a level where you almost have to have a tripod to get sharp images.
The video quality we are more pleased. The camera films in Full HD, and although we could wished for better stabilization are the videos mostly sharp and balanced.
Front camera is another story. The pictures here are characterized by fierce noise processing, and is often grainy and full of artifacts we do not recognize us. When particularly in poor lighting.
If conditions are right for it can selfie certainly be presentable, but indoors you must be well lit or a steady hand to avoid motion blur. In this price range, this dog far from uncommon, and easier to forgive than for more expensive models. Looking pragmatic about it being the most images acceptable – at least for application Snapchat.
Conclusion : LG kicking up with style, performance and elegance
there is much to like at LG’s new darling, and that undeniable biggest highlight is the striking and very appealing designed. You can most likely easily fooled colleagues or group of friends into thinking you have bought phones for far more money than you actually have if you slapped K10 in the table. Also our test manager Kurt Lekanger was taken by surprise when he had to guess what K10 actually cost, before he had gone into the model specifications and price range:
– Hmm, I should tip, so maybe … 3000 kroner?
the surprise was great when it was revealed that the price is actually about half of this, and it was also then signed during the test period Asked the same question to unsuspecting friends and acquaintances.
despite the fact that plastic dominate large parts of the phone feels in many ways more “premium” than several metal mobiles undersigned has taken – such as Lenovo Vibe K5.
the performance is also K10 a proper stools and whizzing by most comparable competitors. This is also reflected in the perceived performance, which is really good. What dark magic LG has adopted to push this out of the quad-core Snapdragon 410 chip is us unknown, but the fact is that it works very well.
Also, LG’s interface, design and services works well and looks attractive. It is also somewhat more advanced features and customization options around than we find in similar phones from the competition.
The only point that pulls down is really the camera, which has no HDR. Otherwise, it’s quite all right and have sufficient resolution, but is not surprising something lyssvakt.
Looking at the price, it is easy to forgive. With a starting price of only 1,690 kroner LG K10 decidedly the cheapest among the market fresh phones. These are some of the closest competition we can think of, and all are more expensive:
of course you can look for models from previous generations, but even then you struggle to find more mobile for money than LG K10 provides. Entering a headphone output with proper pressure and a finfin screen it’s really hard to make mistakes here. Moreover, cheap has never looked better. A definite recommendation!
We have also tested the LG G5:
TEST: LG’s first metal mobile stand sharply out “
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