LG G5

Last updated
LG G5
LG G5 SE
LG G5 logo.png
LG G5.jpg
From left to right, G5's battery access, G5's rear, G5's front
Brand G series
Manufacturer LG Electronics
Slogan Life's Good When You Play More
First releasedApril 23, 2016;7 years ago (2016-04-23)
Predecessor LG G4
Successor LG G6
Related LG V20
Type Smartphone
Form factor Slate
Dimensions149.4 mm (5.88 in) H
73.9 mm (2.91 in) W
7.7 mm (0.30 in) D [1]
Mass159 g (5.61 oz)
Operating system Original: Android 6.0.1 "Marshmallow"
Current: Android 8.1.0 "Oreo", Android 7.0 "Nougat" (Sprint models)
System-on-chip Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
CPU Quad-core (2x2.15 GHz Kryo & 2x1.6 GHz Kryo)
GPU Adreno 530
Memory4 GB LPDDR4 RAM
Storage32  GB
Removable storage microSDXC up to 2 TB
BatteryRemovable 2800‑mAh Li-Po
Display5.3 in (130 mm) 2560×1440 1440p IPS LCD, (554 ppi)
SoundMono speaker, 3.5 mm stereo audio jack
Rear camera
Front camera 8 MP, Toshiba T4KA3, f/2.0 aperture
ConnectivityUSB 2.0 (Type C connector) + 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 4.2 + NFC [2] + IR transmitter
DisplayPort, HDMI, and Miracast [3]
Data inputsFingerprint sensor + accelerometer + gyro + proximity sensor + barometer + magnetometer + light sensor
Website www.lg.com/us/mobile-phones/g5/

The LG G5 is an Android smartphone developed by LG Electronics as part of the LG G series. It was announced during Mobile World Congress as the successor to the 2015 LG G4. [4] [5] [6] The G5 is distinguished from its predecessors by its aluminum chassis and a focus on modularity. Its lower housing, which holds the user-replaceable battery, can be slid from the bottom of the device, and replaced by alternative add-on modules that provide additional functions. Two modules are available: a camera grip, and a high-fidelity audio module with DAC. A lower-spec variation, dubbed the LG G5 SE, is available in some markets.

Contents

The G5 received mixed reviews. The device was praised for its shift to all-metal construction, while maintaining its removable battery. However, the modular accessory system was criticized for its limited use cases and for its inability to perform hot swapping. LG's software, too, was panned for the quality of its customizations.

Specifications

Hardware

The G5 is constructed with an aluminum unibody chassis; a "micro-dizing" process utilizing a plastic primer was used to conceal seams required for the antenna. [7] A rounded rectangular protrusion houses the camera components. The bottom houses a USB-C connector; this connector supports USB 2.0 data transfer (compatible with USB 3) and Quick Charge 3 fast charging. [2] Unlike previous LG G models, which had volume buttons on the back, the G5's volume controls are on its side bezel, but the circular power button—which also contains a fingerprint reader—remains on the rear. The lower "chin" can be detached to remove or replace the battery and to install add-on modules. The battery plugs into these modules, which is reinserted to replace the stock "chin". [4] [5]

The G5 includes a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 system-on-chip and 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM. It also includes 32 GB of internal storage, expandable via MicroSD card. [4] The G5 has a 5.3-inch 1440p IPS display. [5] [6] It has two rear-facing cameras; a 16-megapixel primary camera and an 8-megapixel 135-degree wide-angle camera. The rear camera also offers color spectrum sensor and infrared autofocus features. [6] [8]

The G5 supports DisplayPort, HDMI, and Miracast. [3]

A lower-specification variation, LG G5 SE, is sold in some markets including Latin America and China. It includes a Snapdragon 652 system-on-chip instead of the Snapdragon 820, and has 3 GB of LPDDR3 RAM (instead of 4 GB of LPDDR4). [9] [10]

Software

The LG G5 shipped with the Android 6.0.1 "Marshmallow" operating system. Citing confusion between removing shortcuts to apps and uninstalling them entirely, the G5's home screen does not have an "app drawer"; instead, it places all apps on pages of the main home screen, like iOS does. [4] [6] However, there is a setting to enable the app drawer on the home screen. [11]

The LG software includes an "always-on display" feature, which persistently displays a clock and notifications on-screen when the device is in standby. [5] The G5 does not support Android Marshmallow's "adoptable storage" feature. [12]

An upgrade to Android 7.0 "Nougat" was released in November 2016, [13] followed by a final upgrade to Android 8.1.0 "Oreo" in September 2018. [14]

LG supports unlocking the bootloader of certain [15] G5 models. This allows them to be rooted, and allows custom ROM images to be installed. Several independent custom ROMs continued to be developed for some G5 versions independently of LG; for example LineageOS 20 (based on Android 13) continued to be developed as of August 2023. [16]

Accessories

The "Quick Cover" accessory was unveiled prior to the unveiling of the device itself; it is semi-translucent and features a window for the always-on portion of the screen. Touch inputs can be made through the cover and semi-translucent screen for actions such as accepting calls. [17]

A line of accessories for the G5 branded as "Friends" were initially unveiled alongside the phone itself, including a wired head-mounted display known as the LG 360 VR (which attaches via the device's USB-C port), the LG 360 Cam virtual reality camera, and the LG Rolling Bot; these ultimately did not become available. These accessories are all managed via the LG Friends Manager application on the device, which automatically pairs and synchronizes with these devices. [4] [18] Two accessories utilizing the expansion slot system were unveiled; the "LG Cam Plus" accessory adds a grip to the rear of the device that incorporates physical camera controls, a jog wheel for zoom, and a supplemental battery. The "LG Hi-Fi Plus" accessory is a collaboration with Bang & Olufsen which adds a DAC, an amplifier, Direct Stream Digital audio support and upsampling, and is bundled with B&O Play H3 earbuds. [4] [18]

LG stated that it would allow the co-development of third-party "Friends" to integrate with the G5, [19] although none were produced.

Reception

The LG G5's overall design was praised for its shift to a metal construction. [20] [21] The Next Web was critical of its design, arguing that the rear of the phone looked too "boring" because it was simply a rounded rectangle with a camera enclosure and power button that "protrude in an oddly wart-like manner" and a visible seam for the chin, and noting that the lack of curvature and its "hollow" feel made the design of the G5 "less premium" than that of the G4. [22] TechRadar was also mixed on LG's decision to re-locate the volume keys back to the bezel but maintain the rear-mounted power button as a fingerprint reader, noting that front and side-mounted fingerprint readers were easier to use—especially if the device is sitting flat. [20] Due to its use of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 system-on-chip, the G5's specifications were considered to be more competitive than other flagships, unlike the G4, which used a model with reduced core count to avoid the overheating issues of the Snapdragon 810. [20] TechRadar felt that the G5's performance was on par with the Snapdragon 820-based version of the Samsung Galaxy S7 sold in the United States, and that "in day-to-day use, and when not directly compared to its rivals' performance in a lab, it feels super slick." [20]

The modular accessory system received mixed reviews due to the limited number of modules designed for it, as well as the inability to hot swap modules due to the design of the system, which requires the removal of the battery. [20] [21] The accessories themselves also received mixed reviews; TechRadar felt that the Cam Plus and the Hi-Fi Plus did not justify their high price, and affected the device's size, but that it was "satisfying to set autofocus by half shutter key" with the Cam Plus. [20] However, The Next Web praised the design for "solving" the historic exclusion of user-replaceable batteries from metal phones, noting that "at least having the option for customizability is pretty awesome, not to mention replacing your battery after its capacity drops in a year or two. That's something no other metal smartphone can claim." [22] However, the metal case does not permit wireless charging, supported by earlier "G" series phones. [11]

The display was praised for its brightness, although The Next Web felt that its color temperature was too cool, producing a "distractingly blue-green hue" that was exacerbated by the prominent use of white in its user interface. [21] [22] The software of the G5 also received mixed reviews, with particular criticism directed to the removal of the app drawer from LG's default home screen. The always-on display on the G5 was praised for being more useful than that of the Galaxy S7 due to its support for displaying all notifications, and not just specific types. [20] [21] The Next Web lamented LG's removal of the Dual Window feature—albeit believing the removal may have been due to the inclusion of native dual window functionality on Android Nougat, and that LG's customizations were "all around less useful than Samsung's". [22]

Issues

LG smartphone bootloop issues that mainly plagued the G4 line were also present in the G5, and the G4 lawsuit against LG was amended to include the G5, among other models. The Canadian model is not part of this suit, leaving Canadian uses without redress for defective units. [23] [24] [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motorola Mobility</span> American consumer electronics company

Motorola Mobility LLC, marketed as Motorola, is an American consumer electronics manufacturer primarily producing smartphones and other mobile devices running Android. Headquartered at Merchandise Mart in Chicago, Illinois, it is a subsidiary of the Chinese multinational technology company Lenovo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy S series</span> Series of flagship Android smartphones in the Samsung Galaxy series

The Samsung Galaxy S series is a line of flagship Android smartphone and tablet computer produced by Samsung Electronics. In conjunction with the foldable Galaxy Z series, the lineup serves as Samsung's flagship smartphone lineup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LG G3</span> Android smartphone developed by LG Electronics

The LG G3 is an Android smartphone developed by LG Electronics as part of the LG G series. First released in South Korea on May 28, 2014, it is a successor to 2013's LG G2. Inheriting design elements from the G2, such as its thin screen bezels and rear-mounted power and volume buttons, the G3 is distinguished primarily by being the first smartphone from a major manufacturer to incorporate a 1440p display, and its inclusion of an infrared hybrid autofocus system for its camera. Its video resolution has been upgraded to 2160p (4K). LG also touted the device's plastic "metallic skin"—designed to give the device a higher quality appearance, and a "simpler" user interface with an integrated intelligent personal assistant system. The battery can be quickly changed by the user, allowing charged spare batteries to be carried.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LG G4</span> Android smartphone developed by LG Electronics

The LG G4 is an Android smartphone developed by LG Electronics as part of the LG G series. Unveiled on 28 April 2015 and first released in South Korea on 29 April 2015 and widely released in June 2015, as the successor to 2014's G3. The G4 is primarily an evolution of the G3, with revisions to its overall design, display and camera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moto X Play</span> Android smartphone developed by Motorola Mobility

Moto X Play is an Android smartphone developed by Motorola Mobility, a subsidiary of Lenovo. Unveiled on July 28, 2015, it was one of three devices that succeeded the second-generation Moto X. In contrast to the high-end Moto X Style, the Play is a mid-range device distinguished by its high battery capacity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nexus 5X</span> Android smartphone manufactured by LG Electronics

The Nexus 5X is an Android smartphone manufactured by LG Electronics, co-developed with and marketed by Google as part of its Nexus line of flagship devices. Unveiled on September 29, 2015, it was a successor to the Nexus 5. The phone, along with the Nexus 6P, served as launch devices for Android 6.0 Marshmallow, which introduced a refreshed interface, performance improvements, increased Google Now integration, and other new features.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nexus 6P</span> Android smartphone developed and marketed by Google and manufactured by Huawei

Nexus 6P is an Android smartphone developed and marketed by Google and manufactured by Huawei. It succeeded the Nexus 6 as the flagship device of the Nexus line of Android devices by Google. Officially unveiled on 29 September 2015 along with the Nexus 5X at the Google Nexus 2015 press event held in San Francisco, it was made available for pre-order on the same day in United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LG V10</span> Android smartphone manufactured by LG Electronics

The LG V10 is an Android smartphone manufactured by LG Electronics as part of the LG V series. Announced in September 2015 and released in October 2015, the device shares many similarities with the earlier LG G4. Its main feature is a customizable second display above the primary display, which, among other uses, shows notifications and music controls without waking up the primary display. In 2016, its successor, the LG V20 was released.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy S7</span> 2016 Android smartphone

The Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and Samsung Galaxy S7 Active are Android-based smartphones manufactured, released and marketed by Samsung Electronics. The S7 series serves as the successor to the Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+ and S6 Active released in 2015. The S7 and S7 Edge were officially unveiled on 21 February 2016 during a Samsung press conference at Mobile World Congress, with a European and North American release on 11 March 2016. The S7 Active was unveiled on 4 June 2016, and released on AT&T in the United States on 10 June 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moto G4</span> Android smartphone developed by Motorola Mobility

The Moto G4 is a line of Android smartphones manufactured by Motorola Mobility, a subsidiary of Lenovo. They are the successor to the third-generation Moto G, and were first released in Brazil and India on May 17, 2016, with other markets following.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moto Z</span> Android smartphone developed by Motorola Mobility

Moto Z is an Android smartphone developed by Motorola Mobility. Unveiled on June 9, 2016, as its flagship model for the year, the Moto Z is distinguished by the "Moto Mods" technosystem which allows case accessories to be magnetically attached to the device to provide additional functionality. The Moto Z was later joined by the more rugged Moto Z Force of which shares most of the same internals as the former, and the mid-range Moto Z Play with downgraded specifications, all three devices being compatible with the modular system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LG V20</span> Android smartphone by LG Electronics

LG V20 is an Android phone manufactured by LG Electronics, in its LG V series, succeeding the LG V10 released in 2015. Unveiled on September 6, 2016, it was the first phone with the Android Nougat operating system. Like the V10, the V20 has a secondary display panel near the top of the device that can display additional messages and controls, and a quad DAC for audio. The V20 has a user-replaceable battery, unlike its successor, the LG V30, unveiled on 31 August 2017.

Several smartphone models introduced by LG Electronics between 2015 and 2016 were discovered by users to have manufacturing defects, all of which eventually cause the devices to become unstable, or suffer from a bootloop, rendering them effectively inoperable. The LG G4 (2015) has been the most synonymous with these failures, with LG stating that the issues were the result of a "loose contact between components". Similar issues have also been reported to a smaller extent with the G4's successors and sister models, including the Nexus 5X, LG V10 and LG G Flex 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LG L Fino</span>

The LG L Fino is an Android smartphone/phablet designed and manufactured by LG Electronics. It was released on 10 August 2014.

The LG V series was a line of high-end Android devices produced by LG Electronics. This series is slated above the LG G series. The first phone in the V series, the LG V10, was unveiled in September 2015, the first smartphone to have the multiples of 10. The last in the series is the LG V60 ThinQ released in March 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LG G6</span> Android smartphone developed by LG Electronics

The LG G6 is an Android smartphone developed by LG Electronics as part of the LG G series. It was announced during Mobile World Congress on February 26, 2017, as the successor to the 2016 LG G5.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moto G5</span> Android smartphone developed by Motorola Mobility

Moto G5 is a series of Android smartphones developed by Motorola Mobility, a subsidiary of Lenovo. It is the fifth generation of the Moto G family. Announced as successors to the Moto G4, they were first released in March 2017 in several markets including India and Europe. The original variants are the Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus, the latter also being available as an Amazon Prime version in the United States. The mid-cycle updates, the Moto G5s and Moto G5s Plus, were released in August 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nokia 8</span> Nokia-branded high-end Android smartphone

The Nokia 8 is a flagship Nokia-branded smartphone running the Android operating system. Announced on 16 August 2017 in London, England by HMD Global, the phone began sales in Europe in September 2017. Nokia 8 is the first high-end Nokia-branded device since the Nokia Lumia 930 in 2014. An improved version, the Nokia 8 Sirocco, was announced on 25 February 2018 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LG V50 ThinQ</span> 2019 Android phablet manufactured by LG Electronics

The LG V50 ThinQ, commonly referred to as the LG V50, is an Android phablet manufactured by LG Electronics as part of the LG V series. It was announced in February 2019 and is the successor to the LG V40 ThinQ.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LG V60 ThinQ</span> 2020 Android phablet manufactured by LG Electronics

The LG V60 ThinQ 5G, commonly referred to as the LG V60, is an Android phablet manufactured by LG Electronics as part of the LG V series. It was announced in February 2020 and is the successor to the LG V50 ThinQ. On April 5, 2021 LG announced it will be shutting down its mobile phone division and ceasing production of all remaining devices. LG noted the phone will be available until existing inventory runs out.

References

  1. ↑ "LG G5 Now Official: Removable Battery, INSANE Specs & Awesome, Modular Design". Know Your Mobile. 22 February 2016.
  2. 1 2 "LG G5 Titan". LG UK. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  3. 1 2 Dual Play: "Use a DisplayPort-HDMI cable or use a Miracast for either of the connections." - User Guide LG G5 LG-H850, LG_G5_PL_EN.pdf
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "LG's G5 is a radical reinvention of the flagship Android smartphone". The Verge. 21 February 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "LG G5 With Snapdragon 820, Modular Add-Ons, Dual Rear Cameras Launched". Gadgets360. NDTV. 21 February 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "LG's modular G5 is its most daring flagship phone ever". Engadget. 21 February 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  7. ↑ "All-Metal LG G5 Features 'Primer' not 'Plastic', Claims Company". Gadgets360. NDTV. 4 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  8. ↑ "LG G5 hands-on—LG may have made the most innovative phone of MWC". Ars Technica. 21 February 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  9. ↑ "Snapdragon 652 variant of the LG G5 named G5 SE". GSMArena. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  10. ↑ "No SD820-powered LG G5 for Latin America; SD652 version will be available there". GSMArena. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  11. 1 2 "LG G5 review". GSMArena.com. p. 4.
  12. ↑ "The LG G5 and Galaxy S7 won't support Android 6.0's adoptable storage". Ars Technica. 23 February 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  13. ↑ Himanshu (8 November 2016). "Nougat update for LG G5 is now rolling out". GSMArena.
  14. ↑ "LG G5 Starts Receiving Its Long-Due Android 8.0 Oreo Update: Reports". NDTV Gadgets 360. 3 September 2018.
  15. ↑ "Unlock Bootloader". LG Developer. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  16. ↑ "LineageOS Downloads - Builds for LG G5 H850". download.lineageos.org. Retrieved 24 August 2023. Frequently updated.
  17. ↑ "LG G5 already has a touch-enabled Quick Cover". Engadget. 11 February 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  18. 1 2 "LG G5 and 'Friends' explained: infographic shows all you need to know". PhoneArena. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  19. ↑ "These cats are why LG's G5 Friends modules are doomed". The Verge. 12 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "LG G5 review". TechRadar. Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  21. 1 2 3 4 La, Lynn (11 April 2016). "LG G5 review: Mix-and-match design can't beat Samsung's S7". CNET. CBS Interactive.
  22. 1 2 3 4 "LG G5 Review: When innovation meets lazy design". The Next Web. 23 April 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  23. ↑ Triggs, Robert (15 December 2016). "What's going on with LG and those bootloops?". Android Authority. Retrieved 2 August 2018.

Further reading

User guides

T-Mobile guides

Miscellaneous

  • Descriptions of the official "LG Bridge" and "LG VPInput" software utilities.
  • An extensive list of LG G5 submodels, plus a footnote describing how the lower-end "LG G5 SE" devices differ from the original LG G5 devices.
  • Information related to rooting and bootloader unlocking.
  • Tips on how to enable Android's "adoptable storage" feature on the G5.
  • And other information.
Preceded by LG G5
2016		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.