Buying guide for best lg smartphones
LG is one of the leading manufacturers of Android smartphones in the market, delivering models with a variety of features, including some cutting-edge technologies. You can find LG phones with varying screen sizes, multiple camera options, and different storage capacities.
LG has been manufacturing smartphones for more than a decade, and it has dozens of models under its belt. LG delivers phones at a variety of price points, so you can find a model to match your budget and communications needs. You can find LG smartphones for sale at your current cellular carrier, at local and national retail outlets that offer prepaid phones, and at online retailers like Amazon, which has unlocked phones you can use with any carrier.
In the following buying guide, we outline everything you need to know about LG smartphones, including a few models we think stand out from the crowd, so you can pick the best one for your needs.
Key considerations
When shopping for an LG smartphone, pay attention to a few basic characteristics, including size, screen, camera, and battery.
Size
Start by thinking about the size of LG smartphone that you want. Some people prefer a larger screen, which makes watching videos more enjoyable. And if you use your smartphone for work, a big screen simplifies reading emails and documents on your phone, too. However, a big screen means a bigger phone. Other users prefer a smaller screen on a smaller phone, which is easier to slide into a pocket.
The screen size on any smartphone, including LGs, is measured diagonally from corner to corner. The screen on an LG smartphone isn’t quite edge to edge, but it’s close. Most have very little border around the screen. An LG smartphone with a 6.1-inch screen measures almost 7 inches long, for example. The biggest screen on an LG smartphone measures about 6.4 inches. The ThinQ Dual Screen phone has a pair of 6.4-inch screens.
Cameras
LG smartphones have front- and rear-facing cameras, allowing you to easily shoot selfies and take pictures of the area around you.
Resolution: This is the number of megapixels (MP) the camera saves when recording a photograph, equal to about 1 million pixels. Higher resolution gives you sharper photos with more detail. The front camera on an LG smartphone, which works for selfies, usually has 5 to 8 megapixels. The rear camera, which you can use for general photography, has anywhere from 8 to 16 megapixels.
Battery
LG measures the battery capacity in its smartphones in milliampere hours (mAh). Larger numbers give you greater battery capacity, which means the LG smartphone can run longer without needing to be recharged.
The flagship LG smartphones we review boast some of the most advanced networking features available, including WiFi 6 and 5G connectivity.
We appreciate the sleek and somewhat understated appearance of LG smartphones that do not have overly bulky camera lenses or invasive notches.
When selecting LG smartphones for our research list, we look for phones with quality cameras, noting whether each camera has a depth sensor, infrared sensor, or macro lens.
When researching LG smartphones, we pay attention to how easy the phones are to hold and how they feel in the hand.
When exploring the various LG smartphones available, we pay attention to the brand’s folding dual-screen models to see if they are worth the expense.
Some LG smartphones offer several unlocking options, such as a fingerprint sensor, a hand ID, and face unlock. We note the phones that offer these features and research how well they work.
When investigating various LG smartphones, we note which devices have LCD screens and which have OLED screens. We also pay attention to screen brightness and color.
In our research process, we investigate the battery life of various LG smartphone models so consumers can make an informed choice.
We look at LG smartphones in a variety of sizes and feature sets so every reader can find one that suits their needs.
We note the screen size and audio quality of every LG phone on our research list. These variables are particularly important to consumers who like to play games on their phone.
Features
Many different smartphone manufacturers create devices that run the Android operating system, but LG smartphones have a few features that set them apart from many of their competitors.
Dual screen
LG offers smartphones that unfold to reveal two side-by-side screens. You can view one or both screens while using the phone: you can stretch a single image across both screens or view a separate image on each screen. Some people use gaming controls on one screen while playing a game on the other.
Five cameras
A few of the newer LG smartphones have five cameras, giving you impressive photography options.
Rear cameras: Three rear cameras give you access to zoom, standard, and wide-angle lenses. You can preview the view from all three cameras on the screen and pick the photo you want.
Front cameras: The phone also has two front-facing cameras for selfies, one with a standard lens and one with a wide-angle lens. You can preview both views and pick the one that works best for a particular photo.
Boombox Speaker
LG’s Boombox Speaker uses the inside of the phone to create a resonance chamber and boost the audio level the phone generates. This enables it to create impressive bass in a small device.
Air Motion
With some LG smartphones, you can use gestures to give the phone commands and perform functions, such as turn off an alarm, take a selfie, control the audio volume, or record a screen shot. This is a nice feature that can keep the screen clean if your hands are wet or dirty.
Unlock options
With some newer LG smartphones, you have three options for unlocking the phone: 3D Face Unlock, Hand ID, which recognizes your palm, and Fingerprint ID.
Did you know?
LG creates smartphones that will run on nearly any cellular network in the United States.
STAFF
BestReviews
LG smartphone prices
Prices vary for LG smartphones depending on where you purchase them. If you buy one from your cellular carrier, you may pay a bit more over the life of the contract, but the payments will be spread over 12 to 24 months. You can purchase an unlocked phone from LG that you take to your cellular carrier. You’ll have to pay the full amount up front, but it’s usually a bit cheaper than purchasing a phone through your cellular provider.
New, older model LG smartphones with limited processing power and fewer features cost $50 to $200. A budget phone is good for basic texting, calls, and running simple apps and games.
If you want the power to play the latest games and stream movies and TV shows on a phone with a large screen and excellent resolution, you need a newer model. You can expect to pay from $200 to $1,000 for these LG smartphones.
"Some newer LG smartphones use an infrared light emitter, which helps the camera focus quickly."
STAFF
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Tips
Save battery power. If you’re running short of battery power, with no opportunity to recharge, you can conserve power by turning down the screen brightness.
Shoot photos with lots of natural light. Shooting photos with your LG smartphone is an easy process, but your photos will come out better if you have as much natural light on the scene as possible.
Back up your data. Regularly back up the data on your LG phone, just in case you have a system failure that destroys or corrupts the storage on the phone.
Protect your LG smartphone against accidental damage. Use a screen protector and a case that’s made to fit your particular model of LG phone.
Did you know?
LG makes products other than smartphones, including televisions, tablets, smartwatches, refrigerators, washers, dryers, microwaves, and air conditioners.
STAFF
BestReviews
Other products we considered
We expect most people will be able to find a high-quality LG smartphone in our matrix, but if you’d like some other features, we have a few more LG phones for you. When you want a prepaid LG phone at a low price to use with the AT&T cellular network, we like the LG Xpression Plus, which has a long battery life and sharp screen display.
Another inexpensive prepaid LG phone option is the LG Rebel 4, which works with a Tracfone account. It doesn’t have much processing power, but the low price is tough to beat.
For a little more processing power, consider the unlocked LG Stylo 5 smartphone, which has a 6.2-inch full HD screen and an impressive 13 MP rear camera.
When you want one of LG’s best smartphones, the LG V40 ThinQ is a popular choice. This unlocked model has an OLED display and three rear cameras for excellent image options.
FAQ
Q. Can I run the Apple iOS on an LG smartphone?
A. No. LG phones are only made to run the Android operating system.
Q. How can I update my LG smartphone to the latest version of Android?A. Google and LG may send you notifications when a new version of Android is available. If you want to check yourself, first determine the latest version of Android that’s available. Then touch the Settings icon on the phone screen. Then touch About Phone, followed by Android Version, and you’ll see which version your phone is running.
Q. How long should my LG phone battery last?
A. Batteries in smartphones should deliver optimum performance for 18 to 24 months. At some point, they will show their age by being unable to hold a full charge. In this case, the battery won’t run for as many hours during normal usage. When new, an LG smartphone battery should give you 12 to 24 hours of performance between charges.
Q. Can I buy an LG smartphone from my cellular service provider?
A. The major cellular providers carry LG phones, so you can purchase your phone through the provider if desired. Some prepaid carriers also offer LG smartphones. Or if you already own an unlocked LG smartphone, you can take it to any cellular provider for use with your account.
