Android Curveball: LG G Flex Review

Introduction and Specifications

LG’s new G Flex smartphone is the “world’s first curved flexible smartphone” according to the company. We’ve seen smartphones that have curved bodies before, but this is the first smartphone to feature a display and battery that are curved as well. LG claims the curved design of the G Flex is optimized for the average face to provide better call and sound volume quality. For users who are going to put the phone in their back pocket, the curved shape of the phone also makes it fit more comfortably.

In addition to its curved form, there’s one other very noticeable feature of this smartphone, and that’s its large 6-inch display. If you set this phone next to any average-size smartphone, there’s no mistaking the G Flex offers a LOT of screen real estate. Another differentiating factor of the G Flex is its Rear Key and volume controls. In other words, there are no hardware buttons on the front of the device. The Rear Key and volume rocker are located below the camera on the back and are easily located by touch alone.

In an effort to take full advantage of the G Flex’s large display, LG is also including a number of unique software features with the device that are designed to give the user greater multitasking functionality. We’ll take a closer look at all of these features in the coming pages.

LG G Flex
Specifications & Features
Processor
Snapdragon 2.26 GHz Quad-Core Processor MSM8974
Memory
2GB RAM
32 GB (Up to 24 GB for User Memory)

Size & Weight
6.32 (H) x 3.21 (W) x 0.33 (D) inches
6.24 ounces

Display
6.0-inch Curved HD OLED Screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 2 (1280 x 720)
OS
Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
SIM Card Type
micro SIM
Network
Sprint Frequencies: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS
850/1900/2100, LTE Bands 25/26/41
Sprint Data Transmission: GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSPA+, WCDMA, LTE
Connectivity
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.0 LE
Miracast
SmartShare Beam

A-GPS
Software Features
Dual Window, Slide Aside, QSlide, QuickMemo, KnockON, Quick Translator, On-Call Notes, Polaris Viewer 5, QuickTheater, QuickRemote, VuTalk, Guest Mode, & more
Camera
13 Megapixel Rear-Facing Autofocus Camera with LED Flash
2.1 Megapixel Front-Facing Camera
Battery
3,500 mAh
Talk Time: Up to 29 Hours

Price
Sprint $149.99 - $179.99 with discounts and contract
AT&T $149.99 - $199.99 with discounts and contract
T-Mobile $672 full retail price

 

We’re testing the Sprint version of the G Flex in this review. But LG has also teamed up with AT&T and T-Mobile to offer the device. Before we dive into the full hands-on review, take a close look at the specifications above.
 


Related content