LG G4 vs LG G3: What We Know So Far

Last year the LG G3 was an impressive smartphone that wowed many owners with its sleek bezels, fast camera, and huge 5.5-inch Quad-HD display in a small package. And this year LG is looking to offer the same thing, only better, with the all-new LG G4. For those considering getting last years option, or looking to upgrade, here we’ll be comparing the older LG G3 to the incoming LG G4 smartphone.

With the LG G4 launch event near, set to be announced on April 28th, here we want to take a look at how LG’s latest phone stacks up to the model before it based on leaks, rumors, and some of the details LG has confirmed about the LG G4 ahead of the release.

Read: LG G4 Release: Everything You Need to Know

The Galaxy S6 and HTC One M9 are both readily available and two excellent smartphones, but the LG G4 is shaping up to be an excellent alternative. It will have a lot to offer, and have to compete with both of these devices all while being released over a month later, if not more. Read on for more details about the LG G4, and how it compares to the model it will replace.

Over the past couple of months all of the attention has been on Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and HTC’s new One M9, and the G4 has been silently gaining steam and is finally ready to be unveiled. LG has quietly been lurking in the background building a rather impressive phone that should potentially steal some sales from Samsung and HTC, even with a later release date. The launch is set for April 28th, we’re hearing a release will follow in May, and it could be a great phone worth upgrading to from a Galaxy S5, LG G3, or any other older device.

When it comes to which smartphone is actually “better” between the G3 or the LG G4 there are a lot of things that come into play. That said, of course the newer option should be better. User preference is key, and since they’re both LG you know what you’re getting software wise. Not to mention one is a year newer than the other. While we don’t have all the answers, nor know what every user needs or wants, below are a five or so key features or differences that separate the two and may help consumers make the right choice.

Display

Many consumers choose a smartphone based off of screen size, and price. However, here you have nearly the same device with the exact same screen size. That being said, the new LG G4 should be leaps and bounds better than last years model.

Read: LG G4 vs Galaxy S6: What You Need to Know

Last year the G3 had a 2560 x 1440 Quad HD screen which was good on paper, but not in real life. It was washed out, had poor viewing angles, and wasn’t the best in terms of colors. But that’s set to change in 2015.

According to an LG press release this new 5.5-inch Quad-HD display for the G4 achieved a “quantum jump” in color gamut and brightness. They’re calling it a “Quantum HD display”. The new LG G4 screen will be brighter, feature extremely rich and stunning colors. All while being more efficient and easier on battery life. Not to mention be thinner, and deliver improved touch function and precision.

It has a new advanced In-Cell Touch technology that allows it to react to touches, even with water on it. Finally, it’s expected to show even more accurate colors over last year’s QHD panel in the G3 by offering a 120% color gamut, 50% increase in contrast, and 30% jump in brightness. It may not be as good as the Galaxy S6, but will surely offer a better experience than the LG G3 last year, and most devices released over the past year or two as well.

Read: LG G3 Review

These two phones should be nearly identical in size, and look somewhat the same too (aside from leather, which we’ll mention below) but one will have a vastly improved screen and some newer internals.

Design

Last year the LG G3 continued its signature buttons on the back, and we’ll have that same look here in 2015. The device was made entirely of plastic, but had a brushed aluminum look to the plastic housing. In 2015, we’re hearing the G4 will have a new diamond-shaped aluminum looking plastic back, but come with six band new genuine leather back options.

In terms of design and build quality they’re pretty much on par, with the G4 potentially being a little better. That said, we can’t really say which is better yet, as we haven’t got our hands on the all-new genuine leather made LG G4.

This year the new LG G4 will feature the same 5.5-inch screen, slim bezels, buttons on the back, laser auto focus and more. They probably will look nearly the same at first glance, even though they’re very different. You’ll notice three of the six new leather designs above, one of a few things that will distinguish these two devices from one another.

If you loved the LG G3, the G4 should offer more of the same only better in every single aspect.

Specs

While specs aren’t as important as having a device that’s fast, fluid, and will work for years to come, it’s still something many consider while making a purchase. Below are the hard numbers for those interested, but it all boils down to these devices being nearly the same under the hood with a few small changes, and software will play the biggest role in how each device performs.

LG G3 Specs

• 5.5-inch 2560 × 1440 display Quad-HD display
• 2.5 GHz Quad-core Snapdragon processor with 3GB of RAM
• 32GB internal storage (Micro-SD expansion)
• 13-megapixel camera with OIS+, laser auto-focus, 2.1-megapixel front camera
• Android 4.4.2 KitKat (now on Lollipop)
• WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, 4G LTE, FM Radio Antenna, and Infrared laser for remote
• DLNA and Miracast support
• 3,000 mAh removable battery with wireless charging

LG G4 Specs (Rumored and some Confirmed)

• 5.5-inch 2560 × 1440 Quantum-HD Display
• 6-core Snapdragon 808 processor (or 8-core 810) with 3GB of RAM
• 32GB internal storage (Micro-SD expansion)
• 16-megapixel f1.8 camera with OIS+, laser auto-focus, 8 megapixel front camera
• Android 5.0 Lollipop
• WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, 4G LTE, FM Radio Antenna, and Infrared laser for remote
• 3,000 mAh battery with wireless charging
• Genuine leather in 6 different colors

As you can see from the breakdown above, these devices are extremely similar, but a few key areas are worth taking notice. Essentially buyers main concerns should be the newer and much improved camera, the more powerful 6 or 8-core processor under the hood, Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box (maybe Android 5.1) and of course the six new leather color variants.

The new LG G4 should be faster, last longer, and just be an overall excellent device aimed at taking on the iPhone 6, Galaxy S6, HTC One M9 and more.

Camera

The LG G3 had a very capable camera, but it isn’t as good as the Galaxy S6, and will certainly be beat by the new G4 being unveiled next week. The 13 megapixel camera was pretty good, but didn’t do great in low light or on fast moving objects, even with the laser auto-focus. However, LG claims to have one-upped Samsung, and its 16 megapixel camera has an even faster f1.8 shutter than the new Galaxy S6. Meaning it could be the best camera around, and build on the decent option that was in the G3 last year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZdWPqpVbEk

Most phones are over 2.0 with the f-stop, which is the speed of the sensor and how well it captures details and light. LG has the fastest f1.8 lens in the G4. This week LG even released a bunch of G4 sample photos taken with the camera, which are obviously professional and under the best circumstances possible, so this doesn’t represent real-world usage, but are impressive nonetheless.

The G4 has a laser auto focus and this is the third year they’ve delivered optical image stabilization. Each release since the original G has improved in all aspects, especially the camera, and this year it’s looking more promising than ever. Come April 28th we’ll test out this new camera, and compare it with the G3, and the new Galaxy S6 and more.

Price

We won’t talk about software much, as they are essentially the same here, with the new G4 possibly having a few features the G3 won’t get updated to. Both run Android 5.0 Lollipop, but we could see the LG G4 launch with Android 5.1, which Google released back in March. That would be ideal, but we’re not expecting too much, as LG typically isn’t the fastest with Android updates.

So, last but certainly not least is the price. With the LG G4 being a year newer, it will come with what’s likely a $199 price tag with a new 2-year contract. That means the G3 will see heavy discounts to its already $99 price tag, and sometimes even less. Of course this post is more geared towards those looking to upgrade, not buy one vs the other, but that’s still worth mentioning.

Most likely the LG G4 will be $199 with a new 2-year contract from all major carriers, and Verizon may offer it for $99 like they did with the G3 to steal customers from the competition. Then of course almost all options come with payment plans in the United States, most notably T-Mobile.

If you already own the G3 it’s still a great phone, but spending $199 and signing a contract for the new G4 may be a good route. It has a lot to offer, a better camera, better battery life (hopefully) and a fancy new genuine leather design. Is it worth upgrading? That’s up to you to decide. The G3 will be good for years to come, but that leather and new camera sure are enticing.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a new phone right now, you’re probably trying to decide between the Galaxy S6 and the upcoming LG G4. That’s another discussion completely. However, if you have an LG G3, a Galaxy S4 or Galaxy S5, look to the LG G4 to be one of the best phones released this year, one that may be worth signing a contract for and ditching your old device.

Tuesday April 28th LG will take the stage and announce the new LG G4, and hopefully share a release date. Early rumors suggest a mid-May release date, but no solid details have leaked thus far. We’ll be on the lookout for a release date, and update the moment we know more.