Why You Shouldn’t Buy the LG G3 Right Now

Last year the impressive LG G3 was arguably one of the best Android smartphones released, and had some of the best specs available. However, the LG G3 is a smartphone that users probably shouldn’t buy right now.

Last year, LG announced the all-new LG G3 at the end of May, but it took well over a month to finally arrive for US buyers in July. The phone was very popular for having a stunning 5.5-inch display with extremely sleek bezels, an improved camera, and it ran Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box. However, something better is coming soon from multiple manufacturers.

Read: LG G4 Rumors & Specs Emerge

The LG G3 was considered one of the best phones of 2014, and we gave it a raving report in our full LG G3 Review. It’s sleek, powerful, and has a very capable camera. The Galaxy S5, Moto X, and a few other phones may have newer hardware or better cameras, but they’re all good in their own categories. That said, a new LG G4 and Galaxy S6 may be worth waiting for.

With 2014 behind us and a new year of premium flagship Android smartphones coming soon, buyers are likely weighing all of their options as contracts are about to expire, upgrades are becoming available, and all major manufacturers are working on high end smartphones with new features for 2015.

LG’s G3 offered a first in the US 2560 x 1440 Quad-HD (2K) display in a slim 5.5-inch screen with nearly no bezels, the buttons on back similar to the G2 the year prior, and was a much improved device. Those who like what it had to offer or want something more, may be interested in what’s coming over the course of the next 2-3 months, as well as what could replace the LG G3.

Read: LG G3 vs LG G Flex 2: What to Expect

The LG G3 can be found from multiple carriers at a discounted rate, and many sale sites have been dropping the price lately. That’s because a new LG G Flex 2 is coming soon that’s very similar to the G3 but better, and LG is working on a new LG G4 for 2015. And we can’t forget the Galaxy S6 and HTC One M9 either.

What all this means is that users should hold on out buying a new phone, and if they’ve been looking at the LG G3, there’s more than a few reasons to wait a few more weeks, or a month, and see what else is on the horizon. If you need a phone now, the G3 is stellar, but we’d suggest waiting if you can.

LG G Flex 2

Announced at CES in January is the new LG G Flex 2. This is essentially a blend between the large 5.7-inch G Flex last year, and the current LG G3. The company took the main design hues and 5.5-inch screen of the LG G3 and curved it. This means the display is actually bent, flexible, and more durable. It’s got a brand new 8-core processor that supports 64-bit versions of Android 5.0.1 Lollipop, a quality camera, and a large 3,000 mAh battery.

The LG G Flex 2 is essentially an upgraded and curved G3 with some new goodies and additional power under the hood. Here’s the full breakdown of the specs.

• 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080p full HD Curved Display
• 2.0 GHz Octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor with 2GB of RAM
• 16/32GB of storage and micro-SD support
• 13 Megapixel OIS+ rear camera with laser auto focus, 2.1 front camera
• Android 5.0 Lollipop with 64-bit support (thanks to Snapdragon 810)
• 3,000 mAh built-in battery
• Size: 149.1 x 75.3 x 7.1-9.4mm
• Rear facing buttons
• More

The only downside to the LG G Flex 2 is the screen isn’t a 2560 x 1440 Quad-HD display like the G3, but it’s a curved Plastic-OLED screen that should handle wear and tear better than most phones on the market.

LG’s new G Flex 2 is coming to AT&T, Sprint, US Cellular and possibly more in the coming months. The release date is set for January 30th outside the US, and should hit carriers in the United States in February or early March at the latest.

LG G4

Another reason prospective buyers shouldn’t get the LG G3 right now is because something new and improved is coming this summer. We’re hearing the replacement to the LG G3, simply called the LG G4, will be announced and released earlier in the year than the version last year. That means we could see a March or April announcement, rather than May, and a release date in 1-2 months time. Much faster than the release last year.

The latest LG G4 rumors are making it sound like an extremely impressive device, but oddly the screen could be smaller. This might make G3 owners or those looking at the G3 pass it up, but bigger isn’t always better. Here’s what we’re hearing about the LG G4 thus far.

LG G4 Specs (Rumored)

• 5.3-inch QHD 2560 x 1440 Display
• 8-core Snapdragon 810 processor with 3GB of RAM (possibly 4GB)
• 32/64GB storage and micro-SD support
• Android 5.0.2 Lollipop with LG’s overlay
• Improved rear-facing buttons
• 16-20 megapixel camera with Optical Image Stabilization+
• Built-in stylus
• 3,000 mAh or bigger battery.
• more

The latest news suggests LG will be fitting a bigger battery into a smaller smartphone, adding a stylus, improving the camera, and slightly redesigning the rear buttons all inside of the LG G4. This means it will be nearly twice as powerful, last longer, have more to offer, and take better pictures.

All of that is more than enough of a reason for us to wait for the LG G4. LG execs confirmed it won’t be revealed at Mobile World Congress during the first week of March as the company wants to perfect the device in order to take on the Galaxy S6 and Note 5, so we could be waiting until April or so before it gets announced. That said, expect more leaks in the near future.

Competition

Last but not least is the other competition that isn’t from LG themselves. The improved HTC One M9 is confirmed to be announced on March 1st in Spain for Mobile World Congress, and we’re hearing Samsung’s stunning new metal Galaxy S6 will be revealed at the same show. This means that in just over a month two impressive premium smartphones that will best the LG G3 will be revealed, and possibly released.

Latest news suggests the HTC One M9 could be released on March 1st too, which is one more reason to wait, and a few reports are claiming the Galaxy S6 could be announced in February, ahead of the March tradeshow, and released in the United States sometime in March, instead of April like they did in 2014.

The LG G3 is still a great phone, but something much better could be available in the next 1-3 months. At the end of the day though, there will always be another smartphone on the horizon. Something newer, bigger, better or faster coming soon.

If you need a smartphone right now, the LG G3 is an excellent choice. If you have the luxury of waiting another month to see what comes from LG themselves or any of the competition, we’d suggest you sit back, stay tuned, and wait for more details regarding all the devices mentioned above.