LG G4

TechRadar | Gareth Beavis

LG has tried to focus on what everyone actually wants out of a smartphone, a great looking design, color rich display and the great camera for photos - but it doesn't quite deliver as impressively as we'd hoped.

Expert Reviews | Katharine Byrne

The G4 may not be as powerful as other flagship smartphones, but it's certainly got a wealth of features to help it stand out from the competition. Definitely the phone to choose if you want a top-end handset that can adapt to your own needs. It wins a Recommended award.

Alphr | Jonathan Bray

The LG G4 isn't the fastest or sleekest smartphone around, but it is the most practical of the market-leading flagship handsets.

Recombu | Alex Todd

If it isn't clear, the LG G4 is a feature-packed handset and a fitting offering amidst the current top smartphones on the scene. It's noticeably more affordable than its main rivals without falling short on quality. Well played LG.

S21

The G4 really is something a little different, thanks to the beautiful leather finish on the back. It´s a stunning design in every way, and one that really does ooze premium look and feel.

What Hi-Fi?

We admire the LG G4 for daring to do something different. That leather back may not be to everyone's taste, but it's a refreshing change that makes the phone stand out. The audio quality may not be up there with the class leaders, but this is more than compensated for by the brilliant camera and the ability to tinker with batteries and memory cards.

Stuff | Andrew Williams

The camera is top notch, the screen brilliant and those extra 0.4 inches of screen space will be enough to convince a bunch of buyers. Only time will tell whether using a slightly lower-end processor was a bad idea, but there are no major sacrifices right now.

PC Pro | Jonathan Bray

Critically, it hasn't compromised on performance, battery life or camera quality, and by retaining both a microSD slot and a removable battery, the G4 will appeal to a whole tranche of customers to whom flexibility is most important. The LG G4 is best option for everyone else. It's a highly impressive smartphone, and one that – refreshingly – does things a little differently.

Mobile Choice | Sunetra Chakravarti

With the G4, LG have given us a handset that stands out not just for sheer value but also for being different- one with an arc, removable back plate, expandable storage and when you see something that is such a worthy competitor to the crowd, you cant do anything but applaud the effort for sheer gumption.

The Guardian | Samuel Gibbs

The LG G4 is a power-user's Android smartphone. One of the most usable and best phablets available.

Australian PC World | Tony Ibrahim

The G4 is less about numbers on a spec sheet and more about how it works in the real world. Improvements made don't come at the expense of other features, and this means its list of positives is much longer than its list of negatives.

AndroidPit | Robert Zak

The LG G4 screen is bold and beautiful and the phone's unique design... may well attract Android die-hards. It may not feature gizmos galore, but LG's latest flagship does everything it needs to really well.

jmcomms | Jonathan Morris

If you're looking for a phone that can take photos of a quality that is on another level, the G4 is the phone for you.

TechSpot | Tim Schiesser

Depending on what you want from your smartphone, the Galaxy S6 Active is a fantastic choice, especially for those that love smartphone cases and want superb battery life. Unfortunately, the Galaxy S6 Active hasn't been widely released by Samsung, which might make it a bit difficult to obtain outside the United States

Know Your Mobile | Richard Goodwin

The LG G4 might not be the loudest and jazziest thing in the world but it is a solid handset that does everything you'd expect and a whole lot more. Pick one up and use it for a week or two and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Digital Trends | Ted Kritsonis

The LG G4 is the best smartphone of 2015, and it's camera is so good that it often outperforms the competition... There's no doubt the G4 is the best handset LG has made to date, not just because of the components, but also because of the thoughtfulness that went into it.

Android Central | Alex Dobie

The LG G4 is as close as you can get right now to a no-compromise, high-end Android phone. Almost everything about it is done exceptionally well, from the best-in-class screen and camera, to the reliable all-day battery life. LG's software is quicker and more responsive than ever before, and the premium leather backs add a welcome touch of class.

Brighthand | Dragan Petric

LG's flagship phone should be the top pick for those that value smartphone cameras. Meanwhile, its modern design (especially the leather-clad version), ergonomics, and excellent display should appeal to everyone else.

Android Authority | Joshua Vergara

With a unique and attractive design, great performance, and a fantastic camera, while also being the only current flagship to feature a replaceable battery, LG is attempting to provide users with a phone that offers literally everything you may want.

news.com.au | Harry Tucker

"I didn't know how LG could best Samsung's brilliant Galaxy S6, but its incredible camera, great battery life and clean user interface may have just done it. If you're in the market for a new phone... and unless you need an iOS device, I couldn't recommend the G4 enough".

Register Hardware | Andrew Orlowski

LG has made its own flagship for 2015 much more "Galaxy-like". It retains the removable battery of last year's G3 and is priced keenly off-contract. You can stuff in a Micro SD card up to 2TB. (No, 2TB-sized MicroSDs don't exist yet). So: come hither, ye disappointed Galaxy owners, we'll look after you now.

Mashable | Raymond Wong

The G4 may not be made of metal and glass, but the genuine leather still feels premium in its own way. It's lightning fast and the user interface is finally devoid of all the crap that made its predecessors unbearable.The LG G4 packs all of the best mobile technologies into a sleek leather-clad smartphone.

AllThingsD | Robert Zac

Is the LG G4 the best smartphone in the world? We think not, but by the thinnest of margins. It may not feature gizmos galore, but LG's latest flagship has certainly made our Best Android phones list that bit tougher to break into.

phoneArena | John V

While it's not a dramatic update, the LG G4 manages to do what successive phones are required to do each and every year – and that's to improve upon the opportunities missed with last year's product. In that regard, we can attest that the G4 trumps the G3 in several key areas to making it a worthy successor.

YourTechExplained | Ben Schoon

It's got the best camera, best battery life, the most options that die-hard Android users need, and everything thing else is on par with the competition. There's really not much to say, LG nailed it with the G4.

Engadget | Chris Velazco

LG's 2015 flagship has a lot going for it, including a lovely pair of cameras and a screen that promises to be the most accurate on the market. As solid as the G4 is, though, it feels more like an iterative update than what LG really needs: a truly exciting flagship smartphone.

The Street | Gary Krakow

As far as the phone's overall feel, everything seemed to work quickly and smoothly. The HD display offers crisp and clear views, the cameras produce high-quality stills and videos and the battery should last power users an entire day on a full charge.

Coolsmartphone | Dan

In my time with the G4 I must say the stand out feature is the camera, that 16 megapixel shooter on the back is simply amazing when it comes to taking photos on the move, even low light ones. The rest seems to be a slight step up from the previous model with the main difference being if you get a version with a leather back on it.

Neowin | Nirave Gondhia

If you want a truly unique smartphone, the LG G4 is among the best Android devices available on the market today, and I would highly recommend going for the leather version. If other flagship devices haven't quite hit the mark for you, then the G4 could be the smartphone you need; it's certainly not flawless but it definitely comes close.

TechnoBuffalo | Brandon Russell

The G4 is a great, safe, predictable package, one that offers a pleasant experience overall. What LG is doing is staying the course, giving fans and technophiles a device that's powerful and functional.

Gadgets Now | Anupam Saxena

LG G4 is better than its predecessor but Galaxy S6 and S6 edge are also great options designed more for one hand use, sporting a premium form factor. We'd recommend waiting for a price cut if you're looking forward to buy the G4. Overall, LG G4 is a well-balanced flagship smartphone let down mainly by its sub-par battery backup.

Phone Scoop | Eric M. Zeman

The LG G4 is a capable flagship smartphone on the Android platform. It's a bit like a wolf in sheep's clothing. It wears the plastic garb of lesser phones, but packs the killer instincts required to bite back at the competition.

Tom's Guide | Michael Andronico

The LG G4 offers a crisp quad-HD display and an excellent camera within an attractive leather design, though its battery life disappoints.

PC Advisor | Chris Martin

On the whole, hardware is once again strong - particularly the camera - but not massively different from the G3 and has tough competition... This is the flagship to go for if you want a removable battery and expandable storage but it's a shame to see features like wireless charging dropped.

AnandTech | Joshua Ho

Although LG hasn't gone for aluminum unibody design or a glass back, the G4 manages to have some real authenticity in its design as they don't seem to make any real attempt to dress up the fact that the phone is plastic. The glossy sides are a bit irritating, but overall I don't have a lot to complain about here. The leather backs also help a great deal with improving in-hand feel for those that don't want a plastic back cover. The removable back makes switching these covers out pretty easy, and also allows for removable battery and microSD, two features that can make or break a purchase for those that need them.

T3 | Gareth Beavis

The LG G4 is definitely another step forward for the once-ailing smartphone brand, but it's a step that puts it further behind the leading pack. This is still a really great phone in so many ways, but there's nothing extraordinary about it that you can't find elsewhere.

NDTV Gadgets | Kunal Dua

It has a unique design, an excellent display, and a camera that's up there with the best in terms of image quality. However, the large battery doesn't translate into equivalent real-world usage, and the software could use some improvements.

The Inquirer | Carly Page

The LG G4 is undoubtedly among the best smartphones on the market today. We felt somewhat let down by the plastic design and average battery, but the gorgeous screen and impressive camera make it a worthy Galaxy S6 challenger, especially when its cheaper £499 price is considered.

Mobile Syrup | Daniel Bader

To many, the LG G4 will be the perfect Android phone: large, bright and sharply-dressed; powerful, sleek and long-lasting. It lacks the wireless charging of the Galaxy S6 and waterproofing of the Xperia Z3, but otherwise there aren't a lot of places to criticize it.

Digital Spy | Spencer Hart

So LG has chosen the evolution route for the G4, then. It's a solid improvement on last year's phone, but probably doesn't present enough of a reason to upgrade if you have a G3 in your pocket already. That said, we are seriously impressed by the G4's camera, screen and battery life – three of the most important aspects when considering a new smartphone. It's also the only flagship device to offer a removable battery and expandable storage. If those things are important to you, then this phone is definitely worth your consideration. But there are faster phones out there and the plastic build quality can feel a little cheap compared to its more premium rivals. So while the LG G4 is very good, it's not quite top of the pile.

CNET UK | Lynn La , Andrew Hoyle

hough it feels too similar to last year's G3, the LG G4 is an excellent big-screen smartphone that will appeal to budding photographers, and has old-school features missing from rival flagships.

Gizmodo UK | Darren Orf

The LG G4 is a solid Android smartphone, one that won't disappoint you. If you're looking for a stellar camera and need that extra battery-swap utility, the G4 is the one you've been waiting for.

Forbes | Ian Morris

So, what the G4 offers is less glitz and glamour than the Galaxy S6 but it gives Android enthusiasts a phone that they can use as they wish, with customization options aplenty and a removable battery and microSD card.

The Verge | Dan Seifert

The G4 is really for the Android diehard, the person that loves the Galaxy S6's camera and performance, but can't imagine living with a phone that doesn't have a removable battery or Micro SD card slot. It's all fast processor and big screen and weird camera features - it's what most people think of when they think of Android. And that's exactly what some people want.

Trusted Reviews | Andrew Williams

Performance issues and a relatively high price make this a disappointing mid-range Android.

OtherGadgette | Holly Brockwell

I can't honestly recommend this phone for anything other than the camera. The ability to tweak manual settings and shoot in RAW is genuinely really cool, and useful to a very small audience of photophiles. For everyone else, avoid.