The LG G4™ was a top-rated phone among Verizon customers, but the LG G5 is a game changer. Here’s why.
1. Camera: take 135-degree photos
Two rear cameras let you capture a whole lot more with the G5. First there's the standard 16-megapixel camera for rich, sharp photos. The 8-megapixel wide-angle lens is where things get interesting. Its 135-degree viewing angle is 15 degrees wider than your eyes' field of view. That means you can photograph tall buildings or large groups of people without having to take a few steps back.
The G5 has the same great laser auto-focusing as the G4 and a similar 8-megapixel front-facing camera to help you take the perfect selfie. Toss in a few new filters, such as one that combines images taken with both rear cameras, and you've got a camera that rivals any.
2. Modular look: removable battery, with room for friends
The modular build is both practical and fun. The G5 (like the G4™) has a removable battery, but the G5 takes it a step further with a slide-out compartment that makes it simple to pop in some spare power. You can also use it to attach fun accessories called LG Friends.
One of these friends is the LG CAM Plus, which gives you the comfort of a traditional camera grip plus real buttons that make it easier to take pictures. Press on a shutter button or scroll through a zoom dial to get greater control over your photos. The CAM Plus even provides an extra boost of battery life (1,200 mAh) so you don’t have to worry about your battery draining while spending the day photographing your cats’ antics.
The LG 360 CAM connects to the G5 and uses 2K video and 5.1 surround channel recording to help create 360-degree content.
3. Display: always on and shining bright
At 5.3 inches, the G5's Quad HD display is a little smaller than the G4, but by no means is it the lesser of the screens. The G5 screen is brighter than its predecessor; its contrast ratio (or the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites) is 65 percent brighter too.
That brightness shines through even on a sunny day. Daylight Mode on the G5 automatically determines how bright your surroundings are and increases or decreases the brightness of the display. So your phone can react to the light faster than you can.
Always-on adds another new wrinkle to the G5. No more waking your phone dozens of times each day just to see the time or a new message. Always-on keeps it all on display, without using much power (it uses only 0.8 percent of your battery an hour).
4. Design: the G5 is made of metal
The G5 is the first LG smartphone with a completely aluminum body, so it both looks and feels premium. Like the G4, the power button is conveniently placed on the back of the phone, so you can easily wake it with your index finger. New to the G5: the power button doubles as a fingerprint scanner to help keep your phone accessible by only you. The volume controls are no longer on the back with the power button as they are on the G4-they've moved to the side of the phone.
The LG G5 comes in silver and titanium from Verizon.
