pros

Easy to use with one hand - perfect size. Good camera. A separate button for switching SIM cards is just a wonderful feature. Capacious battery - guaranteed to last for a day or more.

Minuses

There is no video call function! Those. you can't make a video call even when mobile operator provides this service. The absence of a light sensor is indeed somewhat inconvenient, but not at all critical.

Impression

The phone was purchased about a month ago at Samsung replacement S3 mini. The main requirements are that in all respects it is at least not inferior to Samsung.

And in key respects it was superior to its predecessor - the screen is a little larger, the processor is a little more powerful, the battery is a little longer, the OS is fresher and it supports 2 SIM cards.

Chinese phones were not considered due to unreliability of both hardware and software.

The brands considered were Samsung, XTS, LG, Sony. Based on the results of viewing the phones available in retail (Astana, Kazakhstan), we selected this model as optimal price/quality. Price 50,000 tenge, which approximately corresponds to 9,990 rubles.

This is my first LG phone.

Everything you need is there and everything is convenient. There are no complaints about the build quality. By the way, I noticed that Charger included in the kit - increased power (1.15 A), which allows you to charge faster than other less powerful chargers.

And if you connect a weak charger to the phone or power it from laptop usb, then the phone reports slow charging due to low current (smart battery).

A very convenient Knok code unlocking feature.

It’s convenient that you can turn on the camera without unlocking the phone, just hold the volume button on the end of the phone.

Out of curiosity, I looked at the multi-touch test, it turned out that the screen was 8-point. :-) So many fingers simply don’t fit on the screen!

I am very pleased with the purchase! I am completely satisfied with the phone.

And the fact that there is no light sensor is not particularly important. I absolutely need the video call function, since I used this function only once - 3 years ago, and then just to see, like “what is this?”

Is the review helpful?

pros

Launcher and software products from LG, Android 5.0.2, fast operation GPS module, fast processor

Minuses

Weak battery, glare in the sun.

Impression

The phone was purchased to replace the Fly IQ 440. Naturally, the processor power, large screen diagonal and lightness of the phone immediately caught my eye.

I’ll write briefly why a future buyer might like the phone:

1) Launcher from LG is an excellent solution from the developers, a convenient software product optimized for user needs. We were especially pleased with the call screen, which was reduced while working in the application and the QuickMemo program (quick screenshot, caption and highlighting the necessary information) and QuickRemote (turns your phone into Universal remote DU).

2) My phone had it preinstalled Android version 5.0.1, and on May 27 it was updated to 5.0.2. This fact cannot but rejoice.

3)An interesting solution for unlocking the screen (you can set the sequence of screen touches)

4) The function of double tapping on the screen, sending the phone to sleep or waking it up from it.

5) Speed ​​of the processor and graphics accelerator

6) Great sound

7) Finds satellites quickly, GPS works properly.

But there are also disadvantages:

1) Even with moderate use, the 2540 mAh battery will not last even a day.

2) The screen in the sun turns into dark nothingness

3) The case material has a soft structure, a fall even from a small height leads to inevitable dents and chips (a case is required)

4) Poor equipment (no headphones, my version didn’t even have a factory sticker on the screen, however, perhaps this is a question for an unscrupulous seller)

Is the review helpful?

pros

I was pleasantly surprised that with a fairly large diagonal of the screen, which is 4.7 inches, it fits quite comfortably in the hand, although I still haven’t gotten used to reaching the right – upper area of ​​the screen with my thumb. The picture on the screen is terrible! The number of pixels makes them difficult to notice, and the colorful and bright image is simply pleasant to look at. Quite nimble, no brakes were noticed, exactly the same as reboots. The 8 megapixel camera takes pictures as it should, 8 out of 10. Charging lasts for 1-2 days with an average load. There is a good speaker.

Minuses

No headphones. Fortunately, I kept the old ones. The bottom keys are not backlit. We need to get used to it. There is also no light sensor. The time-based brightness control saves.

Impression

Personally, during the entire period of use, which is more than a month, I did not have a single freeze or reboot, as on the previous device. I noticed the new android, before that I only used old version. In general, I have a very pleasant impression of the system. Smooth scrolling of work screens, the ability to customize not only them, but the entire phone. For those who doubt whether or not to take the phone, just pick it up. The answer will come by itself..

Is the review helpful?

LG has been in the smartphone business for a long time. It's hard to argue that if Google trusted the company and as a result two generations are already ready great smartphones Nexus, it means that LG really knows a lot about their business. And this applies not only to flagship orders from the Good Corporation, but also to all other devices of the company. If a couple of years ago everything was cheap and simple with inexpensive smartphones from any manufacturer, now the market demands good displays, more performance, practicality and branded goodies. Well, in fact, manufacturers try not to disappoint their consumers.

Same with the L-Series. The line is not new. Initially, the smartphones in this series were quite good, they had their own style, and they held up well against their competitors. This year they underwent restyling and increased their production capacity. Some people should like the changes; those accustomed to the previous appearance of the line will find it unusual. Subjectively, the update is very successful. That's what we'll all talk about today. And we will discuss the senior model in the budget L series – LG L90.

First impressions

The old Ls could be identified by their shapes; they were square. Now the corners have been smoothed out, and the distinctive feature has been lost. These changes began in some previous models, but the entire line was completely updated at MWC 2014. In addition to the design, the proprietary programmable key was also lost, and this became the biggest drawback. Everything else, on the contrary, has only improved. Of course, this is a subjective factor, but smartphones have become better and less toy-like in appearance. Such a smartphone is already more pleasant to look at, and somehow feels more comfortable in the hand.

And now the entire line looks almost the same. There are differences, for example sub-screen buttons, but this is also not immediately noticeable. At first glance, the device does not evoke any negative emotions. If before you had to twirl and get used to the appearance, now it is immediately more pleasant. It is this change that should greatly benefit the new line, because this shape and design as a whole looks better than the previous one. The first switching on and setup is already traditional for devices with new versions of Android and goes quickly and without jambs. Now about everything in more detail.

Design, buttons...

I know that most smartphones today are extremely similar to each other. Yes, the L90 is not a flagship, and the design is without zest, white chocolate crumbs or the taste of wild coriander. This is a fairly simple smartphone, but it looks nice. There are only two color variations of the external design: black and white. The body is made of smooth matte plastic. It is slippery and will tend to slip out of your hand at first. Over time, the user will get used to this and will use the smartphone with both hands more often, and will become more careful if the second hand is busy with something, but you still need to do something on the smartphone. The case dimensions are 131.5 x 66 x 9.6 mm and weighs 126 g. The L90 can be used with one hand, but you still have to pick up the smartphone. Among its competitors you can find thinner devices, but in other respects, with a 4.7-inch display, the L90 turned out to be quite small.

The assembly didn't disappoint either. The back cover is removable and is held onto the body by a dozen fasteners. There is no play or squeaks, it sits perfectly in its place. Underneath it is a removable battery, access to the SIM and memory card. To change the SIM card, you will need to remove the battery, and the SIM format is Mini. The only action that can cause the case to make a crunching sound is twisting, and this is not the most correct way to interact with a smartphone. So the engineers did a good job, and the assembly is not lame.

The arrangement of all elements on the body is quite ordinary. On the back there is a camera window in a silver ring, a flash, an LG logo print and a main speaker, which tends to hurt the ear a little at high playback volumes. On the right side there is a power button, on the left there are paired volume control buttons. They are located exactly where the finger will look for them. At the bottom of the body there is a hole for a spoken microphone and Micro USB, on top there is a headset jack, an infrared port for controlling the TV and an additional microphone. The front side is covered tempered glass. Above the display is an earpiece, a company logo, a proximity sensor and a front camera. There are three buttons below the display: “Back”, “Home” and “Menu”. The central button is mechanical, the rest are touch. There is no backlight. By the mechanical button you can distinguish the L90 with one SIM, since the Dual version has one more button, and they are all touch sensitive.

The only thing I would like to change is to place the camera window a little lower. In its current position, you can accidentally cover it with your finger. The rest is a very simple and practical design. The only decoration here is a thin silver edging, which coolly expands at the bottom and covers the headset jack at the top. Personally, I like this design better than the previous versions in the L-Series. The disadvantage of a slippery coating outweighs practicality, because scratches and abrasions will simply be invisible. There's nothing more to say about the design.

Display

It seems the time for weak displays is coming to an end. Even in the middle price category. This year, the L-Series flagship already has a 4.7-inch display with an IPS matrix. Its resolution may not suit everyone, because 960 x 540 pixels is now really not the best indicator (234 ppi). At the working distance, the pixels are not visible, but if you bring the display closer and look closely, you can find individual dots. In general this is not a big problem.

Everything is fine with color rendering. Subjectively, the display could be a little cooler; out of the box the colors are a little warmer than normal. Viewing angles are not maximum everywhere, that is, at a certain angle you can find color distortions. But it’s unlikely that anyone looks at something on the display of their smartphone from such angles. In principle, everything is very good with the display, but there is no need to skimp on the light sensor, it is seriously lacking. But you can survive this loss. And the display itself is quite decent for this class of devices.

Cameras, photos and videos

Two cameras in a smartphone are standard today. LG hasn't left him. The front one has a resolution of 0.3 megapixels, takes photos and videos (640 x 480). But it will not suit a demanding self-portrait artist above the second level. For video calling you will need to be in a well-lit room. Things are traditionally better with the main camera. It's 8 megapixels with enough good opportunities. The camera is not a flagship one, but in good lighting it takes quite decent shots. When the light becomes less, you can see the work of the standard noise reduction in the pictures. As you yourself understand, the camera in middle-class devices needs more light, then the pictures will be good. Otherwise, the quality is greatly lost. This camera records video in Full HD (30 fps). Focusing is not very fast, but I wouldn't call it slow either. A wide range of settings and capabilities is familiar to LG. A few photo examples and let's talk about hardware.

Hardware, software and battery

As I said at the beginning, today even a state employee can work well. Android is improving, and smartphone manufacturers are not standing still either. As a result, for the money for which you previously received frankly slow devices, now inexpensive smartphones can perform well. The L90 proved to be quite cool. Inside the device there is a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (MSM8226), operating at a frequency of 1.2 GHz, Adreno 305 video and 1 GB random access memory. An 8 GB drive will provide the user with just under 4 GB, but there is a slot for memory cards. However, large games cannot be moved completely, which means a smartphone will not be suitable for players. In tests, the results are average, just for the cost of the device.

Android 4.4.2 works great on the LG L90. Moreover, the current version of the OS out of the box! Cool! The proprietary Optimus UI interface will add all the company’s proven innovations to the OS, like a flagship. Personally, I was very pleased with the work of all this. There were, of course, isolated problems, but even top-end devices suffer from them. And so everything is smooth and without nerves. What’s surprising is that the latest version of the OS and full-fledged flagship features are immediately available on a mid-priced smartphone. I would like to believe that the company will be able to update all this as soon as possible and delight the user with new features.

Surprisingly, the smartphone takes a long time to discharge. For some reason I thought that since everything was working well, it would have a significant impact on autonomy. No. I was pleasantly surprised by the 2540 mAh battery. It discharges on average in two days. Depending on the usage model, the user may not have to look for an outlet for 1–3 days. If you actively torture the device, it will last for a day. If we are talking about measured use, when the user is distracted by life, work and communicating with people not only on the Internet, the smartphone can last until the evening of the third day without charging. So the autonomy is just as great as the performance. Moreover, the battery is removable, which is a very significant bonus, especially for travelers and business travelers.

LG presented on the Russian market the top-end smartphone in the affordable L Series III line - L90. The device received a new security feature, Knock Code, which allows you to unlock the device with a personal combination of taps on the screen. We studied the strengths and weaknesses of the smartphone during the test.

Let us remember that the first LG L Series line appeared back in 2012. The L90 (D410) represents the third generation of such devices, which in addition to it also includes simpler and cheaper models L70 and L40. Thus, the L70 is equipped with a 4.5-inch IPS display (400x800 pixels), and the L40 is equipped with a 3.5-inch (320x480 pixels). Both of these devices received 2-core processors (1.2 GHz) and 4 GB of internal memory, expandable via microSD cards. Despite belonging to the entry-level and intermediate levels, the devices run on the latest version operating system Android 4.4 KitKat. The L70 and L40 have not yet gone on sale in Russia and their prices have not been announced.

Specifications

• OS: Android 4.4.2 with Optimus shell
• Processor: quad-core Cortex-A7, 1.2 GHz, based on Qualcomm (MSM8226) Snapdragon 400 platform
• Graphics subsystem: Adreno 305
• RAM: 1 GB
• Storage memory: 8 GB, microSDHC card support (up to 32 GB)
• Interfaces: DLNA, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, IR port, microUSB (USB 2.0) for charging/syncing, 3.5 mm headphone jack
• Screen: capacitive True IPS, 4.7-inch diagonal, resolution 960x540 pixels (qHD), density 235 pixels per inch
• Cameras: main 8 MP with autofocus, Full HD 1080p video recording, front VGA camera
• Network: GSM/HSDPA (dual SIM)
• Navigation: GPS, A-GPS
• Radio: FM tuner
• Sensors: accelerometer, proximity sensor
• Battery: 2,540 mAh
• Colors: white, black
• Dimensions: 131.55x66x9.65 mm
• Weight: 124 grams

Design, ergonomics

The LG L90 smartphone is called a flagship, but not for the characteristics of the top model, which, for obvious reasons, it does not have, but for its leadership in its family (in relation to the L70 and L40). But the LG L90 received the design that, apparently, devices in the mid-price range should have. The “brick” shape with roundness and flow is reminiscent of the smooth lines of products from another Korean company. But the fine-relief texture of the “fabric-like” coating allows you to avoid unaesthetic fingerprints, prevents the smartphone from slipping out of your hands and generally looks quite aesthetically pleasing.

At retail, the LG L90 is offered in two colors - white and black. However, in the latest version, the polycarbonate back cover with micro-relief is painted, rather, in “wet asphalt”. Pleased thin frames around the screen that look almost like . From this perspective, the device lacks a bit of solidity, because the flagship device costs more than twice as much (20,990 versus 9,990 rubles).

The front panel of the LG L90 on top of the screen is occupied by the main speaker grille, the front camera lens and the proximity sensor. Below the screen there are four touch buttons - “Menu”, “Home”, “Back” and “SIM card switching”. Two SIM cards can be installed in the device. A thin edging, stylized as metal, separates the removable back cover from the front panel. On the latter, in addition to the LG logo, there were holes for the main camera lens, flash, and at the bottom for the multimedia speaker grille. Under the cover there is access to the battery, two slots for installing SIM cards, as well as a card slot microSD memory.

At the bottom end there is a main microphone and a microUSB connector, and at the top there is a second microphone, a 3.5 mm audio output jack for a headset, and an infrared sensor. The right edge of the case is occupied by the power/lock button, and the left edge is occupied by the volume rocker.

LG L90 looks equally good in both male and female hands. This is to some extent facilitated by the low weight of the device (124 g). Let us remind you that the iPhone 5c is only 8 grams (132 g) heavier. At the same time, the LG device is securely held due to its considerable thickness (9.65 mm), as well as the pleasant-to-touch surface of the back cover. But the 4-inch iPhone 5c is still somewhat sleeker (8.97 mm).

Screen, camera, sound

When creating the LG L90, there was probably no question of which display manufacturer to use for it. New model received a capacitive True IPS matrix with a diagonal of 4.7 inches and a resolution of 960x540 pixels (qHD), which corresponds to a dots per inch density of at least 235 ppi. The total number of dots on such a display is one quarter of Full HD (1920x1080). Let us remember that screens with qHD (16:9) became the standard for premium models in early 2011, and then spread to devices of a lower class. Nowadays, of course, you already want to see an HD resolution screen in a phone for 10,000 rubles.

The colors on the display are not distorted even at large viewing angles. There is no automatic brightness adjustment (only manual). Very good contrast. The smartphone screen supports multi-touch, and the AnTuTu Tester program showed that no more than eight simultaneous presses are recognized.

As usual, the device received two cameras - the main 8-megapixel one with autofocus and digital zoom (4x), and the front one - VGA. By default, the main camera has a resolution of 3264x1836 pixels (6 MP), which can be manually changed to the maximum - 3264x2448 pixels (8 MP). The menu offers five main modes: “Normal”, “Panorama”, “Burst”, “Time Shot” and “Sports”. In addition, there are settings for brightness, focus, ISO, white balance, enabling color effects, etc. Thus, 9-point autofocus will be useful for group photos and when shooting moving objects. You can, for example, select the sound of a simulated shutter release, and assign the volume rocker to be responsible for shooting or zooming. But the Cheese shutter option allows you to release the shutter with a voice command (whisky, cheese, kimchi, smile or LG). Somewhat thoughtful autofocus sometimes affects the quality of pictures, examples of which can be viewed.

The main camera can shoot Full HD video (1920x1080 pixels, 16:9) at a frame rate of 24 fps, although by default it does it in Full HD Ready format (1280x720 pixels, 16:9). For economical recording, it is proposed to use QVGA (320x240 pixels) and QCIF (176x144 pixels) resolutions. But the maximum that the front VGA camera is capable of is 640x480 pixels (4:3). It also has QVGA and QCIF options available. All videos are saved in MP4 container files (AVC - video, AAC - audio).

The smartphone doesn't boast its own audio processor, like the premium LG G2, so you shouldn't expect Hi-Fi quality sound from it. In a word, the “voice” of the LG L90 does not stand out in any way from the chorus of devices in the mid-price range.

Filling, performance

Under the hood of the LG L90 lies a Qualcomm MSM8226 chip, part of the Snapdragon 400 line, created as a counterweight to budget solutions like the MediaTek MT6589. Four Cortex-A7 cores can operate at a maximum clock speed of 1.2 GHz, and graphics acceleration is handled by the Adreno 305 coprocessor.

In synthetic tests, a representative of middle-class smartphones behaves accordingly. So, judging by the results of AnTuTu Benchmark X (February release), the LG L90, having earned 16,366 points, easily beat the 2011 flagship - Samsung Galaxy S II - and came close to the Nexus 4, released at the end of 2012. And here Samsung flagship 2012 - Samsung Galaxy S III - turned out to be too tough for the LG L90. The “standard of 2012” - Google Nexus 4, the prototype of which, as you know, was LG Optimus G, also showed similar results. Yes, the device’s performance is far from record-breaking in modern times, but it is finally quite enough for smooth and fast work interface and applications. In terms of interface speed, the LG L90 is practically not inferior to current flagships - and what else does the average user who is not chasing “gigabytes and gigahertz” need?

The device's RAM capacity is 1 GB. The stated volume is 8 GB of internal memory, 3.87 GB is allocated for data storage (music, images, videos, etc.). This storage can be expanded with microSDHC cards with a capacity of up to 32 GB, the slot for which is located under the back cover of the smartphone.

In addition to the usual communication capabilities for budget devices - Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0 - the LG L90 has an infrared port, and paired with software for managing home electronics.

One of the main features of the smartphone is the ability to install two SIM cards that work alternately (Dual Standby). The device settings allow you to set your own ringtone for each of them.

Under the back cover of the LG L90 lies a removable lithium ion battery capacity 2,540 mAh. When continuously watching HD videos at maximum brightness, the device easily surpassed the 5.5-hour mark. In general, this is not surprising, since a screen with qHD resolution consumes significantly less energy than, for example, HD Ready (1280x720 pixels) or, especially, Full HD. By the way, according to the AnTuTu Tester program, when testing the battery, the smartphone honestly earned 698 points.

In the LG L90 settings there is an option that allows you to switch to energy saving mode when you reach 30% of the full battery charge (reduce brightness, deactivate wireless connections etc.)

Software

The undoubted advantage of the LG L Series III line is that the devices included in it have the most modern version Android KitKat operating system (4.4.2). True, the OS, as usual, is covered with the proprietary Optimus shell, which, with all its rich functionality, continues to amaze, to put it mildly, with its simple design, especially the bold font and cyan-colored switches in the interface.

Basic distinctive feature LG L90 on the software front was, of course, the Knock Code function, which was developed based on the option. The essence of the innovation is that in the device settings you can set your own combination of taps, including from two to eight clicks, to unlock the screen. LG claims that Knock Code provides greater security than, say, using a pattern key, the lines and dots of which are displayed on the screen at the time of unlocking. In addition, the user can enter a Knock Code combination anywhere - in the middle, right, left, top or bottom of the screen. At the same time, the distance between the pressing points is not critical - the smartphone will still recognize the entered combination. Creating your own password using Knock Code literally comes down to three steps: in the first, the combination of keystrokes is entered, in the second, it is confirmed, and in the third, a digital pin code is created, in case the combination is suddenly forgotten.

At home, the pre-installed QuickRemote application can be useful, turning a smartphone with an infrared port into a remote control, for example, for TVs and DVD/Blu Ray players from various manufacturers. In addition, LG SmartWorld is recommended for downloading new content, including themes, fonts, games, useful tools, etc.

Purchase, conclusions

The recommended price for LG L90 is 9,990 rubles. For the same money, in the same retail stores, other “classmate” smartphones with two SIM cards are offered. Among them, for example, HTC Desire 500 dual SIM, Lenovo IdeaPhone S650 and Philips Xenium W7555. All these devices operate on the basis of 4-core processors with maximum clock frequencies not lower than 1.2 GHz and equipped with 1 GB of RAM. At the same time, the heaviest and thickest among those listed is Philips Xenium W7555. It is inferior to the LG L90 not only in weight (154 g versus 124 g) and thickness (13.1 mm versus 9.65 mm), but also in the amount of internal memory (4 GB versus 8 GB), as well as in battery capacity (2 400 mA*h versus 2540 mA*h). Although their screen resolutions are identical (960x540 pixels), the display diagonal of the Philips Xenium W7555 is smaller (4.7 inches versus 4.5 inches).

But the Lenovo IdeaPhone S650, with the same screen parameters as the LG L90 (4.7 inches, 960x540 pixels), received a less capacious battery (2,000 mAh versus 2,540 mAh), which may be why it turned out to be a little thinner (8.7 mm versus 9.65 mm). Just like its opponent, the Lenovo IdeaPhone S650 is equipped with 8 GB of internal memory and an 8-megapixel main camera.

As for the HTC Desire 500 dual SIM, it is inferior to the LG L90 in literally all respects: resolution and screen size (800x480 pixels and 4.3 inches versus 960x540 pixels and 4.7 inches), battery capacity (1,800 mAh versus 2540 mAh) and the amount of built-in memory (4 GB versus 8 GB), however, the latest HTC Desire 500 dual SIM can be expanded with microSDXC cards (up to 64 GB).

Unlike the LG L90, all of these “classmates” have versions of Android OS installed Jelly Bean. Considering this fact and the presence of the unusual Knock Code function, we can summarize that among mid-class smartphones, the LG L90 has every chance to interest buyers. By at least those who are not ready to shell out several tens of thousands of rubles for a device, but at the same time want to become the owner of a smartphone that is not much inferior to “flagships” in everyday use.

Results of the review of the LG L90 smartphone

Pros:

• Latest version of Android KitKat
• Unique feature Security Knock Code
• Possibility of using two SIM cards
• Excellent speed and smoothness of the interface

Minuses:

• Average appearance
• Screen resolution doesn't even reach HD
• Outdated interface design

Detailed testing of the flagship of the new budget LG LIII line

With a new series budget smartphones We met the Korean company LG with our own eyes quite recently - during the MWC 2014 exhibition, held in Barcelona in February. The entire line called LG LIII is the so-called budget series - top smartphones like LG G2 and G Pro are not included. Without going into details (all conclusions will be drawn at the end of the article), we can say that the new budget line is not too different from the old one, except in design.

Smartphones have now acquired a completely uniform appearance, so that they can only be distinguished from each other by size; they have a “traditional” side arrangement of hardware keys (the innovations of top-end flagships with the block of control buttons being moved to the rear surface have not been adopted), they have become much more productive than their predecessors and, in general, evoke sympathy and approval. Today we will look, strange as it may sound, at the flagship model of this new series of budget devices from the Korean company - a smartphone called LG L90.

Key Features of LG L90 (Model LG-D410)

	LG L90	Motorola Moto G	Oppo Mirror R819	Alcatel OT Idol X
Screen	4.7″, IPS	4.5″, IPS	4.7″, IPS	5″, IPS
Permission	960×540, 234 ppi	1280×720, 326 ppi	1280×720, 312 ppi	1920×1080, 440 ppi
SoC		Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (4 cores ARM Cortex-A7) @1.2 GHz	MediaTek MT6589 (4 cores ARM Cortex-A7) @1.2 GHz	MediaTek MT6589T (4 cores ARM Cortex-A7) @1.5 GHz
GPU	Adreno 305	Adreno 305	PowerVR SGX 544MP	PowerVR SGX 544MP
RAM	1 GB	1 GB	1 GB	2 GB
Flash memory	8 GB	8/16 GB	16 GB	16 GB
Memory card support	microSD	No	No	No
operating system	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.2	Google Android 4.2
Battery	removable, 2540 mAh	non-removable, 2070 mAh	non-removable, 2000 mAh	non-removable, 2000 mAh
Cameras	rear (8 MP; video 1080p), front (1.3 MP)	rear (5 MP; video 720p), front (1.3 MP)	rear (8 MP; video 1080p), front (2 MP)	rear (13 MP; video 1080p), front (2 MP)
Dimensions	132×66×9.6 mm, 124 g	130×66×11.6 mm, 143 g	137×68×7.3 mm, 110 g	140×68×6.9 mm, 120 g
average price	T-10712907	T-10470422	T-10467810	T-10564185
LG L90 offers	L-10712907-10

• SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (MSM8226), 1.2 GHz, 4 ARM Cortex-A7 cores
• GPU Adreno 305
• operating room Android system 4.4.2
• Touch display IPS, 4.7″, 960×540, 234 ppi
• Random access memory (RAM) 1 GB, inner memory 8 GB
• GSM communication GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
• Communication 3G UMTS/HSPA+ 900, 1900, 2100 MHz
• HSPA+ data transfer speed up to 21 Mbps
• Bluetooth 4.0, infrared port
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot, DLNA
• GPS/GLONASS/Beidou
• 8 MP camera, multi-point autofocus, LED flash
• Camera 1.3 MP (front)
• Battery 2540 mAh
• Dimensions 131.5×66×9.6 mm
• Weight 124 g

Contents of delivery

Unfortunately, LG tends to send test copies of its mobile devices without packaging and, accordingly, a complete set of accessories, but in principle it is known that the LG L90 smartphone only includes a charger and a connecting cord - it doesn’t even include headphones, so there’s still nothing special to talk about.

Appearance and ease of use

In my own way appearance The LG L90 smartphone is very simple and unpretentious. That unusual, rough industrial L-Style design style that once distinguished most devices in the LG L line seems to have completely sunk into oblivion. Now all the Korean company’s smartphones have acquired a uniform, impersonal, “sleek” design with strongly rounded body corners, rounded shapes and smooth contours. Ugly new design cannot be named, but no individuality can now be found in him.

As for the size and external coating, there is nothing to complain about here: the LG L90 is that same “average” smartphone in every way that fits perfectly into the average human hand. The weight of the device is also very small; you can even carry the smartphone in the breast pocket of a shirt, and it will not stick out unattractively on your clothes. You won’t find a glossy finish here - all surfaces are rough, matte, and the back cover is completely textured with small pimples, so you definitely can’t call the smartphone’s body easily soiled. There are no fingerprints on the back wall or sides of the LG L90; due to the rough surfaces and digestible mass, the device is held very securely in the hand. The smartphone does not have a specific gender orientation - the phone will suit both male and female hands equally well.

The body of the smartphone is entirely made of plastic - there is no metal at all, and along the entire side perimeter there is a dedicated strip painted with silver paint. LG's marketers had the confidence to especially praise this bezel in their official product description, calling it "an exquisite metal-inspired finish," but in reality it doesn't look like real metal at all, and it doesn't smell of sophistication at all. All smartphones of the new LG LIII line received a completely ordinary and nondescript-looking body, and the LG L90 is no exception.

By the way, two problems were discovered in the area of ​​the Micro-USB connector: the cutout in this bezel is made very roughly, and because of this, traces of tools are clearly visible on the sections, which instantly discourages comparing this roughly sculpted plastic with real metal. But that's not so bad. What’s worse is that after the first connection of the cable plug to this connector, the contact pad inside the telephone connector itself delaminated. That is, the next attempt to insert the plug of the connecting cable into this connector was already unsuccessful - the connector rested on the detached layer of the contact pad and could not move further. I had to resort to using the edge of a knife and return the peeled pad back. This is probably an atypical case, but, as they say, “a sediment remains.”

The back cover is traditionally attached to several plastic latches and can be removed quite easily. Underneath it there is a standard set of slots: two for Mini (regular) format SIM cards, as well as a slot for a microSD memory card. The battery is also located here lithium ion battery decent capacity of 2540 mAh. The battery (BL-54SH) is removable, so you can easily take a spare one with you on the road, although the existing capacity will last for a long time.

On the back surface of the smartphone, next to each other, there are camera and flash windows, as well as a ring speaker grille. The camera window is framed with a dull matte metal-like ring; the speaker grille is a longitudinal hole in the lid for sound output. When the smartphone is lying on the table, the sound is greatly muffled, even despite the presence of a slightly curved outward bar of this grille.

The entire front panel is completely covered with a glass-like protective material. It has no noticeable dimming, so when turned off, the light gray edges of the display itself are clearly visible underneath. The front camera eye and the slot for the earpiece grille are located at the top above the screen.

At the bottom under the screen there are not three, but four buttons, one of which, an additional one, is responsible for quickly changing the priority SIM card. The icons of these buttons are painted in silver and are not backlit. This is quite a big disadvantage, since in semi-dark conditions you have to poke the buttons several times until you remember their location by heart. An absolutely absurd and logically inexplicable solution that LG developers stubbornly drag from model to model, not wanting to listen to user dissatisfaction.

As for the rest of the controls, they are all traditionally located on the side edges of the device: on the right is the lock key, on the left is the volume key. The buttons are small, rough to the touch, almost do not protrude beyond the body and therefore are not very easy to touch blindly. The travel of the keys is quite elastic, the presses are distinct, and besides, the lock key here is located not on the top, but on the side, so there are no complaints about the controls in this matter. You can unlock your smartphone and put it back to sleep using the proprietary method: tapping on the screen. This function is called KnockOn, we will talk about its advanced functionality below, in the section on software.

The LG L90 smartphone goes on sale in two traditional colors - black and white. In the white color version, the front panel under the glass is also painted to match the overall color of the body.

Screen

The LG L90 smartphone is equipped with an IPS sensor matrix of its own production, the display has a large brightness reserve, and the screen remains readable in bright sunlight. Physical Dimensions The display is 59x104 mm, diagonal - 4.7 inches. The screen resolution in pixels is 960x540 (qHD), the dots per inch density reaches 234 ppi.

The display brightness can only be manually adjusted. There is a proximity sensor that locks the screen when you bring the smartphone to your ear. Multi-touch technology allows you to process 8 simultaneous touches. The side frames around the screen are quite thin here - the distance from the edge of the body to the edge of the screen on the sides is less than 4 mm. But the question of whether the screen of the LG L90 is covered with glass or plastic on top cannot be immediately answered - the manufacturer does not say anything about this in the official specifications, and in smartphones of the previous L1 and L2 lines there were cases when plastic was used for protection instead of glass in budget devices. Our expert will be able to answer this question upon closer examination using instruments.

A detailed examination using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections, Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the sample under study.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, there is some kind of anti-glare filter, which in terms of reducing the brightness of the reflection is noticeably worse than that of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). The surface of the matrix itself under the glass is slightly matte, so the screen reflects both direct light sources (by the outer surface) and diffuse light (by the surface of the matrix), this reduces readability in conditions of strong external illumination. For clarity, here is a photograph in which a white surface is reflected in the switched off screens (on the left - Nexus 7, on the right - LG L90, then they can be distinguished by size):

The light gray surface of the LG L90 screen against the almost black screen of the Nexus 7 confirms what was written above. The reflection in the screen noticeably doubles, which suggests the presence of an air gap between the surface of the matrix and the outer glass. There appears to be a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating on the outer surface of the screen (much worse than that of the Nexus 7), so fresh fingerprints are removed a little easier and appear at a slightly slower rate than with regular glass.

When manually controlling the brightness and displaying the white field in full screen, the maximum brightness value was about 350 cd/m², the minimum was 5 cd/m². The maximum value is not very high, and, given the weak anti-reflective properties and matte surface of the matrix, in bright daylight The image on the screen is unlikely to be clearly visible. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. Automatic adjustment no brightness. At any operating brightness level, there is virtually no backlight modulation, so there is no screen flicker. However, at minimum brightness (when the picture on the screen is almost impossible to see), the screen flickers chaotically and unpleasantly; we will simply note this property.

IN this smartphone An IPS type matrix is ​​used. The microphotographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.

At the same time, we present another micrograph with a different resolution and with a focus on the film covering the matrix:

Visible dots are artificially created surface defects that create the effect of a matte finish. The screen has good viewing angles without a significant color shift even with large deviations of the view from perpendicular to the screen and without inverting (the very darkest shades when the view is deviated to the right). For comparison, here are photographs in which identical images are displayed on the LG L90 and Nexus 7 screens, with the screen brightness initially set to approximately 200 cd/m². There is a white field perpendicular to the screens:

Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field (when photographing, the color balance in the camera is forced to 6500 K). And a test picture:

Color reproduction is good, colors are saturated on both screens, there are differences in color balance. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:

It can be seen that the colors did not change much on both screens, but the contrast at an angle in the case of the LG L90 decreased due to an increase in black levels and a decrease in image brightness. And a white field:

The brightness at an angle of the screens has decreased (by at least 6 times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of the LG L90 the drop in brightness is noticeably greater than that of the Nexus 7. When deviated diagonally, the black field brightens to a medium degree and turns purple or red - violet hue. A photo from the Nexus 7 shows this for comparison (the brightness of the white areas in the perpendicular direction of the screens is the same!):

And from another angle:

When viewed from a perpendicular view, the uniformity of the black field is good, but there are a couple of areas along the edge with slightly increased black brightness:

The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is normal - about 850:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 23 ms (13 ms on + 10 ms off). The transition between halftones of gray 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 37 ms. The gamma curve, constructed using 32 points with equal intervals based on the numerical value of the shade of gray, did not reveal any blockage in either the highlights or the shadows. The index of the approximating power function is 2.14, which is slightly lower than the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve practically does not deviate from the power dependence:

Color gamut is close to sRGB:

The spectra show that the matrix filters moderately mix the components with each other:

As a result, visually the colors have a natural saturation. The balance of shades on the gray scale is far from ideal, since the color temperature is higher than the standard 6500 K, the deviation from the spectrum of an absolutely black body (ΔE) for some shades is large, while both ΔE and color temperature vary significantly from shade to shade - this even negatively affects on visual assessment of color balance. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since there is no color balance of great importance, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

The screen quality is not high. The maximum brightness is low, the surface of the matrix is ​​slightly matte and the anti-glare properties are weak, as a result, the comfort of use on a clear day outside is highly questionable. The advantages of the screen include the absence of flicker and a color gamut almost equal to sRGB. The main yet unnoted shortcomings are a very weak oleophobic coating and mediocre color balance. The remaining characteristics are simply not outstanding - neither for the better nor for the worse.

Sound

There are no special complaints about the sound of the LG L90 speakers. The sound is quite loud, bassy, ​​and at the same time it remains clear throughout the entire frequency spectrum. The voice of a familiar interlocutor, timbre and intonation remain recognizable, the conversation is quite comfortable. The sound output grille here is cut into the back wall, so the sound is significantly muffled when the device is lying on the table. In the settings, you can programmatically enhance some audio effects, but this can only be done when you connect headphones. The smartphone comes pre-installed with a standard voice recorder, which is used only for creating audio notes - recording regular means telephone conversations He can't do it on the line. There is also an FM radio in the smartphone; it is possible to record broadcast programs.

Camera

LG L90 is equipped with two digital camera modules. Front-camera it is equipped with a 1.3-megapixel module, shoots with a maximum resolution of 640×480, and also shoots video with the same resolution. The quality of the resulting photos can be judged by the test image below.

The main, rear 8-megapixel camera shoots with a maximum resolution of 3264×2448 (3264×1836 if you shoot in a widescreen aspect ratio). This camera can shoot video with a maximum resolution of 1920×1080 (30 fps). The quality of video recording can be judged by the test video below (video: MPEG4 Video (H.264) 1920×1080 58.917 fps 17 Mbps; audio: AAC 48 kHz stereo 156 Kbps).

• Video No. 1 (75 MB, 1920×1080)

In the camera interface settings, it is possible to use shooting modes other than the usual one: panorama, continuous, sports. The settings menu is extremely conveniently placed across the entire screen, clearly and brightly drawn, all items are easy and intuitive to find - the menu implementation is one of the best on the market. The camera is equipped with multi-point autofocus for better depth of field adjustment. The hardware volume control key is also used here to work with the camera: if you hold the volume down key longer, the camera will be activated even when the screen is off, and pressing it again will allow you to take a picture.

	Good sharpness across the entire frame and in almost all shots.
	In the shadows, software processing is noticeable, which slightly spoils the outline of objects.
	In illuminated areas, the camera captures details well.
	The camera does a poor job of photographing people - there are too many artifacts on the face.
	In distant plans the sharpness is quite good.
	The license plates of nearby cars are distinguishable. The sharpness across the frame is quite good.
	Objects in the background are slightly distorted by software processing.
	The camera does macro photography well.
	Another example of a good macro.
	The text is well crafted and virtually intact.

The camera turned out to be good. Unfortunately, it is not suitable for all scenes, and even with a slight lack of lighting it begins to process noise heavily. But at the same time, it has good sharpness across the entire field of the frame in almost all plans and does not abuse sharpening. For its 8 megapixel camera, it takes decent pictures, especially in good lighting. She is good at macro photography, and there should be no problems with shooting regular text.

Perhaps the camera is suitable for both documentary and artistic photography.

Telephone and communications

The smartphone works as standard in modern 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA networks; network support fourth generation(LTE) is not here. Data transfer speed is limited to HSPA+ mode to 21 Mbps. The communication capabilities of the device are implemented, as they say, without frills: it also does not support the 5 GHz Wi-Fi range, NFC technology, or connecting external devices to USB port(USB Host, OTG). Can be organized as standard wireless point access via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels. The navigation module can work with both GPS and the domestic Glonass system. In principle, according to the specifications of the SoC used here, the WTR2605 transceiver used in this chipset, along with GPS and Russian Glonass, should also support the Chinese Beidou satellite navigation system. By the way, according to the manufacturer, the WTR2605 consumes 40% less energy than previous generations of transceivers, and its size is 60% smaller than its predecessors.

There were no spontaneous reboots/shutdowns observed during testing, as well as system slowdowns or freezes. Unfortunately, the smartphone did not provide an LED sensor for notification of charging status and incoming events.

Drawing letters and numbers on virtual keyboards is quite comfortable to control. The layout and location of the keys is standard: switching languages ​​here is done by pressing a special button with a globe image; there is no dedicated top row with numbers - you will have to switch the layout each time. Phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing phone number A search is also carried out immediately using the first letters in contacts. Very convenient functionality that you instantly get used to, but which is sometimes missing initially in some smartphones, for example Apple iPhone or Meizu MX3. For ease of operation with one hand, it is possible to move the keys to one of the edges of the screen to make it easier to reach with your fingers. You can make such a shift without even resorting to the menu: you just need to move the keyboard to one of the sides with a side swipe.

The smartphone supports two SIM cards using the Dual standard SIM Dual Standby. Apart from a special button for quickly changing the priority SIM card, the implementation of working with two SIM cards is generally standard for this platform. There is only one radio module, so there can only be one active conversation; the second card becomes unavailable at this moment. In the settings, you can select a color theme for each card, icon design, set priorities, etc. It is worth noting separately that LG does not draw any conclusions from past mistakes and continues to persistently combine the complete absence of backlighting of hardware buttons with its proprietary additional button for quick change of priority SIM card (which, of course, is also not highlighted). That is, in the twilight, you can accidentally press this button, and then, without any warning, the call will come not from the number from which you were going to make the call, but from another one, which you may have intended to keep secret from the interlocutor. So in the dark you should be especially careful with this device, since this button is located in the place where the “Back” key is usually located on normal phones, so accidentally touching it is a couple of trifles, but the consequences can be unpleasant.

OS and software

LG L90 works in this moment on software platform Google Android latest version 4.4.2. On top of the OS interface, the company installed its own user interface, significantly modifying and complementing the standard one. The arrangement of all elements, the drawing of icons, the number and selection of additional pre-installed programs - everything is very familiar from previous LG models with the Optimus UI shell. For example, as soon as you connect your headphones, a bar immediately appears on the screen with a choice of application (Plug & Pop), which is most associated with working with headphones. As standard, the strip contains icons for music and video players, telephone dialing, and the YouTube player, but, of course, you can display any other applications here at your discretion. There is one additional function, like Guest Mode. That is, you can let someone use your smartphone without fear of personal information, which will be password protected. An infrared port, coupled with the appropriate pre-installed software, will help turn your smartphone into a remote control. Separate hardware programmable button quick access to any of the functions disappeared - apparently, it was not very popular among owners of LG devices.

The smartphone has the ability to control gestures (answering a call by holding it to your ear, for example). Slide Aside allows you to swipe with three fingers to move running applications off the screen and bring them back in the same way. QSlide allows you to make working windows smaller, detach them by moving them around the screen, and change their transparency and number. Reduced windows continue to function fully: for example, a video can be played in such a window. If you increase the transparency of windows to the maximum, elements of other windows that look through them become interactive. This unit can only operate up to two QSlide windows at a time.

Like top flagships latest generation, there is also the ability to wake up and put the device to sleep by tapping on the screen (KnockOn). The developers consider this feature so strong point their devices, that with a software update they added this feature to most of their smartphones, even budget ones. Moreover, without stopping there, LG developers continued to develop this topic even further: an expanded version of the KnockOn function, called Knock Code, appeared in the new devices of the Korean company. With its help, you can set a password, which is based on the choice of the point where you touch the screen. The creators claim that this technology makes password cracking almost impossible. The developers themselves will best tell you how this works: “The disadvantage of the pattern is that when the user unlocks the display, outsiders can see what this pattern looks like, since lines and dots are displayed on the screen at the moment of unlocking. When the user enters his Knock Code combination, no lines or dots are displayed on the display, as is the case with graphic key. Consequently, other people do not see the combination, which means the smartphone is protected better than when using a pattern key.” (Note in parentheses that the standard Android mechanism for working with pattern keys has long offered the option “do not highlight the entered key.”)

To set your own combination of keystrokes, the user needs to go to the screen lock settings menu and select Knock Code. The screen will prompt you to create your own combination of presses. The next step is to confirm the combination. Then the smartphone will offer to create a PIN code from numbers in case the user forgets the combination of presses. Interestingly, when unlocking, the user can enter a combination of presses anywhere on the screen and in any corner of the display. Also, the distance between the pressing points can be greater or less - the smartphone will still recognize the combination.

Performance

The LG G90 hardware platform is based on a single-chip system (SoC) Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (MSM8226). The central processor here has 4 ARM Cortex-A7 cores operating at 1.2 GHz (CPU-Z shows 1.19 GHz). The device has 1 GB of RAM and storage accessible to the user for uploading your own files is only less than 4 GB of the nominally designated 8 GB - the rest was spent on the system itself and applications. Memory can be increased by microSD cards up to 32 GB, but you won’t be able to connect a flash drive via an OTG adapter here - the device this mode do not support.

In nature, there is a dual-core modification of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC, the configuration of which includes two Krait 300 cores (1.7 GHz) - for example, it works on such a platform samsung smartphone Galaxy S4 mini (its latest modification called Black Edition is also currently being tested by us, so the results of its tests came in very handy here for comparison). The LG L90 smartphone is based on SoC MSM8226, which is also called Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, but it has CPU has 4 ARM Cortex-A7 cores with a frequency of 1.2 GHz (on exactly the same version of the SoC we recently reviewed Motorola smartphone Moto G). As for other competitors, the configuration of this MSM8226 platform turns out to be largely similar to the configuration of the quad-core platform of the Taiwanese MediaTek - MT6589. They have the same CPU (4 ARM Cortex-A7 cores, 1.2 GHz), but the GPU (graphics accelerators) are different: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 includes Adreno 305, while the MediaTek MT6589 uses PowerVR SGX 544MP. So it will be interesting to compare these two competing platforms with each other, especially since not so long ago we published a review of Oppo Mirror R819, which was tested on the same versions of benchmarks as today's LG L90. By the way, it would be interesting to add to the results for comparison the data obtained when testing a more advanced modification of the Taiwanese MT6589T platform, in which the operating frequency of the same cores was raised to 1.5 GHz.

To get an idea of ​​the performance of the platform of the smartphone under test, we will conduct a standard set of tests.

For convenience, we have compiled all the results we obtained when testing the smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks into tables. The table usually adds several other devices from different segments, also tested on similar latest versions benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry figures). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison it is impossible to present the results from different versions benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” - due to the fact that they once passed their “obstacle courses” on previous versions of test programs.

This is what we found out after all the testing was completed. As for the MediaTek MT6589, the competing Qualcomm system (Snapdragon 400) coped with it in all respects. If we take the more advanced version of the MT6589T with a higher core frequency (1.5 GHz versus 1.2 GHz), then Qualcomm’s victory is not so obvious: AnTuTu gave primacy to this SoC, while other processor tests showed approximately equal results . In terms of graphics, Adreno 305 was clearly ahead of the PowerVR SGX 544MP video subsystem in all tests, albeit not by much.

It is also worth noting that the test results of the LG L90 turned out to be very similar to the results of the Motorola Moto G (which is logical: after all, these smartphones are built on the same platform), but the two Krait 300 cores (1.7 GHz) of the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini outperformed 4 ARM Cortex A7 cores (1.2 GHz) in all tests, although both platforms are called exactly the same. So, it turns out that Snapdragon 400 is different, and you still need to carefully look at the deeper specifications, because the difference turned out to be too great to simply turn a blind eye to.

Test results in MobileXPRT, as well as the latest versions of AnTuTu 4.x and GeekBench 3:

When testing the graphics subsystem in the cross-platform 3DMark test for the most powerful smartphones, it is now possible to run 3DMark in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (which can cause the speed to rise above 60 fps).

Results of testing the graphics subsystem in the Epic Citadel gaming test, as well as Basemark X and Bonsai Benchmark:

	LG L90	Motorola Moto G (Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, 4 cores ARM [email protected] GHz)	Samsung S4 mini (GT-I9195) (Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, 2 cores Krait [email protected] GHz)	Oppo Mirror R819 (MediaTek MT6589, 4 cores ARM [email protected] GHz)	Alcatel OT Idol X (MediaTek MT6589T, 4 cores ARM [email protected] GHz)
Epic Citadel, High Performance (fps, more is better)	58.6 fps	58.6 fps	59.4 fps	55.8 fps	46.6 fps
Epic Citadel, High Quality	57.4 fps	57.5 fps	59.2 fps	53.7 fps	43.1 fps
Epic Citadel, Ultra High Quality	43.3 fps	35.0 fps	50.6 fps	23.9 fps	14.7 fps
Bonsai Benchmark	29.2 fps/2050	25.1 fps/1759	32.8 fps/2302	—	—
Basemark X, Medium Quality	4313	4423	5225	—	—
Basemark X, High Quality	790	839	1547	—	—

Playing video

To test the omnivorous nature of video playback (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Internet. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern options using processor cores alone. Also, you shouldn’t expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are summarized in a single table.

LG once again pleasantly surprises with the presence of full support for all necessary decoders in its smartphones. Unlike most of the reviewed devices from other companies, the capabilities of the built-in video player here were enough for trouble-free playback of all our standard test videos. At the same time, no problems were observed with the sound, and in the third-party MX player you don’t even have to switch to hardware playback in Hardware+. That is, in simple terms, the LG L90 will play any video downloaded from the network without any problems (at least with a resolution of up to 1080p).

Format	Container, video, sound	MX Video Player	Standard video player
DVDRip	AVI, XviD 720×400 2200 Kbps, MP3+AC3	plays normally	plays normally
Web-DL SD	AVI, XviD 720×400 1400 Kbps, MP3+AC3	plays normally	plays normally
Web-DL HD	MKV, H.264 1280×720 3000 Kbps, AC3	plays normally	plays normally
BDRip 720p	MKV, H.264 1280×720 4000 Kbps, AC3	plays normally	plays normally
BDRip 1080p	MKV, H.264 1920×1080 8000 Kbps, AC3	plays normally	plays normally

To test the output of video files on the screen of the device itself, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Methodology for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)”). Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped determine the nature of the output of frames of video files with various parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p) and 1920 by 1080 (1080p) pixels) and frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 frames/ With). In the tests, we used the MX Player video player in the “Hardware+” mode. The test results are summarized in the table:

Great No Great No Fine No Fine No

Note: If in both columns Uniformity And Passes Green ratings are given, this means that, most likely, when watching films, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and frame skipping will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems related to the playback of the corresponding files.

The intervals between frames (or groups of frames) alternate slightly unevenly and in the case of 60 fps files, some frames are always skipped. When playing 720p and 1080p video files, the image of the actual video file is displayed exactly along the edge of the screen. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the standard range of 16-235 - all gradations of shades are displayed in shadows and highlights. However, dark scenes may not look very good, as the darkest shades are inverted when tilted to the right (that is, when tilted up or down when watching a movie) and have a noticeable difference in color tone.

Battery life

The capacity of the lithium-ion battery installed in the LG L90 is 2540 mAh, which is considerable for a smartphone. Accordingly, the subject demonstrated excellent, if not record, duration results for his class. battery life. Of course, this became possible not only because of the capacious battery, but also due to the use in the smartphone of a screen that is not too large in area with not the most high resolution, and optimize the operation of your batteries in Lately LG has learned well (the company’s own subsidiary LG Chem helps make batteries for smartphones).

Continuous reading in FBReader program(with a standard, light theme) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd/m²) it took more than 15 hours until the battery was completely discharged. When continuously watching YouTube videos in high quality (HQ) with the same brightness level through your home Wi-Fi network The device lasted 10 hours, and in 3D gaming mode - about 5 hours.

Bottom line

As for the cost of the device in question, it has already been clearly defined and is now 9,990 rubles (at the time the model enters the Russian market, the smartphone will be exclusively sold on the Svyaznoy network for some time). If we talk about continuity in the model range, then the LG L90 can most likely be considered an update to the LG Optimus L9 - these two models occupy approximately the same positions in the hierarchy of the company’s mobile devices, and they are also very similar in their fundamental characteristics: dimensions and diagonal screens. By the way, the LG Optimus L9 model is still sold in stores, and in the same Svyaznoy the price for it has now been reduced from 16 thousand to 8390 rubles. What’s interesting here is not even that the price of the previous model was “adjusted” so that it was less than the cost of the new product and did not interfere with its sale, but that the new flagship model of the budget series is entering the market with a price one and a half times lower than the cost of its predecessor. Agree, this cannot but rejoice.

Based on the testing results, we were convinced that the flagship model of the new LG LIII line was better in its technical characteristics than its predecessors, which is logical - technical progress does not stand still. The changes affected, first of all, the hardware of the device - it has become more powerful, more productive, and the fact that Koreans continue to choose Qualcomm as a platform solution even for their budget smartphones cannot but inspire respect. True, we were not very pleased with the appearance of the new series. No, in general there is nothing terrible in the appearance of LG LIII smartphones - as they say, “it’s all there.” However, that individual, unlike anything else industrial style, which once even had its own name L-Style, has disappeared forever. Now the place of rough smartphones has been taken by models with an ordinary and impersonal “tile” design - streamlined and “slick” on all sides. Sharp corners, metal edging, straight edges - all this has been replaced by a smooth “remnant”. And even that bezel, which the developers call here “metalized,” does not look like that at all: the chrome-plated sheen of the metal has disappeared, leaving silver-colored plastic that does not look like metal at all. It’s a little sad that smartphones are becoming more and more similar to one another, and it is sometimes simply impossible to guess the name of their manufacturer by their appearance.

If we ignore the sad thoughts about the disappearing highlights in the design, then in general there are no special complaints about the LG L90 smartphone: the device is quite productive for its level, tightly tailored, practical to the touch, equipped with a decent screen and, moreover, devoid of the dubious “finds” of the current top LG models (such as the very controversial move of the block of control buttons to the rear wall). True, at the same time the additional hardware programmable “hot key” was also removed - obviously, which was not to the taste of users. But it’s gratifying that even such a budget device has a built-in infrared remote control for household appliances - the function seems much more useful. And there’s nothing to say about the increased battery life - the LG L90 smartphone is one of the record holders in this parameter, which completes the generally positive picture that emerged after getting acquainted with the first, and at the same time the most advanced smartphone of the new line, entering the market in the new season.

Presented new smartphone LG L90 is among the line of mid-priced phones. The smartphone uses good hardware components, so it has good performance.

The device has a quite typical design for a middle-class phone - a “classic” rectangle with rounded edges. The phone is available in two colors: black and white. The plastic body is made with a fabric-like texture, thanks to which the LGL90 fits nicely in the hand and looks nice. It does not leave small scratches. On the front side of the phone there is a grille that covers the speaker. Next to it are light and proximity sensors.

Below the display are four touch buttons: “Back”, “Home”, “Menu” and a button to switch the operation of SIM cards. Along the edges of the device there is a thin edging designed to look like metal. On the cover of the phone there is a camera lens with a flash, a speaker grille and the LG company logo. The microUSB connector is located on the bottom edge of the phone. At the top end of the phone there is a headphone jack and an additional microphone. On the sides of the phone there is a button to turn the phone on/off and a key to adjust the volume.

The edges around the display are thin, adding to the stylish appearance. In general, although the phone looks rather “standard”, it looks quite solid and attractive.

Performance and Software

The smartphone, like previous models from this manufacturer, runs on the Android 4.4.2 operating system with the Optimus interface. In addition to the standard store for this operating system Google applications Play, the LG SmartWorld brand store is installed. The LG L90 smartphone is equipped with a quad-core Qualcomm MSM8226 chip, the frequency of each core is 1.2 GHz. The device uses Adreno 305 graphics card. The LG L90 phone has 1 GB of RAM and eight gigabytes of internal memory. It is possible to install a microSD card with a capacity of up to 32 GB. These components provide good performance to the device, which is sufficient for running applications and most games. In terms of interface performance, the model is close to many flagship devices.

The phone has Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, GPS modules. There is also an infrared port, to which a special software, for controlling home appliances.

Screen

The L90 smartphone uses a 4.5-inch capacitive display with a True IPS matrix and a resolution of 590x540 pixels. Low resolution - a little weak side this phone, while the display image is bright, with excellent contrast and is clearly visible in the sun.

Camera

LG L90 has two cameras: the front one for video calls and the main one for photography and video. The main camera resolution is 8 megapixels. The camera uses autofocus and 4x zoom. The camera has five shooting modes; in addition, there are settings for focus, brightness, white balance, ISO, activation of various color effects, etc. The new product has added the function of voice activation of Cheese shutter shooting. The main camera allows you to shoot Full HD video with a resolution of 1920x1080. To save disk space, it is possible to record video in QVGA and QCIF formats.

Battery

The battery installed in the LG L90 has a fairly large capacity - 2540 mAh. Thanks to this, the phone works without recharging for a really long time. When watching Full HD video, the smartphone can work for about five and a half hours. In addition to the capacious battery, this is ensured by the fact that the qHD display resolution allows you to significantly reduce energy consumption. When testing the smartphone with AnTuTu Tester, the battery scored 698 points, which is a very good result.

Conclusion

For buyers who need an inexpensive smartphone, which at the same time would be close in functionality to flagship models, buying this phone will be the best option. The device uses a powerful “filling” that provides high performance. The smartphone is well suited for using all modern applications and most games. This model is a good combination of price and quality.

Video review of LG L90: