Let’s get to know the LG X screen.
LG has been stalling in the mid-budget smartphone in India. LG K10 and K7, which were launched in June, have failed to impress, even with a good list of specifications on paper. LG X screen is the company’s latest offering in the sub-Rs 15,000 price segment, with smartphone’s second screen as its USP.
LG’s second screen was first seen on its flagship V10 smartphone. And this is the first time company is bringing this feature to a budget handset. With second screen in X Screen, LG hopes to make up for features like lack of fingerprint scanner and full HD display, which are common in Rs 10,000 smartphones these days .
LG X screen
LG X screen is a 4.93-inch smartphone with 1.76-inch secondary display. The secondary display is meant to give you a quick access to notifications, without waking up the phone. LG X screen is extremely lightweight at just 120 gms with glass-fibre design. It is a 4G-enabled smartphone that comes with a hybrid SIM-slot. So, does the second screen in LG X screen stand out? Here is our review of LG X Screen:
Specs: 4.93-inch HD display + 1.76-inch second screen | 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor | 2GB RAM | 16GB ROM | 13MP rear camera | 8MP front camera | 2,300 mAh battery | Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Price: Rs 12,990
Video: LG X Screen First Look Video
What’s good?
LG X screen is easily one of the best looking smartphones that I’ve come across in this price-segment. We got the black colour variant for review, and it looks pretty stylish. There’s a glossy glass panel on the back, silver metal frames running along the edges and the phone has rounded corners. It is easy to hold and use, thanks to good grip provided by the back panel and metal rims. I liked the overall design as it looks neat and minimalist. There’s LG branding at the front and back. However, the glass back as well as the display are a fingerprint magnet. Make sure you use the smartphone with a cover or you’ll end up with smudges all over your smartphone.
LG X screen is easily one of the best looking smartphones that I’ve come across in this price-segment.
The second screen in LG X screen is a thin strip, which can be seen at the top right. It measure 1.76-inches with a pixel resolution of 520×80. Now, LG is pitching second screen as the highlight of LG X screen and it does stand out on many occasions. I was happy with the fact that I could know the time and date at any given point without waking the screen, and switch the phone to vibration mode easily at night. But that’s it.
I did not end up using second screen extensively during my review period. Yes, I could access a few apps here and there, but I did unlock my phone to look at my notifications every single time. Most smartphone have easy access to flashlight and WiFi etc and LG’s second screen is no different. However, LG has added a SOS button to its second screen which sends an alert to five of your contacts in emergency, which I find very useful.
LG has added a SOS button to its second screen which sends an alert to five of your contacts in emergency, which I find very useful.
LG X screen has a HD display, which is decent. But given the fact that most smartphones in this price category come with a full HD display, I was a bit disappointed in X Screen. The display is a bit difficult to read in bright sunlight, but works fine otherwise.
The 13MP rear camera works decent in places where there’s ample light. The pictures won’t leave you awestruck but won’t disappoint you either. The colour reproduction is fine. I was not impressed with its low-light performance though.
Sample shot from LG X screen (Image resized for web).
Sample shot from LG X screen (Image resized for web).
Sample shot from LG X screen (Image resized for web).
The front 8MP camera front camera will give you good results when used in bright outdoors. It comes with an automatic smile detection feature, which works quite well. I could just smile away with my friend, and the phone automatically clicked selfies, which I liked.
The general performance of LG X screen is acceptable. It handles most day-to-day tasks like browsing Internet, watching videos, messaging, scrolling through Facebook and watching videos well. However, I did encounter a few lags while playing graphics heavy game like Asphalt 8 on it. You won’t have a complaint with X screen unless you are a heavy user or like to play a lot of games on your phone.
LG X screen is a 4.93-inch smartphone with 1.76-inch secondary display. The secondary display is meant to give you a quick access to notifications, without waking up the phone.
The battery lasts just a day on heavy usage. On moderate usage, it will last a little over one day. With the kind of notifications and calls that I keep getting; I had to charge it at the end of day everyday during my review period.
What’s not good?
LG X screen lacks a full HD display, which I feel is necessary at this price point. Also, this one doesn’t offer a fingerprint scanner, which is fast becoming an important security feature for most smartphones, including the ones in sub-Rs 15,000 segment.
Verdict
LG X screen has a stylish form factor, decent camera and is good with multitasking. But I feel LG is asking for a bit too much of a price here for a phone that lacks full HD display and fingerprint scanner. The mid-budget segment is full of options like Moto G4 Plus, LeEco Le 1s and Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 which offer great specifications, including better camera. LG wants its second screen to stand out among competition. But frankly, I did not find much use case for the feature.
