First Impression: LG's high-end smartphone G2

Is it a phone launch or a movie premier? That is the question  that clouded my mind for a few seconds when I arrived at the venue for the launch of LG's latest offering, G2. Living up to the hype it had generated, the event packed the punch of grandeur and glamour.

However, the issue here is the phone. From a distance, the device looks like any other smartphone but once you place it in your hands, one can feel the difference. The phone is comfortable to hold and is light weight. Unlike all the other smartphones available, the G2 has the power and volume buttons at the back, below the rear camera. I must say, it is a handy development as it makes operations on phone quite smooth. The bezel is just 2.65mm, which makes it feel just right in your palm.

I will not deny that the 5.2-inch full HD (1,080x1,920) display, with a pixel density of 423 pixels-per-inch (ppi) attracted attention at the first go. The sunlight visibilty does not disappoint either. It is powered by Qalcomm's 2.26 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor and has a 2GB RAM. I tried clicking a few pictures and  the 13-megapixel (MP) rear with optical image stablilation proved efficient.  

The 2.1-MP front camera is impressive too. The feature that garnered my attention the most was the one that allows you to focus on a particular object while capturing a video. You can amplify the focus on one subject and boost the voice clarity for that. LG's latest phone runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 and is powered by a 3,000mAh battery.

The device is available in two colours, black and white, which failed to amuse a lot of curious onlookers. Many wished that the phone was available in brighter colours, just the way many of its competitors are. Storage space is another cause of concern for the product as it does not come with expandable memory, though it available in two variants, 16GB and 32GB.

But, at the end of the day, it all boils down to whether you are willing to shell out Rs 41, 500 for the 16GB variant (Rs 44,500 for 32 GB one). It is easily a brilliant invention but for the price it is available at, I cannot call it a very smart investment.