LG G3 Cat. 6 (Snapdragon 805) review

We take a look at LG's supercharged, Korea-only G3, powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 805 processor

The LG G3 isn't old news just yet. We've recently reflected on our first couple of months with the phone, and in many countries it's only just making its way out onto the market. But the march of technological progress continues, not least in LG's home country of South Korea, where arch-rival Samsung already has its own 2K-toting, Snapdragon 805-powered version of the Galaxy S5.

LG's answer to the GS5 Broadband LTE-A is the G3 Cat. 6, a turbo-charged version of the G3 with support for Korea's super-fast LTE Category 6 networks — but perhaps more importantly, an upgraded CPU and GPU too. The G3 Cat. 6 is powered by a 2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 processor, paired with Qualcomm's latest Adreno 420 GPU, a step up from the Snapdragon 801-plus-Adreno 330 of the original G3.

The G3 Cat. 6 is a Korea-only product, and LG tells us there are no plans to launch this version internationally. (Though it is available to import.) But that's not going to stop us tearing into the new G3's hardware and seeing how it measures up to the original. Read on to find out more.

About this review

We're publishing this review after a week with the SKT version of the LG G3 Cat. 6 — LG-F460S — running software version 10F. While this G3 isn't properly tuned for European networks, it does support a bevy of LTE bands including Band 3 (1800MHz), the main band used by EE in the UK.

28mobile

Our review unit was provided by 28mobile.com, a Hong Kong-based, Swedish-owned smartphone importer. If you're interested in picking up an LG G3 Cat. 6 of your own, 28mobile ships worldwide and offers a 28-day money-back guarantee. Prices start at A$885 (US$825).

Video walkthrough

LG G3 Cat. 6 hardware

LG G3 Cat 6

To the untrained eye, both the LG G3 Cat. 6 and the regular G3 are almost indistinguishable — externally, and especially when viewed from the front, they're pretty much the same phone. The front is dominated by that gigantic 5.5-inch, 2560x1440 display, the back furnished in plastic with a metallic finish. More or less everything we said in our original LG G3 review holds true here too — the G3 Cat. 6 is about as comfortable as it's possible to make a 5.5-inch smartphone — and the back, while decidedly plasticky, doesn't attract fingerprints the way some older Samsung phones do.

This thing still looks and feels like a G3.

There are some subtle hardware tweaks to note, though. Being a Korean G3, you get the nifty extendable TV antenna that protrudes from the top of the device — though as before, the preloaded TV app doesn't do anything outside of Korea. And things are arranged differently behind the battery door, too. The microSD and microSIM slots now live on either side of the rear buttons, and a notch at the top of the SIM slot makes it easier to remove your SIM card without having to wiggle it free. The gold contacts for NFC and wireless charging have moved around too, so accessories designed for the vanilla G3 likely won't fit the Cat. 6 version.

One thing that hasn't changed is the battery — the G3 Cat. 6 uses the same 3,000mAh unit as the regular G3, and the batteries are interchangeable with the same model number: BL-53YH.

In fact, the Cat. 6, like many Korean smartphones, comes packaged with an extra battery and an external charger (BC-4300). (And usefully, the the charging dock also serves as a portable stand for the phone.)

LG G3 Cat. 6 internals

LG G3 Cat 6

The big changes are on the inside: mainly a beefier CPU and GPU.

The biggest changes are on the inside: The G3 Cat 6 steps up to a 2.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor (APQ8084), while keeping the 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage seen in the higher-specced OG G3. In addition to upping the clock speed, Snapdragon 805 uses Qualcomm's updated Krait 450 microarchitecture, and is paired with the company's new, 4K-capable Adreno 420 GPU. Since in some instances the Snapdragon 801-based G3 seemed to struggle a little with the device's enormous resolution, we were curious to see how the new model, with its updated GPU, would fare. And as we'll discuss later, there's a definite performance increase to be seen, both in synthetic benchmarks and day-to-day use.

We can't review a G3 without commenting once again on its enormous, high-resolution display. For the most part the Cat. 6 is a repeat performance of what we've seen from earlier G3 models: you've got 2560x1440 pixels spread across 5.5 inches of real estate. LG has been tweaking the contrast-boosting characteristics of the G3s display since the device's initial release, making images appear less over-saturated on recent firmware releases.

In any case, what we see on the G3 Cat. 6's display is very similar to the screen of our European review unit (LG-D855). There's a noticeable difference in white balance — colors appear cooler on our Euro model, whereas the Cat. 6 has as yellowish hue to it. It's not clear whether this is due to different software tuning or variances in the panel itself. Nevertheless, these are changes you probably won't notice unless you're holding both side by side.

LG G3 Cat 6

Viewing color charts on both devices reveals a similar pattern of contrast-boosting being used, too — fairly uniform across most colors, though with some weird artifacting in the reds, indicative of more aggressive over-saturation in that color. Bottom line: Like the regular G3, the Cat 6's panel looks perfectly fine. Colors don't appear as vivid as some rival LCDs, not to mention AMOLED, but for day-to-day use we have no qualms with the display of either model.

And while neither G3 burns as bright as Samsung's SuperAMOLED on the Galaxy S5, we've had no trouble using the G3 Cat. 6 — or any G3, for that matter — outdoors in bright conditions.

You'll need to be in Korea to take advantage of those ridiculous Cat 6 network speeds.

On the networking side, the big news on G3 Cat. 6 is the one thing we can't test here in the UK — Category 6 LTE speeds of up to 300Mbps. Since that's what this G3 is named for, chances are that's what LG believes will draw customers in in South Korea. Despite the lack of Cat. 6 networks in the UK, our SKT-branded model was able to connect to EE's 1800MHz LTE network, delivering speeds comparable with the Euro-specific model.

Since this Korean phone isn't tuned for networks outside of that country, it takes longer to lock onto LTE than the European G3 after first booting — it's often up to ten minutes before the Cat. 6 picks up a 4G signal for the first time. However this only seems to be a problem when first connecting to the network — once it had locked on, the connection was stable and fast. And the device was quick to pick up LTE once again when moving between coverage areas.

Quick comparison: LG G3 versus LG G3 Cat. 6 specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally
CategoryLG G3LG G3 Cat. 6
CPUQualcomm Snapdragon 801 at 2.5GHz
Adreno 330 GPU
Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 at 2.7GHz
Adreno 420 GPU
Dimensions46.3 x 74.6 x 8.9mm
Weight149g150g
Display5.5 inch, Quad HD IPS LCD (2560x1440)
PlatformAndroid 4.4.2 KitKat with LG UI
Internal Storage16/32GB + microSD up to 128GB32GB + microSD up to 128GB
RAM2/3GB3GB
Built-in Wireless ChargingYes (outside of U.S./Korea)No
Battery3,000mAh removable (BL-53YH)
LTE max speeds150Mbps300Mbps
Carrier availabilityGlobalSouth Korea: SKT, KT

LG G3 Cat. 6 performance and battery life

LG G3 Cat 6

With an updated CPU microarchitecture, faster clock speeds and an upgraded GPU, you'd expect the LG G3 Cat. 6 to be faster than the regular version, and that's exactly what we found in day-to-day use and in benchmarking apps.

The Snapdragon 805-powered G3 is indeed faster, and the difference — to us — is noticeable.

Over the past couple of months LG has been improving scrolling performance and animation smoothness in successive software updates for the European G3; nevertheless, the Snapdragon 805-powered G3 is faster, and the difference — to us — is noticeable. Touch input is a little more responsive. Certain apps, and parts of LG's launcher are faster, and scrolling speeds are quicker across the board, likely due to the faster GPU. Is it as perfectly smooth as some devices we've seen from HTC? Not quite, but it's smooth to the point where any animation stutters are a rare enough occurrence that they're basically a non-issue.

The G3 Cat. 6 is also slightly quicker to boot up than its predecessor, springing to life around five seconds faster from a cold boot.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
BenchmarkLG G3 (D855 2GB)LG G3 Cat. 6 (F460S)
Antutu2818231831
Quadrant2337824250
Vellamo Metal13841533
GFXBench Manhattan378443
GFXBench T-rex8511017
GFXBench Battery172175
Epic Citadel (Ultra HQ)3440

When it comes to synthetic benchmarks, the broad strokes are this: a small but significant bump in performance in CPU-bound benchmarks like Vellamo's Metal, but more noticeable gains in GPU-bound tests like GFXBench — particularly in the demanding Manhattan test sequence, which uses OpenGL ES 3.0. Thermal throttling seemed to take less of a toll on the Snapdragon 805-based G3 compared to the 801-based model, as GFXBench tests showed less tail-off in frame rates with successive runs.

On the whole, the benchmark results paint a picture of an SoC that's more comfortable throwing around QHD content than its predecessor — making the G3 Cat. 6 a more capable gaming device as a result. It also backs up our anecdotal findings using the Cat. 6 over the past week — this is indeed a smoother, faster G3.

Battery life

Battery life is virtually identical to the Snapdragon 801-based G3.

In benchmarks and real-world testing, battery life has been virtually identical to the Snapdragon 801-based G3, so you're not sacrificing longevity for that speed boost. Scores in GFXBench's battery life test, which continually loops the T-rex demo sequence, are within a few minutes of each other. And using the G3 out and about on LTE and Wifi, our performance mirrored that of the original G3 — around 16 to 17 hours between charges, with around 4 to 4.5 hours of screen on time. (Though push it hard, especially on LTE, and you'll be able to deplete the bundled 3,000mAh battery in as little as 10 hours.)

The G3 Cat. 6 also includes a "Sync optimization" feature designed to "optimize" the interval at which apps sync to save power. We've seen similar software features on Sony phones in the past, though curiously we're not seeing it on any of the existing G3 models. The idea is similar to the thinking behind "Project Volta" in Android L — group apps' requests for background data together and then allow them to sync on a set schedule, rather than waking the device arbitrarily. That said, we didn't notice any substantial impact on battery life when using this setting; your mileage may vary depending on how much stuff you've got syncing in the background.

Finally, for those wondering, the optional (and still experimental) ART runtime is available on the G3 Cat. 6, however we noticed at least one show-stopping bug when using the pre-release runtime — the phone would take a couple of seconds to wake when pressing the power button or using KnockOn. ART has been hit and miss on other G3 models too, so that's not too surprising.

LG G3 Cat. 6 software

LG G3 Cat 6

If you've seen the LG G3's software, you've seen the Cat. 6's software. Aside from the fact that things are generally faster, this is the same user experience you'll find on any G3. What is different on our model is the hefty helping of bundled apps. We won't tar them all as bloatware, as we're not sure what they all do, but they do resemble the kind of preloaded apps you find on carrier-branded phones in the West.

The SKT-branded variant we're using also has its own optional skin, which takes over the dialer, contacts app and other parts of the system, giving SKT's choice of UI, not LG's. This choice is provided during setup, though you can change it later in the Settings app.

Software

Most of SKT's bloat is easy to ignore, uninstall or disable.

Importers will be happy to learn that the vast majority of SKT's bloat is easy to ignore, remove or disable. If you are importing a G3 Cat. 6, you'll need to mess with the roaming settings page to disable the roaming clock, which defaults on when the device is outside of Korea. Only problem? You need to be roaming in order to access this menu. If you've got a foreign SIM to hand then you can put it in, change the setting, then swap back to your regular SIM.

Beyond that, the G3 Cat. 6 functions as any other G3. LG's muted, pared back UI may not have the polish of HTC Sense or Google's Material Design, but clean and modern looking, and an improvement on what's come before. And of course you've got useful features like KnockOn to wake the phone with a double-tap, and KnockCode to add security with a pattern of taps.

For the full story on the LG G3's software, check out our review of the Snapdragon 801-based model.

LG G3 Cat. 6 camera

LG G3 Cat 6

As we've said again and again, the LG G3's 13-megapixel, laser-flanked camera is among the best on an Android phone, delivering good-looking shots in both daylight and low-light situations — and with OIS+ to make video smoother, and allow for longer night-time exposures.

You're still limited to five minutes of 4K video at a time.

Again, this is another area that's mostly unchanged. We don't know for sure that LG's using the exact same camera module as before, but whatever's going on under the hood, our sample shots on both G3s look identical. Same deal with video — both G3s shoot at up to 4K resolution, doing so with a bit rate of 30Mbps.

Unfortunately the Cat. 6 G3 has the same limit on 4K footage as the original. You can only record five minutes of video at a time — a limit likely put in place to stop it overheating with extended 4K video recording. It's bad news for anyone planning on recording an epic on their phone, but we're sure most original G3 owners will never run into this barrier.

LG G3 Cat. 6: The bottom line

LG G3 Cat 6

It's the LG G3, but faster.

The LG G3 is a great phone with a Snapdragon 801 processor, and with beefed-up performance (and relatively few other changes) the same can be said of the G3 Cat. 6. It's a phone which addresses our great standing complaint with its international cousin — essentially, this is the LG G3, but faster. Aside from performance and a handful of software tricks, this is the same G3 we know and love. The display, battery life and in-hand feel all more or less match that of the older model.

LG has no plans to sell the G3 Cat. 6 internationally, mainly due to the lack of Cat. 6 LTE networks outside of Korea; that most likely means no Snapdragon 805-based model for global markets either.

So what compromises will you run up against if you opt to import a Korean G3 Cat. 6? Well, you'll want to double-check band coverage first, as LTE support might not be as robust as a phone designed for your particular country. However if you like to venture off the beaten track with your phone purchases, the Korean G3 Cat. 6 is a more exotic option that'll get you faster performance at the cost of dealing with a little bloatware and managing your way around radio frequencies, APNs and network settings. Is that a good trade-off? That depends on what you want out of a smartphone, and how badly you need the latest specs.

For our part, we're just a little bit tempted, and eager to see this chip powering more 2K handsets later in the year.

Alex Dobie
Executive Editor

Alex was with Android Central for over a decade, producing written and video content for the site, and served as global Executive Editor from 2016 to 2022.

103 Comments
  • Very nice!!! I may have to check what bands we have in Canada.
  • Another confirmation of the Galaxy Note 4 Snapdragon 805 processor clocked at 2.7 Ghz with 4gb of ram. It's pretty much plain and simple nothing beats Samsung or the Galaxy Note products period they are Android nothing else matters. From my Galaxy Note 3 on T-Mobile via Android Central App
  • Do you always troll non-Samsung related discussions?
  • Are we sure that this isn't some sort of bot set up to post troll messages on all non-Samsung related articles?
  • I agree LG G3 is actually is just as highly rated as Galaxy Note (see http://www.consumertop.com/best-phone-guide/ ). I'd personally not go for Cat. 6 though.
  • yes you right thats why samsung keeps groing up while others companies are getting stucked, Oh waitttt..
  • Samsung really needs to find a better plant for their social campaigns. At least put a bit of effort into your job, Richard! Otherwise I'll take it instead ;) Posted via Android Central App
  • Oh wow, samsung fanboy does its best.
  • Plain and Simple, Richard Yarnell is the best paid shill out there
  • Judging by the quality of his shill pieces, I doubt he is Posted via Android Central App
  • You can argue quality all you want, you cannot touch his quantity though..
  • Yeah that truth is unassailable Posted via Android Central App
  • +1
    If not, then some serious diagnosis. Doctor approved to vent out :) Posted via the Android Central App on VZW Moto X
  • Your wrong he does it for free lol cause Samsung defenitly wouldn't want to be associated with him. In fact I'm surprised Samsung hasn't paid him a fee to stop promoting them . Posted via Android Central App
  • Yeah but T-Mobile would still pay him, right up John L's alley Posted via Android Central App
  • Oh Richard, guess you haven't read this: http://www.cnet.com/news/samsungs-smartphone-struggle-may-only-get-worse/ Posted via Android Central App
  • You guys are such idiots for still falling for Richard genius comments. Just embrace how cool he is every time he trolls all of you. ALL HAIL RICHARD
  • I hope you drop your phone and it shatters like a little bitch.
  • Dude, you're a freak in tool !!!! Posted via Android Central App
  • What a joke you and your mouth are. LOL
  • Lol this dude is everywhere saying the same old plain Sh+t, it's just f+cking annoying Posted via Android Central App
  • Fake Richard Yarell Posted via the Android Central App
  • Exactly, it's someone,, not the real Yarrell, who is getting a kick out of yanking the chain of the foolish and unfamiliar who fall for it just to get the reaction. The real Yarrell who has not posted in these forums for about 5 months is smarter, more articulate, consistent, and cogent with his current beliefs and pronouncements.
  • Everything beats Samsung. The Tab S is the laggiest tablet I have ever owned. Samsung is the destroyer of Android, no matter how powerful their hardware is.
  • I hope it is true that the Note 4 (either variant) has it
  • I think it is pretty likely personally.
  • I'd be shocked if it didn't. The last couple years Samsung has used the Note series as the spec monster while the Galaxy S phones have had more moderate specs. Posted via Android Central App on my daily driver, the Droid MAX
  • Yeah lately it seems like that Posted via Android Central App
  • What is that clock widget?
  • Timely Posted via Android Central App
  • Thanks
  • Thanks for the plug for 28-mobile! I didn't know they existed, but their pieces are pretty reasonable, my next phone could well be from them :) Posted via Android Central App
  • Looks like Timely clock widget. But there are many that copy it so hard to tell.
  • What the benchmarks tell me is that there is performance to be had by disabling bloat and work on a little tuning.
    My G3 just turned in a Metal score of 1596 and an Antutu score of 35867. People won't realize that the gain between the 801 and 805 is in large part due to the potentially faster clock speed. Getting rid of crap that runs in the background could get to the same performance numbers or better (my case) than the 805 variant of the G3.
  • ^This. Out of the box, the G3 is a lagfest, especially if you have a carrier variant. But if you root and uninstall all of the carrier bloat and the LG bloat that you won't be using, the phone becomes incredibly fast. There are also a few modifications that can be made with the FPS and thermal throttling that make a difference. After making all of those changes in what probably took less than a half an hour, this is the fastest phone I've ever owned and I've used the M8 and S5 for a period of time in the past few months. I probably couldn't be happier with this phone and the 805 processors in the upcoming devices aren't really swaying me at all. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Of course, a debloated 805 will STILL be faster.
  • But will it really be in everyday performance? Posted via the Android Central App
  • Yes, most likely. The imported GPU will most likely play a bigger roll in the phone operating smoothly than a slightly faster CPU. Also I've said it before and I'll say it again, the fact that you have to root and debloat the phone to make it smooth should be unacceptable. Posted via the Android Central App
  • it should be, but that is a hardware fault in this case as opposed to the Samsung software fault.
  • Could not agree with your last statement more. Looking at you, OEMs... Posted via Android Central App
  • I used to find it unacceptable, also. But I really wanted an Android device with a good camera and as of right now only Samsung, LG, and Sony are offering that. I tried out the S5 and wasn't a fan and the Z2 is hard to get ahold of, so that left me with the G3. Hopefully HTC gets better in the camera department with the M9 and I can return to their devices because they truly do offer a great out-of-the-box experience and the best software in the business (Sense truly does rival stock Android). Posted via the Android Central App
  • The GPU will do nothing for the phone except in 3D GL games. I'll say it for the thousandth time, a 2D accelerated interface does not need even a tenth of the power of the current range of GPUs, let alone the next gen ones. Games, yes, but nothing else. You realise that the GPU doesnt throttle past the minimum when working your way around the launcher or opening apps right? Try locking it to the minimum, it makes no difference at all.
  • Damn. Maybe ill have to root my g3 then. I dont use the default launcher because it sucks imo. Im using nova launcher which made it feel much faster but i could always use even more speed. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Why wasn't this variant released here in the US?
  • Because it would cost them wayyyy too much money to supply US carriers and retailers with this when there is virtually no difference to your average consumer, and as far as I know the Cat6 capability is largely unusable in US.
  • This is why being first to market is not the best move, if LG had simply held up they could have put the right chip in their G3 out of the gate and now are screwing their customers both in S.Korea who bought early and now all other markets since users will NOT get the properly equipped model with the S805. Glad I am waiting for the GN4 with all the right specs in the US.
  • I don't think it will really matter all that much. The 801 is a great processor and works well with all high end gaming, etc right now. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Yeah hopefully the note 4 is as amazing as the note 3 was when it first came out. Hell the note 3 is still a great phone. The only thing is that the note 4 is going to cost a lot even with a two year upgrade. I got my g3 for $100 with a two year upgrade the day it became available in the US Posted via the Android Central App
  • The SD 805 and Adreno 420 should have been in the U.S. variants. I'm sure people would have waited 30 days, or longer, to have this. Besides that, these performance updates need to start hitting the US....and soon.
  • Root and uninstall the bloat and it's like having a different phone. I don't know how the performance could be any better for me at this point. I get no lag or stuttering like I did with the phone out of the box. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Jesus Christ, stop with this suggestion, people should not have to void the warranty on their brand new phone to make it run like it should have out of the box. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Ahem. Rooting only voids warranty if caught. If you don't have to unlock a bootloader which states it's been re locked once you unroot the device you're fine. Posted via Android Central App
  • ^This. Although the AT&T G3's bootloader cannot be unlocked, I honestly haven't had a reason to want to unlock it yet. Unrooting is ridiculously simple, as is going back to complete stock. So "regaining" my warranty isn't an issue at all and I have this device set up exactly like I want it. Posted via the Android Central App
  • It still doesn't matter. I should not have to root to get the performance it should have out of the box. Period.
  • Cool. I choose Android devices for a reason. Part of that reason is being able to root. I've never had a device that I don't want to modify in some way. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Chill. I'm not going to reach through your screen and root your phone. But it's definitely an option to make a "pretty good" phone into the best phone out there (in my opinion). Posted via the Android Central App
  • I agree, would have been my next phone if this was what we got. Just doesn't seem like a huge upgrade from my G2 with the 801. I guess I'm also not sold on the 5.5" screen either. Posted via Android Central App w/G2
  • why is it that Korea and Japan always get the better stuff,
    while consumers in the US and EU have to settle with lower
    specs?
  • Because they are bigger spec geeks than us Posted via Android Central App
  • Japan gets better stuff? thats new Posted via Android Central App
  • Because they have the infrastructure to make it actually work as intended?
  • Because they don't have to ship them as far?
  • Because basically all the top companies are stationed in Asia (Samsung, LG, Sony, etc.) So they get the better stuff and they get it earlier than we do. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Why do the Koreans refuse to send America their best? Maybe we don't have Cat 6 LTE, but we can still make use of the faster processor and GPU. I'd buy this or the S5 LTE if they were available here. The other question, of course, is why do US carriers suck so bad?
  • Hmmm well #1 like you said, cat 6 is not really available in the US and #2 LG and samsung reserve SD805 for Gpro and GN series. Posted via Android Central App
  • But this phone isn't a Gpro. It's just another variant.
  • In fairness, the U.S. Is a far bigger country than South Korea. A lot more area to cover. Also, a huge percentage of South Korea's population lives in just one city - Seoul - making it easier for carriers there to scale up. Posted via Android Central App
  • I think our carriers want the cheapest parts as possible so as to increase the markup. That's what I think.
  • Wow Posted via Android Central App
  • What LG should have put out in the first place with the intial release and all bands. No matter, in Canada the G3 just came out August 1st with the 801. At this point I'll wait for September and what the Note 4 has to offer.
  • Exactly. It's ridiculous that the OG G3 runs as poorly as it does then they release a faster version of the same phone that fixes most of the issues. Look at the comments here though, Android users apparently have a high threshold for a phone running like crap. Posted via the Android Central App
  • You seem upset dude. As stated in the article the difference isn't that big and unless you have a super keen eye you probably won't notice. Posted via Android Central App
  • I have that "keen" eye and I notice every time I use the phone.
  • Why are you even using Android then. Dang you must of been stressed almost a whole decade.
  • Most of us DON'T have a high threshold. It's just that the "few" don't know any better.
  • It seems only the crappy US carrier ruined G3s run bad, my D855 runs beautifully, not even a little bit of lag.
  • It's a interesting variant of a nice phone. I agree they should offer it here in the USA and they could always utilize the pop up antenna for better cell reception if they wanted to. It would be a great feature to promote. I've always wondered why the manufacturers dropped doing this. It's not like we have perfect ocean to ocean coverage. Posted via Android Central App on my HTC M8
  • it seems to be a habit of both LG and Samsung to release
    a new phone in the US/EU with somewhat outdated processor,
    then wait two months to release the exact same phone with the
    latest processor in Korea.
  • That market is the only one that can take advantage of the LTE-A. Wait a few years until we have it widespread. Then there would be no excuse for it.
  • By then, they will have LTE-A+1 that trumps LTE-A reserved only for the Asian market.
  • I hear ya but fortunately 5G is not even in the real planning stages yet, but expect to hear the term since LTE, WIMAX HSPA and whatever else really isn't 4G it is really 3G+
  • Umm the G2 I believe was the first phone released with the 800, when Samsung and HTC went with the 600 last year. Posted via Android Central App w/G2
  • I cant believe Android still needs improvements in touch response.
  • it is not the response to touch that needs improvement, it is the implementation of that response that lags behind on some devices.
  • Makes my two week old VZW G3 seem outdated out of the box.
  • Makes me feel like my two week old G3 from VZW is outdated already. Posted via the Android Central App
  • I wish they'd delayed the G3 launch and used the snapdragon 805 originally for sale in Europe. It'd sure be faster and smoother powering that QHD display. Posted via Android Central App
  • There are plenty of devices (mostly tablets) that have QHD displays with 800 or 801 processors running with no problem. The display isn't what makes the G3 lag. It's the bloat, which can be fixed. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Now, if LG will just make a G3 with a 805 and a 1080p screen, they will earn me as a customer.
  • Am I the only one who notice this "The G6 Cat. 6 is powered by" in the second paragraph?
    Shouldn't it be G3 Cat.6? Posted via Android Central App
  • Great review Alex. Thanks. Really wish this was available here in the US. Posted via Android Central App w/G2
  • My best friends in Korea right now. I should totally have him snag me one of these. Posted via Android Central App
  • Why do we have to be broke to get the latest version processors lg g3 could have been released with 805 or at least avaliable in the uk and us. Posted via Android Central App
  • Nice work lg. I have the Verizon model and it's awesome. Can't imagine this variant.
  • Nice to see lg doing a Samsung and releasing one phone then a couple weeks later giving it a spec bump. Good way to piss your loyal fans off! Posted via Android Central App
  • Great review Alex :-) Posted via Android Central App
  • You should not need to root. But with the carrier bloat you may need to.
    The first thing is to go into the application manager and disable all the crap you can.
    That will speed up the phone significantly.
    Also get rid of most of the widgets, they slow down the phone. GPU won't matter because you use it for 3D. You need to go into developer settings to use the GPU for 2D rendering. So unless your 3D gaming is suffering the GPU doesn't matter. Depending on what is running an 801 vs 805 discussion is moot. The performance difference is largely due to better pipelining so they can run it faster vs architectural changes that really change performance. I can get my phone to benchmark ~12% faster than that 805 by disabling crapware/bloatware.
    The rule is: No matter how fast a hardware guy makes a processor, some software guy will make it slow. 8-) BTW - I'm a hardware guy.
  • A 64 bit processor, emulating in 32 bit, as soon as Android L 64 bit gets released and LG passes it on to the users, they'll have a 64 bit OS, 64 bit core apps, QHD screen, 4K recording, 4K output, envy, even with a Nex 5 and 10.
  • Damit I'm wrong, 805 is 32 bit, it's the Exynos in the Note 4 that's 64 bit, but one version is 805, so hence the confusion. Sorry. Posted via Android Central App
  • WTF! What is a benchmark?? Posted via Android Central App
  • There must be somehing wrond with your regular G3. These are my results:
    Antutu 34.300 pts
    GFXBench Manhattan 470
    GFXBench T-Rex 1.155 Higher scores than your S805 model, and thats the International Version D855 3GB/32GB running S801.
  • I live in Michigan,USA. I am using T-Mobile.My cell phone is Lg G3 Cat6. But I can not connect LTE. ( Only 3G ). Can you help me?
  • I got score of 43927 from Antutu using brand new out-of-box LG G3 Cat.6 F-460S