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LG G3 Beat review

7.1/10 AVG.
RATING
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LG G3 Beat
LG G3 Beat
LG G3 Beat
LG G3 Beat
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7.1/10
Informr score
The LG G3 Beat currently has an Informr score of 7.1 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 14 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Good battery life
  • Display has good viewing angles and color reproduction
  • Great build quality

What's bad

  • Slippery and prone to drops
  • Lag and stutters during basic games and multi-tasking

In order to corner the different smartphone markets, LG has stripped down their flagship phone, the G3, to offer a more affordable phone- the G3 Beat. The Beat takes a lot of design cues from the G3 with its thin-bezel, curved back and buttons on the rear. It even simulates a brushed metal appearance on the back cover though it is made entirely of plastic. While it isn't made of premium materials, experts were impressed with the overall build quality. They add the curved back made the phone easy to hold, but the plastic material and location of the buttons made it fairly slippery and prone to drops.

As a mid-tier device, the G3 Beat sports a 5-inch, 720p IPS display. For the most part, reviewers had no issues with the phone commending its color reproduction, viewing angles and bright light legibility. While overall it offered them a decent experience, they note phones like the Micromax Canvas or Huawei Honor 6 have better displays and fall within the same price range.

Armed with a 1.2GHz quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM, the G3 Beat didn't top any of the standard benchmark tests. Real-life testing echoed these results with the device generally running smoothly for reviewers when handling a couple basic tasks. They started experiencing lag once they had more than three tasks running in the background and even when playing basic games. The G3 Beat's one strong point is its battery life. The 2,540mAh battery lasted experts a day of moderate gaming, internet and LTE usage.

Experts were able to produce fairly detailed pictures in daylight with the G3 Beat's 8MP rear camera but the quality dipped once indoors or in lowlight situations. In addition, critics noticed that color balance and reproduction was not always consistent with NDTV stating, "…a clear blue sky…came out looking grainy and artificial." Besides taking pictures, the camera can also take 1080p videos.

While not a horrible phone, reviewers have a difficult time recommending it. Digit states, "The LG G3 Beat is a decent phone...BUT it is priced above phones with similar features, specs and performance…you should consider the alternatives." Indian Express adds, "…the G3 Beat total fails to justify its price."


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
1.2 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.2 GHz
5"
Screen Size
Screen Size
5"
8+ MP
Camera
Camera
8+ MP
2540 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Digital Versus
Digital Versus

While the LG G2 Mini was clearly a rival to the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini and HTC One Mini, the G3 S is coming at things a little differently. It's avoiding direct competition with these phones' successors, the Galaxy S5 Mini and One Mini 2, by being a little larger, and therefore not appealing as much...

- Sofian Nouira, Digital Versus
The Indian Express
The Indian Express

While the device was launched in September, it was among the early handsets to offer 4G connectivity. The 4G modem seemed to be the only USP of the phone as rest of the spec sheet is average and I felt it to be overpriced. I feel the G3 Beat totally fails to justify its price. It’s a good...

- Debashis Sarkar, The Indian Express
The Indian Express
The Indian Express

While the device was launched in September, it was among the early handsets to offer 4G connectivity. The 4G modem seemed to be the only USP of the phone as rest of the spec sheet is average and I felt it to be overpriced. I feel the G3 Beat totally fails to justify its price. It’s a good look...

- Debashis Sarkar, The Indian Express
Fone Arena
Fone Arena

LG G3 Beat is already available in the market and is officially priced at INR 25,000. However, the device is up for grabs for about INR 17,000 in the market. Considering what the smartphone has got in store, the pricing is so last year.The good thing about the device is the design and the overall bu...

- Sunil Jamboor Nagesh, Fone Arena
TrustedReviews
TrustedReviews

An underwhelming downgrade to the LG G3. It's competent in most ways, but the camera isn't good enough for a phone at this price.

- Luke Johnson, TrustedReviews


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the LG G3 Beat user manual here.


LG backs up the G3 Beat with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your G3 Beat has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact LG support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find LG's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.




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Screen Size
5"

The LG G3 Beat's screen size is 5 inches with 1280 x 720 pixels resolution.

Processor
1.2 GHz

There is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 Quad core 1.2 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system (OS).

Camera
8+ MP

You can take photos with the phone's onboard 8+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 1+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
8 GB

Internal memory is 8 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
2540mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol), 2540 mAh battery. LG's performance ratings are 1050 minutes.

G3 Beat Specs

Overview
Release Date September 23, 2014
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System Android 4.4.2 KitKat

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 Quad core 1.2 GHz
Internal Storage 8 GB
RAM 1 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD Yes
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 1.07 W/kg
Body: 1.07 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual, Standard Battery
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Unknown
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Unknown
SIM card size
Micro-SIM
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared Yes
Bluetooth 4.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB)
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
8+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Face detection, Geotagging, Panorama, HDR
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV
Video Recording Parameters
Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
1+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 1280 x 720 pixels
Pixel Density 294 pixels
Size 5 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol)
Battery Capacity 2540 mAh
Removable Battery Yes
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Unknown
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Unknown
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Up to 1050 minutes
Standby Time Up to 26.5 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Plastic
Colors Metallic Black, Silk White, Shine Gold
Dimensions [H x W x D] 13.8 x 7 x 1 cm (5.4 x 2.8 x 0.4 in)
Weight 134 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key Yes
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA): LG G3 S, G3 Mini, G3 Vigor
Related Links Quick Start Guide (PDF)
Manual (PDF)
LG G3 Beat Reviews
Where to buy LG G3 Beat
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