Test: LG Q6: Stuck in the middle

Not everyone can afford to go all out when it comes to buying their next smartphone. And that’s why the midrange market is flourishing with attractive options. One of LG’s contributions to this space is the hand LG Q6. Let’s take a look at it.

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Modest and understated. There’s nothing outlandish about the Q6, except perhaps for the generous display (but we’ll get to that later). It’s compact and easily fits in one hand. Its frame is made out of aluminum with a shiny plastic back that curves off to the sides.  While it looks premium, the downside is it’s a fingerprint magnet and seems to scratch easily. It’s also a bit chunkier than other devices I’ve held recently but its small size makes up for this.

Like a baby G6. LG brings its FullVision display technology from the flagship G6 to this nearly bezel-less phone. The great thing about it is you get 5.5-inch display in what can be considered a 5.2-inch body. I like how the display rounds off at the edges and that you get great viewing angles from this phone. With the unusual yet popular 18:9 display aspect ratio, the phone lets you scale apps individually with this phone. It works for some and not for others—the best examples are games and videos. The phone will let you toggle between aspect ratios to see which one works for you.

Missing pieces. Where we think LG drops the ball with the Q6 is in one key feature: the lack of a fingerprint scanner. The security feature is seen in a lot of the phones made by its competitors, even at this price range. While LG includes face unlock here, that isn’t exactly the most secure method to unlock the phone. I’d still rather tap to wake the device and input a pin, password, or pattern. The Q6 also doesn’t come with USB Type-C port or dual camera setup but I’m more forgiving of these, especially considering its price point.

On the performance front. Don’t expect to push the boundaries in terms of performance with the Q6. I didn’t have any trouble with app switching and regular use with this one. I didn’t feel the phone overheat either. But I would notice it buckle every now and then. Don’t expect it to take on graphic intensive games either. If those aren’t your thing, then you should be fine. Speaker is pretty loud and decent on this phone but since it’s rear-firing you’ll muffle the sound if you place the phone on a desk.

Hit or miss. Photography isn’t the strongest suit of this device. While decent, don’t expect it to blow you away. You get decent amount of details in landscapes and macros, if you’re in brightly lit areas. It’ll be hit or miss in low light situations. Focusing is fast but make sure to tap the desired area you want to focus on to make sure it gets it right. The front-facing camera produces decent enough selfies but nothing too remarkable. But if you do want to fit more people into a shot, this comes with a wide-angle mode.

Just enough for a day. Without USB Type-C port, charging time is close to two hours and a half for the 3,000mAh battery. You can get a good solid work day out of this phone but nothing more or less.

VERDICT

If having a big quality display on a compact device is your biggest requirement, the LG Q6 might be worth a look at.