LG Magna (H502F) Review: An Inexpensive Curved Screen Smartphone. Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device

On our channel there were reviews of flagships from LG, it's time to talk about budget models. Today we will talk about the curved "budget" from LG. At a price of 13,000 rubles (the price at the time of writing the review, the current price, of course, you can’t say that we have a budget model, but these are modern realities. How strongly they bent budget smartphone? In fact, the curvature is minimal, it is almost invisible when compared with the Lg G flex 2. When using a smartphone, it is almost invisible. But it is, it is a striking feature of the LG Magna smartphone.

In general, the screen is quite good. Its diagonal is 5 inches, which has already become the standard for the vast majority of smartphones. Technology IPS screen, HD resolution. The screen does not cause bad feelings, the pixels are not visible. In the sun, readability is normal, the smartphone is not a champion in brightness, but, in general, the impressions from the screen remained more than positive. The icons on the desktops and in the menu are large, the font is large, so it is not so a high resolution for LG Magna is normal.

An interesting thing came out. The device runs on the Android 5 operating system. And she got to the budget, which is good news. True, we did not find any obvious improvements, it does not differ much from previous versions. Only the updated design catches the eye. LG has implemented such an interesting feature as viewing the time when the screen is locked. Looks impressive. To see the time, you need to swipe from top to bottom. Otherwise, the launcher has not changed much, all the "chips" that were before are here. It was disappointing that there was no way to put applications and games on a memory card, it seems like this feature is standard for the fifth Android. Unfortunately LG Magna refuted these thoughts. True, we have a non-commercial sample, from the Moscow office of LG, it is likely that smartphones will go on sale with the ability to install a cache from games on a memory card)

The smartphone of fans of 4G networks will upset, LG Magna does not work with them. But all other networks are there and work perfectly. Thank you LG for sticking with FM radio. The GPS chip does not work brilliantly, it's average. In ten minutes, the smartphone was able to catch only 9 satellites and take 7 to work. The smartphone works with two SIM-cards, but that's good! Often this is a convenient option.

The smartphone and gamers will not please. Therefore, if you wanted to take this smartphone for games, then you will be disappointed here. Performance tests produced the following results:

• Bonsai Benchmark 18fps,
• Antutu 18000 points

As you can see, the results are not very high. Especially when you consider that it is almost the middle of 2015 in the yard. Such results were shown by smartphones for a long time. All this thanks to the MediaTek MT6582 processor, (4 cores 1.3 GHz), the Mali-400 MP2 chip and random access memory 1GB RAM. These guys need to say "thank you" for such performance. After all, if the hardware were a little more powerful, LG Magna could be considered ideal. With everyday tasks, the smartphone copes very well. Well, "light" games will also pull. There are no complaints here. Memory is not enough here, only 8 GB (+ microSD up to 32 GB). More than half is allocated to the system, and the cache from games cannot be put on a memory card. In general, we remember that this is a budget model and move on.

Average results showed the battery of the smartphone. The battery and its operating time is a very important indicator. 6 hours 10 minutes LG Magna played video at maximum brightness. At medium loads, the battery, whose capacity is 2540 mAh, will support the “life” of the smartphone for a little more than a day. Two won't last.

The cameras left an ambiguous opinion about themselves.

Both shoot not very well, but still the device is not a flagship. See below how the 8 megapixel main camera and the 5 megapixel front camera shoot, which, by the way, has not forgotten how to shoot by hand gesture. In addition, acquired a flash mode. As such, there is no flash on the front camera, but when shooting, the screen turns white, which illuminates your face when photographing. Both cameras record fullHD video.

Finally, let's talk about the appearance. The design is good. The curvature of the display is definitely a feature. The weight of the device is 137 grams. It feels like the assembly is good, the materials are simple. It turned out to be a nice smartphone, the bezels around the display are thin. The oleophobic coating is not very helpful, the screen collects fingers. The smartphone has two microphones: bottom and top. The headphone jack is located at the top. The sound in the headphones, traditionally for LG devices, is very good and of high quality. At the bottom is a connector for connecting to a PC. All control buttons are located on the back near the camera. For LG, this is a distinctive feature. A few words about the dynamics: located at the back, the sound is loud and clear.

It's time to take stock. The smartphone is not bad, even considering its price, it left a good impression on us. As a non-gaming device, the option is excellent. It's definitely worth considering when buying.

Pros of LG Magna:

• good screen,
• headphone sound,
• flexibility in system settings for yourself, the launcher is on top.

Cons of LG Magna:

• Performance could be better.

LG Magna Features:

• Curvature of the screen and case,
• control buttons on the back
• notification sensor,
• lock and unlock with a double tap.

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of a particular device, if any.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, suggested colors, certificates.

Width Width information refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	69.9 mm (millimeters) 6.99 cm (centimeters) 0.23 ft 2.75in
Height Height information refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	139.6 mm (millimeters) 13.96 cm (centimeters) 0.46 ft 5.5in
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement.	10.1 mm (millimeters) 1.01 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft 0.4in
The weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	137 g (grams) 0.3 lbs 4.83oz
Volume Approximate volume of the device, calculated from dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	98.56 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 5.99 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	White The black Golden Blue
Housing materials The materials used to make the body of the device.	Plastic

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

Mobile technologies and data rates

Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out through technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

The operating system is the system software that manages and coordinates the operation of the hardware components in the device.

SoC (System on a Chip)

System on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device in one chip.

SoC (System on a Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	MediaTek MT6582
Technological process Information about technological process on which the chip is made. The value in nanometers measures half the distance between the elements in the processor.	28 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications.	ARM Cortex-A7
Processor bit depth The bit depth (bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance than 32-bit processors, which, in turn, are more productive than 16-bit processors.	32 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands by which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv7
First level cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently accessed data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small and much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for them in the L2 cache. With some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.	32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes)
Second level cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1, but in return it has a larger capacity, allowing more data to be cached. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or RAM.	512 kB (kilobytes) 0.5 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores The processor core executes program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing many instructions to be executed in parallel.	4
Processor clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	1300 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. AT mobile devices ah it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc.	ARM Mali-400 MP2
Number of GPU cores Like the CPU, the GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle the graphical calculations of different applications.	2
GPU clock speed Speed ​​is the clock speed of the GPU and is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	500 MHz (megahertz)
The amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost when the device is turned off or restarted.	1 GB (gigabytes)
Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels means higher data rates.	single channel
RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its speed, more specifically, the speed of reading / writing data.	533 MHz (megahertz)

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has a built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed amount.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends.	IPS
Diagonal For mobile devices, the screen size is expressed in terms of its diagonal length, measured in inches.	5 in 127 mm (millimeters) 12.7 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate Screen Width	2.45in 62.26 mm (millimeters) 6.23 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate Screen Height	4.36in 110.69 mm (millimeters) 11.07 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.778:1 16:9
Permission Screen resolution indicates the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means sharper image detail.	720 x 1280 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be shown on the screen in clearer detail.	294 ppi (pixels per inch) 115ppm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for the color components in a single pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen space on the front of the device.	70.86% (percentage)
Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen.	capacitive Multitouch

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that are recognized by the mobile device.

Main camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the case and is used for taking photos and videos.

Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take pictures. The sensor, as well as the optics, is one of the main factors in the quality of a camera in a mobile device.	CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor)
Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture is larger.	f/2.4
Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile devices cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes give a softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting.	LED
Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which indicates the number of pixels in the horizontal and vertical direction of an image.	3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution for video recording by the device.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard shooting and video playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p.	30 fps (frames per second)
Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality.	autofocus Burst shooting digital zoom geo tags panoramic shooting HDR shooting Touch focus Face recognition Adjusting the white balance ISO setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode

Additional camera

Additional cameras are usually mounted above the screen of the device and are mainly used for video calls, gesture recognition, etc.

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about navigation and location technologies supported by the device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for short distance data transmission between different devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between different types of devices over short distances.

Version There are several Bluetooth versions, with each subsequent one improving communication speed, coverage, making it easier to discover and connect devices. Information about the Bluetooth version of the device.	4.1
Characteristics Bluetooth uses different profiles and protocols for faster data transfer, power savings, better device discovery, and more. Some of the profiles and protocols that the device supports are shown here.	A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) AVRCP (Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile) ftp ( File Transfer profile) GAP (Generic Access Profile) HFP (Hands Free Profile) HID (Human Interface Profile) HSP (Headset Profile) OPP (Object Push Profile) PBAP/PAB (Phone Book Access Profile) SPP (Serial Port Protocol)

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to communicate.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Browser Information about some of the key features and standards supported by the device's browser.

HTML HTML5 CSS 3

Audio file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support various audio file formats and codecs that store and encode/decode digital audio data, respectively.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support various video file formats and codecs, which store and encode/decode digital video data, respectively.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge they need to function.

Capacity The capacity of a battery indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliamp-hours.	2540 mAh (milliamp-hours)
Type of The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more specifically, by the chemicals used. Exist different types batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries most commonly used in mobile devices.	Li-Ion (Li-Ion)
Talk time 2G Talk time in 2G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 2G network.	10 h (hours) 600 min (minutes) 0.4 days
2G standby time The 2G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network.	350 h (hours) 21000 min (minutes) 14.6 days
3G talk time Talk time in 3G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 3G network.	10 h (hours) 600 min (minutes) 0.4 days
3G standby time The 3G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network.	350 h (hours) 21000 min (minutes) 14.6 days
Characteristics Information about some additional features device battery.	Removable

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

SAR levels refer to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.

SAR level for head (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum permissible value The SAR for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines.	0.557 W/kg (watt per kilogram)
Body SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum allowed SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines and IEC standards.	0.608 W/kg (watt per kilogram)
Head SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. The maximum value used in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are controlled by the CTIA and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values.	0.733 W/kg (watt per kilogram)
Body SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest acceptable SAR value in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA controls whether mobile devices comply with this standard.	0.826 W/kg (watt per kilogram)

Choosing a mobile device to use is not as easy as it seems. Modern market technology is teeming different phones. Therefore, you have to carefully study each model before making a purchase. Next, you have to figure out what LG Magna is. Anyone can leave reviews about this device. Therefore, you should not believe everything that is written. Nevertheless, the opinions of the owners help to evaluate the quality of the mobile phone as a whole. What are its features to pay attention to?

Short description

LG Magna is a modern middle class mobile phone. You can’t call it an ideal gadget, but the model has its advantages. This device is interesting for its name. The thing is that Magna in Latin means "great". Is it so?

The device was first shown at the Mobile World Congress in 2015. Then it appeared along with the rest of the offspring of LG - Leon, Spirit and Joy. All these gadgets are perceived as a whole line from LJ. And LG Magna is the most attractive smartphone in it.

By modern standards, the gadget has good characteristics and reasonable price. All this makes the device attractive to the consumer. The following will be discussed in more detail about "LG Magna". This phone perfect for those who want to keep up with the times!

Characteristics

It is worth starting with a brief description of the characteristics of the device. An important point to which many pay attention. What are the characteristics of LG Magna? Customer reviews emphasize that, in general, the capabilities of the device do not leave indifferent even the most picky user.

The gadget is endowed with the following properties and capabilities:

• 5 inch screen;
• MediaTek MT6582 processor for 4 cores;
• operating system "Android 5.0.1 Lolipop";
• 1 GB RAM;
• built-in space of 8 GB;
• the ability to connect an additional microSD memory card;
• support for 2G and 3G networks;
• WiFi;
• Bluetooth 4.1;
• support for multiple SIM cards;
• 2 cameras (rear and front);
• proximity and lighting sensors;
• the presence of LED flash;
• Li-On battery.

Based on this description, we can conclude that LG Magna is a good mobile phone. You can't call it perfect, but for many people it's great.

Dimensions and weight

LG Magna, reviews of which confirm its good capabilities, is a smartphone that pleases with its size. It is not much different from most modern mobile phones. Nevertheless, almost everyone can work with such a device. The dimensions of the gadget are 140 x 70 x 10.1 mm.

The device does not weigh too much. Nevertheless, this is enough to detect the loss of LG Magna from your pocket. The weight of the phone is only 136 grams. Therefore, you can not call the smartphone ultra-light. Rather normal by today's standards.

View and convenience

The smartphone earns a variety. In appearance, the phone resembles its counterparts from the line presented at the 2015 exhibition. Along the axis (horizontal), the gadget has a curved design that gives the device an interesting look. What else makes a smartphone stand out? The screen of the device is actually not too curved, but outwardly one gets the impression that the phone has the shape of an arc. This result is due to the plastic side bezel, which has a more curved shape than the display. The corners of the mobile phone are rounded, which gives it a sophisticated look. It is very convenient to hold such a phone in your hand.

The back panel of the gadget is completely removable. The case is non-marking, fingerprints are invisible on it. LG Magna, reviews of which users leave for the most part positive, is made of plastic. The body covers all back, as well as the sides of the device. On the side of the lid there is a special ledge that makes it easy to detach the lid from the device. Under her standard set connectors and slots - for SIM cards (Micro-Sim), as well as for an additional memory card. The battery is non-removable. It is noted that in order to replace the SIM card, you still have to restart the phone.

The front panel has proximity and light sensors. The front camera is also located here. The rear panel is located on the back of the device. At the bottom of the gadget there is a connector for connecting to USB, at the top - a standard headset jack.

In general, LG Magna receives positive reviews for its design. The gadget is made with the standard touches of minimalism, which give it sophistication. Nothing extra. Working with the studied smartphone is also very simple.

Display

LG Magna is an IPS-matrix phone with In-Cell Touch technology. As already mentioned, the diagonal of the smartphone is 5 inches. This is a normal indicator for modern mobile devices. The resolution of the display is 1280 x 720 pixels, and the pixel density is 294 ppi.

The viewing angle of the device only pleases - at almost any angle the image is not distorted and looks even. All this - despite the curvature of the display. Brightness and contrast are also impressive. The color reproduction of LG Magna is close to reality. The only drawback is that the white color has a warm tone bias. Using your phone in bright light or sunlight is easy!

Multitouch technology allows the smartphone to process 10 touches at once. It provides auto tuning brightness. You can adjust it yourself. But the display settings are missing.

Ergonomics

LG Magna H502F earns positive reviews for the fact that the device, as already mentioned, lies pleasantly in the hand. All elements of the phone give it elegance. When talking, the curved screen makes itself felt - it literally "hugs" the owner of the device.

The button block is located on the back of the device. It is comfortable for both right-handers and left-handers. These features will seem a bit unusual for those who are used to working with a mobile phone using the buttons on the side panels.

The plastic from which the device is made is pleasant to the touch. It's made for metal. Everything about the LG Magna fits together perfectly. The ergonomics of the gadget is on top!

Operating system

LG Magna, reviews of which emphasize its functionality, is running the Android 5.0.1 Lolipop operating system. The interface as a whole is not much different from phones with a similar OS. However, the software has some features. It is noted that the proposed Android looks too simple. Even too much.

The notification panel, for example, has changed - now it is two separate blocks: quick settings (top) and notifications (bottom). You can see system messages on the lock screen. There is a quick access to dialing.

The home screen can be customized to the owner's preferences. There are two modes - normal and Easy Home, which looks extremely simple. Touch buttons and panel color can be customized.

Phone LG Magna receives mixed reviews for the simplicity of the "Settings" menu. On the one hand, the owners are pleased that in the gadget all the options are divided into several sections - "Networks", "Display", "General" and so on. On the other hand, a too simple interface is somewhat repulsive.

cameras

A modern telephone is a multifunctional device. And The Great is no exception. This smartphone has several cameras - rear (8 MP) and front (5 MP). The second does not have a separate flash and autofocus. But for selfies and video calls, it's great. Do good shots You can use the rear camera. It also has an "Autofocus" function and its own flash. The camera options are not much different from previous LGs.

LG Magna H502 receives positive reviews for having only one standard shooting mode. This greatly simplifies the work with the camera. Shooting video is also pleased - the autofocus adjusts quickly here, which allows you to get a clear image at the output.

The sharpness and detail of the picture - these are the strengths of the phone LG Magna H502. Feedback Highlight Good work noise reduction. It is emphasized that there are noises in photos and videos, but they are insignificant. However, the camera is not suitable for artistic shooting. It brings color reproduction.

About performance

The LG Magna Gold isn't getting the best reviews for its performance. The device is equipped with a good processor, but it is already outdated. Its bit depth is only 1.3 GHz. The high speed of the gadget is achieved due to the built-in accelerator. Connection external devices LG Magna phone is not supported.

Memory, as already mentioned, is not allocated too much. You can expand the space by connecting an additional 32 GB memory card. Despite this, some have successfully inserted 64 GB cards into LG Magna. There is not much RAM in the phone, but this is enough for normal work with the device. You will have to part with modern programs and games - the outdated processor of the "Great" will not be able to cope with the load.

The test results of the gadget showed that the performance of LG Magna is below average. Smartphone is ideal for work and study. But for games, not so much. You can surf the Internet, watch videos or just listen to music on your phone without any problems.

Price

It is clear what reviews the LG Magna receives approximately. Buyers are pleased with the price of the gadget. As was emphasized, Magna belongs to the middle class of mobile devices. Therefore, the price tag for the device cannot be called budget. But he is not tall either.

On average, the phone will cost 7-8 thousand rubles. Neither more nor less. It is the very low cost that is often emphasized by the owners as its advantage. It makes no sense to pay 15,000 rubles for another smartphone with similar characteristics. Price and quality in the studied model have an excellent match.

Results

Now it’s clear what the LG Magna H502F smartphone is. He gets mixed reviews. This phone looks good. It will interest people who appreciate minimalism. The gadget looks stylish and fashionable.

In general, LG Magna (we reviewed reviews about it in this article) is a modern middle-class phone. He, as was emphasized, is well suited for work or study. But due to low performance, you should not count on the device as a gaming one. Not the most powerful processor and a small amount of RAM make themselves felt.

LG Magna (titanium) gets good reviews for its price. No need to pay for quality phone allowing you to take good pictures! It is also suitable for Internet surfing or reading.

Your attention was presented to the phone called LG Magna. Characteristics, customer reviews and expert assessments - this is what will not raise any questions now. How good is the gadget? This should be assessed by everyone for themselves. AT in general terms device does not have significant shortcomings, except for the old processor and little RAM. For a mid-range phone, LG Magna is a very good option!

The struggle for the buyer forces companies to look for new ways to attract attention. Some manufacturers are trying to change the design and materials of the case, others are going in a more traditional way, trying to increase the performance and offer the maximum for the money. In early 2015, LG, with their inexpensive models LG Magna and Spirit can be attributed to the first group, because the main feature of these smartphones is a slightly curved screen. Today we'll take a look at the top model in the lineup, LG Magna, and try to figure out if a curved screen really improves the usability of an inexpensive smartphone.

Design and usability

LG Magna has a traditional design for the company. Compared to the previous generation of smartphones, the appearance of the novelty resembles the company's latest flagships - and, probably, the G4, which we will see on April 28th.

The case has become more rectangular, and the front panel is still the same minimalistic. Under the screen there is a manufacturer's logo, on top there is a small mesh of the earpiece, a set of sensors, a camera and a light indicator. The sides have become almost flat, but there are no control keys on them, they are still on the back - the experiment turned out to be quite successful, they even decided to follow this example.

LG has slightly curved the screen and lid, but the internal construction remains flat and the body is collapsible. The cover is fastened on the usual small latches, under it are a removable battery, slots for two MicroSIMs and memory cards. They can be changed without removing the battery, but after replacing the SIM card, the phone will still have to be rebooted.

The back cover is stylized as metal with a characteristic striped texture, but to the touch it is smooth and feels like plastic. LG Magna exists in four body colors: white, gold, titanium and blue, but the latter will not be supplied to the Ukrainian market, at least for the first time.

We got a pre-series test sample, but we have no complaints even about its assembly - the parts fit well, nothing creaks, dangles or bends. Case dimensions are typical for modern five-inch smartphones. Only the thickness of 10.2 mm is slightly knocked out, but it does not attract too much attention. The LG Magna feels ordinary, not fat.

LG Leon and LG Magna

The company considers the best ergonomics to be the advantages of the curved screen. True, it is made up of several factors at once. The first is a slightly rounded back cover, so the smartphone fits better in the hand. The second is the screen itself, which is a little closer to the fingertips when the user tries to reach the top edge.

In my opinion, the improvement in ergonomics turned out to be nominal, because the radius of curvature of the screen is as much as 3000 mm, while the G Flex 2 has a similar figure of 700 mm. Simply put, the cherished bend turned out to be hardly noticeable, and the upper edge of the screen is literally a millimeter closer. That's why leading role the ease of use of LG Magna is played by the size and shape of the case. Since everything is in order with them, the smartphone turned out to be quite convenient.

Another advantage is the increased durability of the curved screen, which allows you to survive accidental drops of the smartphone on hard surfaces without consequences, but we decided not to test this feature.

Display

LG Magna received a 5-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1280 by 720 pixels. Its brightness ranges from 16 to 409 cd/m², and its measured contrast ratio is 1 to 632. Compared to all of last year's non-flagship LG smartphones, Magna brings three major innovations.

The first is, of course, the curved screen. The second is the absence of an air gap between the glass and the matrix. The third one is the sensor. automatic brightness. If we discard such sarcasm, it turns out that we have a very good HD-screen. The real innovation is only the curvature, especially since the company used to bend OLED matrices, and now a similar trick has succeeded with LCDs.

A small bend, as in the case of ergonomics, practically does not affect the visual perception of the image, psychology is more important here. In general, we have a normal screen for its class. It has a wide range of brightness adjustment, which is sufficient for any lighting conditions, properly working auto-brightness control, pleasant natural color reproduction, good factory calibration quality and maximum viewing angles. But LG has one improvement in store for future smartphones. Judging by the test sample of LG Magna, the model did not receive an oleophobic screen coating, the glass still actively collects fingerprints, which will have to be wiped carefully.

Hardware platform

From the point of view of the hardware platform, the model does not present any surprises, or those are unpleasant. The heart of the smartphone is MediaTek chipset MT6582 (4x Cortex-A7, Mali-400 GPU) with 1GB RAM, 8GB ROM and microSD slot. 64-bit hardware platforms still go to the "more expensive" models.

This fact is a little frustrating, because out of the box LG Magna runs under Android control 5.0.1 Lollipop, all the benefits of which should be revealed paired with fresh hardware. Benchmark results can be called expected, for the previous year the platform used was one of the most popular at the beginning of the middle price range.

Another question - how does the new software work in tandem with a platform that is not the first freshness? Judging by the test sample - far from in the best way. If the desktops and menus scroll smoothly, then the overall performance is at an average level. From time to time, it is noticeable how the list of running applications opens longer than expected, some simple program, for example, a Twitter or Instagram client, can take a long time to start. On the other hand, Motorola Moto G with comparable hardware runs on Android 5.0 in a similar way (but still faster), which suggests that the problem lies primarily in the dampness of the latest version of the Android OS. After launching applications, there are no complaints about their work, everything works as quickly and responsively as on Android KitKat.

To work GPS modules and Wi-Fi in the test sample, there were no comments. LG Magna can be praised for the quality implementation of telephone functionality. The smartphone supports simultaneous operation of two MicroSIMs in standby mode, any of the cards can be used for data transfer. There are no comments on the quality of network signal reception. The call speaker was loud. It sounds without noticeable volume, but it is clear and it is perfectly audible from pockets or the next room. The speaker is also of high quality, with a volume margin above average. A vibrating alert can be called strong, it is well felt in the pockets of trousers.

The quality of music playback in the usual modern smartphones level. The sound is quite detailed and without extraneous noise, there is a good volume margin, an equalizer - this will suit most ordinary users.

Operating system and shell

The new version of the Android operating system has brought minimal changes to the proprietary LG UX interface, so the overall shell looks the same as before.

The type of notifications in the curtain has changed, the list of recently launched applications looks like in stock Android 5.0. Lock screen notifications look similar to Lollipop, but work the same way. By Android default 5.0 allows you to hide notifications from the screen or open the corresponding application by double-tapping on a message, but LG has kept the principle of work from KitKat. You can remove the notification from the lock screen with a swipe, but to launch the application, you must first tap the notification once, and then swipe the unlock area at the bottom of the screen.

Among the innovations from LG, it is worth noting the Glance View function. In order to see the time and date, it is enough to swipe down on the turned off screen. In this case, it will light up top part screen with a clock, and as soon as you lift your finger from the screen, it will immediately turn off.

Working hours

The LG Magna has a 2540 mAh removable battery. It turns out to be enough to work for two days at an average load with 3-4 hours of active screen, which can be considered a good indicator for modern smartphones.

cameras

The smartphone received two cameras. The main one has a resolution of 8 megapixels, autofocus and flash. Front camera 5 MP.

The camera app is similar to last year's LG smartphones. It has a simple interface and minimum available settings, while there is a handy shooting mode where you can select the subject you want to focus on and immediately take a picture.

Pictures from the main camera are of high quality, as for a smartphone costing $ 240, but with poor lighting traditional problems are observed - focusing time increases, photo quality decreases.

The front camera has received fashionable selfie shooting modes: you can take a picture by saying "Cheeese", "Whiskey" or other commands by clenching your fist in the frame. Photos from the front camera are of sufficient quality, but they cannot be called outstanding - by modern standards they are just good.

Results

The LG Magna looks like a facelift of last season's models. In fact, the company used the old platform, slightly changed appearance and tried to “spice up” the resulting smartphone curved screen and the latest version of Android. main feature models - a curved screen, in fact, plays a very small role, because it does not provide noticeable improvements in ergonomics or phenomenal image quality. The practical plus in the form of increased strength is quite difficult to verify in practice, because the glass has not become completely unbreakable, it is just a little stronger now, but in real falls, your luck will still play the main role. Android 5.0.1 Lollipop still works worse on simple smartphones than KitKat on similar hardware, so the new version of the OS turns out to be a double-edged sword - users will have to wait for new editions of the system. Fortunately, this will surely happen, because last year's models (LG G3, G3 s, L90) have already received a "lollipop".

For those who are not accustomed to analyzing every technical nuance, LG Magna may be a good choice. After all, a nice body, high-quality speakers, normal cameras and autonomy cannot be taken away from him.

Liked:

Pleasant body

Normal color reproduction and screen brightness

autonomy

2 SIM cards, loud speakers, perceptible vibration alert

Did not like:

- No oleophobic screen coating, subtle bending

- Last year's hardware platform, 8 GB of internal memory

- The speed of Android 5.0 Lollipop on existing hardware (probably will be fixed)

	LG H502F Magna (Titan) Notify when available
Type of	Smartphone
SIM card type	Micro SIM
Standard	GSM, WCDMA
High speed data transfer	GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+
Number of SIM cards	2
Operating system	Android 5.0 (Lollipop)
RAM, GB	1
Built-in memory, GB	8
Expansion slot	microSD/SDHC (up to 32 GB)
Dimensions, mm	139.7×69.8×10.2
Weight, g	no data
Protection against dust and moisture	—
Accumulator battery	2540 mAh (removable)
Operating time (manufacturer's data)	no data
Diagonal, inches	5
Permission	1280x720
Matrix type	True IPS
PPI	294
Brightness sensor	+
Touch screen (type)	touch (capacitive)
Other	curved display
CPU	MediaTek MT6582 + GPU Mali-400MP2
Kernel type	Cortex-A7
Number of Cores	4
Frequency, GHz	1,3
Main camera, MP	8
autofocus	+
Video filming	+
Flash	LED
Front camera, MP	5
Other	photo with a simple gesture, one-touch shooting, front camera illumination
WiFi	802.11b/g/n
Bluetooth	4.1
GPS	+ (A-GPS)
IrDA	—
NFC	—
interface connector	USB 2.0 (micro USB)
Audio jack	3.5mm
MP3 player	+
FM radio	+
Type of shell	monoblock (collapsible)
Housing material	plastic
Keyboard type	screen input
More	proximity sensor, accelerometer, A-GPS receiver, vibrating alert, curved body

LG's new line of mid-range smartphones, including the Magna, Spirit and Leon models, was first unveiled in early March as part of the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC). Combining good-for-its-class specifications with premium design elements such as a curved display and rear-facing controls (originally featured on LG flagships), the new budget line managed to achieve a balance of style and practicality and gain popularity among users.

The eldest in this line is the LG Magna model. The smartphone is really comfortable to hold in your hand thanks to the curved body and the display with a radius of curvature of 3000 mm. LG Magna, which means “great” in Latin, is equipped with a quad-core processor and a 5-inch HD IPS display, which, according to the developers, will work even with broken glass thanks to In-Cell Touch technology, usually used in premium models. The device turned out to be quite interesting, especially considering its not so high price by modern market standards. So, it's time to get to know this model better.

Key Features of LG Magna (LG H502)

	LG Magna	Sony Xperia E4	Lenovo S90	samsung galaxy A5	Philips S398
Screen	5" IPS	5" IPS	5", Super AMOLED	5″ Super AMOLED	5" IPS
Permission	1280×720, 294 ppi	960×540, 220ppi	1280×720, 294 ppi	1280×720, 294 ppi	1280×720, 294 ppi
SoC		MediaTek MT6582 (4x ARM Cortex-A7 @1.3GHz)	Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (4x ARM Cortex-A53) @1.2GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (4x Cortex-A53) @1.2GHz	MediaTek MT6582 (4x ARM Cortex-A7 @1.3GHz)
GPU	Mali 400MP	Mali-400MP	Adreno 306	Adreno 306	Mali 400MP
RAM	1 GB	1 GB	2 GB	2 GB	1 GB
Flash memory	8 GB	8 GB	32 GB	16 GB	8 GB
Memory card support	microSD	microSD	—	microSD	microSD
Operating system	Google Android 5.0	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.4
Battery	removable, 2540 mAh	non-removable, 2300 mAh	non-removable, 2300 mAh	non-removable, 2300 mAh	removable, 2040 mAh
cameras	rear (8 MP; video 1080p), front (5 MP)	rear (5 MP; video 1080p), front (2 MP)	rear (13 MP; video 1080p), front (8 MP)	rear (13 MP; video 1080p), front (5 MP)	rear (8 MP; video 1080p), front (2 MP)
Dimensions and weight	140×70×10.1mm, 136g	137×75×10.5mm, 146g	146×72×6.9mm, 129g	139×70×6.7mm, 123g	144×71×9.65mm, 170g
average price	T-12413672	T-12117545	T-11964162	T-12323116	T-11744036
Offers LG Magna	L-12413672-10

• SoC MediaTek MT6582, 1.3 GHz, 4 cores ARM Cortex-A7
• GPU Mali 400MP
• Operating system Android 5.0.1
• Touchscreen IPS, 5″, 1280×720, 294 ppi
• Random access memory (RAM) 1 GB, internal memory 8 GB
• Map support microSD memory up to 32 GB
• Micro-SIM support (2 pcs.)
• Communication 2G: GSM 900/1800 MHz
• 3G communication: WCDMA 900/2100 MHz
• Data transmission 2G, 3G (HSDPA+, up to 21 Mbps)
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz), Wi-Fi hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct
• Bluetooth 4.1
• GPS (A-GPS)
• Camera 8 MP, autofocus, LED flash
• Camera 5 MP (front), fixed. focus
• Proximity sensor, light sensor, accelerometer
• Removable battery 2540 mAh
• Dimensions 140×70×10.1 mm
• Weight 136 g

Appearance and usability

LG Magna is really like two drops of water similar in shape and design to its older counterparts from the top line (up to size, of course). The device received the same design curved along the horizontal axis, which initially appeared in unusual models of a special subfamily G Flex, and later representatives of the main flagship series (LG G4) also flaunted a curved screen.

In the time that has passed since the release of the first curved G Flex model, this design has changed a lot: the corners have sharpened significantly, the rear power button that initially protruded into the body has been recessed, and the entire hardware control unit has evolved noticeably. In this regard, the LG Magna is similar to the latest representatives of the family with curved screens, such as the G Flex 2 and G4.

However, the screen itself at Magna is curved just slightly, the radius of its curvature here is as much as 3000 mm. However, in appearance, the smartphone seems to be much more curved, both from the side of the screen and from the back. Such visual effect achieved by the black plastic side bezel, which has a much more curved shape than the case itself. Being the most visible and conspicuous design element, it is he who gives the impression that the smartphone body is curved much more than it actually is.

The bezel itself, by the way, does not have a glossy and easily soiled coating, like the same LG G4, but a matte and not shiny one, but its surface is still slippery enough to hold in your fingers. At the same time, the body of the smartphone remains mostly non-staining, fingerprints are visible only on the display glass. In terms of dimensions, the LG Magna is a typical representative of today's five-inch smartphones, not too big, not too heavy and not too thick.

Most of the case is made up of a removable plastic cover, which almost completely covers not only the back, but also all the sidewalls, that is, all the holes for access to the connectors located on the ends are made in it. The lid has a fairly thick profile, and due to its shape in the form of a solid trough, it turns out to be completely inflexible.

At the same time, the cover can be easily removed from the case - for this, there is a small ledge under the nail on the side. Under the cover, you can find a standard set of slots: two for Micro-SIM SIM cards, and the third for a microSD memory card. The battery here is removable, it does not prop up the cards, but their hot replacement is still impossible, you will have to reboot the smartphone.

On the outer side of the rear panel of the device, the camera window, the eye of a single LED flash and the speaker grille are habitually located. It should be noted that all listed items designed in a single "square" style, unlike, say, the same LG G4: here even the openings of the grill covering the speaker are square. The grille falls on the curved edge of the case, so the sound of the smartphone lying on a hard surface is practically not muffled.

The surface of the cover around the buttons has a textured appearance of roughly sanded metal. The surface is non-marking and not very slippery. The buttons themselves are slightly recessed and have an even rougher texture, so they're easy to grope blindly. The buttons have a standard purpose: the central key fulfills the inclusion and blocking of the smartphone, and the other two, top and bottom, are responsible for volume control. Extended features of the block of hardware buttons provide additional functionality in control: a long hold on the top button launches the Qmemo application, the bottom button activates the camera.

The front side of the smartphone is completely covered with a protective glass, which was given a slightly curved shape. Glass, it should be noted, has only weakly expressed grease-repellent properties: it is covered with fingerprints quickly, and it is difficult to clean. In the upper part above the screen in the glass, you can find a slot for the speaker, taken away by a metal grill. Nearby you can see the peephole of the front camera and sensors. Also located here is led indicator alerts, luminous different colors- its functions are regulated in the corresponding settings section.

There are no touch buttons below the screen, they have moved to the screen. The block with virtual buttons can be customized as you wish, that is, you can rearrange the buttons in a more user-friendly sequence, remove, add, and even change the color of the block from white to black.

The connectors are located on both ends of the case: an audio output (3.5 mm minijack) for headphones is on the top end, Micro-USB is on the bottom. Connecting to a USB port OTG mode The smartphone does not support wireless charging either. There is no attachment for a strap on the case.

As for the possibility of choosing a color, here the developers showed a little imagination: in addition to the quite usual white color, there are two more that look more attractive. Thanks to the shiny paint with a surface textured like rough-sanded metal, the gold and titanium cases really look like metal, even more expensive than they really are.

Screen

Smartphone LG Magna is equipped with an IPS-matrix, made using In-Cell Touch technology. The screen dimensions are 62 × 110 mm, the diagonal is 5 inches, the resolution is 1280 × 720 pixels. The pixel density is 294 ppi.

The width of the frame from the edge of the screen to the edge of the body is only about 3 mm on the sides, 12 mm on the top, and 17 mm on the bottom, so the frame looks quite thin.

The brightness of the display can be adjusted manually, or you can use automatic adjustment based on the operation of the light sensor. The multi-touch technology here allows you to handle 10 simultaneous touches. When you bring the smartphone to your ear, the screen is locked using the proximity sensor. The screen can be activated by double tapping on the glass.

A detailed examination using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the "Monitors" and "Projectors and TV" sections Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the test sample.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are no worse than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected in the off screens (on the left is Nexus 7, on the right is LG Magna, then they can be distinguished by size):

The screen of the LG Magna is a bit darker (brightness in photos is 104 versus 111 for the Nexus 7). The ghosting of reflected objects in the LG Magna screen is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the screen layers (more specifically, between the outer glass and the surface of the LCD matrix) (OGS type screen - One Glass Solution). Due to the smaller number of borders (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of strong external illumination, but their repair in case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be changed. LG indicates that the technology used in this case is In Cell Touch, that is, the touch sensor is integrated into the LCD matrix, this reduces the number of layers in the screen. In theory, such a screen device can improve anti-glare properties and increase efficiency (brightness) due to fewer reflections between layers. On the outer surface of the screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (in terms of efficiency worse than that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed more easily, and appear at a slower rate than in the case of ordinary glass.

With manual brightness control and with a white field displayed in full screen, the maximum brightness value was 452 cd/m², the minimum was 17 cd/m². The maximum brightness is high, which means that, given the excellent anti-glare properties of the screen, readability even on a sunny day outdoors should be at a good level. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. There is an automatic brightness control according to the light sensor (it is located to the left of the front camera eye). In automatic mode, when the ambient light conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. This function depends on the position of the brightness slider. If it is at 100%, then in complete darkness, the automatic brightness adjustment function reduces the brightness to 17 cd / m² (normal), in well-lit conditions artificial light office (about 400 lux) set to 252 cd/m² (slightly higher than required), in a very bright environment (corresponding to a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) increases to a maximum of 452 cd / m² (which is what you need). Brightness slider at 50% - the values ​​are as follows: 17, 150 and 452 cd / m², at 0% - 17, 63 and 452 cd / m² (the logic can be traced - the brightness value changes in medium lighting conditions). In general, the automatic brightness adjustment function works adequately. At any brightness level, there is no significant backlight modulation, so there is no screen flicker.

AT this smartphone matrix is ​​used type IPS. Micrographs (if you look closely) show a typical IPS subpixel structure:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.

The screen has good viewing angles without significant color shift even at large deviations of the gaze from the perpendicular to the screen and without inverting shades. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the screens of LG Magna and Nexus 7, while the brightness of the screens was initially set to about 200 cd / m², and the color balance on the camera was forcibly switched to 6500 K. A white field is perpendicular to the screens:

We note some noticeable unevenness in brightness and the fact that the color tone is clearly different from true white. And a test picture:

In the case of LG Magna, the picture is darkened, and the saturation is clearly too high. As shown additional tests, this overestimation is achieved by a strong increase in color contrast. As proof, here is a test image with saturation gradients:

It can be seen that as the saturation increases (from bottom to top) in the main field, horizontal stripes with saturated hues in the case of LG Magna quickly become indistinguishable, and the boundaries between the hues are very pronounced. Now at an angle of about 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:

It can be seen that the colors did not change much on both screens, but the contrast on the LG Magna screen was noticeably reduced due to a significant increase in the black level. And the white box:

The brightness at an angle at the screens decreased (at least five times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of LG Magna, the brightness decreased slightly. The black field, when deviated diagonally, is highlighted strongly, but remains conditionally neutral gray in hue. The photos below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is the same for the screens!):

And from another angle:

With a perpendicular view, the uniformity of the black field is not ideal, since the brightness of black in places noticeably increases:

Contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is high - about 930:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 13ms (7ms on + 6ms off). The transition between grayscale 25% and 75% (according to the numerical value of the color) and back in total takes 22 ms. The matrix is ​​relatively fast. The gamma curve constructed from 32 points with an equal interval according to the numerical value of the shade of gray did not reveal a blockage either in the highlights or in the shadows. The exponent of the approximating power function is 2.72, which is significantly higher than the standard value of 2.2, and therefore the image is darkened. In this case, the real gamma curve slightly deviates from the power dependence:

We did not find a dynamic adjustment of the brightness of the backlight in accordance with the nature of the displayed image in this smartphone, which is very good.

Color gamut narrower than sRGB:

Apparently, the matrix filters mix the components together. The spectra confirm this:

The manufacturer compensates for the reduced coverage by increasing the color contrast, but this does not go unnoticed, since the visibility of gradations in the region of saturated colors decreases. The balance of shades on the gray scale is average, since the color temperature is noticeably higher than 6500 K, and the deviation from the black body spectrum (ΔE) is more than 10, which is considered a bad indicator even for a consumer device. The balance is distorted, of course, due to the excess of the blue and green components, which, other things being equal, leads to a slight increase in brightness. It’s good that at the same time the color temperature and ΔE change little from shade to shade - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, as there the color balance does not of great importance, and the measurement error of color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

To summarize: the screen has a high maximum brightness and has excellent anti-glare properties, so the device can be used outdoors without any problems even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be lowered to a comfortable level. The automatic brightness adjustment function works absolutely adequately. The advantages of the screen include the presence of an oleophobic coating, high contrast, the absence of flicker and the absence of an air gap in the layers of the screen. Significant shortcomings include low black stability due to gaze deviation from the perpendicular to the screen plane, darkening of the image due to a non-standard gamma curve, overestimated color contrast, reduced color gamut, and distorted color balance. Nevertheless, taking into account the importance of the characteristics for this particular class of devices, the screen quality can be considered high.

Sound

LG Magna unexpectedly pleasantly surprised me with a very loud and high-quality sound, clear and bright, the only complaint may be that the sound is too sonorous, low frequencies are almost not felt. Nevertheless, the smartphone sounds pleasant for its level - without rattling and distortion, even at the maximum level. In headphones, the situation is even better, here you can hear the bass, and again, no distortion was noticed, the overall volume level is quite satisfactory. AT conversational dynamics the interlocutor's voice, timbre and intonation remain familiar and distinguishable. To control the sound quality in a proprietary audio player, you can choose from several preset equalizer values.

FM radio is standard on the smartphone. The radio does not work without headphones connected as an external antenna, but it can record programs from the air.

Camera

LG Magna is equipped with two modules of digital cameras with a resolution of 8 and 5 megapixels. The front camera is equipped with a 5-megapixel module with an f / 2.4 lens and does not have autofocus and its own flash. To create a selfie, there are functions for quick shooting with one touch and with a hand gesture, for the same, the so-called “virtual flash” was invented, when part of the screen around the viewfinder remains with a bright backlight in order to “softly highlight” your own face while shooting on front camera.

The main, rear camera is equipped with an 8-megapixel sensor and an f / 2.4 lens with autofocus and its own LED flash. The settings menu is exactly the same as in last year's LG models, nothing has changed in this regard. The menu is extremely concise, the settings are combined into several horizontal bars that appear as needed. The icons and their captions are drawn in a small way; in the bright sun they can be hard to see. Usually, in the settings of the smartphone camera interface, there is an opportunity to use a variety of shooting modes: panorama, burst, sports, HDR. Everything is much simpler here: in addition to the standard automatic mode no other modes are available.

The camera can shoot video, there are several resolutions to choose from, up to a maximum of 1920 × 1080. The camera copes well with shooting video, autofocus adjusts quickly enough. An example test video is shown below.

• Clip #1 (26 MB, 1920×1080, 30 fps)

	In room lighting, the camera does a good job.
	Noise in the shadows is almost invisible.
	The number of the nearest car is distinguishable.
	The camera handles small details well.
	The camera does a good job with macro photography.
	With the removal of the plan, the sharpness practically does not fall.
	In the background, the foliage is just beginning to merge.
	The text is well done.

The camera has good sharpness and detail, which many 13-megapixel modules could envy. The work of the noise reduction is very accurate, although noticeable, but the noise as a result is almost invisible. Sharping is practically absent, although it can be found in places. Probably not the widest dynamic range and slightly poor colors will not allow you to use the camera for artistic shooting to the fullest. But with documentary shooting, she will cope perfectly.

Telephone part and communications

The smartphone operates in modern 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA networks; there is no support for LTE (4G) in the device. That is, the maximum wireless data transfer rate for reception is limited by the HSDPA + standard to 21 Mbps. You can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels, there is wifi modes Direct and Wi-Fi Display, wifi module 802.11b/g/n only supports one band (2.4GHz). NFC is not supported, and you cannot connect a flash drive using an OTG adapter to a USB port.

The device works with GPS / A-GPS, without the support of domestic Glonass. The device has a sensor magnetic field necessary for the successful operation of the electronic compass of navigational mapping programs.

The smartphone provides work with two SIM-cards according to the Dual SIM Dual Standby standard. Apart from a special button for quickly changing the priority SIM-card, the implementation of working with two SIM-cards is generally standard for this platform. There is only one radio module, so there can only be one active conversation. In the settings, you can assign a name, color theme and icon design for each of the cards. At the moment of dialing a number, there is no choice between two SIM cards - a separate button is used for this fast switching priority card, located in the bottom row of icons. A SIM card in any slot can work with 3G networks, but only one of the cards can work in this mode at the same time (the second one will work only in 2G).

OS and software

LG Magna initially runs on the latest fifth version of the Google Android software platform. Naturally, firmware updates over the air (OTA) are also supported. However, the familiar interface design "Material Design" is not found here, everything is hidden under LG's own proprietary shell, which significantly modifies and complements the standard interface. Additional features and there are not so many opportunities here as in the older models of the flagship series, something was not found here: for example, proprietary function QSlide, which allows you to unhook and reduce the size of working windows. But in place of Glance View, with which you can view the date and time even when the screen is off, as well as protective system Knock on. Gesture support is limited mainly to turning the device over to turn it off. incoming call or pause the video. From the corporate interface of the fifth android versions The OS here is explicitly left except for interactive tiles informing about any events, before they were not in LG smartphones for obvious reasons. But the most important innovation brought by the arrival of the latest version of the OS is the ability in Android to save a copy and then completely restore the system.

Performance

The LG Magna hardware platform is based on the outdated MediaTek MT6582 quad-core single-chip system (SoC) with rather weak ARM Cortex-A7 processor cores with an operating frequency of up to 1.3 GHz. The Mali-400MP video accelerator, modest in its capabilities, is responsible for graphics processing. The device has only about 3.4 GB of internal memory for the user's needs, it can be increased with a microSD memory card officially up to 32 GB, although our 64 GB test card was also recognized by the device. The amount of RAM is 1 GB. The mode of connecting external devices to the Micro-USB (OTG) port in the device is not supported.

According to the test results, the platform showed results that were expectedly modest, below average (less than 20K in AnTuTu), even when compared with other modern entry-level platforms. In terms of performance, SoC MT6582 is approximately on par with one of the weakest modern platforms Qualcomm Snapdragon 410, and its GPU is even inferior to Adreno 306 in Qualcomm Snapdragon 410. As a result, in terms of the performance level of the hardware platform, the LG Magna smartphone is difficult to classify as an average - it is rather closer to the initial level, although the device’s capabilities are enough to perform basic tasks and Play videos up to 1080p resolution. However, for modern demanding games, the capabilities of the outdated and frankly weak GPU Mali 400MP are clearly not enough.

Testing in the latest versions of AnTuTu and GeekBench 3 comprehensive benchmarks:

All the results obtained by us when testing the smartphone in the most fresh versions popular benchmarks, we have summarized them in tables for convenience. Several other devices from various segments are usually added to the table, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry numbers). Unfortunately, within a single comparison, it is impossible to present the results from different versions benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.

Testing the graphics subsystem in 3DMark gaming tests,GFXBenchmark, and Bonsai Benchmark:

When testing in 3DMark for the highest performing smartphones, it is now possible to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (due to which the speed can rise above 60 fps).

	LG Magna (Mediatek MT6582)	Sony Xperia E4 (Mediatek MT6582)	Lenovo S90 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 410)	Samsung Galaxy A5 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 410)	Philips S398 (Mediatek MT6582)
3DMark Ice Storm Extreme (more is better)	1895	2120	2656	2624	2073
3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited (more is better)	2876	2871	4335	4386	2872
GFXBenchmark T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Onscreen)	7.2 fps	9 fps	9.5 fps	9.6 fps	7.1 fps
GFXBenchmark T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Offscreen)	4.1 fps	4 fps	5.4 fps	5.4 fps	4.1 fps
Bonsai Benchmark	1272 (18fps)	1912 (27fps)	1693 (24 fps)	1726 (25 fps)	1250 (18fps)

Browser cross-platform tests:

As for benchmarks for evaluating the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowances for the fact that the results in them depend significantly on the browser in which they are launched, so that the comparison can only be truly correct on the same OS and browsers, and this possibility is available when testing not always. In the case of Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.

thermal images

Below is a thermal image of the back surface (top right in the image), obtained after 10 minutes of running the Epic Citadel program (in High Quality mode):

It can be seen that the heating is localized in the upper part of the device, which apparently corresponds to the location of the SoC chip. According to the heat chamber, the maximum heating was 38 degrees, which is not very much.

Video playback

To test the "omnivorous" when playing video (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Web. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern versions using processor cores alone. Also, do not expect everything from a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it.

According to the test results, the subject was not equipped with all the necessary decoders that are needed for the full playback of most of the most common on the network. multimedia files. To successfully play them, you will have to resort to the help of a third-party player - for example, MX Player. True, it is also necessary to change the settings in it and install additional custom codecs, because now this player does not officially support the AC3 audio format.

Format	container, video, sound	MX Video Player	Regular video player
DVDRip	AVI, XviD 720×400 2200 Kbps, MP3+AC3	plays normally	plays normally
Web-DL SD	AVI, XviD 720×400 1400 Kbps, MP3+AC3	plays normally	plays normally
Web-DL HD	MKV, H.264 1280x720 3000Kbps, AC3		Video plays fine, no sound¹
BDRip 720p	MKV, H.264 1280x720 4000Kbps, AC3	Video plays fine, no sound¹	Video plays fine, no sound¹
BDRip 1080p	MKV, H.264 1920x1080 8000Kbps, AC3	Video plays fine, no sound¹	Video plays fine, no sound¹

¹ Audio in MX Video Player only played after installing an alternative custom audio codec; The regular player does not have such a setting.

Further testing of video playback performed Alexey Kudryavtsev.

We did not find the MHL interface, as well as Mobility DisplayPort in this smartphone, so we had to limit ourselves to testing the output of video files on the screen of the device itself. To do this, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Methodology for testing video signal playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)”). Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped to determine the nature of the output frames of video files with various parameters: resolution (1280 by 720 (720p) and 1920 by 1080 (1080p) pixels) and frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps) varied. With). In tests, we used the MX Player video player in Hardware mode. The test results are summarized in the table:

720/30p Good No 720/25p Good No 720/24p Great No

Note: If both columns Uniformity and Passes green ratings are set, this means that, most likely, when watching movies, artifacts caused by uneven interleaving and dropping frames will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems with the playback of the respective files.

According to the frame output criterion, the quality of video files playback on the screen of the smartphone itself is good, since frames (or groups of frames) can (but are not required) to be displayed with more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without frame drops. With the exception of files with 50 and 60 fps, but films with such a frame rate can be considered as non-existent. When playing video files with a resolution of 1280 by 720 pixels (720p) on a smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the border of the screen, one to one in pixels, that is, in its original resolution. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the standard range of 16-235 - all gradations of shades are displayed in the shadows and in the highlights.

Battery life

Removable accumulator battery, installed in LG Magna, has a capacity of 2540 mAh worthy for modern smartphones. The resolution of the display, as the most energy-intensive of the elements of a smartphone, is not so high here (720p), the platform is far from the most demanding, so in terms of autonomy, the smartphone is at a very decent level.

In the normal mode of operation, the device confidently lives up to the evening charge, with economical consumption it can live for two days. It is also worth noting that the testing was carried out without using any energy-saving features, although there are such in the smartphone.

	Battery capacity	Reading mode	Video mode	3D game mode
LG Magna	2540 mAh	13h 30m	10:00 a.m.	4 a.m.
LG Spirit	2100 mAh	12:00 p.m.	8:30 a.m.	3h 20m
Philips S398	2040 mAh	12:00 p.m.	7:00 a.m.	3h 30m
Sony Xperia E4	2300 mAh	13:00	9 a.m.	5 a.m.
Samsung Galaxy A5	2300 mAh	14:00	11:00 a.m.	4h 20m
Lenovo S90	2300 mAh	11:00 a.m.	9:30 a.m.	3h 50m
LG L Bello	2540 mAh	14:00	10:20	4h 50m
Fly Tornado Slim	2050 mAh	10:30	7:00 a.m.	3h 10m

Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at the minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd / m²) lasted more than 13 hours until the battery was completely discharged, and with continuous video viewing in high quality(720p) at the same brightness level via home wifi network the device lasted as long as 10 hours. AT game mode smartphone worked for at least 4 hours. Time full charge mains battery is about 3 hours.

Outcome

At the moment, the price of certified LG Magna devices in Russian retail is almost 13 thousand rubles. At this price, the smartphone is now presented in most Russian retail chains, although at the time of its release at the very beginning of summer, the device was available for pre-order in the Svyaznoy and Megafon online stores at a price of 13,990 rubles, that is, during this time the price has already managed to drop by a thousand .

The smartphone is pleasing to the eye and to the touch, that is, one of its strengths can certainly be counted as a noticeable design that distinguishes it from competitors with undeniable workmanship. Also, the positive aspects include a high-quality screen, unexpectedly decent sound and, of course, a very high level of autonomy, which is very important for devices of this level. Usually such workhorses are chosen precisely for low price and unpretentiousness in work, and on such characteristics as the level of productivity and the quality of shooting on the camera, the buyer can turn a blind eye.