LG X Power

The LG Power X is touted by LG to have one of the largest batteries ever put in a smartphone. However, depending on your needs, battery life is only part of the picture.

Reviews are rolling in on this budget-friendly battery behemoth! Let’s see what everyone is saying.

Given its price point, the plastic chassis and basic design weren’t surprising to reviewers. However, most noted solid construction and a firm grip. Digital Trends noted, “With such a huge battery, the X Power’s 139-gram weight doesn’t feel hefty at all.” Overall, reviews on appearance and build quality were neutral. Phone Arena agreed, saying, “With its generic plastic design, the LG X Power does not look great, nor does it stand out in any way. It’s still solidly put together, though.”

Heading around to the front of the phone, you’re greeted with a 5.3-inch 720p IPS display. Reviews noted issues with reflections in bright lighting and the resolution leads to some pixelation, particularly with large amounts of small text. TechRadar pointed out another common complaint, saying, “Pixels on the screen don’t stand out – it looks good enough at its size. But the bezel on the white version I tested is noticeable.”

Many reviews noted that while the screen was 5.3-inches, the phone feels comparable to newer 5.5-inch phones due to its extended bezels.

For performance, it’ll depend on your region. The international model uses a quad-core 1.3GHz MediaTek processor and 2GB of RAM. The US version uses a Snapdragon 210 with 1.5Ghz of RAM. Regardless of your model, reviews show this isn’t meant to be a powerhouse.

Reviews spanned a wide range. Phone Arena was generally positive, saying, “The fairly low screen resolution and LG’s optimizations make this phone a fairly smooth performer for daily tasks… More intense tasks, however, make the phone noticeably slower.” AnandTech was far more critical, declaring, “The phone feels incredibly painful to use, to the point where you end up not using the phone because of how slow it is.”

The phone runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow. After the operating system and LG apps are installed, reviews found you’re left with roughly 7GB of the 16GB available. If you like to store your media on your phone, the microSD card slot will be essential.

When it comes to cameras, this is another area where your region matters. The international version has a 13MP rear-camera while the US version has a lower resolution 8MP shooter. Unfortunately, reviews for both are mediocre. If you’re a fan of selfies, the 5MP front-facing lens on both models received good reviews. PC World AU highlighted most of the common camera complaints, saying, “For stills the cameras were hit and miss. In low light pictures were frequently poor unless all elements of the photo were motionless and even then they’d come out grainy. However, in decent lighting sharpness and colour from the main, rear camera became respectable.”
Finally, we get to the star of the show–the massive 4,100mAh battery. With a QuickCharge 2.0 charger, you can charge the phone from empty in just over two hours. A single charge will net you well over a day of battery life. This was one of the few areas AnandTech praised the phone, saying, “the phone definitely lives up to its name.” PC World AU put the battery life to the test and said, “We hit two days flat and we weren’t going easy on it.”

Overall, reviews show that this phone might be a pass unless battery life is essential. Even then, external battery packs have improved drastically and dropped in price as well. AnandTech summed up opinions well, saying, “When you set aside battery life, the LG X Power is mediocre at best, and often a lot worse.”