Recently LG has introduced dual-rear cameras and bezel-less displays. The bezel-less display with no physical home button at the front is something we have seen on a number of devices such as LG G6, Samsung Galaxy S8 series, Galaxy Note 8, Apple iPhone 8. LG has introduced this full vision display in its mid-range LG Q6 as well, and the phone sports a 5.5-inch display with 18:9 aspect ratio. At a price tag of Rs 14,990, this seems a tad expensive. Micromax Canvas Infinity also has a similar display for Rs 9,999. So how does the LG Q6 fare in terms of performance?
LG Q6 is a compact and easy-to-use device compared to other 5.5-inch smartphones. It has a plastic back, which is glossy and prone to scratches and fingerprint smudges. The phone has a metal frame on the side, which is made of 7000 series aluminum, says LG. On the front, there is Corning Gorilla Glass 3, though this is not 2.5D curved and is totally flat. This is a solid phone when you're using it, though in the age of metal unibody designs, the plastic back makes it seem too expensive.
The LG Q6 has a face recognition scanner for unlocking, but no fingerprint scanner. The face recognition scanner works accurately for unlocking this phone, but my instinct was to type in PIN when unlocking the device. Coming to the display, LG Q6 gets full vision display with 2160 x 1080 pixels resolution and this is one of the best screens you can get in the price range. View-angles are good, the colour reproduction is accurate, and I really enjoyed watching videos on this phone. The only problem is that not all of the apps and even video content is optimised for the 18:9 to resolution just yet, so that black space on the top and bottom can look ugly and not so seamless.
LG Q6 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor, 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. While we did experience app crashes with some games, it works fine when used for daily tasks like social media, making calls, watching videos on YouTube, etc. However, users should temper their expectations when it comes to gaming. With a graphics heavy game like Asphalt 8 there was a noticeable lag, and this might not be the best option in this price range for those who want to play games on their mobile.
Playing Asphalt 8 for just 10 minutes saw the phone's metal frame get really hot, which is not a good sign. Coming to camera quality, LG Q6 doesn't have dual-rear cameras on board for those who want something like this. The 13MP rear camera delivers well in bright light and the colours are accurate for most part. The camera has no noticeable shutter lag, but it does take time to focus. The LG Q6 comes with 3000 mAh battery. With moderate usage you can extend the battery to a full working day.
The highlight of the LG Q6 is the display and the design. The specifications, including the Qualcomm 435 processor, battery life, make this appear a more expensive proposition compared to other smartphone in same price range. If you want a more compact phone with a unique display, then the LG Q6 is an option to consider. However, those looking for a blazing performance or a great camera at this budget should probably examine options in the market.
