LG G3 (CDMA)
Phone Scoop Review
Review: LG G3 for Sprint
Jul 22, 2014 by Eric M. Zeman
The LG G3 is a solid device for Sprint customers to consider, and is among a growing number to offer Wi-Fi calling. Android smartphone enthusiasts would do well to read Phone Scoop's full report, which points out the phone's strengths and weaknesses. read review ›
See also: Review: LG G3 for Verizon Wireless ›
User Reviews
Average Ratings
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Good phone
Carrier: Verizon
The LG G3 was a solid choice from the little brother in south korea. It flew under the radar but is definitely worth a look into if you want a large display and buttons on the back.
Pros:
Removeable battery allowed me to get a battery pack charger
Laser auto focus is quick
13 MP camera, not the best in low light but definitely a top tier camera
Large display makes it easy for me to browse reddit and play games
Quick processor makes for smooth transitions.
Buttons on the back are fluid and make sense.
Cons:
the high resolution drains the battery pretty quick
occasionally, when trying to turn the display on, it will flicker on and then off. This seems to be the sensor thinking my face is up to. Its pretty annoying and difficult to get to cooperate at times.
Call quality isn't the best, even on Verizon's network with full service.
Phone can get quite hot at times
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Almost Perfect! Swayed from the M8.
Carrier: Verizon
First, let me tell you my last 2 phones were HTC (The Incredible and the Rezound) and I loved them both, so, I was naturally leaning toward the HTC One (M8) to keep with the Sense skin. But with all the hype and a sale price, I decided to look at the LG G3... and I'm glad I did.
This phone is almost perfect! The issue I was having with going to the HTC One was the camera quality, or lack thereof. The G3 has an absolutely GREAT camera, compared to the M8. As a bonus, I get a removable battery with the G3 as opposed to the M8 as well. Those two things swayed me to look at the LG phone, and I'm very happy that I did.
The one thing that worried me before I purchased this phone was the brightness of the G3 display... although it is VERY crisp and clear, it isn't extremely bright. After using it, though, I find it to be at least as good at the Rezound screen I was using before this, and much crisper. The only time I have any issue at all is outside in bright sunlight. You can still see things, just not as brightly as I would like, but it hasn't really been much of an issue. The pre-reviews said there might be issues with the unit getting hot due to the high power screen, but I haven't noticed ANY issues with this at all.
The Good: This thing is blazing fast! Zero lag times, whether on line, or with the camera. Shutter lag is non existent, and pictures come out awesome! Call quality is great and reception is too! This phone held on to calls in a known dead spot every time so far. The user interface is great and simple to use. The rear buttons are wonderful, easy to get used to, and I prefer them to the ones on the side, but I find myself using the double tap most often to wake the phone. I have gone 2 days on the battery with moderate use!
The Bad: Just the outdoor brightness of the screen, could be a tad better. It's a little slippery to hold.
If you want an awesome, great looking phone, don't hesitate to buy this phone! Almost Perfect!
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Thought I would like it
Carrier: Verizon
I was very enthused about this phone and used it for over a month. I am putting it on Ebay today. Went back to my Droid Maxx. Big thing with me is that I use the speakerphone a lot, and people couldn't hear me, or heard a lot of feedback on it. Also, when I connected to my car, I had to put in the code everytime I turned the car off. My Maxx had neither of these problems. People are raving about the camera, but I didn't have that much success. It's better than the Maxx, but it is a phone, after all. I like the size of the Maxx compared to the LG G3 and the fact that you can use Google Now while it is locked. If you decide to buy it, you won't be sorry. I just have different needs than others.
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LG G3 Verizon Wireless review
Carrier: Verizon
I just received my LG G3 yesterday from Verizon Wireless. I switched from the Motorola Droid Maxx, and I noticed some differences.
Pros:
-Screen. It is very crisp and beautiful. I have never seen a screen this good. It beats the retina display on my Mac Book Pro by a mile. The screen is colorful, and the brightness is decent. (My moto gets a little more brightness, but the LG user interface is much easier to see outdoors)
-Signal strength: being a long-time Motorola user due to the better signal strength, I was iffy on the LG at first. However, side by side comparison shows that the LG gets equal or in some cases slightly better signal than the Motorola.
-Battery: 3000 mAh (REMOVABLE!) versus the Maxx's 3500 mAh (NOT removable), a slight difference, but I notice the LG G3 doesn't drain as fast as the Droid Maxx. LG's processors for this phone make conservative use of battery power, which is great.
-User interface: Worlds better than the Droid Maxx. I love the black text on white background on the LG's dialer app. The Moto had blue font on a black background, making it difficult to see when dialing. LG's overall user interface is simple, friendly, and clean.
-Size: It has a huge display, yet it fits well in your hand. If you have small hands, it might be a con, though.
Cons
-Bloatware: The downside of any carrier-locked Android phone is the bloatware. This phone comes with a lot of it. Luckily, the user can disable anything she or he doesn't want. I disabled most of the pre-installed apps, which helps my phone run faster, and saves on the battery too.
Overall feeling:
I used to be skittish of LG in the past, however they stepped it up with the G3. It truly is an amazing smartphone, and I am glad I purchased it.
If you are thinking of getting this phone, go for it. It is a phablet but not as bulky as the Samsung Galaxy Note lineup of phones.
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Excellent Phone
Carrier: Sprint
Purchased this phone through Sprint last December. Have had a great experience with it thus far, other than my cracked screen (My fault, not Sprint's).
PROS: Device as a whole is well, built. High quality display, and excellent call quality/clarity and data speeds when in a good service area. The 3,000 mAh battery is a beast. Usually gets me through a full day without much trouble.
CONS: Loudspeaker on the rear of phone causes issues when watching a video without headphones/external speaker. Also, the area of Michigan where I live isn't one of Sprint's strongest coverage areas, so I experience dropped calls more often than I like.
Overall, the device is extremely solid. Might not be enough to deter me from going back to a Samsung, but I've enjoyed it for the last year.
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Good daily driver
Carrier: Sprint
The LG G3 has had much better battery life than my previous two Samsung phones. Also the laser focus really helps in low light or ultra close up object pictures.
The only ding I have about it is that the screen does get scratched easy so I recommend a protective glass.
The data reception for Sprint is hit or miss but that could be my area
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Sprint LG G3
Carrier: Sprint
I use this phone primarily for business.
The display is great and I love the power button/volume controls on the back. I find this set up very useful (took a while to get used to).
I did have an initial problem that took a couple of weeks and a hardware rest to figure out. The pre-installed weather app and its widget were causing the phone to eventually crawl to a stop and re-boot at least once of twice a day.
Over all battery life is good.
Only complain I have is that every once in a while, it does "stutter" in performance. Screen does not react quickly or the whole phone freezes for a second or two.
I have had this phone for 15 months now and so far see it lasting me another year at least.
I recommend it.
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LG G3 is a mixed bag
I've been using my LG G3 on Verizon for a year and a half now and I've had my ups and downs with it.
PROS:
Beautiful screen resolution
Great camera
LG's buttons on the back and "knock-on" feature are indispensable
Good battery life
CONS:
Service is oddly spotty (STL area)
I've been told my signal breaks up on calls
Tends to randomly shut off when battery dips below 20%
Has trouble connecting to and staying on Wi-Fi networks
Overall, it's not the worst device I've owned, but I do have moments when I want to drop-kick it into a wall.
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Capable Phone
Carrier: Sprint
I bought this phone in 2014 after reading other reviews and coming from a GS5 on AT&T. I can tell you that I hated Touchwiz, and although the LG skin was still there, I have found it to be much more usable.
All in all, over that last year, it has been a good phone. Not great, but good. I occasionally have some software issues (both on KitKat and Lollipop), but nothing that has been completely frustrating - freezing, lagging, occasional reboots. But I will say that as time has gone on, it's suffering that same old Android problem - it just slows down to a crawl at times. I have done three factory resets on it, which I never take lightly since it takes a considerable amount of time to get everything set back up. Also, the battery life when new was above average, but it's probably time to get a new battery for it - a definite advantage over other OEMs that are going with non-removable batteries - kudos to LG for keeping that option!
One major disadvantage to this phone isn't necessarily unique to this model, but Android in general - the security patches. Since the Stagefright exploit was first identified earlier this year, I have only received one security patch, and after running VTS, I still have known exploits on this phone. I understand there are multiple layers involved to getting patches pushed out, including the OEM and carrier, but I didn't get the security patch on this phone until 5 months after Stagefright was identified, and my wife's GS5, also on Sprint, received the patch in 3 months. The OEMs and carriers really need to make this a higher priority - support the phones you sold!
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Solid device
Carrier: US Cellular
I have been using the G3 for about 4 months with moderate daily use. This was an upgrade from a Galaxy S3 and has been an awesome device from day 1.
The screen and battery life have been top notch and I can easily get a full days usage, usually a day and a half even, on one charge.
The gripes I have are minor, like no wireless charging coming equipped on my model. But even that can be remedied. Also, the size took a little getting used to after some smaller devices, but most tasks can be done one-handed.
Over all, a solid handset despite it being a generation older than the latest and greatest.
