I’ve given my share of criticism about the LG G5 here at SamMobile. Some diehard Samsung fans won’t find this surprising, though others do. So, I decided to finally put aside what some see as an inherent bias toward Samsung and – you guessed it! – pick up the LG G5. This is where you gasp, take a deep breath, and wear a look of shock on your face in front of your phone or computer.
Well, I’ve spent a week with the device, and I can say that LG has done some good things in the G5. Unfortunately, though, the Always On Display isn’t one of them.
You’ve probably read in some review or heard in some YouTube review on the LG G5 that the G5’s Always On Display (AOD) has some advantage over Samsung’s in the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. Yes, it’s true that LG does show notifications with its AOD: You can see Gmail, Telegram, Google+, and even app update notifications on the secondary display, something that doesn’t happen with Samsung’s AOD. We here at SamMobile have also pointed out that Samsung’s AOD in the S7 and S7 edge should provide the same notifications and more. Reviewers have been quick to point this out, but I’m afraid they haven’t told you the whole story.
The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge’s AOD is brighter than the LG G5’s
The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge’s Always On Display is much brighter than that of the LG G5. That’s the first thing you’ll notice when you activate AOD on both phones and look at them side-by-side for the first time. The LG G5 AOD is too dim for viewing. Viewing angles are poor and, unless you have the phone right up to your eyes, you’ll hardly be able to see what’s on the G5 AOD.
So, even with the LG G5 notifications in AOD, it’s hard to see and creates an unpleasant viewing situation. If first impressions are everything, then the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge will blow you away with their gorgeous Always On Displays.
LG may have very well lowered the brightness of its IPS LCD Quad HD display to save battery, but the impression left with the user is that the display simply isn’t good enough. Tech reviewers can tell you that the IPS LCD on the LG G5 is gorgeous, but you may have a different impression when you see it up close. What good is a display, called “Always On,” if it looks as though it’s always off? Do email and other Android notifications matter if the display is a turnoff, literally?
The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge AOD provides battery percentage; the LG G5 AOD does not
I’ve been using the Galaxy S7 edge and the LG G5 interchangeably over the last few days, but it just hit me two days ago that, to my surprise, the LG G5 doesn’t display the phone’s battery percentage on the AOD. Sure enough, Samsung’s Galaxy S7 and S7 edge AOD does, giving you information at a glance that LG does not.
Both Samsung and LG convinced us at MWC 2016 that most smartphone users check their phones 150 times a day; and, yes, consumers want to check their email notifications without having to turn their phone on (some do, anyway). It is also true, however, that many want to check their battery percentage without turning the phone on. Sure, it could be said that smartphone users want lots of notifications and battery percentages on the Always On Display, but if I must choose, I’d rather have battery percentage than multiple notifications. If I must turn on my phone to see my battery percentage remaining, notifications on the AOD are of little use when I can just see them from the drop-down window.
The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge AOD supports greater customization than the LG G5 AOD
This is yet another reason why reviewers have only told you half the story about the Galaxy S7/S7 edge and LG G5 Always On Displays: the Galaxy S7/S7 edge AOD provides greater customization than that of the LG G5. Reviewers focus on email notifications like Gmail, for example, to make their case for the G5’s superiority over Samsung’s Always On Display. Apart from notifications, though, the G5’s AOD is severely limited. Once you find the feature in your display settings on the device, you get to choose two options: 1) add the time or 2) your personal signature. That’s it; there are only two options available.
In contrast to the LG G5 AOD, Samsung’s Galaxy S7 and S7 edge Always On Display allows you to customize your experience by giving you the option to select what content to show (clock, calendar, or image), clock style (7 clock styles to choose from, Roman numeral and dual clock options among others), as well as a background image (4 to select). Customization is an important part of Android and Android’s user base has always preferred more customization to reduced customization.
When you look at the customization options Samsung and LG give you for their Always On Displays, it’s no contest: Samsung gives you more in the S7 and S7 edge.
Conclusion
I respect my fellow colleagues in the field of tech who cover smartphones every day. I’ve learned from them and continue to benefit from their in-depth videos and coverage. However, it is my desire that Samsung be represented properly and accurately in the tech press. I take it hard when my fellow media journalists set up a straw man argument by downplaying the Galaxy S7/S7 edge AOD to give the LG G5 an edge in the contest.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are great phones in their own right; so is the LG G5. At the same time, however, all great smartphones stand or fall based on what they offer the consumer. The Android smartphone race has always been a competitive one, and LG will never improve its smartphone if it doesn’t bear the same heat now that Samsung has taken over the years. All great smartphones are transformed in the ashes of criticism.
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