What's good
- Two-day battery life
- Solid build quality
- Comfortable grip
- MicroSD support
- LTE support
- Android 6.0
What's bad
- Pixelated display
- Mediocre performance
- Limited internal storage
- Reflective display
- Weak camera performance
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.”
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Ajay Kumar, PC MagazineThe LG X Power phablet brings Boost Mobile users long battery life and solid Android performance at an affordable price.
- Florian Wimmer, NotebookcheckLG's X Power provides an extremely long battery life and can also convince in the "camera" section.
- Nick Ross, Good Gear GuideFor a phone that's all about the battery, we expected this to last even longer - like its rivals do. The camera is poor in low light and the components are low powered. There's not much to like here.
- Ted Kritsonis, Digital TrendsThe LG X Power has a name that may suggest powerful performance, but it’s all about the battery. This mid-ranger isn’t a device made to impress, and it’s really meant for users who don’t do that much on their phones yet often complain about battery life. If messaging and soci...
- Brandon Chester, AnandTechI never mean to be overly negative in reviews, but in the case of the LG X Power it's really just a case of there being very few positive things to point out. It's a phone that can last a long time, but the user experience is poor and the phone is slow enough that it isn't plesant to use. The displa...
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the LG X Power user manual here.
LG backs up the X Power with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your X Power has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact LG support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find LG's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
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Resources
Manuals / User Guides
- LG X Power Manual (PDF)
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