HTC and LG's 2015 flagships showcase very different approaches to smartphone design.
They're both big names in the Android world, but HTC and LG have always taken radically different approaches to their high-end hardware.
And with the arrival of the LG G4 to do battle with the HTC One M9, the contrast between the two firms continues to grow.
It's metal versus leather as the G4 squares up to the M9.This year LG's all about the leather
(sure, you can also get the G4 in plastic too, but you really
shouldn't). It's a welcome move for the manufacturer, allowing it to
take a step beyond the ho-hum plastic of last year's G3. HTC, of course, has focused on metal unibody construction since 2013's M7.
The difference between the two is largely down to persona taste, though
on the G4 you'll still have a plastic-bodied, plastic-framed phone,
which kinda breaks the illusion for us. As for which one feels
more premium, that's a tough call as well. The M9's design, especially
in the highly reflective silver-plus-gold combo is more ostentatious,
but we're also digging the pitch-black leather of the G4.
The G4 is also heftier in all directions than the M9, owing to its
5.5-inch QHD display. On the M9, you'll get a smaller and lower-res
1080p panel. The resolution isn't the biggest difference between these
two screens, though. Instead, it's the G4's brightness and vividness
that puts it comfortably above HTC's offering. Even in our limited time
with the phone, it's clear to us the G4's IPS Quantum Display is more
than just hype. The M9's screen isn't bad, but it's just not even in the
same league as LG's latest panel.
When it comes to sound, it's a close call, but thanks to HTC's
front-facing BoomSound speakers, our first impressions are that the M9
sneaks in a win here.
Around the back, LG continues the use of its trademark rear-mounted
buttons for power, volume up and volume down; meanwhile HTC has opted
for traditional side-mounted keys in an arrangement that can
occasionally cause confusion. We've always appreciated LG's unique
approach to button placement, though your mileage may vary. Both phones
offer the option to wake up using a double-tap of the screen, through
KnockOn and Motion Launch respectively.
On the inside, the M9 has the upper hand, at least on paper. HTC's
flagship packs Qualcomm's high-end (and also somewhat controversial)
octa-core Snapdragon 810, whereas the G4 uses its little brother, the
six-core Snapdragon 808. The main difference here is you get two fewer
high-power Cortex-A57 cores and a slightly less powerful GPU. The 808
appears to be no slough, though, and the G4s we've used so far have
performed flawlessly, with none of the weird lag we've seen from early
versions of previous LG phones. HTC, of course, figured out smooth
smartphone software a long time ago, and its latest efforts are equally
buttery.
Removable battery and no Quick Charge, or Quick Charge and no removable battery?LG can also boast a removable 3,000mAh battery, while HTC's is fixed
inside the M9's unibody and clocks in at 2,840mAh. The M9 can also boast
Qualcomm QuickCharge 2.0 support, which is apparently missing from the
G4. Meanwhile neither supports wireless charging out of the box, but the
G4 can support Qi charging with an accessory.
When it comes to photography, LG's talking up the G4's 16-megapixel,
laser-assisted camera, complete with a new camera app allowing users a
new manual mode with advanced controls. HTC's camera app has long
featured such a mode, giving you control over ISO and shutter speed,
among other things. We'll wait until we've spent some more time with the
G4 before saying conclusively how it measures up to the M9's shooter,
but given that HTC's camera hasn't exactly impressed us, our
expectations are firmly weighted in the G4's favor.
