The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 established itself as one of the best phablets on the market. It’s not cheap, but with the specs it offers, it’s a solid investment. Or is it? LG is fighting back, and is releasing the LG G Pro 2 to take the fight to Samsung. LG knows that it has to bring a solid price to the market to compete with Samsung, and it’s likely to do so. In fact, all estimates show that the new LG G Pro 2 phablet will be set around a $200 price-tag with a new contract. But which one is better?
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Both phablets come with a Snapdragon 800 CPU. The Galaxy Note 3 has it clocked at 2.3 GHz, while the new LG G Pro 2 has it clocked at 2.26 GHz, so they are pretty much on the same footing in this regard. Both devices come with 3GB RAM, and the LG G Pro 2 has a 16GB and a 32GB internal storage version, while the Galaxy Note 3 comes with 16GB, 32GB or 64GB. Both have support for a 64GB micro-SD storage card. Both phablets are using an Adreno 330 GPU. But this is pretty much where the similarities end.
The LG G Pro 2 starts kicking off doors with a much better camera. Compared to the Galaxy Note 3’s camera (which films at 30 FPS and 1080p), LG’s new top-gun can record video at 60 FPS and 1080p, and can also do an impressive 30 FPS at a whooping 2160p. The frontal cameras are similar, with the LG G Pro 2 using a 2.1 megapixel one while the Samsung counterpart uses a 2 megapixel one. The regular cameras both have 13 megapixels, but the OIS+ technology on the LG G Pro 2 should be superior.
Display-wise the LG G Pro 2 wins again, with a massive 5.9 inch screen that runs at 373 PPI, while Samsung is not far behind with a 5.7 inch Super-AMOLED display running at 383 PPI. Where the LG G Pro 2 truly shines however is its connectivity features. The new 4G technology used in LG’s phablet allows it to reach speeds of 150 Mbps, while the Galaxy Note 3 is limited to 100 Mbps. Size is pretty much the same on both, with the LG G Pro 2 being 4 grams heavier. The battery used is the same, and should provide similar results. However, the LG steps ahead again software-wise, coming with Android KitKat 4.4.2 pre-installed, which should give it an edge, at least until Samsung catches up.
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Which one is better priced remains to be seen in the coming days, when LG announces the official price-tag of the LG G Pro 2. That’s not to say Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 isn’t a great buy still. However, if LG manages to prove competitive price-wise, it will steal the show. It’s similar in many aspects, and superior in others. Both phablets completely wreck the HTC One Max though. Once it becomes available, the LG G Pro 2 will be the new king in the segment if it’s price manages to stay fair, which seems to be the case.