LG G6 review: Cutting corners... Like a pro

Telephony

The LG G6 will be available in both single-SIM and dual-SIM versions, only not in all markets. Ours is the single-SIM one.

Nougat offers native number blocking and call screening. You can block numbers based on their initial or final digits or just specific numbers. Third-party apps can ask Android which numbers are blocked, so apps that use them to identify users (like WhatsApp and Viber) can also reject calls and messages from those numbers.

The Dialer with smart dial • Blocking calls • call settings

Loudspeaker

The G6 scored a Good mark in our loudspeaker test. This puts it on par with the G5 and V20, as well as the iPhone 7 Plus, Galaxy S7 edge, and OnePlus 3T. The Pixel XL can pump out more decibels, though. Output quality is good all the way to the max setting, but bass isn't particularly boomy.

Speakerphone test	Voice, dB	Pink noise/ Music, dB	Ringing phone, dB	Overall score
HTC 10 (Theater mode)	61.9	66.0	62.1	Below Average
Sony Xperia XZ	61.6	65.5	67.6	Below Average
Sony Xperia X Performance	63.4	65.8	67.8	Below Average
Samsung Galaxy A9 (2016)	65.5	72.2	65.2	Average
HTC 10 (Music mode)	63.1	66.7	74.3	Average
Samsung Galaxy Note5	66.9	67.1	71.8	Average
OnePlus 3T	61.0	69.3	78.3	Good
LG G6	66.8	68.8	74.5	Good
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge	70.0	69.1	71.8	Good
LG G5	68.7	70.9	73.5	Good
Apple iPhone 7 Plus	68.3	72.2	72.9	Good
Lenovo Moto Z Force Droid	69.5	68.0	77.6	Good
LG V20	68.2	68.6	80.9	Good
Huawei Mate 9 Pro	67.2	72.4	79.5	Very Good
HTC U Ultra (Theater)	67.3	73.1	80.6	Very Good
Huawei P10	67.7	70.0	83.6	Very Good
HTC U Ultra (Music)	61.7	73.1	86.7	Very Good
Google Pixel XL	73.4	72.1	84.1	Excellent
Huawei Mate 9	83.1	74.5	85.0	Excellent

Text input

The LG keyboard offers extensive customizations. You can change its size, hide/show the number row, add/remove some buttons and more.

The keyboard • Settings • Customizing the keys • Changing the keyboard's height • Emoji

In landscape you get two possible layouts - either spread across the whole width of the screen, or condensed in the middle. The third, and most logical split option is a separate setting that needs to be enabled. Once you do, swiping out from the center of the display with both thumbs brings the keys closer to the edges.

Landscape keyboard

Other apps

The G6 may not have the V20's three mics, but two of them are obviously enough for the HD Audio Recorder app. It adjusts the source mic depending on orientation, so when you hold it in portrait it's the top one only, while in landscape both mics work.

Concert mode optimizes the mics' response for extremely loud environments, while in Studio mode you can record voice over an audio file (say, a vocal track for your new song) and you can use headphones to monitor the sound.

The quality is top notch - uncompressed WAV and compressed FLAC are available at up to 24-bit and 192kHz. Going to Custom gives you manual control over Gain, Low cut filter (75Hz/150Hz) and Limiter (prevents clipping of low-frequency sounds).

HD Audio recorder: Welcome screen • Walkthrough • Normal mode • Concert • Saved recordings • Custom mode

LG's backup app is now part of LG Mobile Switch. It has two main functions - backup and transfer. Using the latter, you can copy most data off your old phone onto the G6, simplifying the upgrade process. Backups store personal data and settings, data from the internal storage and downloaded apps. There's no cloud backup solution, though - you have to manually upload the backup file to your cloud storage provider of choice.

LG Mobile Switch

Smart cleaning takes care of your storage and battery. It can free up both RAM and internal storage. It also serves as a portal to Android's battery saving features. Diagnose goes a bit further and will look for issues with apps, network connectivity, storage and battery and point you to the right section of the online Help documents.

A quick glance at your phone's health • Optimization in progress • Sensor check-up • Battery stats