LG G3 Battery Life Out-Powers Rival Flagships

Amid the buzz about the recently announced LG G3 smartphone, enthusiasts are checking out its battery life and saying it beats other popular devices on the market.

Tech website Phone Arena recently tested the 3,000mAh battery on the LG L3 against other devices, including the Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2, HTC One (M8), LG G2 and iPhone 5S and the LG G3 came out on top, with its battery lasting nearly 9 hours. Additionally, the LG G3 was also the fastest at charging its battery to full power, taking 120 minutes. Phone Arena determined battery power of the devices tested by running a custom Web program, which replicates the power consumption of real-life usage.

The battery-life results for the LG G3 are especially impressive considering it has features that can quickly drain power -- in particular its super-high-definition display. The LG G3 features a QHD (1440 x 2560) resolution display and is the first mass-marketed smartphone to have a screen of this quality.

Many were concerned that the G3's battery life would suffer due to its QHD display. Nick Spencer, senior practice director at ABI Research, told International Business Times that the 3,000mAh on the LG G3 is “significantly below the standard of phones handling such high-quality display.” However, LG Electronics (066570:Korea SE) detailed at the May 27 unveiling of the LG G3 that the device’s battery includes “3A adaptive optimization,” which refines the LG G3’s internal functions, such as frame rate, clocking and timing control, to make the battery 20 percent more efficient than the standard smartphone battery.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 comes in a close second in both categories, with battery life of 8 hours and 20 minutes and charging time of 122 minutes. The Galaxy S5 features a Full HD (1080 x 1920) resolution display and a 2,800aMh battery, and Samsung Electronics Co. (KRX:005930) is known for its strong batteries, as many of its own devices are often on the top of battery life tests.

The Sony Xperia Z2 features a 3,200mAh battery, which is more on par for super-high-resolution displays, according to Spencer, but the device comes in third on Phone Arena’s battery life tests and fourth on its battery charging test.

Consumers should keep in mind that different battery life tests can easily yield different results. For example, GSM Arena has also tested the LG G3 and other flagships for battery longevity and came up with a much different outcome. According to GSM Arena’s Web-browsing tests, which are similar to Phone Arena’s tests, the Sony Xperia Z2 comes in first, lasting 11 hours and 31 minutes, the Samsung Galaxy S5 comes in second, lasting 9 hours and 36 minutes and the LG G3 comes in third, lasting just 6 hours and 40 minutes.

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