LG X Power K 220DS review: a smartphone with high battery power

Specifications

• Screen: 5.3″, IPS (In-Cell Touch), 16 million colors, 1280×720 pixels, capacitive, glass;
• Operating system: Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow;
• Processor: MediaTek MT6735, Cortex-A53, 4 x 1.3 GHz;
• GPU: Mali-T720;
• RAM: 2 GB;
• Built-in memory: 16 GB, support for microSD memory cards up to 32 GB;
• Cameras: Main 13 MP – flash, digital zoom, autofocus, front 5 MP – backlight, autofocus;
• Video recording: 1920 x 1080, 29 fps, EIS stabilization;
• Battery: Li-Ion 4100 mAh;
• Dimensions: 148.9 x 74.9 x 7.9 mm;
• Weight: 139 g;
• SIM slots: 2 nanoSIM/nanoSIM, Dual Standby;
• Communication: GSM: 850/900/1800/1900, 3G HSPA+: Down - 42 Mbit/s, Up - 11 Mbit/s, 850/900/1900/2100, 4G CSFB: B3.B7,B20, GPRS, EDGE, WIFI: 802.11 b/g/n 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS (A-GPS);
• Sensors: light, proximity, gyroscope, accelerometer, Hall;
• Available colors: indigo, white, gold.

Review of the durable LG X Power smartphone

LG has released a whole line of X smartphones that are not flagships, but each of them has its own characteristic feature. X cam - a dual rear camera, X style - a thin body, X view - an additional screen, and X power - a large battery, with a relatively small screen with HD resolution, which (theoretically) will allow the smartphone to work for a really long time on a single charge.

What is this?

LG X power is an Android smartphone with a 5.3-inch 1280x720 IPS display, a 64-bit quad-core MediaTek MT6735 processor, 2 GB of RAM, dual SIM support, Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and a large 4100 mAh battery.

What does it look like?

Despite the impressive battery, the smartphone turned out to be quite compact and light. Largely thanks to the plastic body and relatively small screen. The smartphone is available in white, gold and dark blue colors. The blue version looks quite restrained and neat. On the front panel (in addition to the screen), there is an LG logo at the bottom of the body, a set of sensors, a front camera and an LED indicator at the top. The case has small bevels at the top and bottom of the front panel. The screen is protected by 3rd generation Gorilla Glass, on top of which a protective film is glued from the factory. It's cheap, but it's better than nothing, and it won't be a shame to remove or replace it.

The back cover is not removable; the card tray is located on the left side. There is also a volume rocker on it:

You can insert either 2 nanoSIM cards or one plus MicroSD up to 32 GB into the tray:

Along the perimeter of the case there is a decorative frame made of glossy plastic. An additional microphone is located at the top end of the smartphone:

On the right side is the power button:

Bottom - MicroUSB connector, microphone for calls and 3.5 mm headphone jack:

The back panel is made of embossed dark blue practical plastic, which practically does not leave fingerprints. In the middle of the back panel is the LG logo. On top there is a camera with a single LED flash and an external speaker on the bottom. A typical and not very practical speaker placement, which is typical for mid- and budget-priced smartphones. On the table it is significantly dampened:

The smartphone looks calm and reserved. There are no special complaints about the quality of materials and workmanship, especially considering the positioning. Plastic is like plastic, and thanks to the non-removable lid, there’s nothing to wobble or creak.

How good is the screen?

LG X power is equipped with a relatively compact (by modern standards) 5.3-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x720, which gives a pixel density of 277 ppi. It’s quite normal for such a diagonal, and it also has a positive effect on energy consumption. As already written above, a protective film was pasted from the factory. Its advantage is that the screen remains intact, the disadvantage is its quality. It immediately becomes covered with very noticeable scratches out of the blue. The maximum brightness is low and the display becomes difficult to read in the sun, but color rendition is not bad.

Viewing angles are maximum, which is expected for modern IPS screens without an air gap:

Multi-touch up to 10 touches supported:

For those who want to know more

As expected, the maximum brightness is really low: only 255.957 cd/m2, black field brightness is 0.29 cd/m2 and the contrast is at a good level: 883:1, although it would be wrong to judge from an engineering sample, so it’s worth looking at the final version . There are no utilities for adjusting color temperature; there is only a reading mode that makes colors warmer. For its class, the screen is well calibrated, although the usual inaccuracies in color rendering and color gamut are present:

Comparison with other models:

How are things going with performance, memory and autonomy?

The smartphone has budget hardware: a quad-core 64-bit MediaTek MT6735 processor with a maximum frequency of 1.3 GHz, 2 GB of RAM, built-in 16 GB, memory cards up to 32 GB are supported, but you will need to limit yourself to one SIM card. Just over 10 GB is available out of the box. This hardware is enough for the smooth operation of the interface and applications. The system is not very good for games. Some games (for example, NBA and NFS: No Limits) run fine, although not at maximum settings. In Unkilled, FPS drops noticeably:

The smartphone has Wi-Fi b/g/n (2.4 GHz only) and Bluetooth 4.2 and radio. Minimum required. The GPS module works quickly, a cold start takes no more than 15 seconds:

The main feature of the smartphone is its large 4100 mAh battery. Together with fairly economical hardware, it is able to provide truly impressive battery life. In a very intensive mode, the smartphone works for 2 full days without recharging; in a more gentle mode, it works for 3 days without any problems. So, as a “workhorse”, the smartphone will show itself at its best. Using a proprietary charger, the smartphone charges in about 2 hours, plus there is support for charging other devices via an OTG cable, which can be very useful.

For those who want to know more

A system consisting of a 64-bit quad-core MediaTek MT6735 processor (4 ARM Cortex-A53 cores at 1.3 GHz) with a Mali-T720 graphics accelerator and 2 GB of RAM, as expected, produces rather low results in synthetic tests, although the main thing is that the interface and applications work without problems . For numbers lovers:

Is the interface user-friendly?

Out of the box, LG X power runs on the current version of Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow OS with its own shell, which does not radically change the “native” interface, but adds a number of useful and convenient functions. At the same time, it looks easy and unobtrusive (and works quickly).

As usual, most application icons have been redrawn to match their own style. LG does not limit users to desktop options without a separate application menu, as Chinese manufacturers often do. There is such an option.

But there are also two options with a separate menu of installed applications. Simplified and standard:

This is configured in a separate settings item:

The top curtain is as close as possible to the original one from Android Marshmallow. You can customize the display and order of icons and remove (or hide) brightness and volume adjustments:

There is a traditional LG option for customizing touch buttons; there can be up to five of them. In particular, you can remove the curtain button, screenshot, SIM card management and QSlide:

QSlide is a useful thing that allows you to open some applications in windowed mode:

The settings menu is sorted into separate groups:

Of course, there is a separate volume control:

Application manager with the ability to close all or individual applications and pin the ones you need:

And a set of standard applications as interpreted by LG:

Is the camera good?

LG has also redrawn the camera interface. And it also turned out to be simple and intuitive. There are buttons for taking photos and videos (without the need for additional settings of modes), viewing previous captured frames, buttons for sharing to social networks and cloud storage, and different shooting modes. You can set up shooting based on hand gestures and use the screen as a backlight for selfies:

The smartphone has 13 and 5 megapixel cameras. This is not a camera phone, so don't expect stellar quality, but in normal lighting you can get decent photos. In poor lighting the task becomes much more difficult and the pictures become quite grainy:

The smartphone shoots video in FullHD

Bottom line

LG X power is worth a look for users who are looking for an inexpensive smartphone with a large battery, long battery life and a simple, intuitive interface that works quickly. This is a “workhorse” for those who are not interested in mobile games and the quality of the main camera is not too important, but the emphasis is on not worrying about how not to forget or where to recharge the phone at the end of the working day. Of course, the main audience is those who still do not trust numerous Chinese manufacturers who can offer more technically advanced models for the same money.

4 reasons to buy LG X power:

• compact and convenient body;
• large battery with long operating time;
• fast charging and support for charging other devices;
• Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with a light and fast shell.

2 reasons not to buy LG X power:

• weak iron;
• mediocre camera quality.

Appearance

At first contact, the LG X Power gives a pleasant impression of a stylish and unusual smartphone. The body and non-removable back panel are made of plastic, the front panel is covered with glass.

All the functionality of the front panel is concentrated in the upper left corner: there is a red indicator of new notifications, a front camera, light and proximity sensors, and an earpiece. Hardware buttons are integrated into the operating system and are customizable depending on the user’s preferences (more details in the “Software” section). Below the screen is the LG logo.

On the back of the smartphone there is the main camera with a flash and the logo of the manufacturer, and at the bottom there is a checkered perforation of the main speaker.

The smartphone is equipped with two microphones, one of which is on the top edge and the second on the bottom, and is used during a call.

In addition, there are 3.5 mm and micro-USB connectors at the bottom. Having connected the headphones until a characteristic click is heard, the plug is held as tightly as possible, the phone literally hangs on the wire, and when you try to disconnect, the connector resists and therefore the process requires considerable effort. With micro-USB, things are the opposite of what was described above. Due to the lack of supplied equipment for the LG X Power presented for review, using the original cable turned out to be impossible, and when using “ordinary” wires, the connector seems flimsy, and there is a slight play at the contact point.

On the left are the volume buttons and a compartment with nanoSIM and microSD slots. As is already customary among mobile electronics manufacturers, the client has a choice between using two SIM cards or one SIM card and a memory card.

The power button is located on the right side of the smartphone, which is convenient when using both the right and left hands.

Despite the impressive screen size, the LG X Power fits well in the hand thanks to the rounded edges of the case and the textured back panel, which prevents the smartphone from slipping out.

More about appearance

Appearance of LG X Power K 220DS

Starting the review of the lg x power k220ds smartphone , we note that it does not have a removable battery, that is, the body is non-separable, made of plastic, the edges have a rounded shape.

The build of the phone is quite decent, which is good news.

A plastic case has its advantages over an iron one - high throughput.

Network pulses will pass better to the receiver in the phone through plastic. And the weight is immediately noticeable as an undeniable plus of the plastic body.

Who wants to carry something heavy in their pocket?

For those who consider plastic to be a disadvantage, it is possible to offset this disadvantage by purchasing a beautiful case or bumper. The options in this regard are endless.

The design is very simple, without any special differences, so to speak, “for everyone.”

The phone weighs 139 g, dimensions – 148.9/74.9, thickness – 7.9 mm.

It won't be difficult to put it in your pocket.

The rounded corners and relief of the back panel hold the device well in the hand and do not slip out.

The LG X Power line of smartphones is released in four colors - Indigo Blue, White, Gold and Black.

Built into the smartphone body:

• 3.5 mm audio jack;
• button to adjust sound volume;
• phone lock button;
• connector for connecting to a PC;
• control buttons.

On top of the gadget there is one additional microphone, on the bottom – the main one, a microUSB port, and a headphone jack.

The power (lock) button is on the right, so it’s convenient to hold the gadget with both your right and left hands. At the top left there are volume buttons, below there is a combined SIM card slot.

Manufacturers of mobile electronics have recently given the client a choice - to use two SIM cards or one, but with a memory card, instead of the second.

The main camera, along with the LED flash and speaker are located on the back of the panel. There is only one speaker, but its sound is decent, although there are models with more powerful sound.

On the front panel we see a speaker (talk), an event indicator and a front (selfie) camera. At the bottom there is the LG logo.

Display

The first distinctive feature of the LG X Power is a large 5.3″ diagonal screen with a resolution of 720x1280 and a pixel density of 277 ppi. The image quality is good, the colors are bright and saturated. Contrast at the right level.

There is a subjective opinion that the human eye stops seeing individual pixels on a smartphone screen at a distance of 30 cm at a density above 300 ppi. In relation to the gadget under review, I think opinions will also be divided. The clarity of the content on the screen is quite satisfactory, but the characters in the displayed text may appear to have a blurry outline.

The range of brightness changes allows you to comfortably use the phone both in complete darkness and in conditions of excessive lighting.

The operation of the light sensor and adaptive brightness control is a little annoying, constantly selecting the brightness level so that nothing is visible on the display. Fortunately, you can simply not turn on this function and adjust the brightness yourself all the time.

In addition to the excellent brightness of the display, the user experience is improved by the perfectly “cleaning” oleophobic coating on the screen and the Multi-touch technology used, which recognizes up to 10 touches simultaneously.

LG X style

LG is trying to keep up with other manufacturers by releasing new devices. Of course, the brand is not so popular among users of modern gadgets, especially for flagship solutions. Be that as it may, the smartphones of this manufacturer have always been distinguished by their high-quality performance and, what is also important, by their original, rather strict design.

This time, LG Electronics decided to release four X-line models at once, among which the most stylish was LG X style . Looking at the trend towards using X in line names, we can assume that this is not the last company to pick up the trend. For example, before this, X could be seen in devices from Motorola (Motorola Moto X or the new Motorola Moto X Style, and later in new products from Sony (Sony Xperia X and Sony Xperia XA). Although, if you compare the new phone with Sony products, it would be most correct to do this with the Sony Xperia E5, because we are talking about a mid-segment affordable solution, the technical characteristics of which are not its strong point.What about the design of the new product?

Exterior design

All models of the new LG line have their own specific features. There is a long-lasting smartphone with a 4100 mAh battery, a dual-SIM phone, and, of course, our dude. Even from the name it is not difficult to guess that we are talking about a stylish phone with an elegant design, a very thin body and a large screen. By the way, the diagonal of the IPS LCD screen is 5.3 inches, while its resolution is within adequate limits: 720x1280 pixels. Why not everyone's favorite fullaichdi? It's simple: given the thickness of the case, the manufacturer was able to place only a small battery with a capacity of 2100 mAh in the device. It seems that even in this case, autonomy will not become a strong point of the smartphone.

Specifications

Considering the mid-segment focus and low battery capacity, the manufacturer had no choice but to install the energy-efficient Snapdragon 410 into the device, which is not intended for heavy resource-intensive tasks. The processor works in conjunction with Adreno 306 and one and a half gigabytes of RAM. As for the main memory, it is 16 gigabytes, and there is the possibility of microSD expansion. The camera is also not up to par: an eight-megapixel solution is used as the main module, and a five-megapixel module takes selfies. Despite the average characteristics, Lji X Style certainly deserves attention. After all, for a relatively reasonable price, the user receives a stylish ultra-thin gadget.

Iron

Hidden inside the stylish slim case is probably the most popular “set” for mid-priced smartphones.

The “brain” is a MediaTek MT6735 processor, four ARM Cortex-A53 cores of 1.3 GHz each. In addition to LTE support, features include support for RAM of more than 4 GB, maximum camera resolution of up to 13 megapixels and increased performance compared to Cortex-A9 processors.

The graphics are handled by the Mali-T720 chipset, paired with the above processor, which is designed for undemanding games and Full-HD video recording and playback at 30 frames/s. The benchmark results are far from average, but they cannot be called terrible either.

In practical use, this device does not cause discomfort. Games do not slow down, the quality of textures is without any special complaints, given the low expectations.

2 GB of RAM will not cause headaches for undemanding users. During everyday use, about 70% is used.

LG X Power is equipped with 16 GB of internal memory, of which 10.32 GB is allocated to the user. This is quite enough for an average amount of different content, from games to downloaded navigator maps. For those who find it small, there is a slot for a microSD memory card up to 32 GB, but it is worth remembering that its use is only possible with one SIM card.

Processor and operating system

The technical specifications of the LG k220ds are as follows:

1. Quad-core Mediatek MT 6735 processor, which operates at a clock frequency of 1.3 GHz. The same chip is installed in the LG K8.
2. Video accelerator - Mali T720.
3. Built-in memory is 16 GB, of which approximately 11 GB is available, which is basically a standard figure for devices of this class. MicroSD cards up to 64 GB are supported.
4. RAM - 2 GB. In principle, a good volume. It will be able to provide maximum speed of work.

But how do these characteristics perform in gaming tests? In Asphalt 8, the phone runs at the highest level of graphics with the maximum number of effects. From time to time small “glitches” “slip through”, but in principle they do not affect the gameplay, that is, the game runs well.

In Real Racing 2 the device also has no problems. Mortal Kombat 3 also works well. But in GTA San Andreas the device runs at almost maximum graphics - special effects, shadows and reflections are included. The game does not have any “lags” or “brakes”, nor does it have any sagging or slowdowns.

The LG x power k220ds smartphone is perfect as a gaming device.

The state employee runs Android version 6.0.1 Marshmallow. LG proprietary firmware is installed on top of it. Everything works well. It is possible to wake the phone from standby mode by double tapping - this is a feature of all the company’s smartphones.

Read also LG k10 m250 2020 (LG k 10) review and specifications

A minimum number of applications are preinstalled, mostly Google applications. There are some of its own utilities - LG BackUpe, power saving mode, batteries and backup management.

Software

LG has been equipping its devices with its own “author’s” Android for a long time. X Power has the sixth version of the most popular mobile operating system, codenamed Marshmallow. It differs from the “stock” one in the ability to select the appearance of the main screen, switch between tabs and a list in the settings, customize on-screen buttons for quick access to the main functions of the smartphone, as well as an installed set of programs: LG Backup for creating backup copies, RemoteCall Service for communicating with the service center in case of problems, Capture+ and QuickMemo+ for working with screenshots and creating notes.

The appearance of the shell can be changed using wallpapers and themes, which even change the icons of standard applications such as camera, calendar, etc. All this can be installed through the LG SmartWorld app, a “local” app store. There you can also download some games and programs.

A fact that may confuse some users will be the absence of a standard gallery, instead there is Google Photos with an expanded arsenal of capabilities such as synchronizing and storing photos and videos in the cloud, but first you need to understand how it works.

When connected to a PC, the phone is not detected and the list of connection modes does not appear. This problem can be solved by installing drivers from the official LG website.

Communication and sound

The speaker is quite loud and the sound quality is good. A big plus is the support for two SIM cards in the nanoSIM format and the LTE standard. You can use the Internet only with one SIM card. The Wi-Fi module works perfectly, it finds the signal quickly and does not lose it.

The GPS module is very fast, almost instantly detected 23 satellites and began using 11 of them.

Despite the simple main speaker at first glance, it is not difficult to hear the ringing melody even from the next room. The maximum recorded noise level is almost 83 dB

Camera

LG X Power is equipped with a 13 MP main camera with flash, 4x digital zoom and autofocus.

The quality of the pictures is at a decent level. Color rendition, brightness, macro photography do not cause any complaints, except that the device experiences difficulties in photographing in low light. Available modes: auto, panorama, simplified one-touch shooting mode.

The front camera takes pictures with a resolution of 5 megapixels. Zooming is not supported; instead of flash, there is a special shooting mode with backlighting at the edges of the screen. There is auto retouching and auto photography based on hand gestures.

Both cameras shoot video at 1920x1080 resolution at 30 fps

Results and conclusions

Summing up the review of LG X Power, the essence of this gadget becomes clear. Stylish body design, a large bright display with excellent touch response, an excellent main camera and a high-capacity battery, combined with not the most productive but also less volatile hardware, distinguish the LG X Power (with an average price of 13,800 rubles) from other mid-price smartphones segment.

Pros:

• Huge battery life with built-in battery
• Large functional display
• Stylish, slim 7.9mm case
• LTE support
• Good main camera
• Loud main speaker

Minuses:

• Poor performance of adaptive brightness adjustment and light sensor
• Lack of “gallery” in the installed OS
• Wobbly microUSB connector
• You may need to install drivers on your PC to interact with your phone

Final score: 8 out of 10.