LG’s Stylus 2 goes out to prove that note-taking phablets don’t have to be expensive. Does this contender conquer the kingdom?
For years, the epitome of Android-based note taking has been the Samsung Galaxy Note series. I had the unique opportunity to review the Galaxy Note 5 earlier this year, and found that while it’s certainly a great phone, an enormous price tag and lack of new features makes this a regal monarch that’s simultaneously lazy as well. LG has previously attempted to rebel against its rule with the budget G4 Stylus, and now the Stylus 2. Does the company’s newest effort succeed where it last failed?
Before we dive in, let’s take a moment to acknowledge the good intentions and bad execution that brewed to create the G4 Stylus. All-in-all a pleasant device, the G4 Stylus fell short of its namesake through few actual note-taking features, a cheap-feeling plastic back, and a somewhat stilted user experience.
The G4 Stylus had been LG’s challenger to the rule of the Galaxy Note 5; a device that was intended to prove that a mid-range phablet can do note-taking just as well as a premium device. The intention was there, but altogether that assault on the throne diminished into a short-lived siege rather than the deposition it was intended to be.
Read: Hands-on preview: LG Stylus 2 ““ the phablet that was promised
Luckily, then, LG’s decided to have another bash and the Stylus 2 is its avenging knight. Stripped of its family – the Stylus 2 falls outside of the flagship G5 banner – can this device succeed and deliver the inquisition that its forebear failed to do?
It’s time to get down to it.
Specifications
The LG Stylus 2 arrives with very little internal change that sets it apart from its predecessor. A 5.7″ 720p display gives way to a Snapdragon 410 SoC, with 16GB of expandable storage and 1.5GB or RAM (or 2GB of RAM, depending on where you are) completing the setup. The Stylus 2 includes two cameras; a 13-megapixel primary and 8-megapixel secondary team, and runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
Design
Physical design is where the Stylus 2 introduces its major shakeup. The G4 Stylus introduced a design heavily reminiscent of the flagship G4; a curved back panel give way to a flat front screen and small bezels on either size doubled over to a large top and bottom chin.
The Stylus 2 offers a far more sleek and subtle outcome; there are tones of the flagship G5 here, but just enough that the Stylus remains its own character. One area I feel compelled to complement is just how light the device is; a near-contradiction, the Stylus fits the frame of a heavyweight but weighs in at a frankly ridiculous 145g. I’ve not held a device this year that comes close to being so pleasant within the hand.
The Stylus 2’s rounded edges give way to similarly rounded corners, while its wafer thin frame rests in the hand comfortably. LG’s classic rear power button layout makes a re-appearance here, and sports a tactile grip which enables a user’s index finger to quickly find it. The rear camera sits flush with the device’s body, leaving an uninterrupted profile.
LG’s Rubberdium Stylus naturally makes a reappearance, and sports no physical difference to the model which we saw on the G4 Stylus; this is the same, painfully thin yet imminently usable pen we saw last year.
User interface
The LG Stylus 2 is notable in the sense that this is one of the first devices to arrive sporting LG’s new Android skin under Android 6.0 Marshmallow apart from the flagship G5.
LG’s new software skin, in many respects, comes closer to Huawei and Xiaomi’s approaches with Android. For once, stock apps sport a new, uniform appearance and an app launcher is nowhere to be found on first launch.
Thankfully, LG has taken major strides in arming the Stylus 2 with just the lance and shield the G4 Stylus lacked; proper stylus integration.
On removing the stylus, users hear a distinctive ‘pop’ sound as LG’s new Pop menu emerges with options to quickly create notes or screen captures in a similar fashion to the Galaxy Note 4. At the get-go, there are options to use either Pop functionality to write notes, or launch LG’s QuickMemo + app, use the camera, and an additional option for a 3rd party app.
This is explicitly what the G4 Stylus was missing, and it’s relieving to see that the Stylus 2 is better than taking notes than its predecessor ever was. LG’s Pop menu functions fluidly and without incident; rather than sheathing the stylus and proceeding to use the device on its own, I actively found myself using it in my day-to-day.
LG’s software skin might lack some of the more convenient features other near-stock vendors do, yet the Stylus 2 offers a reliable Android contender and LG’s visual touches thrive on the device’s 720p display.
Performance
Where the G4 Stylus was a stilted competitor that offered great performance one moment and a lengthy pause the next, the Stylus 2 offers the dedication and refinement worthy of a tried and tested veteran.
The device, frankly, runs with aplomb; easily navigating from one task to the next with little hindrance. Where its predecessor stammered and stuttered, the Stylus offers a smooth and silky approach. The different – and upgrade – in this regard, is staggering.
Does the Stylus 2 beat the Galaxy Note 5 in raw performance power? Unfortunately – and expectedly – no; yet this is a surprisingly close fight for two devices that are leagues apart in terms of processing power. Where the Galaxy Note 5 is positioned for short bursts of authority, the Stylus 2 offers consistent brawling power. While you can play high-end games and show off your note-taking skills on the former, the latter proves you don’t need a (rough) R15,000 ZAR suit of steel to get the job done.
As note-taking is the unique selling point with the Stylus 2, it’s worthy to mention just how silky smooth LG’s Pop functionality is for a first go on the battlefield. Worthy of Samsung’s stylus additions to TouchWiz, Pop functionality makes use of many of the same features and functions yet somehow performs on par with a device which is several leagues ahead of it.
We’ll come to battery life in a bit, though it’s worthwhile to mention here how both a long-draw time and fast charging time equate to a device that enjoys the best of both worlds.
One unique area of frustration I encountered was, oddly enough, on LG’s lock screen. Occasionally swipe-to-unlock became unresponsive, while PIN or password entry became slow when the device was used for a longer period. As this isn’t a screen which one uses for a long period of time, I can find this irritation forgettable, yet not forgivable.
Stylus
The epicentre of the Stylus 2, LG’s Rubberdium Stylus has changed precious little since its first iteration. The design of the unit remains the same, and further slots similarly in to a top-mounted port on the top of the smartphone. What matters on this occasion is that there is – finally – far greater software integration with LG’s Pop menu functionality.
The Rubberdium Stylus remains painfully thin; whereas other styli take the form of a rectangular affair, the Rubberdium Stylus remains round and nimble within the hand.
One area I wish LG had developed was a ‘pop up’ button to eject the unit rather than relying on users to physically pull the unit out through a small grip, though this clearly isn’t the high-end of the smartphone market and budgets have to be achieved.
LG’s return to form in integrating the stylus though software makes this a far more equitable opponent than in its first iteration, meaning that this is a stylish tool to be used rather than a near-useless accessory.
Battery
The LG Stylus 2 is a surprising contender when it comes to battery life; armed with a 3,000mAh battery, the Stylus doesn’t let up on long days and seems to be built for that long board meeting which could have been an email.
The Stylus 2 routinely lasted more than one day, edging into approximately 22 hours in hard use while nearly four days on standby with 3G and Wi-Fi enabled.
Camera
LG have developed a significant following around their camera technology; the LG G4 received the approval of our Editor in its review, while the LG G5 sports doubled smarts through the use of a dual-camera setup.
Interestingly, then, LG’s lesser devices don’t seem to readily benefit from the technology the company crams into its flagship devices. The LG G4 Stylus, in particular, fell short of the greatness its flagship brother carried so effortlessly.
Thankfully, the Stylus 2 is a far greater affair, with notable improvements to its camera handling smarts. An area I particularly enjoyed was the Stylus’ macro smarts; images retained equally crisp detail at close range as they did from further away.
The 8 megapixel selfie camera doesn’t disappoint, either. Selfies are well-exposed, defined, and offer decent crispness and tone. This is an improvement that’s exponentially greater than LG’s first attempt with a stylus based device.
Overall
To return to our analogy of taking the throne, the LG Stylus 2 has a hefty task ahead of it. Not only does it need to improve on the G4 Stylus and differentiate it from the modular G5, it further needs to prove to everyone that note-taking phablets don’t squarely need to reside in the shadow of those with deep pockets.
Overall, the LG Stylus 2 succeeds on all fronts. This is a massive improvement over its forebear that not only stands distinct from LG’s flagship offering, but further proves that note-taking can be done effectively on a budget.
It’s an odd statement to make after having the likes of the Galaxy Note 5, BlackBerry Priv and Galaxy S7 Edge in my hands this year, but the Stylus 2 is one of the most exciting smartphones I’ve seen in 2016.
This is a massive improvement over last year’s fare that proves to everyone that note-taking can be done well outside of the premium smartphone bracket, and ultimately knocks the Galaxy Note 5 off its perch.
Conclusion
Let’s wrap up. The LG Stylus 2 is a unique offering from the Korean company that marries a wafer-thin, super-light design with a pleasant software skin atop Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
With a performance that’s near great and is only let down by small, easily fixed software issues, this is a stylus-equipped phablet for the everyman that can’t afford the price tag Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 demands.
Read: LG adds the X Power, X Mach, X Style, and X Max to its X Series
Style and stamina are in spades here, and in one fell swoop LG have not only bettered their previous effort, but further launched a successful inquisition against one of the oldest prevailing monarchies in the smartphone world.
Score: 9/10
What are your thoughts on our LG Stylus 2 review? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!
Follow Bryan Smith on Twitter: @bryansmithSA
