Well-designed, but that’s about it

After a prolonged absence, Korean electronics manufacturer LG has decided to return to the budget end of the smartphone market with its new K series of smartphones. The K10 is a well-designed device that also boasts of excellent build quality and LTE support. These credentials might have been good enough to make it a crowd favourite a few years ago, but with the budget segment now stuffed to the brim with products offering incredible value, LG’s classy mass-market offering might have a tough time capturing mind and pocket space.

The K10 is quite an attractive handset. In fact, in a segment that is largely populated by unwieldy phablets and utilitarian designs, LG’s pebble-shaped handset probably ties with Motorola’s G series for pole position in terms of looks. The curved back features a chain mail-like texture that looks classy and offers great grip. In typical LG fashion, the volume and unlock button are positioned on the rear panel. For those apprehensive about the practicality of this arrangement, rest assured that one week of use is enough to leave you wondering why buttons were ever positioned on the side.

The 5.3-inch 720p display is decent but nothing spectacular – its low resolution is offset by good viewing angles and brightness. The device is bundled with a flip cover that has a transparent part through which notifications can be viewed. While the case is a nice addition, the quality of materials it is built from leaves something to be desired.

The specs of the K10 are decidedly unimpressive given the constant one-upmanship when it comes to budget hardware. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chipset featuring Adreno 306 graphics, and is paired with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage space.

Despite being a couple of years old, the chipset is capable of handling regular usage fairly well. However, it struggles with the latest and the greatest of games and the lack of additional RAM is apparent when attempting to multitask with large numbers of apps open.

The handset comes with a 2,300 mAh battery, which is just about adequate thanks to the low resolution of the display. We found the device capable of lasting a day of regular usage. Quick charging is not an option though, so users will have to make sure to juice up overnight.

The 13 MP rear camera on the K10 is a bit of an afterthought. Which isn’t to say its particularly bad, but nobody will be buying this phone specifically for its photographic abilities. Colour levels are decent in well-lit conditions, but the drop-off in quality is stark under low light. Detail is also lacking as even the slightest bit of zooming will bring visual artefacts into view. This camera is intended for those who take a snap every once in a while and forget they have a camera at most other times. The front camera is a standard issue selfie shooter.

LG is back in the budget space at long last, but it doesn’t look like they’ll be staying long. The K10’s excellent design and build quality is belied by its unimpressive specs, poor camera and outdated OS. And in a market that is brimming with alternatives, buyers will have little time for a handset that is so ordinary. The only way LG can salvage this is with a deep price cut.

Price: ₹13,750

Love: Design, Clean OS

Hate: Performance, camera

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