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LG G Pad 8.0 V480 Tablet Review

Chicken-breasted long-distance runner. LG offers an 8-inch tablet for less than 200 Euros (~$254) that has an excellent battery life dubbed G Pad 8.0. However, the runtimes are at the expense of having a weak SoC, which is usually found in entry-level smartphones, among other things. Nevertheless, Android 4.4 KitKat and known software features from LG help make the tablet an interesting product.

For the original German review, see here.

As the name already indicates, LG's G Pad 8.0 V480 features an eight-inch touchscreen. The resolution corresponds to the standard of this device category while the installed hardware sooner comes from the entry-level sector. The tablet does not offer any real hardware highlights, and the incorporated infrared transmitter is the only exception. The device's RRP of 199 Euros (~$253) is still acceptable for this sector. An identically configured LTE version is available for 100 Euros (~$127) extra.

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD (starts at 199 Euros, ~$253), Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0 (starts at 208 Euros, ~$264), and Lenovo A8-50 (starts at 139 Euros, ~$176) are contenders. However, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310 (starts at 140 Euros, ~$178) is still an alternative.

Case

The plastic used is sensitive to fingerprints.
The plastic used is sensitive to fingerprints.
The micro-SD slot is easy to open.
The micro-SD slot is easy to open.

LG's G Pad 8.0 is comfortable to hold even for a longer time owing to its rounded edges. The screen's edges are pleasantly slight, and only the Galaxy Tab 3 and MediaPad M1 have even narrower frames. It is, however, the thickest tablet in the comparison field with a depth of 9.9 millimeters. However, its weight of just 338 grams is relatively light, and only the Tab 3 (314 gr.) undercuts it. 

The choice of materials is acceptable. The plastic has been roughened slightly, and thus the device has a good grip despite its smooth surface. The casing is available in black, white, orange, or blue.

The review sample's stiffness is not awe-inspiring. Although the slightest twisting attempts hardly produced cracking noises, the brightness distribution on the screen changed visibly. Light pressure on the tablet's back caused evident waves on the screen. A bit more force had to be applied to the display's bezel to imitate this effect.

The tablet's battery is not removable, and thus it cannot be replaced by the user. The micro-SD slot flap closes flush and is easy to open and close. The other gaps are fairly even, but the plastic back cover can be pushed away from the display quite effortlessly.

221 mm / 8.7 inch 126 mm / 4.96 inch 9.2 mm / 0.3622 inch 371 g0.818 lbs217 mm / 8.54 inch 136 mm / 5.35 inch 8.95 mm / 0.3524 inch 360 g0.794 lbs215 mm / 8.46 inch 130 mm / 5.12 inch 8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch 360 g0.794 lbs214.4 mm / 8.44 inch 120.7 mm / 4.75 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 341 g0.752 lbs210.8 mm / 8.3 inch 124.2 mm / 4.89 inch 9.9 mm / 0.3898 inch 338 g0.745 lbs209 mm / 8.23 inch 123 mm / 4.84 inch 7.4 mm / 0.2913 inch 314 g0.692 lbs210 mm / 8.27 inch 148 mm / 5.83 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 2.9 g0.00639 lbs

Connectivity

The device can be recharged and data can be shared with a computer via the micro-USB 2.0 port in LG's G Pad 8.0. It also supports OTG so that it is possible to connect USB sticks and external input devices to the tablet.

The micro-SD slot accepts memory cards with a maximum capacity of 64 GB. Since the system also supports App2SD, applications can be easily installed on it and started from there.

The infrared transmitter can be used for controlling TVs, Blu-ray and DVD players in conjunction with the app QuickRemote.

Upper edge: microphone, audio, infrared, micro-SD
Upper edge: microphone, audio, infrared, micro-SD
Left: no interfaces
Left: no interfaces
Lower edge: micro-USB
Lower edge: micro-USB
Right: power, volume rocker
Right: power, volume rocker

Software

Google's Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system is used. LG has modified the interface, and it blends in perfectly with the overall concept of LG's product line. The G Pad 8.0 also completely exhausts the proprietary software features. In addition to Knock Code, QPair, and QuickRemote, Dual Windows for multitasking is also available. This software is known from LG's G3.

QPair that can be used with all Android smartphones with at least version 4.3 proved particularly useful. The program connects a smartphone with the tablet so that it not only can use the phone's Internet connection but also receive and answer calls, short messages, and notifications from social networks. It is also possible to locate the other device via an acoustic signal when it has been misplaced.

There are only a handful of third-party apps, which can be deleted easily.

QPair
QPair
QPair: incoming call
QPair: new message

Communication & GPS 

LG's G Pad 8.0 sports a Wi-Fi module that supports the IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n standards. It can consequently operate in both the 2.4 and 5.0 GHz frequency ranges. The tablet's range is good. Half the signal strength was still displayed even 20 meters away from the router (Fritz!Box 6360). It was also still possible to browse on the Internet without a noticeable decrease in speed.

Bluetooth 4.0 is also installed. Audio streaming is no problem. However, users who transmit the audio of a streamed HD video to an external speaker will notice that the sound is not always in-sync. Besides that, a noise is heard after playing a sound, which stops with a "snap" after a few seconds.

GPS Test: outdoors
GPS Test: outdoors
GPS Test: indoors
GPS Test: indoors

The tablet can use both GPS and Glonass satellites for localization. Satellites are found quickly outdoors, and the position is ascertained within a few seconds. It takes considerably longer indoors, but localization is possible.

The accuracy of the G Pad 8.0 could be better. Compared with the Garmin Edge 500 bike computer, the tablet exhibited problems in tight route sections, such as in the vicinity of a bridge. The deviations are also very evident under difficult reception conditions like in the woods. However, the discrepancies are a low 3% when looking at the total route, which is a very good outcome.

Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
Garmin Edge 500
LG G Pad 8.0
LG G Pad 8.0
LG G Pad 8.0
LG G Pad 8.0
LG G Pad 8.0
LG G Pad 8.0

Cameras

LG's G Pad 8.0 has two cameras. The front-facing camera is primarily suitable for videoconferencing with a resolution of 1.2 MP (1280x800 pixels; 16:9). Selfies are easy to take via a self-timer that can be triggered via gestures.

The self-timer can also be used with the primary camera that has a resolution of 5 MP (2560x1920). There is no auxiliary light or flash, and the other properties in low light are also unsatisfactory. The lens, however, shoots useful results in a bright surrounding or in daylight. The low resolution results in a lack of sharpness, which is particularly evident in rich-detail sequences where the outlines are blurry to muddy. Colors are very intense so that the pictures look quite vivid.

Panoramas can also be shot with the camera. That is quite easy to do and delivers attractive results. LG does not install other modes, and the settings are also limited to the essentials.

LG G Pad 8.0 (primary camera)
LG G Pad 8.0 (primary camera)
LG G Pad 8.0 (webcam)
LG G Pad 8.0 (webcam)
Canon EOS 70D (reference)
Canon EOS 70D (reference)


Panorama shot using LG's G Pad 8.0 (10944x1408 px)
Panorama shot using LG's G Pad 8.0 (10944x1408 px)

Accessories

The accessories for LG's G Pad 8.0 are comprised of a modular power supply (5 volts, 1.8 ampere) with an output of 9 watts, a USB data cable, and a quick-start guide.

The manufacturer does not offer any optionally purchasable, tablet-specific accessories.

Warranty

LG includes a 24-month warranty on its G Pad 8.0. The accessories are only protected for twelve months. The warranty cannot be upgraded.

Input Devices & Controls

The capacitive touchscreen detects up to ten simultaneous inputs. The surface features good gliding properties and implements inputs accurately. However, the device occasionally needs a second before responding. This could be due to the somewhat weaker processor because this is seldom with the Android interface, and it usually occurs in apps.

The G Pad 8.0 utilizes LG's Smart Keyboard with a nicely designed keyboard layout. The user can customize it to meet personal needs. For example, the key size can be changed or a key with an additional special character can be placed beside the space bar in the settings.

Portrait mode
Portrait mode
Landscape mode
Landscape mode
Divided keyboard
Divided keyboard

Display

G Pad 8.0 clouding
G Pad 8.0 clouding

LG's G Pad 8.0 has an 8-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels. That corresponds to an aspect ratio of 16:10 and a pixel density of approximately 189 ppi. Though that is not particularly high, it should be sufficient for most purposes. Even videos in the small HD resolution (710p) can still be played in the native resolution. Users who want to watch higher resolution material without losses will have to do this via an external monitor. Only Acer's Iconia Tab 8 (1920x1200 px; 16:10) offers a higher resolution in the comparison field.

The review sample's maximum brightness of 333 cd/m² is quite good but cannot compete with the leader Nvidia Shield (max. 489 cd/m²; 92%). The illumination of 85% is only middling, which is not noticed adversely in practice. A light clouding is visible at the screen's edges in dark images.

319
cd/m²
329
cd/m²
284
cd/m²
318
cd/m²
333
cd/m²
288
cd/m²
319
cd/m²
321
cd/m²
284
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 333 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 310.6 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 333 cd/m²
Contrast: 617:1 (Black: 0.54 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.64 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 4.78 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.63
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Acer Iconia Tab 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB SSD
Lenovo A8-50
SGX544, MT8121, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310
Mali-400 MP4, 4212 1.5 GHz, 16 GB iNAND Flash
Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0
Mali-450 MP4, Kirin 910, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Screen
-3%
13%
19%
2%
Brightness middle
333
330
-1%
348.1
5%
428
29%
328
-2%
Brightness
311
316
2%
322
4%
413
33%
308
-1%
Brightness Distribution
85
91
7%
87
2%
92
8%
84
-1%
Black Level *
0.54
0.54
-0%
0.452
16%
0.56
-4%
0.46
15%
Contrast
617
611
-1%
770
25%
764
24%
713
16%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.64
5.47
-18%
4.41
5%
4.2
9%
5.23
-13%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.78
5.36
-12%
2.99
37%
3.2
33%
4.68
2%
Gamma
2.63 84%
2.14 103%
2.21 100%
2.46 89%
2.15 102%
CCT
6458 101%
6342 102%
6468 100%
6621 98%
7185 90%

* ... smaller is better

The black level of 0.54 cd/m² is increased slightly so that actually black surfaces look dark gray. That is not significantly better in the contenders. Lenovo's A8-50 (0.45 cd/m²; 770:1) still does the best job in the comparison field and provides a better overall picture due to its higher contrast. The review sample has a contrast ratio of 617:1, which is good but not outstanding.

The color accuracy of LG's G Pad 8.0 is quite precise despite the device category. It only displays few visible shifts. A balanced overall image is seen in the grayscale (dE 4.8), and the slightest greenish cast is vaguely perceptible on a pure-white surface. Only red (dE 9.7) is noticed unfavorably in the mixed colors. Blue could be more saturated. This is, however, not noticed adversely in routine use.

Color Management (target color space: sRGB)
Color Management (target color space: sRGB)
Saturation Sweeps (target color space: sRGB)
Saturation Sweeps (target color space: sRGB)
ColorChecker (target color space: sRGB)
ColorChecker (target color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (target color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (target color space: sRGB)

The highly reflective surface particularly makes outdoor use difficult. The reflections are annoying even in the shade, and not much can be recognized on the screen in direct sunlight. The good contrast, unfortunately, cannot change this either.

LG G Pad 8.0 in the shade
LG G Pad 8.0 in the shade
The tablet has problems in the sun.
The tablet has problems in the sun.

The viewing-angle stability of LG's G Pad 8.0 is good. The installed IPS screen, however, has a minor drawback: its brightness decreases clearly starting at an angle of approximately 30 degrees, and a light glowing effect becomes visible. Otherwise, the viewing angles are stable even when they are extremely flat. These points of criticism are insignificant when the tablet is held in a typical manner.

Viewing angles: LG G Pad 8.0
Viewing angles: LG G Pad 8.0

Performance

LG's G Pad 8.0 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8226 processor that is supported by 1 GB of working memory. The quad-core SoC clocks with 1.2 GHz and is now also found in many entry-level smartphones. The SoC-integrated Qualcomm Adreno 305 performs graphics calculations. It is not brand new anymore and has problems primarily with graphically-demanding games. Minor stutters were noticed even when using the Android interface.

The review sample nevertheless made a relatively good impression in the benchmarks because it could permanently retrieve the SoC's full performance. Although the A8-50 (MT8121; 1300 MHz) achieves a better score in the single-core test of Geekbench 3 (351 points), it has a 100 MHz higher clock. Those are, however, only measurable differences. The deviation is not noticed in practice. It is much clearer when compared with performance behemoths like Nvidia's Shield tablet, which is one of the currently fastest devices in the market.

A mixed impression evolves in the graphics benchmarks. The devices with a MediaTek SoC all use an outdated PowerVR SGX544, which is slower than the Adreno 305 in the review sample. However, as the ARM Mali-450 MP4 in the MediaPad M1 proves, a much better performance can be achieved even in this device category. The G Pad's Adreno 305's age of two years old is noticed here. Former high-end games can still just be rendered smoothly as the ultra-benchmark of Epic Citadel shows. However, it is no longer state-of-the-art either.

Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
326 Points
Gigaset QV830
325 Points 0%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
325 Points 0%
Lenovo A8-50
351 Points +8%
Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0
481 Points +48%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
935 Points +187%
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W
1127 Points +246%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
1047 Points
Gigaset QV830
1077 Points +3%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
1096 Points +5%
Lenovo A8-50
1156 Points +10%
Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0
1452 Points +39%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
2797 Points +167%
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W
3495 Points +234%
AnTuTu v5 - Total Score (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
17949 Points
Acer Iconia Tab 8
36659 Points +104%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
36109 Points +101%
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W
55435 Points +209%
Linpack Android / IOS
Single Thread (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
84.1 MFLOPS
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310
56.4 MFLOPS -33%
Gigaset QV830
38.4 MFLOPS -54%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
99.2 MFLOPS +18%
Lenovo A8-50
114.2 MFLOPS +36%
Acer Iconia Tab 8
205 MFLOPS +144%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
384.6 MFLOPS +357%
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W
673 MFLOPS +700%
Multi Thread (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
236.9 MFLOPS
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310
95.9 MFLOPS -60%
Gigaset QV830
127.1 MFLOPS -46%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
35.21 MFLOPS -85%
Lenovo A8-50
221.9 MFLOPS -6%
Acer Iconia Tab 8
558 MFLOPS +136%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
770 MFLOPS +225%
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W
726 MFLOPS +206%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
10.3 fps
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310
6.2 fps -40%
Gigaset QV830
5.6 fps -46%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
4.6 fps -55%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
14.1 fps +37%
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W
57 fps +453%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
5.8 fps
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310
3.9 fps -33%
Gigaset QV830
2.7 fps -53%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
2.7 fps -53%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
22.8 fps +293%
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W
66 fps +1038%
3DMark
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
5631 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310
3098 Points -45%
Gigaset QV830
3176 Points -44%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
2953 Points -48%
Lenovo A8-50
3206 Points -43%
Acer Iconia Tab 8
0 Points -100%
Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0
5927 Points +5%
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Graphics (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
5240 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310
2787 Points -47%
Gigaset QV830
2749 Points -48%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
2501 Points -52%
Acer Iconia Tab 8
0 Points -100%
Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0
5322 Points +2%
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Physics (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
7619 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310
5079 Points -33%
Gigaset QV830
6958 Points -9%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
8037 Points +5%
Acer Iconia Tab 8
0 Points -100%
Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0
9849 Points +29%
Epic Citadel - Ultra High Quality (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
32.2 fps
Gigaset QV830
27.5 fps -15%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
23.4 fps -27%
Acer Iconia Tab 8
39.8 fps +24%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
48.8 fps +52%
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W
59.4 fps +84%

Legend

 
LG G Pad 8.0 V480 Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8226, Qualcomm Adreno 305, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310 Samsung Exynos 4212 1.5 GHz, ARM Mali-400 MP4, 16 GB iNAND Flash
 
Gigaset QV830 Mediatek MT8125, PowerVR SGX544, 8 GB SSD
 
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8 Mediatek MT8389, PowerVR SGX544, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Lenovo A8-50 Mediatek MT8121, PowerVR SGX544, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Acer Iconia Tab 8 Intel Atom Z3745, Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 16 GB SSD
 
Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0 HiSilicon Kirin 910, ARM Mali-450 MP4, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 Samsung Exynos 5420 Octa, ARM Mali-T628 MP6, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W Nvidia Tegra K1, NVIDIA Tegra K1 Kepler GPU, 16 GB iNAND Flash

The Internet browsing speed could be faster. LG's G Pad 8.0 only set up sophisticated websites very slowly although we used the preloaded stock browser, which is based on Google's Chrome 30, for the benchmarks. The performance could very likely be increased with a more current version. The Iconia Tab 8.0 was always considerably faster in the comparison field.

Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
680 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310
Mali-400 MP4, 4212 1.5 GHz, 16 GB iNAND Flash
712 Points +5%
Gigaset QV830
SGX544, MT8125, 8 GB SSD
524 Points -23%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
SGX544, MT8389, 16 GB eMMC Flash
557 Points -18%
Lenovo A8-50
SGX544, MT8121, 16 GB eMMC Flash
618 Points -9%
Acer Iconia Tab 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB SSD
920 Points +35%
Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0
Mali-450 MP4, Kirin 910, 16 GB eMMC Flash
616 Points -9%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
Mali-T628 MP6, 5420 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
859 Points +26%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1989 Points
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
SGX544, MT8389, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1355 Points -32%
Acer Iconia Tab 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB SSD
6510 Points +227%
Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0
Mali-450 MP4, Kirin 910, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1467 Points -26%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
Mali-T628 MP6, 5420 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
4376 Points +120%
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W
GeForce ULP K1 (Tegra K1 Kepler GPU), K1, 16 GB iNAND Flash
6777 Points +241%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1034 ms *
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310
Mali-400 MP4, 4212 1.5 GHz, 16 GB iNAND Flash
1257 ms * -22%
Gigaset QV830
SGX544, MT8125, 8 GB SSD
1268 ms * -23%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
SGX544, MT8389, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1414 ms * -37%
Lenovo A8-50
SGX544, MT8121, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1454 ms * -41%
Acer Iconia Tab 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB SSD
700 ms * +32%
Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0
Mali-450 MP4, Kirin 910, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1444 ms * -40%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
Mali-T628 MP6, 5420 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1067 ms * -3%
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W
GeForce ULP K1 (Tegra K1 Kepler GPU), K1, 16 GB iNAND Flash
525 ms * +49%
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W
GeForce ULP K1 (Tegra K1 Kepler GPU), K1, 16 GB iNAND Flash
458 ms * +56%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
14907 ms *
Gigaset QV830
SGX544, MT8125, 8 GB SSD
25950 ms * -74%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
SGX544, MT8389, 16 GB eMMC Flash
18661 ms * -25%
Acer Iconia Tab 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB SSD
6009 ms * +60%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
Mali-T628 MP6, 5420 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
7895 ms * +47%
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W
GeForce ULP K1 (Tegra K1 Kepler GPU), K1, 16 GB iNAND Flash
4286 ms * +71%

* ... smaller is better

The internal storage of LG's G Pad 8.0 has a capacity of 16 GB. The user has 10.8 GB of that available. Since media often needs a lot of space, it is convenient that the storage can be expanded by up to 64 GB via a micro-SD card. The system supports App2SD, which enables relocating applications to the additional storage.

The flash storage's speed was always very good and did not provide any reason for reproach. There are only a few contenders faster in write speeds.

AndroBench 3-5
Sequential Read 256KB (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
114.8 MB/s
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310
Mali-400 MP4, 4212 1.5 GHz, 16 GB iNAND Flash
45.86 MB/s -60%
Gigaset QV830
SGX544, MT8125, 8 GB SSD
50.9 MB/s -56%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
SGX544, MT8389, 16 GB eMMC Flash
63.4 MB/s -45%
Lenovo A8-50
SGX544, MT8121, 16 GB eMMC Flash
62.5 MB/s -46%
Acer Iconia Tab 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB SSD
100.4 MB/s -13%
Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0
Mali-450 MP4, Kirin 910, 16 GB eMMC Flash
38.74 MB/s -66%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
Mali-T628 MP6, 5420 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
89.1 MB/s -22%
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W
GeForce ULP K1 (Tegra K1 Kepler GPU), K1, 16 GB iNAND Flash
83 MB/s -28%
Sequential Write 256KB (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
18.75 MB/s
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310
Mali-400 MP4, 4212 1.5 GHz, 16 GB iNAND Flash
20.07 MB/s +7%
Gigaset QV830
SGX544, MT8125, 8 GB SSD
6.14 MB/s -67%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
SGX544, MT8389, 16 GB eMMC Flash
8.74 MB/s -53%
Lenovo A8-50
SGX544, MT8121, 16 GB eMMC Flash
23.18 MB/s +24%
Acer Iconia Tab 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB SSD
12.23 MB/s -35%
Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0
Mali-450 MP4, Kirin 910, 16 GB eMMC Flash
12.13 MB/s -35%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
Mali-T628 MP6, 5420 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
18.02 MB/s -4%
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W
GeForce ULP K1 (Tegra K1 Kepler GPU), K1, 16 GB iNAND Flash
15.5 MB/s -17%
Random Read 4KB (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
16.34 MB/s
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310
Mali-400 MP4, 4212 1.5 GHz, 16 GB iNAND Flash
10.94 MB/s -33%
Gigaset QV830
SGX544, MT8125, 8 GB SSD
13.43 MB/s -18%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
SGX544, MT8389, 16 GB eMMC Flash
13.51 MB/s -17%
Lenovo A8-50
SGX544, MT8121, 16 GB eMMC Flash
13.1 MB/s -20%
Acer Iconia Tab 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB SSD
8.54 MB/s -48%
Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0
Mali-450 MP4, Kirin 910, 16 GB eMMC Flash
9.12 MB/s -44%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
Mali-T628 MP6, 5420 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
11.68 MB/s -29%
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W
GeForce ULP K1 (Tegra K1 Kepler GPU), K1, 16 GB iNAND Flash
11 MB/s -33%
Random Write 4KB (sort by value)
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1.72 MB/s
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310
Mali-400 MP4, 4212 1.5 GHz, 16 GB iNAND Flash
1.88 MB/s +9%
Gigaset QV830
SGX544, MT8125, 8 GB SSD
0.44 MB/s -74%
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8
SGX544, MT8389, 16 GB eMMC Flash
0.66 MB/s -62%
Lenovo A8-50
SGX544, MT8121, 16 GB eMMC Flash
0.94 MB/s -45%
Acer Iconia Tab 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB SSD
0.58 MB/s -66%
Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0
Mali-450 MP4, Kirin 910, 16 GB eMMC Flash
0.95 MB/s -45%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
Mali-T628 MP6, 5420 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1.46 MB/s -15%
NVIDIA Shield Tablet P1761W
GeForce ULP K1 (Tegra K1 Kepler GPU), K1, 16 GB iNAND Flash
0.9 MB/s -48%

Games

Gaming is not in the nature of LG's G Pad 8.0. The Qualcomm Adreno 305 is only strong enough for simple titles like Angry Birds or Plants vs. Zombies. The user will have to count with stutters in more demanding games. Current games like Asphalt 8 can be played even in medium detail settings without reproduction errors, but they do not run without minor lags when they are reduced to very low even then. Neither the touchscreen nor the sensors give reason for complaint.

Plants vs. Zombies 2
Plants vs. Zombies 2
Asphalt 8
Asphalt 8

Emissions

GFXBench 3.0: battery test
GFXBench 3.0: battery test

Temperature

The surface temperatures of LG's G Pad 8.0 reached up to 31.6 °C in idle. The rates increased up to 37.1 °C during permanent load, which we simulate by running the Stability Test app for at least one hour. That is relatively warm and also the second-highest rate in the comparison field. The Yoga Tablet 8 (max. 32.2 °C) is the coolest device, and the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 (max. 42.6 °C) heats up even more. All rates are, however, absolutely uncritical.

We use the battery test in GFXBench 3.0 to test the performance stability under permanent load. It runs an on-screen test thirty times in succession and records both the battery state and the frame rates. The performance remained stable over the entire period. Strangely, the battery's charge state also remained stable. We also observed this in the runtime tests. A full battery was displayed for quite a while only to drop abruptly at a later time.

Max. Load
 33.6 °C
92 F
28.6 °C
83 F
32.4 °C
90 F
 
 37.1 °C
99 F
30.1 °C
86 F
33.2 °C
92 F
 
 36 °C
97 F
29 °C
84 F
30.9 °C
88 F
 
Maximum: 37.1 °C = 99 F
Average: 32.3 °C = 90 F
28.3 °C
83 F
27.7 °C
82 F
32.8 °C
91 F
30 °C
86 F
28.9 °C
84 F
34.4 °C
94 F
29.2 °C
85 F
28.6 °C
83 F
33.6 °C
92 F
Maximum: 34.4 °C = 94 F
Average: 30.4 °C = 87 F
Power Supply (max.)  42.2 °C = 108 F | Room Temperature 23 °C = 73 F | Voltcraft IR-350
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.3 °C / 90 F, compared to the average of 30 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Tablet.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 37.1 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F, ranging from 20.7 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 34.4 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 33.3 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.8 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.

Speakers

The two rear-sided speakers in LG's G Pad 8.0 do not sound very good. The trebles are slightly distorted in maximum volume. Basses are barely audible, and the mids are virtually non-existent, which makes a rather bad impression for the sound.

However, the sound output via the audio jack is quite good. But, we noticed a quiet background scratching in quieter parts.

Energy Management

Battery Runtime

The 4200 mAh battery in LG's G Pad 8.0 enables a very good battery life. The ascertained rates provide compelling results in both its maximum and minimum runtimes. Unfortunately, we could not determine the tablet's exact power consumption this time because the rates fluctuated too strongly during the assessment, and they sometimes even dropped to zero, which is simply not possible.

The Wi-Fi browsing test is more suitable for comparison. It is performed using a standardized brightness of 150 cd/m². Except for the Wi-Fi connection, all consumers are disabled, and a browser script opens a new website every 40 seconds. The G Pad 8.0 lasted for almost eleven hours, which is an excellent result. Only Huawei's MediaPad M1 8.0 achieves a longer runtime.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
30h 01min
WiFi Surfing
10h 53min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
12h 9min
Load (maximum brightness)
5h 26min
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Acer Iconia Tab 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB SSD
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310
Mali-400 MP4, 4212 1.5 GHz, 16 GB iNAND Flash
Lenovo A8-50
SGX544, MT8121, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0
Mali-450 MP4, Kirin 910, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Battery Runtime
-38%
-43%
-17%
15%
Reader / Idle
1801
822
-54%
614
-66%
1308
-27%
WiFi
653
385
-41%
463
-29%
560
-14%
751
15%
Load
326
265
-19%
216
-34%
292
-10%

Verdict

In review: LG G Pad 8.0 V480. Review sample courtesy of LG Germany.
In review: LG G Pad 8.0 V480. Review sample courtesy of LG Germany.

LG's G Pad 8.0 V480 is an 8-inch tablet where some compromises have to be made. Although the screen's resolution is high enough, some contenders have more to offer. Its performance is on par with many of its rivals, but they have been in the market for over one year now. The device could be a bit faster for its price of 199 Euros (~$253), and there is room for improvement particularly in the graphics performance. However, LG's tablet uses an up-to-date version of Google's Android and comes with some software bonuses that facilitate use considerably.

A big plus is found in the G Pad 8.0's outstanding battery life, which is only surpassed by the MediaPad M1. The highly reflective screen does not help make the review sample the perfect outdoor companion either. Also, the speakers are certainly not the best of their kind.

The G Pad might satisfy buyers looking for a tablet for home use. The performance is absolutely sufficient for communication apps, Internet, and watching videos. Only gamers should definitely keep their hands off this tablet.

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In review: LG G Pad 8.0 V480. Review sample courtesy of LG Germany.
In review: LG G Pad 8.0 V480. Review sample courtesy of LG Germany.

Specifications

LG G Pad 8.0 V480 (G Pad Series)
Processor
Graphics adapter
Qualcomm Adreno 305, Core: 450 MHz
Memory
1024 MB 
Display
8.00 inch 16:10, 1280 x 800 pixel, capacitive touchscreen, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
16 GB eMMC Flash, 16 GB 
, 10.8 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: combo headphone and microphone jack, Card Reader: micro-SD max. 64 GB, Sensors: accelerometer, digital compass, GPS, DLNA, SmartShare, Miracast, infrared transmitter
Networking
802.11a/b/g/n (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0, body SAR: 0.497 W/kg
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 9.9 x 210.8 x 124.2 ( = 0.39 x 8.3 x 4.89 in)
Battery
Lithium-Ion, 4200 mAh
Operating System
Android 4.4 KitKat
Camera
Webcam: 1.2 MP; primary camera: 5.0 MP (auto focus, Full HD videos)
Additional features
Speakers: two speakers, Keyboard: virtual, modular power supply, data cable, quick start guide, KnockCode, QPair 2.0, QuickRemote, Smart Cleaning, Dual Window, Polaris Office 5, LG SmartWorld, QuickMemo, TalkBack, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
338 g ( = 11.92 oz / 0.75 pounds), Power Supply: 73 g ( = 2.58 oz / 0.16 pounds)
Price
199 Euro

 

The screen has a diagonal of 8-inches.
The screen has a diagonal of 8-inches.
The resolution is 1280x800 pixels.
The resolution is 1280x800 pixels.
The camera has a resolution of 5 MP.
The camera has a resolution of 5 MP.
The micro-SD slot is on the tablet's upper edge.
The micro-SD slot is on the tablet's upper edge.
The sound from both speakers is not awe-inspiring.
The sound from both speakers is not awe-inspiring.
The webcam is well-suitable for videoconferencing.
The webcam is well-suitable for videoconferencing.
A quad-core from Qualcomm provides enough power.
A quad-core from Qualcomm provides enough power.
Unlike the G Pad 10.1, the screen's brightness nosedives when the viewing angle decreases.
Unlike the G Pad 10.1, the screen's brightness nosedives when the viewing angle decreases.
Android 4.4.2 is preloaded.
Android 4.4.2 is preloaded.
10.82 GB of the storage is available.
10.82 GB of the storage is available.
Geekbench 3.
Geekbench 3.
GFX Bench 3.0: There was not enough working memory available for the Manhattan benchmark.
GFX Bench 3.0: There was not enough working memory available for the Manhattan benchmark.
Anomaly 2 benchmark (High Quality).
Anomaly 2 benchmark (High Quality).
3DMark.
3DMark.
Google Octane V1.
Google Octane V1.
Browsermark 2.1.
Browsermark 2.1.
Peacekeeper.
Peacekeeper.
WebXPRT 2013.
WebXPRT 2013.
Basemark OS II.
Basemark OS II.
AnTuTu v5.
AnTuTu v5.
Vellamo 3.
Vellamo 3.
PassMark.
PassMark.
AnTuTu: touchscreen test.
AnTuTu: touchscreen test.
AnTuTu: stability test.
AnTuTu: stability test.

Similar Devices

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Links

  • Manufacturer's information

Compare Prices

Pros

+Decent IPS screen
+Excellent battery life
+Expandable storage
+LTE version optionally available
+Latest Android
+Useful, preloaded software
+Dual-band Wi-Fi
 

Cons

-Relatively weak SoC
-Middling outdoor suitability
-Minor lags
-Weak speakers

Shortcut

What we like

The tablet's life is really good. Besides that, the countless features that LG integrates in Android are very useful.

What we'd like to see

More power! A stronger SoC would have been appropriate and would have made the device more interesting for a wider audience.

What surprises us

A micro-SD slot that supports memory cards up to 64 GB (SDXC) is not a matter of course in this sector. Fantastic!

The competition

The contenders are: Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 and 4, Acer Iconia Tab 8, Lenovo A8-50Yoga Tablet 8, Gigaset QV830, and Huawei MediaPad M1 8.0.

Rating

LG G Pad 8.0 V480 - 10/16/2014 v4(old)
Daniel Schmidt

Chassis
78%
Keyboard
76 / 80 → 95%
Pointing Device
85%
Connectivity
50 / 65 → 77%
Weight
86 / 40-88 → 96%
Battery
95%
Display
81%
Games Performance
53 / 68 → 78%
Application Performance
28 / 76 → 37%
Temperature
90%
Noise
100%
Audio
50 / 91 → 55%
Camera
57 / 85 → 67%
Average
71%
84%
Tablet - Weighted Average
Daniel Schmidt, 2014-10-21 (Update: 2018-05-15)