Deutsch
Español
Français
Italiano
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Русский
Türkçe
Svenska
Chinese
MagyarLG K8 (2017) Smartphone Review
For the original German review, see here.
In its K series, LG combines an affordable price with decent cameras, a removable battery, and an appealing design. This worked well in the LG K10 (2017), and now we take a look at the slightly smaller, slimmed down sibling, the LG K8 (2017). Besides the smaller display size, it is equipped with a slower LTE module, weaker processor, and less working memory, but currently costs around 50 Euros (~$53) less on the Internet than his better equipped sibling, the LG K10 (2017). At first glance, there seems to be no difference in the cameras.
As comparison devices, the Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL, Gigaset GS160, Huawei Y6 II Compact, and Lenovo K6 are used, which are all within a price range between 140 and 200 Euros (~$150-214). We did not have the predecessor, which is also called LG K8, in our test laboratory, but it is still widely available as well. Is the slightly more expensive 2017 model worth buying, or can you save the extra charge? Or, should you perhaps put a little more money on the table to get the LG K10 (2017)? We clarify those questions in our test.
Note that in the US, the LG K8 (2017) is currently only available from US Cellular ($50 prepaid).
Update 08-22-2017: The new build NRD90U brings general improvements and increases the security. Please refer to the Software section for detailed information.
Case
As in the LG K10 (2017) before, we can attest that the smaller sibling has a good-quality plastic case that sits in the hand ergonomically. Despite its smaller dimensions, the LG K8 (2017) brings slightly more weight to the scale and is also minimally thicker than the LG K10 (2017), though at 8.1 mm (0.32 in) it is still quite slim. There are two case colors: Titanium and Gold. However, these relate only to the color of the back and the frame, the front is always black. In our test unit, the back can be removed and the battery can be exchanged. This is not completely unusual in this price class, but in the Lenovo K6, for example, the battery cannot be removed.
The smartphone can hardly be warped, but it creaks when we try. The front and back are quite pressure sensitive; even with light pressure we can see waves forming in the liquid crystal display.
Features
16 GB of mass storage are absolutely customary in the given price range. With its 1.5 GB of RAM, the LG K8 (2017) is similarly on a good level, even though nowadays there are many devices with 2 GB. With USB-OTG, the relatively current bluetooth 4.2, WiFi Direct, and NFC, the list of features is quite comprehensive for this price class. Although a fingerprint sensor is nowadays often praised as a highlight in this class, the LG dispenses with it.
In addition, the storage can be expanded, that is to say, via microSD card. The manufacturer specifies up to 32 GB, but in our test, a 64 GB card was also recognized, therefore it must be a question of marketing, rather than an actual limit.
Software
It is good that LG bets on the current Android 7 even for an affordable smartphone. The security patches are from January 1, 2017, and with that are not really that current anymore. At the time of our testing, an update was not available, and in affordable devices it is rather unlikely that the manufacturer will still deliver on that. LG does not use stock Android, but installs its own user interface, which is different in some details and offers some extended functions, such as the knock-code for unlocking, and slightly expanded setting options.
There are several pre-installed apps that support the management of the smartphone and provide extended functions. LG subsidizes the affordable price by installing a few apps, like Facebook, for example. However, since these are just three apps, we can live with that.
Update 08-22-2017: LG rolls out an update with build number NRD90U (version: V10e-EUR-XX, 673 MB). The manufacturer summarizes the changes with improved "user friendliness and functionality of the phone". Google's security patches as of 06-01-2017 are implemented.
Communication and GPS
Although the SoC supports WLAN 802.11ac, with the LG K8 (2017) you have to be content with 802.11 b/g/n. In our WLAN standard test, the LG K8 (2017) achieves customary results and its reception is even a little faster than most comparison devices. In no way does it reach the excellent transfer rates of the Asus Zenfone Go, however. Subjectively, all the pages are loaded quickly near the router, and even when scrolling, images hardly need to be reloaded. A ten-meter distance and three walls between the smartphone and access point, however, are giving the LG K8 (2017) some noticeable trouble: Although the reception is still decent at 3/4, the pages load noticeably slower, and when scrolling, the pictures are often not displayed for a long time, until they are finally reloaded.
The LG K8 (2017) supports LTE, which nowadays is standard even on cheap smartphones. The maximum speed that can be reached is slower than the LG K10 (2017): 150 MBit/s for download and 50 MBit/s for upload. However, even these speeds are just theoretical and in most cases the network cannot reach anywhere near that, so that a speed difference probably will not be noticeable. The reception is decent, inside inner-city buildings we always had at least half the signal strength in the well-established German Vodafone net.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
In enclosed buildings, the location detection by satellite doesn't work. Outside however, we are quickly located with a precision up to 9 meters, which is only an average result. In our bike-tour with the LG K8 (2017) and the professional Garmin Edge 500 navigator, we notice many inaccuracies in our location detection: Often there is just a straight line if locating is not possible for a while, or we are placed clearly off to the side of the path. During navigation, you should therefore not rely to much on the precision of the smartphone.
Telephone and Call Quality
The Telephone app was slightly adjusted by LG, but mostly corresponds to Google's standard app in terms of functions.
The call quality is surprisingly good and better than on the LG K10 (2017) as well: The earpiece clearly transmits the voice of our conversation partner, and the microphone is sensitive and even transmits words spoken in a lower voice well. However, when speaking in a loud voice, it easily becomes slightly distorted. Our partner is also clearly understandable in hands-free mode, and our voice is also transmitted well, even when speaking in a low voice.
Cameras
With a 13-Megapixel camera on the back, there is camera of similar quality than the in the LG K10 (2017), at least on paper. There, we were positively surprised by the sharpness of the image, and also here on the LG K8 (2017), the sharpness is passable, although the autofocus concentrates too much on objects very close to the camera even when they are on the edge of the image, so that the main motif that might be further away becomes blurry. Here you need to manually readjust when necessary. This is unfortunate, since otherwise the color reproduction is ok, and in the area of the focus, the image sharpness is good. In low light the images of the main camera quickly become very grainy and thus appear blurry. Videos can be recorded in Full HD. The quality is good: Even in darker areas the details are still recognizable; the exposure adjusts quickly to new conditions; only the focus needs to be manually readjusted from time to time.
The front camera offers 5 Megapixels and takes quite sharp pictures. The exposure is good as well, but in lighter areas the detail gets lost quickly. The front camera can also record Full HD videos, and the quality is right here as well: The sharpness is good; the exposure adjusts quickly; and the dynamic is decent.
After testing the main camera under controlled light conditions in our test lab, we can call the sharpness of the images "good." Here, the focus is right as well, since the image has only one depth level. However, text in front of colored background is always accompanied by slight colored edges and on the edges of the image, the sharpness is clearly lower. Colors are reproduced a little on the bright side.
Accessories and Warranty
In contrast to the LG K10 (2017), the K8 does not include earphones. A charger and USB cable are off course included. The LG website does not offer any special accessories for later purchase.
The manufacturer offers a 24-month warranty for the LG K8 (2017). Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.
Input Devices and Handling
The virtual keyboard was developed by LG and is good to write with. Anyone who prefers Google's standard app or another keyboard can download that without any problem.
The touchscreen can be controlled from the corners and edges as well. The menu buttons can be found on the screen, but can optionally be hidden. The hardware buttons are on the left side of the case (volume controls) and on the back, below the camera (standby button). The location is a little unusual, but after a short time of familiarization feels intuitive. There are many accessibility options for people with limited senses, and the volume buttons can trigger special functions on long press, such as starting the camera.
Display
With the 1280x720 resolution, the 5 inch IPS display is right on the level of its class. However, the Lenovo K6 shows that more can be done and offers even a Full HD screen. In our test unit, the average brightness was 351 cd/m² and with that exactly on the level of its larger LG K10 (2017) sibling. This is clearly too low, and the competition nowadays is far ahead with values beyond 450 cd/m². The brightness distribution is very even at 93%, so that large color areas are illuminated uniformly.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 93 %
Center on Battery: 358 cd/m²
Contrast: 731:1 (Black: 0.49 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 7.1 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.1
ΔE Greyscale 6.5 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
Gamma: 2.12
| LG K8 2017 IPS, 1280x720, 5.00 | LG K10 2017 IPS, 1280x720, 5.30 | Huawei Y6 II Compact IPS, 1280x720, 5.00 | Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL IPS, 1280x720, 5.00 | Gigaset GS160 IPS, 1280x720, 5.00 | Lenovo K6 IPS, 1920x1080, 5.00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 13% | 1% | 22% | 5% | 28% | |
| Brightness middle | 358 | 384 7% | 491 37% | 459 28% | 489 37% | 470 31% |
| Brightness | 351 | 350 0% | 487 39% | 452 29% | 479 36% | 461 31% |
| Brightness Distribution | 93 | 85 -9% | 92 -1% | 84 -10% | 95 2% | 88 -5% |
| Black Level * | 0.49 | 0.36 27% | 0.9 -84% | 0.42 14% | 0.55 -12% | 0.38 22% |
| Contrast | 731 | 1067 46% | 546 -25% | 1093 50% | 889 22% | 1237 69% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 7.1 | 6 15% | 6.6 7% | 4.5 37% | 8.3 -17% | 5.2 27% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 14.9 | 14 6% | 12.9 13% | 10.6 29% | 14.4 3% | 9.5 36% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 6.5 | 5.9 9% | 4.9 25% | 6.5 -0% | 8.7 -34% | 5.6 14% |
| Gamma | 2.12 104% | 2 110% | 2.12 104% | 2.22 99% | 2.08 106% | 2.24 98% |
| CCT | 8166 80% | 8042 81% | 7090 92% | 7791 83% | 9034 72% | 7924 82% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 8929 Hz | ≤ 25 % brightness setting |  |
The display backlight flickers at 8929 Hz (Likely utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 25 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting. The frequency of 8929 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 19210 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
Unfortunately, the black value is quite high at 0.49 cd/m². As a result, black areas appear rather dark gray, the colors cannot really shine, and the contrast ratio is at a mediocre 731:1. In addition, we discover a high-frequency pulse width modulation, so the screen turns on and off in extremely short intervals to lower the brightness if needed. However, the frequency of the modulation is so high, that even sensitive people should not perceive any flickering.
In the laboratory tests with the spectral photometer and the CalMAN software, a clear blue tint is apparent, and furthermore the blue color tones deviate very strongly from the ideal values of the reference color space. The color temperature which is clearly to high can be lowered in the settings by a so called Comfort mode, which lowers the blue components in the image. However, the image then appears to have a slight yellow cast at first glance.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 22 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 11.6 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 10.4 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 39 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (22.2 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 35.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 18.4 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 17.2 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 40 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (35.1 ms). | ||
When using it outside, the low brightness is the biggest problem. In addition, the reflective display that almost all smartphones have becomes an obstacle to seeing what goes on on the display in bright surroundings. In the shade, the LG K8 (2017) is fairly usable most of the time.
The viewing angles are good and even from very wide viewing angles, the display contents can be seen clearly.
Performance
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 has been available for a long time, but until now we did not have a test unit equipped with it in our lab. The processor section of the SoC clocks at a maximum of 1.4 GHz and thus offers a performance that positions the LG K8 (2017) slightly above most of the comparison units. The LG K10 (2017) offers noticeably more power than that.
The graphics unit is an Adreno 308, and here the LG has to accept some critique: The performance of the graphics unit is considerably below that of the comparison devices. The LG K8 (2017) is therefore less suitable for fancy graphics such as in gaming or demanding apps.
| AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| 3DMark | |
| 1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| 1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| 1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| 2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| 2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| 2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 | |
| T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| 1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| GFXBench 3.0 | |
| on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| 1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| PCMark for Android - Work performance score (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| Geekbench 4.1 - 4.4 | |
| 64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| 64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
While web surfing, the performance appears similarly good as that of the processor: In some cases, the LG K8 (2017) is noticeably faster than some of the comparison devices, but cannot reach the performance of the LG K10 (2017).
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
* ... smaller is better
Access to the internal storage is fast, in some cases even faster than in the LG K10 (2017). The other comparison devices are left behind, anyways. The LG K8 also accesses our reference card for microSD readers very quickly. Anyone who transfers data a lot will be pleased with this smartphone.
| AndroBench 3-5 | |
| Sequential Read 256KB (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| Sequential Write 256KB (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| Random Read 4KB (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| Random Write 4KB (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| Sequential Read 256KB SDCard (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
| Sequential Write 256KB SDCard (sort by value) | |
| LG K8 2017 | |
| LG K10 2017 | |
| Huawei Y6 II Compact | |
| Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL | |
| Gigaset GS160 | |
| Lenovo K6 | |
Games
The graphics card is not particularly powerful. Luckily, most of the current Android games are tuned to play fairly well even on weak devices. Subjectively, this works pretty well in "Temple Run 2," and less demanding games such as "Angry Birds" run fluidly, anyways. However, since the graphics unit does not support most of the current graphics APIs anymore, being future-proof in terms of gaming is not a given: Some of the current game apps may not be shown in the Google Play Store, if they are not compatible with the hardware. It is fortunate, that games load quickly, because the storage access is fast.
The control via touchscreen and position sensor works pleasantly smoothly.
Emissions
Temperature
The LG K8 (2017) warms up to 38.4 °C (101 °F), which is very limited locally to the front. The back remains much cooler. The maximum warming is noticeable, but not uncomfortable. During idle operation, the maximum warming is also at the front, at 34 °C (93 °F).
We find out with the GFXBench battery test, that the SoC apparently cannot maintain its performance capabilities during load over a longer time: The frame rates quickly break down considerably.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 38.4 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 34.9 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 54.6 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 37.5 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 33.7 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 31.6 °C / 89 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Speakers
Subjectively, we like the sound of the LG K8 (2017) speaker a little better than that of the LG K10 (2017), although the smartphone still remains at the bottom level. The measurements of the audio test show quite a loud maximum volume, but also missing bass and very pronounced highs. Friends of a good sound will rather reach for headphones or a Bluetooth speaker, which can both be connected without any trouble to hear a sound without interference.
LG K8 2017 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 38.8% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 13.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (14.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.1% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (3.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (35.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 97% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 2% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 23%, worst was 65%
Compared to all devices tested
» 97% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 2% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%
Huawei Y6 II Compact audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 31% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 7.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (11.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 13.4% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (35.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 97% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 2% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 23%, worst was 65%
Compared to all devices tested
» 98% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 1% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%
Frequency diagram in comparison (checkboxes above can be checked or unchecked!)
Battery Life
Power Consumption
In terms of power consumption, the LG K8 (2017) should be highly praised: When it is turned off, it does indeed not draw any power from the battery, and during standby mode its power use is quite low. Also during operation, the smartphone uses on average less power than the comparison devices, even if it does not come out as a winner in any of the individual categories.
| Off / Standby |   0 / 0.1 Watt |
| Idle |  0.65 / 1.6 / 1.62 Watt |
| Load |
2.97 / 4.34 Watt |
    
| |
| LG K8 2017 2500 mAh | LG K10 2017 2800 mAh | Huawei Y6 II Compact 2200 mAh | Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL 2600 mAh | Gigaset GS160 2500 mAh | Lenovo K6 3000 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -4% | -2% | -16% | -11% | -11% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 0.65 | 0.76 -17% | 0.57 12% | 0.92 -42% | 0.56 14% | 0.65 -0% |
| Idle Average * | 1.6 | 1.59 1% | 1.53 4% | 1.76 -10% | 1.7 -6% | 1.65 -3% |
| Idle Maximum * | 1.62 | 1.61 1% | 1.6 1% | 1.85 -14% | 1.75 -8% | 1.67 -3% |
| Load Average * | 2.97 | 3.24 -9% | 2.82 5% | 3.47 -17% | 4.17 -40% | 3.58 -21% |
| Load Maximum * | 4.34 | 4.15 4% | 5.69 -31% | 4.22 3% | 5.07 -17% | 5.58 -29% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery Life
The greatest advantage of the 9.6 Wh battery is surely that it is removable. The WLAN runtime of almost 10 hours is decent by itself and confirms our experience, that during normal use, it can last for two days without a charger without any trouble. If you packed an extra battery, it doesn't matter if you left your charger at home during your trip over a long weekend.
Although the power saving mode offers no extraordinary features, it prolongs the runtime again considerably, if needed.
| LG K8 2017 2500 mAh | LG K10 2017 2800 mAh | Huawei Y6 II Compact 2200 mAh | Asus Zenfone Go ZB500KL 2600 mAh | Gigaset GS160 2500 mAh | Lenovo K6 3000 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -2% | -8% | -3% | -5% | 23% | |
| WiFi v1.3 | 594 | 532 -10% | 623 5% | 572 -4% | 615 4% | 715 20% |
| Load | 280 | 298 6% | 222 -21% | 277 -1% | 244 -13% | 350 25% |
| Reader / Idle | 1477 | 1175 | 1224 | 1326 | 1626 | |
| H.264 | 613 | 682 | 617 | 702 | 633 |
Pros
Cons
Verdict
As with the LG K10 (2017) before, with the LG K8 (2017) the Korean manufacturer also delivers quite a high-quality budget smartphone, which offers features not always found in this price range. First, there is the decent equipment supporting NFC and the modern bluetooth standard. However, for the highlight of a fingerprint sensor, you look in vain. Instead, there is a good call sound and cameras that are very good for this price class. Precise input devices and a removable battery with a decent runtime also belong to the upsides of the LG K8 (2017), and the casing appears relatively high-quality as well.
You should manually readjust the focus of pictures often, since there are some slight problems here, and also the screen overall is too dark. The speaker is rated below the level of this price class, which is low anyways, and the graphics card is weak and hardly future proof.
A casing that appears high-quality, good cameras, a removable battery – anyone who is not scared off by the missing fingerprint reader and the dark screen makes a good purchase with the LG K8 (2017).
Anyone who can live with that, gets a solid budget smart phone that appears to be of good quality, and currently still saves almost 50 Euros (~$53) in comparison to the LG K10 (2017), whose cameras and screen are not any better, but which has a considerably better performance. As long as the large price difference remains and you don't need the additional power, the LG K8 (2017) is currently the better deal.
LG K8 2017
-
04/19/2017 v6(old)
Florian Wimmer
Pricecompare
