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LG X Power Smartphone Review

Long lasting. LG's X Power wants to persuade with a gigantic battery and low price. The Korean manufacturer also treats it to a quick-charge feature and USB OTG that allows recharging friends' smartphones. Find out just how long the battery really lasts and whether the smartphone shines in other aspects in this report.

For the original German review, see here.

LG's X lineup offers affordable mid-range devices with a special feature: For example, LG's X Screen sports a second screen for additional information and LG's X Cam has a second camera module on the rear. We are now testing LG's X Power that should score with a particularly big battery: 4100 mAh or 15.6-watt hours is actually rare in a smartphone. The battery's capabilities are to be utilized even better via Quick Charge and USB OTG: Fast recharging and using the smartphone as a power bank for other devices are the key words.

Archos' 50 Power offers an identically sized battery in the price range of around 200 Euros (~$217). Acer's Liquid Z630S or UMi's Super can also compete here. The slightly more expensive Lenovo ZUK Z2 that can only be purchased via import also has a high-capacity battery.

LG X Power K220 (X Series Series)
Processor
Mediatek MT6735 4 x 1.3 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
2048 MB 
Display
5.30 inch 16:9, 1280 x 720 pixel 277 PPI, IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16 M colors, IPS, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, glossy: yes
Storage
16 GB eMMC Flash, 16 GB 
, 10.8 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Card Reader: micro-SD max. 2 TB, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: proximity, compass, accelerometer
Networking
802.11 b/g/n (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.2, GSM (850/​900/​1800/​1900), UMTS (850/​900/​1900/​2100), LTE (B1/​B3/​B7/​B8/​B20/​B38); bandwidth (download/​upload): 150Mbps/​50Mbps (LTE), 42Mbps/​5.76Mbps (UMTS); SAR rate: 0.66 W/kg (head), 1.38 W/kg (body), LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.9 x 148.9 x 74.9 ( = 0.31 x 5.86 x 2.95 in)
Battery
15.6 Wh, 4100 mAh Lithium-Ion, non-removable
Operating System
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix f/​2.2, AF, LED flash, videos @1080p/​30FPS
Secondary Camera: 5 MPix f/​2.4
Additional features
Speakers: rear-sided speaker, Keyboard: virtual keyboard, charger, USB cable, headset, LG Smartworld, QuickMemo+, RemoteCall Service, 24 Months Warranty, FM radio, USB OTG, Mediatek Pump Express Plus, WiFi Direct, Android Beam, fanless
Weight
139 g ( = 4.9 oz / 0.31 pounds), Power Supply: 52 g ( = 1.83 oz / 0.11 pounds)
Price
199 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The casing of LG's X Power is made of plastic, and it is very slim at 7.9 millimeters. A slight edge is palpable on the back toward the front, but the smartphone is pleasant to hold thanks to its curved edges. At 139 grams, LG's X Power is also very light. The casing creaks quietly when warped, and pressure on the back quickly becomes visible in the liquid crystal display. However, the casing's overall stiffness is satisfactory.

The big battery cannot be removed, and the included tool is needed for opening the slot on the casing's side when replacing the nano-SIM and micro-SD card.

The design is functional; our review sample's titanium-gray back is matte-finished, and a structured, dark-blue back can also be selected.

Size Comparison

156.3 mm / 6.15 inch 77.5 mm / 3.05 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 156.3 g0.3446 lbs151 mm / 5.94 inch 77 mm / 3.03 inch 8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch 202 g0.4453 lbs148.9 mm / 5.86 inch 74.9 mm / 2.95 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 139 g0.3064 lbs145 mm / 5.71 inch 72 mm / 2.83 inch 9 mm / 0.3543 inch 148 g0.3263 lbs141 mm / 5.55 inch 68.88 mm / 2.71 inch 8.45 mm / 0.3327 inch 149 g0.3285 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

With a 16 GB storage device and 2 GB of working memory, the configuration of LG's X Power is at the lower end; some comparison devices offer 32 GB of storage if not even 64 GB like Lenovo's ZUK Z2. Archos' 50 Power offers the same storage capacity but is 50 Euros (~$54) cheaper.

At least the relatively tight internal storage can be expanded via a micro-SD card and that at up to 2 TB, which does not yet exist on the market. Apps can be moved to the micro-SD (App2SD), but the micro-SD card cannot be formatted as internal storage.

The USB port on the smartphone's lower edge can be used for connecting external storage devices, and it is even possible to use a USB OTG cable for recharging another smartphone. LG's X Power can thus be used as a power bank for other devices on the go.

Software

LG covers Google's Vanilla Android with its own launcher that mostly modifies the looks in general. The order of the settings is different and the system icons also look different. Otherwise, savvy Android users will cope well right away and the system arrangement will be quite logical for newcomers.

LG installs quite a lot of additional software so that over 5 GB of the tight storage is already filled ex-factory. Preloaded apps that perhaps not everyone will want, such as Facebook and Instagram, are among them. Although LG draws commission from the company's shop "LG SmartWorld", it is simply Google's Play Store in a different look. However, some apps, like the file manager and interesting functions like QSlide that enables placing several apps as a window on the screen, are also present.

Communication and GPS

LG's X Power supports LTE Cat. 4, i.e. speeds of up to 150 Mbit per second in download and up to 50 Mbit per second in upload. The network diversity of four GSM and four UMTS bands alongside six LTE bands is satisfactory, but globetrotters will likely find it too limited. We had good LTE reception even indoors in a rural area using the German Vodafone network.

We test the Wi-Fi networks exactly one meter away from our Linksys EA8500 reference router. LG's X Power supports the 802.11 b/g/n standards. We transmit 10 streams with a data block size of 4 MB at the same time in accordance with our new test scenario. This allows seeing the advantages of good Wi-Fi modules even better. The speed of LG's X Power is decent with maximum transfer rates of approximately 50 Mbit per second in the test, but it would have been much more with 5 GHz band support.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Apple iPhone 7
A10 Fusion GPU, A10 Fusion, 128 GB NVMe (Klaus I211)
485 MBit/s +807%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Mali-T880 MP12, Exynos 8890, 32 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
335 MBit/s +526%
OnePlus 3
Adreno 530, 820 MSM8996, 64 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
323 MBit/s +504%
LG X Power K220
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
53.5 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Apple iPhone 7
A10 Fusion GPU, A10 Fusion, 128 GB NVMe (Klaus I211)
532 MBit/s +1030%
OnePlus 3
Adreno 530, 820 MSM8996, 64 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
320 MBit/s +579%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Mali-T880 MP12, Exynos 8890, 32 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
281 MBit/s +497%
LG X Power K220
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6735, 16 GB eMMC Flash
47.1 MBit/s
GPS test indoors
GPS test indoors
GPS test outdoors
GPS test outdoors

LG's X Power found us quite quickly on the upper floor of a tile-roof house and also achieved a very good accuracy of up to three meters indoors. The accuracy even improved a bit outdoors and was very accurate with 2 meters.

The first tracking outcomes were very good but what does it look like in practice? To find out, we take the smartphone on a bike ride along with Garmin's Edge 500 professional navigation system. The measured route differed by roughly 400 meters, which is tolerable on a 12-kilometer route although already a clear difference. In fact, LG's X Power had problems placing us exactly on the path and, in particular when crossing the bridge, finding us on the bridge. It simply draws a straight line between two localization points when it loses the signal. Overall, the GPS module's reception quality makes a mediocre impression, but it lost the signal considerably more often than the professional navigation system. Nevertheless, the handset is suitable for casual navigation.

GPS Garmin Edge – overview
GPS Garmin Edge – overview
GPS Garmin Edge – crossing
GPS Garmin Edge – crossing
GPS Garmin Edge – riverside
GPS Garmin Edge – riverside
GPS LG X Power – overview
GPS LG X Power – overview
GPS LG X Power – crossing
GPS LG X Power – crossing
GPS LG X Power – riverside
GPS LG X Power – riverside

Telephone and Call Quality

LG modifies the phone app but basically offers the same features as Google's stock app. When opened, the user first sees the keypad and recent calls and can access other functions via the call list, contacts, and groups tabs.

The call quality is satisfactory; the microphone still records quiet speech and the earpiece is relatively clear. However, voices sound a bit tinny on both sides. The speaker and sensitive microphone are used for making calls in hands-free mode, and that also functioned quite well. Our voice was transmitted to our contact with an audible echo, though.

Cameras

Front-facing camera photo
Front-facing camera photo

The primary camera in LG's X Power has a resolution of 5 megapixels. Thus, the smartphone is well-equipped in the class comparison. The rear-facing camera's photos are surprisingly sharp, and color fringing is hardly visible at the edges of objects, which we liked. However, dynamics in dark areas is absent and details are hardly visible. Colors are reproduced decently and quite warm.

A direct comparison with high-quality handsets, such as the iPhone 7, shows that the camera in LG's X Power reproduces considerably fewer details but we quite liked the primary camera in view of the smartphone's low price. However, it completely fails in low-light situations and only produces blurred photos. By comparison, the iPhone 7 still displays details clearly.

Videos can be recorded at 1080p and 30 frames per second. The quality is acceptable here, and the sharpness is good. The microphone could record sound a bit louder, though.

The 5-megapixel front-facing camera also shoots relatively decent photos. The sharpness is also good here, and outlines look accurate and only display slight color fringing. However, the dynamics in dark areas is also fairly low here, too.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
click to load images

We take the handset into our lab for analyzing the photo quality more precisely. Here, we photograph our reference photos using the primary camera of LG's X Power in defined light conditions. The good impression is confirmed here: Text is clear even in front of colored backgrounds, which is often a problem for other cameras, and the photos look sharp generally. However, our review sample cannot compete with the quality of premium-range camera modules - lines fray too strongly for this. The camera's color reproduction is surprisingly natural and only deviates from the reference color space in details.

Photographed reference card
Photographed reference card
Reference card details
Reference card details
Photograph of ColorChecker colors. Original colors are displayed in the lower half of each patch.
Photograph of ColorChecker colors. Original colors are displayed in the lower half of each patch.

Accessories and Warranty

Besides the Quick Charger and matching USB cable, a headset and SIM tool are found in the box. Special accessories that can be purchased are not listed on LG's website.

LG states a warranty period of 24 months. Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies & Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices and Handling

LG's keyboard is preloaded in addition to SwiftKey and the Android keyboard. The height of LG's keyboard can be adapted. A one-hand mode is present and the keyboard can be divided. However, we find it a bit overloaded due to the double assignment of many keys. Google's keyboard is more straightforward and clearly arranged.

The touchscreen's handling is precise and well-usable up into the corners. However, it is quite fingerprint sensitive. The controls for the operating system are only displayed on the screen. Hardware buttons for on/off and volume control are only found on both sides of the casing. The hardware buttons are well-palpable and have a clear pressure point.

Keyboard portrait mode
Keyboard portrait mode
Keyboard landscape mode
Keyboard landscape mode

Display

Subpixel screenshot
Subpixel screenshot

A resolution of 1280x720 pixels is not unusual in this category, but UMi's Super proves that a Full HD panel is also possible in this price range. Nevertheless, the screen in LG's X Power manages to display clear and sharp images on the panel. However, it does not shine very bright with averagely 352 cd/m², and the illumination of 85% could also be more homogeneous.

322
cd/m²
372
cd/m²
363
cd/m²
343
cd/m²
381
cd/m²
361
cd/m²
330
cd/m²
346
cd/m²
353
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 381 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 352.3 cd/m² Minimum: 3.09 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 381 cd/m²
Contrast: 1905:1 (Black: 0.2 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 7.3 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 7.4 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.26
LG X Power K220
IPS, 1280x720, 5.30
Archos 50 Power
IPS, 1280x720, 5.00
Acer Liquid Z630S
IPS, 1280x720, 5.50
Lenovo ZUK Z2
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.00
UMI Super Euro Edition
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.50
Screen
-6%
5%
-1%
13%
Brightness middle
381
304
-20%
350
-8%
512
34%
418
10%
Brightness
352
311
-12%
345
-2%
502
43%
410
16%
Brightness Distribution
85
83
-2%
84
-1%
84
-1%
85
0%
Black Level *
0.2
0.31
-55%
0.27
-35%
0.58
-190%
0.31
-55%
Contrast
1905
981
-49%
1296
-32%
883
-54%
1348
-29%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
7.3
5.9
19%
4.7
36%
3.8
48%
4.4
40%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
21.2
14.3
33%
8.5
60%
11.2
47%
6.5
69%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
7.4
4.6
38%
5.6
24%
2.7
64%
3.6
51%
Gamma
2.26 97%
2.51 88%
1.84 120%
2.09 105%
2.36 93%
CCT
8417 77%
7088 92%
6795 96%
6076 107%
6993 93%

* ... smaller is better

The screen's big strength is certainly its low black level: With 0.2 cd/m², black areas hardly shine and consequently look very dark and deep. This low rate also results in an outstanding contrast ratio of 1905:1.

A more precise analysis of the color reproduction is achieved with the CalMAN software and spectrophotometer. Unfortunately, very high shifts and an extreme bluish tint are seen here. Subjectively, colors look relatively pale and cool on the screen. However, a warmer color temperature can be set via the Read mode.

CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN Colorspace
CalMAN Colorspace
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps

LG's X Power does a mediocre job outdoors. The reflective screen and the middling brightness sometimes make outdoor use difficult in bright daylight - but not any more than with other smartphones from this category.

The IPS panel ensures stable images even from very flat viewing angles.

Outdoors
Outdoors
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
44 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17 ms rise
↘ 27 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 98 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
58 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 27 ms rise
↘ 31 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 93 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Performance

Mediatek's MT6735 is the name of the SoC that powers our review sample. It has a 64-bit architecture, clocks at up to 1.5 GHz, and it features four processing cores. In total, the SoC is classed in the mid-range as the benchmark comparisons also illustrate: Archos' 50 Power, for example, lags behind clearly while Acer's Liquid Z630S is slightly faster than our review sample. Lenovo's ZUK Z2 with an upper-range SoC takes a clear lead, just like UMi's Super.

The graphics performance outcomes look quite similar: The ARM Mali-T720 MP2 places our review sample in the second-last place before Archos.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
30432 Points
Archos 50 Power
23996 Points -21%
Acer Liquid Z630S
35585 Points +17%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
122513 Points +303%
UMI Super Euro Edition
50072 Points +65%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
4960 Points
Archos 50 Power
3001 Points -39%
Acer Liquid Z630S
6868 Points +38%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
29241 Points +490%
UMI Super Euro Edition
10791 Points +118%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
4330 Points
Archos 50 Power
2581 Points -40%
Acer Liquid Z630S
6250 Points +44%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
32997 Points +662%
UMI Super Euro Edition
10567 Points +144%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
10103 Points
Archos 50 Power
6981 Points -31%
Acer Liquid Z630S
10508 Points +4%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
20910 Points +107%
UMI Super Euro Edition
11654 Points +15%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
201 Points
Archos 50 Power
122 Points -39%
Acer Liquid Z630S
278 Points +38%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
3302 Points +1543%
UMI Super Euro Edition
595 Points +196%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
165 Points
Acer Liquid Z630S
229 Points +39%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
4506 Points +2631%
UMI Super Euro Edition
523 Points +217%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
860 Points
Acer Liquid Z630S
1113 Points +29%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
1706 Points +98%
UMI Super Euro Edition
1144 Points +33%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
15 fps
Archos 50 Power
8.6 fps -43%
Acer Liquid Z630S
21 fps +40%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
60 fps +300%
UMI Super Euro Edition
18 fps +20%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
8.4 fps
Archos 50 Power
4.9 fps -42%
Acer Liquid Z630S
12 fps +43%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
91 fps +983%
UMI Super Euro Edition
17 fps +102%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
6.6 fps
Archos 50 Power
3.6 fps -45%
Acer Liquid Z630S
9 fps +36%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
43 fps +552%
UMI Super Euro Edition
7.5 fps +14%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
3.1 fps
Archos 50 Power
1.6 fps -48%
Acer Liquid Z630S
4.2 fps +35%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
44 fps +1319%
UMI Super Euro Edition
7.1 fps +129%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
4.1 fps
Archos 50 Power
2.5 fps -39%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
29 fps +607%
UMI Super Euro Edition
5.1 fps +24%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
2 fps
Archos 50 Power
0.87 fps -56%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
30 fps +1400%
UMI Super Euro Edition
4.7 fps +135%
PCMark for Android - Work performance score (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
3759 Points
Archos 50 Power
2824 Points -25%
Acer Liquid Z630S
3814 Points +1%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
6969 Points +85%
UMI Super Euro Edition
4596 Points +22%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
200 Points
Archos 50 Power
176 Points -12%
Acer Liquid Z630S
691 Points +246%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
2290 Points +1045%
UMI Super Euro Edition
1043 Points +422%
System (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
1092 Points
Archos 50 Power
911 Points -17%
Acer Liquid Z630S
1614 Points +48%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
2986 Points +173%
UMI Super Euro Edition
2187 Points +100%
Memory (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
521 Points
Archos 50 Power
643 Points +23%
Acer Liquid Z630S
540 Points +4%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
1983 Points +281%
UMI Super Euro Edition
1052 Points +102%
Graphics (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
290 Points
Archos 50 Power
173 Points -40%
Acer Liquid Z630S
416 Points +43%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
4335 Points +1395%
UMI Super Euro Edition
666 Points +130%
Web (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
10 Points
Archos 50 Power
9 Points -10%
Acer Liquid Z630S
627 Points +6170%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
1071 Points +10610%
UMI Super Euro Edition
771 Points +7610%
Geekbench 4.0
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
810 Points
UMI Super Euro Edition
1561 Points +93%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
1506 Points
UMI Super Euro Edition
2818 Points +87%
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
560 Points
UMI Super Euro Edition
727 Points +30%

Legend

 
LG X Power K220 Mediatek MT6735, ARM Mali-T720 MP2, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Archos 50 Power Mediatek MT6735, ARM Mali-T720 MP4, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Acer Liquid Z630S Mediatek MT6753, ARM Mali-T720 MP4, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Lenovo ZUK Z2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996, Qualcomm Adreno 530, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
UMI Super Euro Edition Mediatek Helio P10 MT6755, ARM Mali-T860 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash

LG's X Power makes a normal-for-the-category impression in Internet browsing. HTML5 content or websites based on JavaScript are loaded and displayed fairly quickly. Our review sample is, however, again second-last among the comparison devices.

Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
2657 Points
Archos 50 Power
2116 Points -20%
Acer Liquid Z630S
2855 Points +7%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
8436 Points +218%
UMI Super Euro Edition
4117 Points +55%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
13196 ms *
Archos 50 Power
18481 ms * -40%
Acer Liquid Z630S
12876 ms * +2%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
3290 ms * +75%
UMI Super Euro Edition
9410 ms * +29%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
18.13 Points
Archos 50 Power
13.16 Points -27%
Acer Liquid Z630S
19.03 Points +5%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
51.7 Points +185%
UMI Super Euro Edition
26.21 Points +45%

* ... smaller is better

LG's X Power sometimes comes in last in storage access speed. We would have wished for a much faster memory chip here. Thus, loading occasionally takes a bit longer than in other smartphones.

Accessing our Toshiba Exceria Pro M401 also proved to be relatively slow. The card allows for much faster accessing so that LG's X Power would also have to be faster here.

AndroBench 3-5
Sequential Read 256KB (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
196.8 MB/s
Archos 50 Power
199.7 MB/s +1%
Acer Liquid Z630S
249 MB/s +27%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
239.4 MB/s +22%
UMI Super Euro Edition
257.8 MB/s +31%
Sequential Write 256KB (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
43.74 MB/s
Archos 50 Power
41.43 MB/s -5%
Acer Liquid Z630S
67.7 MB/s +55%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
46.52 MB/s +6%
UMI Super Euro Edition
126.9 MB/s +190%
Random Read 4KB (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
18.78 MB/s
Archos 50 Power
26.47 MB/s +41%
Acer Liquid Z630S
28.43 MB/s +51%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
21.27 MB/s +13%
UMI Super Euro Edition
28.17 MB/s +50%
Random Write 4KB (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
7.32 MB/s
Archos 50 Power
8.78 MB/s +20%
Acer Liquid Z630S
5.82 MB/s -20%
Lenovo ZUK Z2
5.64 MB/s -23%
UMI Super Euro Edition
11.88 MB/s +62%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
32.08 MB/s
Archos 50 Power
MB/s -100%
UMI Super Euro Edition
36.22 MB/s +13%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard (sort by value)
LG X Power K220
18.17 MB/s
Archos 50 Power
MB/s -100%
UMI Super Euro Edition
17.88 MB/s -2%

Games

LG's X Power is gaming suitable. Both Asphalt 8: Airborne as well as the new to Android strategy game Banner Saga 2 run smoothly although with longer loading times and occasional stutters. Consequently, even more demanding 3D games like Asphalt 8: Airborne are playable thanks to the slightly lower screen resolution. However, users who want an absolutely lag-free gaming experience should buy a smartphone with a faster SoC.

Asphalt 8: Airborne
Asphalt 8: Airborne
Banner Saga 2
Banner Saga 2

Emissions

Temperature

The casing's temperature development of LG's X Power very much remains within limits: The absolute load maximum is 37.7 °C. Although that is palpable, it is far from unpleasant. The temperatures on the rear clearly drop in idle mode, and increased heat is actually not felt. The front-sided temperatures of around 35.6 °C in idle and load are quite identical.

Max. Load
 32.1 °C
90 F
32.2 °C
90 F
36 °C
97 F
 
 32.7 °C
91 F
34.8 °C
95 F
36.5 °C
98 F
 
 34.3 °C
94 F
36 °C
97 F
36.4 °C
98 F
 
Maximum: 36.5 °C = 98 F
Average: 34.6 °C = 94 F
31.7 °C
89 F
32.4 °C
90 F
31.9 °C
89 F
33.5 °C
92 F
35.9 °C
97 F
34.6 °C
94 F
34.1 °C
93 F
37.3 °C
99 F
37.7 °C
100 F
Maximum: 37.7 °C = 100 F
Average: 34.3 °C = 94 F
Power Supply (max.)  30.3 °C = 87 F | Room Temperature 21.5 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34.6 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 36.5 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 37.7 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 33.2 °C / 92 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Heat map front
Heat map front
Heat map rear
Heat map rear

Speaker

The speaker is situated on the casing's rear. More and more manufacturers are recently departing from this positioning and are sooner installing the speaker into the casing's lower edge since it is not covered as easily there. Consequently, the positioning is not ideal but the speaker sounds acceptable otherwise. Although basses are virtually inaudible, high tones are not prominent and the sound does not distort at high volumes, either.

Demanding users will use the 3.5-mm headphone jack or Bluetooth. Both transmit a clear signal to external speakers or headphones.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.653.42525.432.93125.3304032.937.25033.640.66331.640.48028.432.41002729.212520.823.81602222.520021.327.725020.834.631521.240.640019.448.950019.55563017.760.480017.969.2100017.874.9125017.380.1160017.477.1200016.773.7250017.275315018.275.5400017.974.2500017.674.9630017.778.7800017.882.71000017.9771250018.166.81600018.264.8SPL3088.5N1.371.5median 17.9median 71.5Delta1.413.532.633.332.432.635.933.431.335.935.124.931.735.135.130.82635.140.137.339.440.132.429.336.232.4272428.62725.227.525.425.224.727.221.324.72723.523.32729.523.322.529.540.425.722.440.448.728.121.348.755.235.518.455.263.343.317.563.367.747.717.567.774.754.717.274.776.75816.876.775.156.217.375.173.153.917.473.17352.716.67371.451.417.371.471.751.717.671.772.751.517.672.774.654.517.774.674.854.617.474.87353.117.77371.85217.971.864.944.718.164.949.729.618.149.785.265.529.885.262.218.61.362.2median 71.4median 51.4median 17.7median 71.412.111.61.712.131.635.325.432.525.331.832.929.133.634.231.628.928.428.22726.420.825.92224.121.323.220.826.521.232.719.440.919.551.717.755.117.963.917.867.417.368.617.465.616.768.417.267.218.269.217.974.917.66717.763.917.866.117.963.118.151.618.2473080.21.342.3median 17.9median 63.11.414.2hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLG X Power K220Archos 50 PowerUMI Super Euro Edition
LG X Power K220 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (88.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 41.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (10.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.4% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (29% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 72% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 84% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 13% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Archos 50 Power audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 38.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (25.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 55% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 37% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 73% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 21% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

UMI Super Euro Edition audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 36.6% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 7.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (11.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.3% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (33.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 80% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 18% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 91% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 8% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram in comparison (checkboxes above can be turned on/off!)

Energy Management

Power Consumption

LG's X Power proves to be very efficient in terms of power consumption. This, in conjunction with the big battery, rouses hopes for a long battery life. The required energy is very low already in a turned-off state and standby. 0.64 to 1.34 watts are consumed in idle mode, which are very good rates since they are low. The low maximum consumption of 4.87 watts during load also appeals to us.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.02 / 0.22 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.64 / 1.3 / 1.34 Watt
Load midlight 4.18 / 4.87 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
LG X Power K220
4100 mAh
Archos 50 Power
4000 mAh
Acer Liquid Z630S
4000 mAh
Lenovo ZUK Z2
3500 mAh
UMI Super Euro Edition
4000 mAh
Power Consumption
-85%
-74%
-57%
-46%
Idle Minimum *
0.64
1.66
-159%
1.82
-184%
1.31
-105%
0.84
-31%
Idle Average *
1.3
2.88
-122%
2.35
-81%
2.03
-56%
1.94
-49%
Idle Maximum *
1.34
3.46
-158%
2.6
-94%
2.08
-55%
2.07
-54%
Load Average *
4.18
3.96
5%
3.69
12%
5.45
-30%
5.88
-41%
Load Maximum *
4.87
4.34
11%
5.98
-23%
6.75
-39%
7.67
-57%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

The battery life is the most important feature of LG's X Power, and LG's advertisement is almost humble with "up to two days of battery power". There is no reason for this restraint: An Internet script that simulates opening websites based on HTML5 and JavaScript content at a screen brightness of 150 cd/m² (brightness: 64%) runs in our Wi-Fi test. LG's X Power achieves a superb runtime of 16:27 hours here. Since the smartphone is not used permanently in real-world use, two days without recharging will sooner be the minimum. The smartphone will often first have to be recharged after three days. Furthermore, thanks to the low power consumption of LG's X Power, it very clearly outperforms the runtimes of smartphones with similarly strong batteries.

LG states a charging time of 2:20 hours for its X Power. The included charger with up to 9 volts and 1.8 amperes even managed this in almost 2 hours. That is not long for such a high-capacity battery, and the charger will not be needed very often, either.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
16h 27min
Load (maximum brightness)
6h 05min
LG X Power K220
4100 mAh
Archos 50 Power
4000 mAh
Acer Liquid Z630S
4000 mAh
Lenovo ZUK Z2
3500 mAh
UMI Super Euro Edition
4000 mAh
Battery Runtime
18%
-31%
-45%
-35%
WiFi v1.3
987
592
-40%
681
-31%
546
-45%
638
-35%
Load
365
639
75%
Reader / Idle
2045
1254
H.264
922

Pros

+ slim and light casing
+ superb battery life
+ low power consumption
+ battery recharges quickly
+ USB OTG
+ decent GPS module
+ good photo quality
+ high-contrast screen
+ casing stays cool

Cons

- slow access of storage
- low Wi-Fi transmission rates
- screen's bluish tint and low brightness
- adware preloaded
- poor camera quality in low light

Verdict

In review: LG X Power. Review sample courtesy of LG Germany.
In review: LG X Power. Review sample courtesy of LG Germany.

The "super power" of LG's X power should be a long battery life, and LG actually exhausts everything: 16:27 hours is an outstanding rate, and it outclasses the comparison devices. In addition to the big battery, the efficient energy management contributes to that. Furthermore, the battery is recharged quite quickly.

Where other devices of LG's X series often only excelled in their special feature but were sooner only equipped poorly in other aspects, LG's X Power can boast with good camera modules that, however, take slightly dark photos. Furthermore, the device stays cool, the GPS module is relatively fast and fairly accurate, and the casing is slim and light.

LG's X Power provides an extremely long battery life and can also convince in the "camera" section. Besides that, it hardly displays any major weaknesses and is therefore very recommendable in its price range.

The configuration is sooner standard than potentially award-winning, the screen has an extreme bluish tint, and the adware should not really have been necessary, either. However, the smartphone's eternally long battery life and practical performance definitely turn it into a serious competitor in the 200-Euro (~$217) price range.

LG X Power K220 - 10/17/2016 v5.1(old)
Florian Wimmer

Chassis
76%
Keyboard
64 / 75 → 85%
Pointing Device
89%
Connectivity
38 / 60 → 64%
Weight
93%
Battery
100%
Display
81%
Games Performance
10 / 63 → 15%
Application Performance
31 / 70 → 44%
Temperature
89%
Noise
100%
Audio
55 / 91 → 60%
Camera
65%
Average
69%
82%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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Florian Wimmer, 2016-10-23 (Update: 2019-04-21)