Notebookcheck Logo

LG X power3 Smartphone Review – retro design and a large battery

Throwback with long battery life. The particularly large battery and long battery runtimes are the LG X power3's main selling points. It can offer several improvements compared to its predecessor, but its design remains the same as two years ago. Will this be enough to deserve our recommendation? Find out in our review.
LG X power3

Long battery runtimes are definitely one of the more important aspects people consider when choosing a smartphone. This is why LG has developed its X power model with particularly long battery runtimes. The past versions LG X power and LG X power2 were very appealing although the price of the LG X power2 was a little too high for what it had to offer.

The LG X power3 is available for 200 Euros (~$230), which is a little more realistic. The new version offers more storage, faster Wi-Fi and a more up-to-date SoC. That sounds like a promising update - let's find out whether it can live up to our expectations in our review.

Our test unit will have to compete against its predecessor, the X power2, and other smartphones in this price range: the Motorola Moto G7 Power, which also has a high battery capacity, the Huawei Y7 2019 that offers a long battery life and the Sony Xperia L3, which can quite simply be described as a good, affordable smartphone.

LG X power3 (X Series Series)
Processor
Mediatek MT6750 8 x 1.5 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
2048 MB 
Display
5.50 inch 16:9, 1280 x 720 pixel 267 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
, 25 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm audio jack, Card Reader: microSD for up to 2 TB, dedicated, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2, GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900), UMTS (850, 900, 1900, 2100), LTE (800, 900, 1800, 2100, 2600), Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.9 x 154.7 x 78.1 ( = 0.35 x 6.09 x 3.07 in)
Battery
4500 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Android 8.0 Oreo
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix contrast detection autofocus, LED flash, videos @1080p/​30fps
Secondary Camera: 5 MPix LED flash
Additional features
Speakers: single speaker on back, Keyboard: virtual keyboard, AC adapter, USB cable, cleaning cloth, headset, SIM tool, 24 Months Warranty, FM radio, LTE Cat 4 (150Mbps/​50Mbps), SAR value: 0.631W/​kg head, 1.429W/​kg body, fanless
Weight
171 g ( = 6.03 oz / 0.38 pounds), Power Supply: 65 g ( = 2.29 oz / 0.14 pounds)
Price
199 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case – retro look with 16:9 aspect ratio

The 16:9 aspect ratio makes the LG X power3 appear a little chubby and old-fashioned compared to modern slim displays. The wide bezels above and below the screen have also been out of style for about a year now. The LG X power3 has a lot of similarities with its two-year-old predecessor - only the fingerprint reader and the shiny blue back have livened things up a little.

The device is a few grams heavier than its predecessor but still absolutely acceptable at 171 grams. The plastic case has good workmanship, although we did notice some creaking and pressure points on the screen during our warp test.

The wide smartphone is not ideal for people with small hands but otherwise feels quite comfortable thanks to its rounded edges.

LG X power3
LG X power3
LG X power3
LG X power3
LG X power3
LG X power3

Size Comparison

158.92 mm / 6.26 inch 76.91 mm / 3.03 inch 8.1 mm / 0.3189 inch 168 g0.3704 lbs154.7 mm / 6.09 inch 78.1 mm / 3.07 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 171 g0.377 lbs154.7 mm / 6.09 inch 78.1 mm / 3.07 inch 8.4 mm / 0.3307 inch 164 g0.3616 lbs154 mm / 6.06 inch 72 mm / 2.83 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 156 g0.3439 lbs149.4 mm / 5.88 inch 76 mm / 2.99 inch 9.3 mm / 0.3661 inch 193 g0.4255 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity – finally more storage for the LG phone

The X power series finally has a model with more internal storage: 32 GB goes quite a bit further than 16 GB. Users can also expand the storage capacity via a microSD card. The phone offers a dedicated microSD card slot in addition to the two SIM slots. 

The smartphone handles SD cards that are formatted with exFAT very well. However, the SD card can only be used as external storage, which means that you cannot store apps on it.  

2 GB of RAM is a little less than the current standard for this price range. Most similar smartphones now offer 3 GB.

Software – Android not up to date

The LG X power3 is still equipped with Android 8.0 and it doesn't seem like it will be getting an update anytime soon. At least LG has been supplying the smartphone with sufficient security patches. The latest one is dated May 2019 (at the time of writing, June 2019). 

LG uses its own interface with differently sorted settings and a slightly different look than stock Android. Luckily the phone comes without any bloatware, although there are a lot of LG tools, most of which can only be deactivated rather than uninstalled. The idea of having a recycle bin for apps is great. It keeps apps for another 24 hours after deleting them, so you can quickly reinstall them if necessary.

Software LG X power3
Software LG X power3
Software LG X power3

Communication and GPS – ac-Wi-Fi not used to full potential

While the predecessor was not yet equipped with 802.11-ac Wi-Fi, the LG X power3 now offers this faster Wi-Fi standard. However, it seems like it cannot make full use of it. We measured higher transfer rates than with other smartphones of this price range using our reference router Linksys EA8500, but the difference is not very big. 

The smartphone still only has the most important LTE networks, so users might have difficulties when going further afield to other countries.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Sony Xperia L3
PowerVR GE8320, Helio P22 MT6762, 32 GB eMMC Flash
102 (90min - 111max) MBit/s +99%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Adreno 506, SD 632, 64 GB eMMC Flash
52.8 (27min - 58max) MBit/s +3%
LG X power3
Mali-T860 MP2, MT6750, 32 GB eMMC Flash
51.3 (48min - 55max) MBit/s
LG X power2
Mali-T860 MP2, MT6750, 16 GB eMMC Flash
51.2 MBit/s 0%
Huawei Y7 2019
Adreno 506, SD 450, 32 GB eMMC Flash
47.7 (43min - 52max) MBit/s -7%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s +506%
Sony Xperia L3
PowerVR GE8320, Helio P22 MT6762, 32 GB eMMC Flash
128 (81min - 129max) MBit/s +106%
LG X power3
Mali-T860 MP2, MT6750, 32 GB eMMC Flash
62 (56min - 62max) MBit/s
Huawei Y7 2019
Adreno 506, SD 450, 32 GB eMMC Flash
52.5 (50min - 54max) MBit/s -15%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Adreno 506, SD 632, 64 GB eMMC Flash
49.4 (35min - 53max) MBit/s -20%
LG X power2
Mali-T860 MP2, MT6750, 16 GB eMMC Flash
45.7 MBit/s -26%
051015202530354045505560Tooltip
LG X power3; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø58.9 (56-62)
LG X power3; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø51.2 (48-55)
GPS Test indoors
GPS Test indoors
GPS Test outdoors
GPS Test outdoors

The phone cannot locate us indoors but is quite fast and precise within three meters outdoors.

Our practical test - a bike ride with the LG X power3 and the Garmin Edge 520 as a comparison device - showed that the LG X power3 is suitable for rough navigation, although it is not very precise in narrow streets, for example. When crossing the bridge, the phone thought we were walking on water. So if you heavily rely on navigation and positioning, you might want to look for a different device. If having a vague idea of where you are is enough, the LG X power3 should do the trick.

GPS Garmin Edge 520 – overview
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – overview
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – roundabout
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – roundabout
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – bridge
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – bridge
GPS LG X power3 – overview
GPS LG X power3 – overview
GPS LG X power3 – roundabout
GPS LG X power3 – roundabout
GPS LG X power3 – bridge
GPS LG X power3 – bridge

Telephone and Call Quality – not particularly loud

LG has installed its own telephone software that has the dial pad at its core. You can reach the call log and contacts via tabs.

The call quality through the earpiece is not particularly loud. The microphone records our voice well - both when speaking loudly and quietly. The included speakers can be used for speakerphone and while the sound is rather weak, we can still understand our call partner. Users should not speak too quietly when using speakerphone, otherwise the microphone will not pick up your voice.

Cameras – phone camera for occasional snapshots

Photo taken with front camera
Photo taken with front camera

The camera modules have not changed since the power2: There is a 13-MP lens on the back and a 5-MP lens at the front. The LG X power3 doesn't do modern bells and whistles such as dual cameras. But these don't usually increase the camera quality that much on affordable devices anyway, so at least the manufacturer is being honest.   

Images taken with the main camera are okay, but users shouldn't expect high dynamics in dark areas. Zooming in will reveal some blurry details. If you zoom in on the clouds, for example, you will notice strongly pixelated color gradients. Photos taken in bad lighting lack sharpness. If you only ever use your smartphone camera for snapshots, you should be happy with the decent pictures that can be taken in good lighting.  

Videos can be recorded with the main camera at 1080p. The quality is decent; the lighting adjusts quickly but remains rather dark.

The images of the front camera are good as long as you don't enlarge them too much. Otherwise, you will soon see a significant blurriness in certain areas.

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 also tested the camera under controlled lighting to take a look at color reproduction and the sharpness of the main camera. The pictures are quite pale towards the edges of our test chart and black writing is not displayed nicely on red background. There does not seem to be an issue with image sharpness but areas of color turn out too dark and are rather pixelated.

Photograph of ColorChecker colors: The bottom half of each box displays the original color
Photograph of ColorChecker colors: The bottom half of each box displays the original color
Photograph of test chart
Photograph of test chart
Detail of test chart
Detail of test chart

Accessories and Warranty – headset included

Apart from the charger and cable the LG X power3 also comes with a cleaning cloth, a headset and a SIM tool.

LG offers 24 months of warranty on its smartphones.

Input Devices & Handling – fingerprint reader

Like on most current Android smartphones, users can navigate the phone using the touch keys on the screen. LG has included a special key with which you can switch between the two SIM cards. Users can choose to place other keys there, for example to make screenshots or to open the notifications bar. The existing keys for home, back, and app overview can also be rearranged.

The touchscreen is quite precise and responds quickly to our inputs. Fingers glide smoothly over the surface.

LG's keyboard app is rather cluttered and has relatively small keys. Surprisingly, it is quite easy to use, nonetheless.

LG has introduced a fingerprint reader that recognizes our finger quickly and reliably but then takes a second or two to actually unlock the screen.

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

Display – rather dark

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

The good news: The screen is brighter than the LG X power2. The bad: It is still significantly darker than those of most affordable smartphones and brightness is not distributed as evenly. Even bright light directed at the brightness sensor cannot improve the maximum brightness of 354 cd/m², which is okay but does not offer as much flexibility in bright surroundings as other smartphones would.

327
cd/m²
333
cd/m²
303
cd/m²
324
cd/m²
345
cd/m²
318
cd/m²
316
cd/m²
345
cd/m²
354
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 354 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 329.4 cd/m² Minimum: 2.4 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 345 cd/m²
Contrast: 802:1 (Black: 0.43 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.47 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 4.5 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
75.3% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.323
LG X power3
IPS, 1280x720, 5.50
Sony Xperia L3
IPS, 1440x720, 5.70
Huawei Y7 2019
IPS, 1520x720, 6.26
Motorola Moto G7 Power
IPS, 1570x720, 6.20
LG X power2
IPS, 1280x720, 5.50
Screen
63%
27%
38%
16%
Brightness middle
345
533
54%
547
59%
608
76%
237
-31%
Brightness
329
533
62%
543
65%
585
78%
237
-28%
Brightness Distribution
86
89
3%
94
9%
92
7%
92
7%
Black Level *
0.43
0.25
42%
0.49
-14%
0.36
16%
0.13
70%
Contrast
802
2132
166%
1116
39%
1689
111%
1823
127%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.47
2.8
49%
4.5
18%
5.08
7%
5.5
-1%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
15.12
5.1
66%
7.9
48%
8.74
42%
12.7
16%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.5
1.9
58%
5
-11%
5.9
-31%
6.1
-36%
Gamma
2.323 95%
2.11 104%
2.35 94%
2.219 99%
2.07 106%
CCT
7461 87%
6149 106%
7400 88%
7772 84%
7943 82%

* ... smaller is better

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 detected 100 Hz ≤ 15 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 100 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 15 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 100 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use.

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.

At 0.43 cd/m² the black value is rather average, which also results in an average contrast ratio of 802:1. The contrast ratio on the Sony Xperia L3 is three times higher.

Our tests using CalMAN software show a significant blue cast in the grayscales. Blues are not displayed very well in general.

CalMAN grayscales
CalMAN grayscales
CalMAN color accuracy
CalMAN color accuracy
CalMAN color space
CalMAN color space
CalMAN saturation
CalMAN saturation

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
34 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19 ms rise
↘ 15 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. » 89 % 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
60 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 31 ms rise
↘ 29 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. » 95 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The device can be used outdoors on overcast days, but even this would be easier on the eyes with higher brightness. Thanks to the display's IPS technology, the screen can also be read from side angles without distorting the image.

Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance – faster than before but still slow

The eight cores of the MediaTek MT6750 in our LG X power3 clock at up to 1.5 GHz. This makes the device slightly faster than the LG X power2, but this difference is hardly noticeable in everyday use. We encountered some hiccups and pauses now and again during normal use, but the device was still easy to use in general. Nonetheless, other devices in this price range offer a lot more performance nowadays.

Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
653 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
Points -100%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
761 Points +17%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
1256 Points +92%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
593 Points -9%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (590 - 682, n=18)
618 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone
  (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +675%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
2676 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
Points -100%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
3870 Points +45%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
4515 Points +69%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
2297 Points -14%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (1790 - 2765, n=18)
2520 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +406%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
1673 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
Points -100%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
2940 Points +76%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
4058 Points +143%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
1448 Points -13%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (1393 - 1935, n=16)
1705 Points +2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2053 - 18432, n=70, last 2 years)
10590 Points +533%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
4096 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
6385 Points +56%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
5431 Points +33%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
7498 Points +83%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
4157 Points +1%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (3667 - 4532, n=13)
4271 Points +4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +268%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
3308 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
4912 Points +48%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
4499 Points +36%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
6076 Points +84%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
3191 Points -4%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (2782 - 3394, n=17)
3221 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +229%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
5606 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
10340 Points +84%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
12562 Points +124%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
14860 Points +165%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
8156 Points +45%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (5606 - 10269, n=18)
9018 Points +61%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
5884 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
10008 Points +70%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
12281 Points +109%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
14526 Points +147%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
8140 Points +38%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (5884 - 10361, n=18)
9007 Points +53%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
4811 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
11696 Points +143%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
13655 Points +184%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
16162 Points +236%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
8213 Points +71%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (4811 - 10553, n=18)
9040 Points +88%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
684 Points
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
813 Points
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
935 Points
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
442 Points
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (136 - 559, n=18)
471 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3548 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
624 Points
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
704 Points
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
799 Points
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
379 Points
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (109 - 484, n=18)
411 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3905 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
1026 Points
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
1766 Points
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
2309 Points
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
1053 Points
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (694 - 1219, n=18)
1059 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
3005 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
715 Points
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
824 Points
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
425 Points
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (425 - 562, n=16)
519 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (704 - 23024, n=115, last 2 years)
9038 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
663 Points
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
715 Points
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
364 Points
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (364 - 497, n=16)
454 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (607 - 45492, n=114, last 2 years)
15757 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
987 Points
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
1765 Points
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
998 Points
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (703 - 1256, n=16)
1082 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (1075 - 8749, n=114, last 2 years)
4335 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
105 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
439 Points +318%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
445 Points +324%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
516 Points +391%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
306 Points +191%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (105 - 393, n=19)
324 Points +209%
Average of class Smartphone
  (286 - 7890, n=102, last 2 years)
2685 Points +2457%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
83 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
378 Points +355%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
367 Points +342%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
423 Points +410%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
254 Points +206%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (83 - 329, n=19)
272 Points +228%
Average of class Smartphone
  (240 - 9814, n=102, last 2 years)
2675 Points +3123%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
1171 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
998 Points -15%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
1707 Points +46%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
2260 Points +93%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
1074 Points -8%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (702 - 1233, n=19)
1086 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (858 - 4679, n=102, last 2 years)
3127 Points +167%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
304 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
451 Points +48%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
499 Points +64%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
516 Points +70%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
299 Points -2%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (299 - 404, n=16)
358 Points +18%
Average of class Smartphone
  (317 - 20131, n=174, last 2 years)
6545 Points +2053%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
252 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
391 Points +55%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
414 Points +64%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
423 Points +68%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
248 Points -2%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (248 - 344, n=16)
301 Points +19%
Average of class Smartphone
  (267 - 33376, n=173, last 2 years)
9330 Points +3602%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
1096 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
980 Points -11%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
1779 Points +62%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
2260 Points +106%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
1055 Points -4%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (694 - 1244, n=16)
1093 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (938 - 8480, n=173, last 2 years)
4158 Points +279%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
Points
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
489 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (365 - 6439, n=96, last 2 years)
2611 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
Points
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
401 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (298 - 8601, n=96, last 2 years)
2775 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
Points
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
2096 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (1667 - 3525, n=96, last 2 years)
2671 Points
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
22 fps
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
fps -100%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
33 fps +50%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
37 fps +68%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
22 fps 0%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (12 - 25, n=16)
20.6 fps -6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (22 - 165, n=177, last 2 years)
83.6 fps +280%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
13 fps
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
fps -100%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
22 fps +69%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
24 fps +85%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
13 fps 0%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (12 - 17, n=16)
15.1 fps +16%
Average of class Smartphone
  (19 - 791, n=177, last 2 years)
243 fps +1769%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
11 fps
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
fps -100%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
17 fps +55%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
19 fps +73%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
11 fps 0%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (5.6 - 13, n=17)
10 fps -9%
Average of class Smartphone
  (6.8 - 165, n=178, last 2 years)
71.3 fps +548%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
5.5 fps
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
fps -100%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
9.3 fps +69%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
10 fps +82%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
5.3 fps -4%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (5.3 - 7.1, n=17)
6.26 fps +14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9.2 - 363, n=178, last 2 years)
137.9 fps +2407%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
8.6 fps
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
fps -100%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
13 fps +51%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
15 fps +74%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
8.6 fps 0%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (3.8 - 10, n=17)
7.46 fps -13%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.7 - 158, n=178, last 2 years)
60.2 fps +600%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
3.6 fps
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
fps -100%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
6.1 fps +69%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
6.9 fps +92%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
3.5 fps -3%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (3.5 - 4.7, n=17)
4.18 fps +16%
Average of class Smartphone
  (6.2 - 279, n=178, last 2 years)
97 fps +2594%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
4.4 fps
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
fps -100%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
6.8 fps +55%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
7.8 fps +77%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
4.3 fps -2%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (2.3 - 4.9, n=18)
3.57 fps -19%
Average of class Smartphone
  (5 - 117, n=178, last 2 years)
42.9 fps +875%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
2 fps
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
fps -100%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
3.4 fps +70%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
3.9 fps +95%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
1.9 fps -5%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (1.9 - 2.5, n=18)
2.24 fps +12%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.9 - 166, n=178, last 2 years)
58.6 fps +2830%
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
3.6 fps
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
fps -100%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
6.1 fps +69%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
6.7 fps +86%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (3.6 - 4.6, n=2)
4.1 fps +14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.6 - 123, n=218, last 2 years)
43.3 fps +1103%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
1.8 fps
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
fps -100%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
3.4 fps +89%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
3.9 fps +117%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (1.8 - 2.3, n=2)
2.05 fps +14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.3 - 229, n=218, last 2 years)
62.9 fps +3394%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
2.3 fps
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
fps -100%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
3.7 fps +61%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
4.2 fps +83%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (2.3 - 2.9, n=2)
2.6 fps +13%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.8 - 105, n=218, last 2 years)
32.2 fps +1300%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
0.7 fps
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
fps -100%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
1.1 fps +57%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
1.3 fps +86%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (0.7 - 0.86, n=2)
0.78 fps +11%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 94, n=218, last 2 years)
25 fps +3471%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
52607 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
77798 Points +48%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
73468 Points +40%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
106439 Points +102%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (52278 - 56639, n=10)
54391 Points +3%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
843 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
1166 Points +38%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
1337 Points +59%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
1800 Points +114%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
773 Points -8%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (253 - 965, n=19)
663 Points -21%
Average of class Smartphone
  (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +577%
System (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
1891 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
2517 Points +33%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
2879 Points +52%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
4399 Points +133%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
1758 Points -7%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (1077 - 2003, n=19)
1776 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +409%
Memory (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
798 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
1247 Points +56%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
1377 Points +73%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
2049 Points +157%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
693 Points -13%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (609 - 1288, n=19)
833 Points +4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +681%
Graphics (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
489 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
760 Points +55%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
964 Points +97%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
1081 Points +121%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
489 Points 0%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (471 - 649, n=19)
585 Points +20%
Average of class Smartphone
  (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +2743%
Web (sort by value)
LG X power3
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
686 Points
Sony Xperia L3
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
776 Points +13%
Huawei Y7 2019
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Adreno 506, 3072
835 Points +22%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506, 4096
1078 Points +57%
LG X power2
Mediatek MT6750, Mali-T860 MP2, 2048
601 Points -12%
Average Mediatek MT6750
  (9 - 1137, n=19)
446 Points -35%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +117%

The X power3 did not do particularly well in our browser benchmarks. It regularly landed near the bottom of our comparison table and needs some time to load web pages.

WebXPRT 3 - Overall
Average of class Smartphone (37 - 304, n=118, last 2 years)
130.7 Points +588%
Huawei Y7 2019 (Chrome 73.0.3683.90)
34 Points +79%
Sony Xperia L3 (Chrome 72)
30 Points +58%
LG X power3 (Chrome 74)
19 Points
Average Mediatek MT6750
19 Points 0%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33355 Points +1573%
Motorola Moto G7 Power
8420 Points +322%
Sony Xperia L3 (Chrome 72)
4422 Points +122%
Huawei Y7 2019 (Chrome 73.0.3683.90)
4115 Points +106%
Average Mediatek MT6750 (1994 - 3506, n=19)
3095 Points +55%
LG X power2 (Chrome 59)
2712 Points +36%
LG X power3 (Chrome 74)
1994 Points
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
LG X power3 (Chrome 74)
20346 ms *
Average Mediatek MT6750 (11708 - 22627, n=19)
14563 ms * +28%
LG X power2 (Chrome 59)
13763 ms * +32%
Sony Xperia L3 (Chrome 72)
11185 ms * +45%
Huawei Y7 2019 (Chrome 73.0.3683.90)
11012 ms * +46%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1658 ms * +92%

* ... smaller is better

The internal storage reaches average speeds, which in this price range means not particularly fast. The Motorola Moto G7 Power is quite a bit faster.

The microSD card reader in our test unit has no difficulties dealing with our reference microSD, the Toshiba Exceria Pro M501, and it reaches decent transfer rates.

LG X power3Sony Xperia L3Huawei Y7 2019Motorola Moto G7 PowerLG X power2Average 32 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
11%
41%
152%
-15%
24%
1236%
Sequential Read 256KB
258.7
290.9
12%
305
18%
292.4
13%
243.8
-6%
242 ?(25.8 - 452, n=247)
-6%
1468 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
467%
Sequential Write 256KB
71.5
87.5
22%
88.8
24%
215.2
201%
41.7
-42%
100.5 ?(14.8 - 196, n=247)
41%
1078 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
1408%
Random Read 4KB
38.1
28.83
-24%
83.5
119%
67.5
77%
25.3
-34%
43.2 ?(3.59 - 117.2, n=247)
13%
242 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
535%
Random Write 4KB
10.1
16.36
62%
17.48
73%
72
613%
10.7
6%
22.4 ?(0.75 - 91, n=247)
122%
266 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
2534%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
83.6 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
80.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-3%
86.4 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
3%
86.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
4%
76.6 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-8%
71.8 ?(8.2 - 96.5, n=178)
-14%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
62.3 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
61.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-1%
65.8 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
6%
65.4 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
5%
58.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-7%
52.9 ?(3.4 - 87.1, n=178)
-15%

Games – very light gaming

Simple games such as Angry Birds 2 can be played easily. If you are hoping to play more-demanding games such as Asphalt 9, you will have to look elsewhere and probably be willing to spend a little more money.

Games can be controlled via the touchscreen and the gyroscope. This works very well, as tested with Temple Run 2.

Angry Birds 2
Angry Birds 2
Temple Run 2
Temple Run 2

Emissions – the LG X power3 heats up

Temperature

Unfortunately, the LG X power3 reaches rather high surface temperatures under continuous load: Up to 42.7 °C at the front. This is very noticeable and can become uncomfortable if the device is in your trouser pocket.

The smartphone only heats up slightly while idling.

Max. Load
 37.8 °C
100 F
38.2 °C
101 F
39.5 °C
103 F
 
 38.6 °C
101 F
39.2 °C
103 F
40.4 °C
105 F
 
 40.2 °C
104 F
42.7 °C
109 F
39.7 °C
103 F
 
Maximum: 42.7 °C = 109 F
Average: 39.6 °C = 103 F
36.9 °C
98 F
37.4 °C
99 F
36.9 °C
98 F
35.7 °C
96 F
37 °C
99 F
36.9 °C
98 F
36.3 °C
97 F
42.4 °C
108 F
38.6 °C
101 F
Maximum: 42.4 °C = 108 F
Average: 37.6 °C = 100 F
Power Supply (max.)  39.9 °C = 104 F | Room Temperature 21.5 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 39.6 °C / 103 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 42.7 °C / 109 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 42.4 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 32.4 °C / 90 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Heat map front
Heat map front
Heat map back
Heat map back

Speakers

Speaker test Pink Noise
Speaker test Pink Noise

The speaker is positioned on the back of the smartphone. This isn't ideal as it can easily be muffled when lying on a soft surface or in your hand. The sound produced by the speaker seems a little more balanced than that of its predecessor but still isn't ideal. It's enough to occasionally listen to a song, though.

The 3.5-mm audio jack and Bluetooth can be used to connect external speakers or headphones. Both transmit sound nicely. 

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2042.644.62540.140.93131.233.84036.437.95040.338.66332.233802525.710027.725.312523.22516021.823.520020.728.12501938.531519.548.240018.654.750019.659.963020.165.580020.270.4100021.378.6125016.281160018.674.4200017.671.5250016.470315016.867.2400016.261.9500016.867.6630016.976.2800016.682.1100001875.81250017.965.1160001756.1SPL71.865.864.130.843.269.830.387.3N25.11716.11.43.421.11.465median 18.6median 65.5median 40.1median 16.1median 23.3median 45.5median 15.8median 76.2Delta3.113.52414.719.924.414.411.131.636.525.43325.333.432.932.233.634.331.631.128.426.22728.520.829.42229.421.33020.831.521.231.719.437.619.544.917.754.917.964.217.87317.377.917.477.116.778.117.276.518.273.917.977.317.676.617.779.917.884.417.980.918.172.218.262.33089.41.372.3median 17.9median 72.31.416.9hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLG X power3LG X power2
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
LG X power3 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (87.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 76.2% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 76.2% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 76.2% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (117.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 85% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 6% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 95% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 2% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

LG X power2 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 42.2% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (1.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 13.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (11% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.2% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (31.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 77% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 19% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 88% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 9% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery Life – good stamina

Power Consumption

The power consumption of this smartphone is average and similar to that of the LG X power2. We noticed some peaks under high load. 

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.7 / 1.5 / 1.6 Watt
Load midlight 5.7 / 7.6 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 power3
4500 mAh
Sony Xperia L3
3300 mAh
Huawei Y7 2019
4000 mAh
Motorola Moto G7 Power
5000 mAh
LG X power2
4500 mAh
Average Mediatek MT6750
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
23%
17%
-24%
3%
-25%
-6%
Idle Minimum *
0.7
0.57
19%
0.51
27%
1.1
-57%
0.63
10%
1.13 ?(0.57 - 2.3, n=19)
-61%
0.894 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
-28%
Idle Average *
1.5
1.5
-0%
1.7
-13%
1.9
-27%
1.42
5%
2.02 ?(1.42 - 3.5, n=19)
-35%
1.452 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
3%
Idle Maximum *
1.6
1.51
6%
1.85
-16%
2.8
-75%
1.47
8%
2.42 ?(1.47 - 5.9, n=19)
-51%
1.632 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
-2%
Load Average *
5.7
3.09
46%
3.17
44%
4.1
28%
5.89
-3%
5.21 ?(3.24 - 10.8, n=19)
9%
5.55 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
3%
Load Maximum *
7.6
4.15
45%
4.44
42%
6.9
9%
7.85
-3%
6.56 ?(3.3 - 12.4, n=19)
14%
8.23 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
-8%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

At 16:34 hours, the battery life the X power3 reached in our Wi-Fi test is almost exactly the same as that of its predecessor. This is not surprising as the battery capacity has not been increased. This is good, but it cannot keep up with the phenomenal runtime of the Motorola Moto G7 Power and even the Huawei Y7 2019 can keep going for another 2 hours. 

The device can keep going for two workdays even when browsing the web continuously. This means that users with average needs should even get three or four days out of the phone before having to recharge. The smartphone can also be taken on a day trip without worrying about it being fully charged.

The LG X power3 does well in its core discipline but has nonetheless been surpassed by some of its competitors. At least it is equipped with a fast-charging AC adapter that recharges the device in about 1.5 hours.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
16h 34min
LG X power3
4500 mAh
Sony Xperia L3
3300 mAh
Huawei Y7 2019
4000 mAh
Motorola Moto G7 Power
5000 mAh
LG X power2
4500 mAh
Battery Runtime
-36%
12%
116%
-1%
WiFi v1.3
994
641
-36%
1113
12%
2143
116%
982
-1%
Reader / Idle
2127
2350
2720
H.264
750
938
1226
Load
242
296
513
384

Pros

+ fingerprint reader
+ good battery life
+ precise touchscreen

Cons

- old design
- dark screen
- high temperatures

Verdict – outdated but reliable

Review: LG X power3. Test unit provided by cyberport.de
Review: LG X power3. Test unit provided by cyberport.de

The LG X power3 could almost be described as a retro smartphone. Its 16:9 aspect ratio is very unusual nowadays. But this is not necessarily a disadvantage - after all, most video content still has a 16:9 ratio, which most smartphones have to compensate for by adding black strips at the sides. Still, the screen would need to be brighter and have a better contrast ratio to be considered good. Blues also appear rather undersaturated on it.

The device can offer a slightly higher performance than its predecessor, but the battery capacity has not changed so the X power3 is more or less on par with its predecessor. At least the fingerprint reader makes the smartphone more up to date while the 802.11-ac Wi-Fi protocol only improves Wi-Fi speeds slightly.

Most of the newest features currently found on the smartphone market have not been implemented in the LG X power3.

The LG X power3 is a decent update of the LG X power, although it has failed to keep up with developments in terms of battery runtimes. At least LG has chosen a decent starting price for this version. If you are interested in a smartphone that will keep going for as long as possible but doesn't have to look particularly modern, the LG X power3 might be the right phone for you.

LG X power3 - 06/21/2019 v6(old)
Florian Schmitt

Chassis
69%
Keyboard
65 / 75 → 87%
Pointing Device
92%
Connectivity
39 / 60 → 66%
Weight
91%
Battery
100%
Display
81%
Games Performance
13 / 63 → 20%
Application Performance
33 / 70 → 47%
Temperature
87%
Noise
100%
Audio
53 / 91 → 58%
Camera
56%
Average
68%
79%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > LG X power3 Smartphone Review – retro design and a large battery
Florian Schmitt, 2019-06-22 (Update: 2019-06-24)