Mobile Technology

Review: LG G Pad 8.3

Review: LG G Pad 8.3
Gizmag reviews the LG G Pad 8.3, one of the most comfortable tablets we've held
Gizmag reviews the LG G Pad 8.3, one of the most comfortable tablets we've held
View 11 Images
Lock screen on the standard LG version of the G Pad 8.3
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Lock screen on the standard LG version of the G Pad 8.3
LG's firmware has a unique feature called "Knock-On," which lets you tap the screen twice to wake it up or put it to sleep
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LG's firmware has a unique feature called "Knock-On," which lets you tap the screen twice to wake it up or put it to sleep
The G Pad is 8.3 mm thick, and a pleasure to hold
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The G Pad is 8.3 mm thick, and a pleasure to hold
If you have a home screen widget to explain all of your software features, you might be succumbing to feature creep
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If you have a home screen widget to explain all of your software features, you might be succumbing to feature creep
If you root the standard LG edition and install a stock Android ROM, you get a much zippier and leaner tablet
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If you root the standard LG edition and install a stock Android ROM, you get a much zippier and leaner tablet
Gizmag reviews the LG G Pad 8.3, one of the most comfortable tablets we've held
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Gizmag reviews the LG G Pad 8.3, one of the most comfortable tablets we've held
The G Pad's 8.3-in screen is five percent bigger than the iPad mini's
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The G Pad's 8.3-in screen is five percent bigger than the iPad mini's
The G Pad's 273 PPI screen is very sharp, though color accuracy could be better
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The G Pad's 273 PPI screen is very sharp, though color accuracy could be better
At 338 g, the G Pad 8.3 is very light for its size
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At 338 g, the G Pad 8.3 is very light for its size
The Google Play Edition of the G Pad delivers a smoother and leaner software experience
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The Google Play Edition of the G Pad delivers a smoother and leaner software experience
The G Pad's build is primarily aluminum, but with some plastic accents
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The G Pad's build is primarily aluminum, but with some plastic accents
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When you talk about tablets, it's easy to think of the iPads, Galaxy tablets, and Kindle Fires of the world. But what about LG? Though the company's mobile devices may not be household names, we've seen some top-notch hardware from the South Korean electronics giant. Is the LG G Pad 8.3 part of that club? Read on, as we review LG's answer to the iPad mini.

Hardware

The G Pad's build is primarily aluminum, but with some plastic accents
The G Pad's build is primarily aluminum, but with some plastic accents

The G Pad 8.3 has, as you might guess, an 8.3-in screen. It's right in that not-too-big, not-too-small sweet spot that many tablet-makers have been gunning for of late. Need a point of reference? Well, if you've used an iPad mini, then the G Pad 8.3 gives you five percent more screen area. Some of that is cancelled out by the G Pad's onscreen navigation buttons (which the iPad mini doesn't need), but the G Pad's usable area should still be a little bigger.

Physically, I think the G Pad 8.3 is one of the most well-designed tablets I've used. It sports an aluminum finish (with some plastic accents around the edges) and is contoured just right for the human hand. In terms of using it comfortably with one hand, I think the G Pad is right on the money.

You can chalk part of that up to the fact that it's also very light, weighing just 338 g (two percent heavier than the iPad mini with Retina Display). It's also pretty thin, at 8.3 mm (0.33-in), though I do think razor-thin builds may be a bit overrated in tablets. The G Pad's 11 percent thicker build is a big part of why I prefer holding it over the Retina iPad mini: it rests a bit more naturally in the gap between my thumb and index finger.

The G Pad's 273 PPI screen is very sharp, though color accuracy could be better
The G Pad's 273 PPI screen is very sharp, though color accuracy could be better

Wheeling back around to that display, it's not just a great size, but it's also very sharp. At 273 pixels per inch, text and images are all crisp and clear. There are sharper tablets out there, but I don't think the G Pad gives you any worries whatsoever in that department.

The G Pad's screen doesn't, however, have the best brightness or color accuracy. I usually have to set it to 90 percent or higher brightness for it to look light enough during the daytime. And if you place it next to an iPad Air or a Nexus 5 smartphone, you'll see a slight yellowish tone to the G Pad's screen. It probably isn't something that will be noticeable or bothersome in regular use, but it is a minor downside to what's otherwise a very good display.

The G Pad is 8.3 mm thick, and a pleasure to hold
The G Pad is 8.3 mm thick, and a pleasure to hold

The G Pad 8.3 gives you good – but not amazing – battery life. In our standard test, where we stream video over Wi-Fi, the G Pad lasted six hours and 40 minutes. The iPad Air and Retina iPad mini chugged along for over nine and ten hours, respectively, in the same test, so the G Pad is a ways behind their record-setting paces. Still, with standard use, you should usually get a full day out of it.

In other miscellaneous hardware areas, sound from the G Pad's speakers is serviceable, but pretty underwhelming. Its 5-megapixel rear camera is about all you need from a tablet camera (solid enough, but nothing more). One nice touch with the G Pad is that it has a vibration motor, which I'd like to see more of in tablets. I find that haptic feedback makes touch typing much easier, as it helps to simulate physical keys.

Stock LG vs. Google Play Edition

Lock screen on the standard LG version of the G Pad 8.3
Lock screen on the standard LG version of the G Pad 8.3

We handled the LG retail version of the G Pad 8.3, which runs Android 4.2 skinned with LG's custom UI. Despite having a very fast processor under the hood (Qualcomm's quad core Snapdragon 600), I ran into some occasional performance lag and hiccups. Things like pages not turning instantly in Flipboard, jittery scrolling, and a general feeling that something was bogging the UI down a little bit.

I chalk this up to LG's bloated software skin. It gives you some nifty features, like Knock-On (which lets you turn your display on or off by tapping twice on it). But, much like Samsung's TouchWiz, LG's UI looks like it's trying way too hard to differentiate itself from other Android devices. It puts a lot of unnecessary features in between you and your content.

LG's UI gives you not just one, but two extraneous takes on multitasking (Slide Aside and QSlide), in addition to Android's already rock-solid version. You have LG features for capturing screenshots of entire webpages, jotting memos, copying and pasting multiple items into a slide-up clipboard, and even an LG Siri knockoff. You may find some of these features handy (or not), but my problem is that they simply get in the way. They clutter and overcomplicate the UI, and bog down what should be buttery-smooth performance.

The Google Play Edition of the G Pad delivers a smoother and leaner software experience
The Google Play Edition of the G Pad delivers a smoother and leaner software experience

Fortunately there are a couple of alternatives. Google now sells a Google Play Edition of the G Pad 8.3, available exclusively from the Play Store. Ringing up for the same US$350 as the standard LG version, it basically turns the G Pad into a Nexus device, running the latest version of stock Android (4.4 KitKat). We didn't handle the Google Play Edition long enough to consider this an official review of it, but we can tell you that it's the one we recommend buying. Its software is leaner and more focused, and its performance is right where you'd expect a Snapdragon 600-running tablet to be: fast, smooth, and without hiccups.

Another alternative is to buy the standard LG version (currently on sale for $300 at Best Buy in the US), root it, and install stock Android-based firmware on it – more or less creating your own Google Play Edition on the cheap. Rooting and flashing ROMs isn't for the faint of heart, and unless you're already familiar with such tinkering, you're better off buying the official version from Google. But once I installed a nightly build of Cyanogenmod 11 on this puppy, a device that had been handicapped by a bloated and laggy UI transformed into one of the better tablets I've used.

If you root the standard LG edition and install a stock Android ROM, you get a much zippier and leaner tablet
If you root the standard LG edition and install a stock Android ROM, you get a much zippier and leaner tablet

I understand why Android hardware manufacturers are determined to skin Google's software with their own custom UIs. They want to differentiate their hardware through software, so they can market long lists of features that are "exclusive" to their line of devices. I also suspect that no-name white-box Android devices, which are very popular in Asia, are another big factor. Sold for dirt-cheap, they typically run stock Android – sometimes even with unlicensed Google apps and services thrown in. It makes perfect sense that huge companies like LG and Samsung would want to give their Asian customers perceived value that these generic phones and tablets can't match.

But in my experience, the resulting custom UIs rarely add anything but bloat. The G Pad 8.3 is a prime example. Once you put stock Android on it, it's faster, leaner, and much more of an all-around pleasure to use. I'd love to see Android OEMs cut the bloat and move in that direction – at least in the West, where those generic white-box devices don't pose much of a threat.

Worth the investment?

The G Pad's 8.3-in screen is five percent bigger than the iPad mini's
The G Pad's 8.3-in screen is five percent bigger than the iPad mini's

So should you buy the LG G Pad 8.3? Well, let's start by looking at your best alternatives. You have Apple's Retina iPad mini, which gives you a similar build and screen size. It has a bigger and better tablet app selection, but it also costs $50 extra. Your decision here may come down to whether you're already invested in either the iOS or Android ecosystem.

Until Samsung releases its slick Galaxy TabPRO 8.4, the G Pad's biggest rival on the Android side of the aisle might be the 2013 Nexus 7. It costs $120 less, but it also only gives you 71 percent as much screen real estate as the G Pad. For my money, 7-inch slates like the Nexus 7 are a bit too small, while 8-inchers like the G Pad and iPad mini are just about ideal.

So we'd say the Google Play Edition of the G Pad 8.3 is easily worth putting on your short list. It gives you an outstanding build with a sharp screen that hits a really sweet spot for size. It delivers smooth performance with Google's latest and greatest software. At $350, it might not be an amazing value, but that's still a very reasonable price for what might be the best Android tablet around.

As for the standard LG edition? Well, unless you're going to root it and replace its firmware, it's more likely to be a "pass." Even if you snag it for a discounted $300, it places too many unnecessary obstacles between you and a seamless experience. Sure, you get a few "exclusive features," but most of those can be approximated with third-party Play Store apps anyway.

Both versions of the LG G Pad 8.3 are available now, for a suggested $350. You can read more at either of the two product pages below.

Product pages: LG (standard edition), Google Play Edition

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6 comments
6 comments
DavePohl
I have continually considered a tablet but one requirement I have is GPS. iPad offers it but only on the cellular version which is too pricey. None of the Android reviews I have read even mention it. Does the LG G Pad or any other 8" tablet have this functionality?
Predictablyerratic
@DavePohl yes it has GPS. It's a great tablet. I find it to be the perfect size out of my 6 tablets. I agree with the author that the screen is very warm so the whites have a dingy yellow hue. I bought mine for 249 from newegg and have been very happy with it.
John Chase
There are tablets out there with GPS. The Nexes 7 is one. Seems there are some glitches still in the nexis tablet. I think so Acer tablets have GPS I would love to here more about this. I am looking to purchase one as well.
Maaen
Will the day ever come when these manufacturers will make tablets with removable batteries ? I am sure there are millions of people who will not buy tablets because of fixed batteries and sealed backs.I for one will never get myself a tablet with a non removable battery I do not trust batteries and I would rather charge my batteries in an external charger. At present I have Galaxy Notes 1 and 2 ....soon I will buy a Note 3 and in the near future I will lookout for a Note 4( if Samsung continues with the removable battery in that phablet). I dearly want a large tablet such as the Note Pro but cannot allow myself the luxury of that gadget unless Samsung produce a Note Tablet which will allow me access to the battery in exactly the same way as I do with my Phablets. I want to be able to use the stylus on a large screen but only if there is a removable battery in the tablet. Would someone who is truely knowledgeable ...would you PLEASE tell me why the manufacturers are not making tablets with removable batteries. I have heard arguments such as large size of tablet batteries,flimsy backs of tablet casings,slimming of tablets because of consumer demands and marketing strategies to create demands in periodic cycles with newer models of products. In my understanding none of those factors weigh against my need for a removable battery ....AND I DREAD THE IDEA THAT ONCE I BUY SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE TO RETURN THE ITEM TO THE MANUFACTURER OR TO A SERVICE CENTRE TO GET A PROBLEM SORTED OUT ....THAT IS SOMETHING i WANT NO DEALINGS WITH....THE BATTERY RELATES TO THIS PROBLEM IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE....AND SO FAR WITH NOTE 1 AND NOTE 2 I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS ...I CHARGE THE BATTERIES IN MY EXTERNAL CHARGERS
Hidalgo Nunez
@ Maaen... you and your batteries. why the replaceable batteries are going away, I can't tell you, but you really just need to get past it. I'm not trying to be dismissive, but your attitude is ruining your tech experience. I had a similar preoccupation, but got past it and have had no problems. If, in the unlikely event that something goes wrong with your battery, you can crack open sealed phoned and replace it for a reasonable cost. The batteries in most devices these days are superb, but if you are worried about the battery running out on you, just purchase a portable USB battery. They are CHEAP, pack a punch and can work on different USB devices. Frankly, I find that portable USB batteries make replaceable batteries moot. I am still preoccupied by removable storage...can't get past that, unfortunately.
Thanatos Muircastle
I bought the Verizon branded, 4G LTE version of the LG G Pad 8.3 about a month or so ago, and I LOVE the tablet! I get good life (around 8-10 hours, and I'm normally a VERY heavy user). Picked it up on Verizon's site, on special, for $99.99 with a 2 year contract (adds $10/month - no way possible you could do better.
The specs are just a little different between the 4G LTE version, and the regular/Google Play versions..... notably being that it has the same processor as the others, but yet it's only at 1.5Ghz instead of the 1.7Ghz of the other versions. Picks up a better 4G signal than my Galaxy S4 though.
I've really not had any stuttering or lag when it comes to performance. Plays video and games without a hitch, works great in brighter light (I keep the screen at 20-25% brightness most of the time when indoors) and I'm all around more pleased with it than my Asus (10") or Nexus (7") tablets. However, I might suggest that I would not have purchased it if it had been full cost, instead of the $100 special that it was on (Verizon had the Nexus 7 for $49.99 the next week). But I don't regret owning it, as its a wonderful tablet to use..... I just wrote this comment using it.