What does it take to make a smartphone exceptional?

It’s a question I’ve been considering as I contemplate the G4, LG’s latest effort at creating a buzz-worthy flagship phone. My problem is that after using the G4 on and off for six weeks — first
with the international version of the phone and more recently with a U.S.-specific AT&T-connected model — I’m still struggling to wrap my head around what makes the device special.

The weird thing is that on paper, the G4 checks off all the right boxes. The phone has all the specs you’d expect to see in a modern high-end smartphone. It has no shortage of compelling individual elements. And its price is right where it ought to be — $200 to $240 on-contract from the major U.S. carriers, or $550 to $670 if you buy it outright or spread over a month-to-month payment plan.

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