Android vendors may like to announce bigger smartphones (because, bigger is better, isn't it?), but they also launch smaller versions of their flagships, to cater to a larger audience. Samsung has the Galaxy S4 Mini, HTC has the One mini and, now, LG takes the wraps off G2 mini. Heck, even the indicative has a small first letter.
The downsizing applies to the physical dimensions, as the screen is now a 4.7-inch unit with a resolution of 540 by 960, and also to the internals. LG has chosen not to severely underpower its new smartphone. Compared to its big brother, it still offers a quad-core processor in both the 3G and 4G trims, but those cannot compare to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 in the G2.
"The G2 mini is all about bringing the best user experience of the G2 to a more compact, mid-tier device, giving millions of customers the opportunity to benefit from the LG premium experience", says LG CEO Dr. Jong-seok Park. "This device offers the perfect balance of modern design and practical UX in a compact package without compromising performance".
The 3G G2 mini features a 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, while the 4G-enabled model employs either a 1.2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (different than the one in the 3G version) or a 1.7 GHz Nvidia Tegra 4i, depending on the market. All three are decent, even with 1 GB of RAM, but the screen's resolution is underwhelming. In comparison, the G2 touts a 2.26 GHz Snapdragon 800, backed by 2 GB of RAM.
The battery is on the large side for a mini, being a removable 2,440 mAh unit. There is an 8 MP camera on the back of the Snapdragon-equipped models, while their 4G sibling with an Nvidia processor offers a 13 MP unit in the same location. On the front, all feature a 1.3 MP camera.
In the storage department, the G2 mini sports 8 GB of internal space. There is also a microSD card slot available, which can be used to make up for the puny out-of-the-box capacity. There is no word on the maximum storage that can be added with a microSD card, but it is likely we are looking at a minimum of 32 GB.
Other specs include: VoLTE (Voice-over-LTE, only with the Qualcomm processor on the 4G model), Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, A-GPS and NFC (Near Field Communication, only in the 4G models). The smartphone runs Android 4.4 KitKat, with LG's usual tweaks on top. The device measures 129.6 x 66 x 9.8 mm and 121 grams.
The G2 mini will be offered, when it goes on sale in March, in Gold, Lunar White, Red and Titan Black, depending on the region it will be available in. Its roll-out begins in CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries (3G model), with major markets from the Middle East, Latin America and Africa, as well as Europe, to follow.