by LG Mobile South Africa is best known for their G-series flagship handsets (the G4 was named as one of the best handsets of 2015), but the company does more than just high-end smartphones.
The X Cam (no it’s not an action camera) is the company’s latest mid-range handset looking to set the local market ablaze.
In an effort to differentiate itself from the rest of the market, the X Cam has not one, but two rear-facing cameras (reminiscent of the setup seen on the G5).
At first glance, the X Cam is a good looking (if not very exciting) handset, however it has none of the leather found on LGs 2015 handsets nor the metal found on this year’s G5, instead opting for a fully plastic body with a metal-looking finish.
The front of the devices is dominated by the 5.2-inch FHD display with the LG logo below and the front-facing camera, speaker grille and sensor above the display.
The right-hand side of the device has a power button, with the volume rocker and a SIM card / SD card tray on the left-hand side. The micro-USB charging port is at the bottom with a 3.5mm headphone jack next to it.
The true stand-out of this handset is the rear-facing dual-camera setup, a feature we’ve seen on the G5.
“The X cam’s flagship-grade dual camera is a massive talking point of the phone,” said Deon Prinsloo, GM for LG Mobile at LG Electronics. “The camera takes memory making to the next level, by combining the option of a regular 13-megapixel lens with a 120° Wide Angle Lens that allows you to capture exactly what you see. This makes it the quintessential device for anyone that values collecting memories on-the-go, from adventures abroad to family milestones.”
This means that you have a regular lens and a wide angle lens on the back, which gives you more creativity with your impromptu photography shoots.
Based on first impressions, the X Cam is a more than capable device which brings a fantastic camera to the mid-range market.
It carries LGs user interface which has improved over time but still carries a playful feel, something that may or may not appeal to you.
The deciding factor for this handset is whether LG hits the right price point to make this handset appeal to users who might be blinded by the marketing of companies like Samsung and Huawei.
The X Cam is available from 10 August 2016 at Vodacom with a RRP (recommended retail price) of R5499.
Specs
| Key Features | Second 120⁰ Wide Angle Rear Camera |
| CPU | MediaTek MT6753 1.14GHz Octa Core |
| Network | LTE, HSPA+, EDGE, GPRS |
| Dimensions
Weight |
147.7 x 73.6 x 6.9 mm
120g |
| OS | Android™ 6.0 Marshmallow |
| Battery | 2,520mAh Embedded |
| Connectors | 3.5mm Audio, Micro USB |
| Camera | Rear 13MP + 5MP Wide Auto Focus, LED Flash / Front 8MP |
| Camera Features | Geo-tagging, Touch focus, Pop-out Picture Panorama, HDR, Auto Shot |
| Display | 5.2” FHD (1080 x 1920, Gorilla 3) |
| Communication | USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, WLAN 802.11 b/g/n |
| Navigation | A-GPS, GNSS (GPS + GLONASS) |
| Memory | 16GB / 2GB RAM, External Memory (Up to 2TB) |
| SIM | Nano SIM |
| Audio | MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR, OGG, Flac, PCM, WMA |
| Video | H.264 / HEVC, MPEG4 / VC1, H.263 P0, MPEG2, DivX®, VP8 / VP9 |
| Other applications | Knock code, Q Slide, Q Memo+, Q Remote, FM Radio, SmartWorld, Android Beam, File sharing, Evernote |
| In the box | Handset, Travel Adaptor, Data Cable (microUSB), Earphones (3.5mm) |
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