LG’s flagship G3 packs Quad HD display and laser autofocus camera

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If you’ve already invested in a new smartphone for 2014, then you may want to look away now, because LG is about to make you very jealous. The company today made its flagship G3 official, and it’s everything we wished it would be. It has an improved metallic design, a stunning 2K display, and the world’s first laser autofocus camera system.

Although it didn’t sell as well as the Galaxy S4, last year’s G2 was a big hit for LG. Not only was it one of the prettiest flagships on the market, but it had excellent specifications and an incredible camera. I’m yet to meet a G2 owner who doesn’t love their handset.

LG has pulled out all the stops to make its successor even better, though, and that’s incredibly exciting.

182140-lgg3metallicblackfrontThe G3 sports a 5.5-inch display with a Quad HD (2560×1440) resolution, making it one of the sharpest smartphone displays available with an incredible 538 pixels-per-inch. It’s also the best smartphone display available, LG says, with more realistic color reproduction and better energy efficiency.

The bezels around the G3’s display are unbelievably thin — like they were with the G2 — and they only make the G3 look even more impressive. Take note, HTC. The G3 measures just 74.6mm wide — just a couple of millimeters wider than a phone with a 5.1-inch display — and 74% of it is display.

The G3 is also equipped with a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor — the same chip that powers the Galaxy S5 and the HTC One M8. Although it isn’t quite the Snapdragon 805 many of the rumors were promising, it’s only just second best, and plenty good enough for a smartphone.

That processor is accompanied by 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, and a 3,000mAh battery. LG has also introduced a 1 watt speaker with “boost amp” that promises “deep bass and clear treble, even without additional speakers.”

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The G3 addresses one of the G2’s most common complaints with a major interface overhaul. LG’s previous software designs have been criticized as over the top and unattractive, but the company promises that “all unnecessary visual elements have been removed” for the G3. Just about everything looks simpler and much more enjoyable to use.

The G3’s most impressive feature, however, is its camera. It comes with a 13-megapixel sensor with optical image stabilization, just like the G2 — but it gains a dual LED flash, a revamped camera interface, and laser-assisted focus for super speedy autofocusing.

“Your life will be simpler with G3,” LG says. The G3 goes on sale in South Korea tomorrow, May 28, and then in international markets later.