Why You Can Trust CNET The K10 tops LG's new budget range (hands-on)
LG's K-series of phones offers a variety of specs and features -- all for a budget price.
In addition to its Stylus 3, news of LG's K family of phones dropped ahead of CES 2017. But the four additions that make up the new midtier series made an appearance at the show anyway, here in Las Vegas.
At the tippy-top of that lineup is the K10 (which is different than the one that came out last year with the same name). While the full lineup of phones packs in useful features like removable batteries and expandable storage, the K10 is the only one you might mistake for a flagship. It has the latest version of Android and a fingerprint scanner. And its metal construction lends an extra dash of elegance -- when I checked it out, I liked its subtle copper accents and it felt solid.
Shop for LG K10 (2017)
See all pricesLG K10 key specs
- 5.3-inch 1,280x720-pixel resolution screen
- 2GB RAM
- 16GB or 32GB storage, expandable to up to 2TB
- 5-megapixel front camera, 13-megapixel rear camera
- Removable 2,800mAh battery
- Android 7.0 Nougat
- 149 x 75 x 7.9 mm
- 142 grams
- Fingerprint scanner
The original K10 sold for about $299 (around £240 or AU$410, converted). While the 2017 model has more grunt and the latest Android software, we wouldn't expect it to clock in at much more.
Moving down the range, LG announced the K8, K4 and K3 (no, we don't know how the numbering works either). The K8 and K4 are pretty similar: Both have a 5-inch display and a removable 2,500mAh battery. In fact, it's hard to discern between the two in real life aside from the different colors. But the K8 is slightly more advanced with the recent Android Nougat OS, a better rear camera and twice the amount of built-in storage.
The smallest of the four is the 4.5-inch K3. It easily slides in a pocket, but its plastic body does make it feel cheap. It has a quad-core processor like the K8 and K4, but it has a smaller battery, a 5-megapixel camera and Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
The K4 (left) and K8 (right) have similiar specs and aesthetics.
Other specs include:
LG K8 key specs
- 5-inch, 1,280x720-pixel resolution screen
- 1.5GB RAM
- 16GB storage, expandable to up to 32GB
- 5-megapixel front camera, 13-megapixel rear camera
- Removable 2,500mAh battery
- Android 7.0 Nougat
- 145 x 73 x 8.1 mm
- 142 grams
LG K4 key specs
- 5-inch, 854x480-pixel resolution screen
- 1GB RAM
- 8GB storage, expandable to up to 32GB
- 5-megapixel front camera, 5-megapixel rear camera
- Removable 2,500mAh battery
- Android 6.0 Marshmallow
- 145 x 73 x 7.9 mm
- 135 grams
LG K3 key specs
- 4.5-inch, 854x480-pixel resolution screen
- 1GB RAM
- 8GB storage, expandable to up to 32GB
- 5-megapixel front camera, 13-megapixel rear camera
- Removable 2,100mAh battery
- Android 6.0 Marshmallow
- 134 x 70 x 9.4 mm
- 132 grams
Pricing for any of the K-series phones has yet to be announced, but expect the K10 to be the most expensive of the lineup, while the K3 is likely the cheapest. LG also didn't mention availability, but it will probably hit retailers at different dates depending on the region and carriers (and under different names). Follow CNET's coverage of CES 2017 here.
