LG's ludicrous banana phone wasn't just a one-off; it's back for a second go. Like its older brother, the G Flex 2's main trick is still just being curved, but this time it's also just a way better phone.
The first thing to notice about the G Flex 2 is that it's actually smaller than the original G Flex; it's a rare—maybe unprecedented—case of a manufacturer actually shrinking a phone down for the sequel instead of blowing it up. Like the LG G3, the G Flex 2 now also has a 5.5-inch screen, and much smaller bezels surrounding it. That smaller screen is better, too. Full HD, 403 PPI, crisp and clear, waaaaaay better than the original G Flex's laughable 720p 6-inch display. The G Flex 2 looks legitimately nice.
Inside, the G Flex 2 has one of Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 810 processors and runs 64-bit Android Lollipop 5.0, complete with all its charms, plus a few extras, like a gimmicky but sort of neat little feature where if you slide your finger downwards on the off screen, the time will appear in a little glowing bubble at the top.
And speaking of gimmicky things that are sort of neat, the LG G Flex 2 has enhanced self-healing capabilities. The wolverine phone will now recuperate from minor—and I mean minor—scrapes and scratches in a manner of seconds instead of minutes. I gently ran the prongs of a wall wort over the back of a G Flex 2, and the scuffs really did disappear almost right away. The second I applied a little pressure though, an amount that could definitely happen in your pocket, it made this gash that never disappeared:
The G Flex 2's also got a dual-flash and OIS for its new and improved camera, which I found to be fast, but prone to blurry shots. Still way better than the original G Flex either way. All that plus an ever more rare MicroSD card slot.
The G Flex 2 will start its rollout in Korea, with no word on exactly when it'll be coming to the states other than "soon." When it does though, it'll be pricey; LG suggests it'll probably be more than the G4 or whatever the G3's successor is. It's a little easier to swallow now, since the Flex 2 isn't egregiously deficient like the original was, but it still raises the question of whether you want or need your phone to be curved. Whether or not you do though, it looks like LG is pretty content on continuing to make them that way, and as long as they're also good phones then more power to 'em.
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