LG K8 (2017): Plans | Pricing | Specs

Where to buy

It might seem counter-intuitive, but shopping for a budget smartphone is often more difficult than deciding between the latest iPhone and Samsung Galaxy handsets. With a premium smartphone, the surrounding hype and marketing campaigns make it relatively easy to know what you're getting. Budget phones rarely receive the same level of attention, making it tricky to differentiate a handset like the LG K8 (2017) from its competitors.

That's why we've compiled the guide below. In it we break down the key aspects of the 2017 revision of LG's K8 budget handset. If you're in the market for a simple and affordable smartphone, this guide should help you decide whether the LG K8 (2017) is right for you.

Design

• A standard yet solid design that covers all the basics
• The absence of Android 7.0 is a little disappointing

• Read more on the LG K8 (2017)'s design

  As it has with the rest of its K-series smartphones, LG has kept the design of the K8 (2017) simple and familiar. Curves are dominant, with rounded corners and a "2.5D" glass surface to the 5-inch LCD screen. That screen clocks in at a resolution of 1280 x 720, a relatively common choice among 2017 budget handsets. Also in keeping with budget standards is the K8 (2017)'s body, which is constructed from plastic rather than metal. It is slightly slimmer than many of its rivals, though, measuring in at just 8.25mm at its thickest.

  The LG K8 (2017) offers all the basic features you'd expect from a modern budget smartphone. You've got a 3.5mm audio jack for connecting traditional wired headphones, Bluetooth 4.2 support for syncing up wireless headphones or other wireless devices and 16GB of internal storage for loading up apps, photos, music and videos. Adding more storage is as simple as purchasing a microSD card, with support for cards as large as 32GB.

  Where LG outfitted the slightly more powerful K10 (2017) with the Android 7.0 "Nougat" operating system, the K8 (2017) ships with the older Android 6.0 "Marshmallow" version. While that means it's missing a few of Android's newer features, like side-by-side app multi-tasking, you still get plenty of functionality such as the ability to specify data permissions on an app-by-app basis as well as enhanced power management tools for extending battery life. It is worth noting that LG hasn't released any official updates to Android on the K8 (2017), though, so any apps that require later versions of Android will be incompatible.

Camera

• Taking quality photos should be relatively easy thanks to the 13MP rear camera
• Beauty mode and panorama shots provide extra options for aspiring photographers

• Read more on the LG K8 (2017)'s camera

  In updating the K8 for the 2017 smartphone market, LG has given both the front and rear cameras a considerable boost. Regular photography benefits from the new 13MP rear-facing camera and its f/2.2 aperture lens, which offers improved low-light performance over its predecessor. You also have the ability to take wide-angle panorama shots by sweeping the K8 across a scene, as well as activating a burst mode that captures numerous shots in quick succession.

  Selfie savants enjoy less of a direct quality upgrade, with a similar 5MP sensor as the one on 2016's LG K8. There have been a few notable software upgrades, however, with the addition of a Beauty mode for touching up portrait shots and an auto-shot feature that automatically takes photos as soon as a scene is still.

  On the video front, the LG K8 (2017) is capable of recording full HD video, too.

Performance

• Sufficient grunt for typical day-to-day tasks
• 1.5GB of RAM is a little below average for this price point

• Read more on the LG K8 (2017)'s performance

  Under the hood, the LG K8 (2017) hasn't changed drastically from its 2016 forebear. Its MediaTek MT6737 quad-core processor is slightly faster at 1.4GHz compared to 1.3GHz, but in practical terms that's unlikely to have a significant impact on the speed or responsiveness of most basic tasks. LG has stuck with 1.5GB of RAM as well, which puts the K8 (2017) 0.5GB behind many of its similarly priced competitors.

  Nevertheless, the LG K8 (2017) has power enough to deliver decent performance in the kinds of tasks befitting a budget smartphone. Browsing the web and running most common apps should pose no real issues, and you can likely get away with playing the majority of 2D games and simple 3D games, too. Multi-tasking is the main area where the LG K8 (2017) is likely to stumble, as that 1.5GB of RAM may mean noticeable delays when switching between certain apps.

Battery

• The 2,500mAh battery should provide plenty of juice to see you through the day
• Being able to swap spare batteries in and out grants even more endurance

• Read more on the LG K8 (2017)'s battery

  LG's battery game has been strong in recent years thanks to the pairing of larger-than-average capacities with lower-power hardware. This trend continues with the K8 (2017). By combining a 2,500mAh battery with its relatively modest processor, the budget handset is well equipped to keep on going past the point where many flashier smartphones bite the dust.

  Even though LG doesn't provide battery life estimates for the K8 (2017), our tests of the similarly specced-out Alcatel Pop 4 showed that this combination of hardware is indeed capable of delivering impressive endurance. Specifically, the Pop 4 chalked up a run time of 9 hours and 20 minutes on the Geekbench 3 benchmark, a score that placed it among the top performers we've tested. It's a fairly safe bet, then, that the K8 (2017) will deliver equally solid battery life.

  That's not the only advantage the K8 (2017) has in the battery department. It, like many of LG's phones, allows for the removal and replacement of its battery without the need for any special tools or skills. This can prove especially handy on long trips or during hectic days when you just don't have the time to leave your phone charging as you can simply pack a spare battery and swap it in as needed.

Pricing and availability

• Price: ~$130
• Where to buy: Amazon | Kogan | Catch

Specifications

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