Confused? You will be after taking a close look at LG’s widening X Series range

By Andy Boxall Published July 5, 2016

There’s nothing more confusing in the tech world than an extensive range of similar smartphones, with similar names, and similar specifications. LG continues to baffle with its X Series, and has announced the X5, X Power, and X Skin, which join the X Cam, X Screen, X Mach, X Style, and X Max. To make sure our brains are nicely fried, it has talked about the X Power before, and the X Skin looks suspiciously like the X Style, just with a different name.

None of the new phones have the guts to challenge the LG G5, and none have a slot to accept any of the G5’s Friend modules either, which is understandable given their affordable specifications. We’ll start by looking at the LG X5. It has a big 5.5-inch display with an HD resolution, which we expect to mean 1280 x 720 pixels, but the body is really slim and light — just 7.2mm and 133 grams respectively.

Recommended Videos

This X5 isn’t a fireball, powered by a modest 1.3GHz quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM, and there’s 16GB of internal storage memory. The good news is a MicroSD card slot will increase this, but only by another 32GB. Interestingly, LG has given the X5 a removable battery, something of a rarity these days, even among low-cost devices. Android 6.0 Marshmallow is installed, plus there is a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front camera onboard.

The X Power was briefly discussed in mid-June, but now we have a complete list of its specifications. The phone gets its name from the large 4,100mAh battery inside, but the screen is smaller than the X5 at 5.3-inches. It shares the same HD resolution panel, 13 megapixel and 5 megapixel cameras, processor, RAM, and storage space. The body is marginally thicker at 7.9mm, and slightly heavier at 129 grams.

Finally, the X Skin is the slimmest of the three at only 6.9mm thick, and it weighs just 122 grams. The reason is the similarly tiny 2,100mAh battery inside. This needs to drive the same 1.3GHz quad-core processor, but only gets 1.5GB of RAM to help Android 6.0 make it through the day. This is the same specification as the already official X Style, indicating the name may change depending on where the phone is put on sale.

At the moment, the X5, X Power, and X Skin are going to be sold in South Korea.

Former Senior Mobile Writer

Andy has written about mobile technology for almost a decade. From 2G to 5G and smartphone to smartwatch, Andy knows tech.

Topics

Phones

Apple’s new Upgrade program launches on Tuesday with major changes

Apple's new leasing program might drop AppleCare coverage from the bundle.

iPhone 17 Pro Max

Buying your next Apple device could soon look like leasing a car. Apple is launching its new Apple Upgrade program on Tuesday, July 28, replacing new enrollments in the long-running iPhone Upgrade Program with a lease-based option that covers iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches.

Backed by Klarna, the program is designed to lower the upfront cost of Apple's premium devices, but it is also raising questions about whether you'll actually own what you're paying for.

Phones

Setting up your dorm desk? These are the phone stands I’d actually spend my money on

From a $2 folding stand to a three-in-one Apple charging dock, these are the phone stands worth setting up this semester.

Analog Clock, Clock, Electronics

A phone stand is one of the smallest purchases on any back-to-school list, but it's also one of the easiest to get wrong, especially since there are dozens of options available on Amazon. A good phone stand is one that does its job well and, more importantly, doesn't put much of a dent in your budget.

This is one of those product categories where you don’t need to spend big, unless a MagSafe dock or a multi-device charging stand is genuinely useful for your desk or dorm setup. That is why this list begins with the most affordable options and works its way up to the more expensive ones. From a two-pack that costs about as much as a coffee to a three-in-one Apple charging station, I picked eight of Amazon's best-reviewed phone stands worth considering this back-to-school season.

Phones

I picked four wireless chargers so you can stop making your iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch fight over one dorm outlet

The best back-to-school wireless chargers for dorm desks, study spaces, and travel

Computer, Electronics, Laptop

A dorm-room desk can disappear surprisingly quickly beneath a laptop charger, phone cable, Apple Watch puck, and the growing collection of adapters required to power them all. Add textbooks and other academic materials, and finding enough room to study becomes the first assignment of the semester.

A wireless charging stand can consolidate several of those cables into one station. It also gives your phone a dedicated place to sit, which helps when you are checking the time or watching a lecture. Every charger here still needs one connection to the wall. So finding a peripheral that works with all of your gadgets isn't just convenient, it's smart. I picked four models ranging from an inexpensive two-device stand to a fast 25W wireless charger capable of powering an entire Apple setup.