Looking for a cheap phone that can do a lot of things? LG Aristo 5 review will introduce you to this dual-camera phone at an affordable price.
LG Aristo 5 smartphone was released in July 2020. Another budget offering from the popular phone manufacturer, this one emphasizing being practical than anything else. It’s a cheap phone with some highlight features.
Buyers will get a 5.7-inch FullVision display, courtesy of LG. The phone also provides decent everyday performance with a Mediatek Helio P22 and 2GB RAM. You also get a fingerprint reader and dual-camera.
But it’s still a low-end gadget. Therefore, be prepared for some compromise to make. One of them is the quality of the display, which we’re not exactly happy about.
For more in-depth information, here’s our LG Aristo 5 review. Hopefully, it can shed some light on what a buyer will be getting on this device.
Page Contents:
Key Specs
LG Aristo 5 specifications:
- Weight: 146g
- Dimensions: 147.8 x 71.1 x 8.6mm
- OS: Android 10
- Screen size: 5.7-inch
- Resolution: 1520 x 720
- CPU: 2GHz Octa-core, MediaTek Helio P22
- RAM: 2GB
- Storage: 32GB
- Battery: 3,000mAh, Non-removable
- Rear camera: 13MP + 5MP
- Front camera: 5MP
Design
LG Aristo 5 is a medium-sized phone. It’s not lengthy at all, measuring 147.8mm and 71.1mm in height and weight, respectively. It’s also average when it comes to slimness. At 8.6mm, it’s not bulky, but not the slimmest phone in the market either. The small frames of the phone contribute to its lightness. This phone weighs only 146g.
As for its appearance, LG Aristo 5 features a design typical to LG entry-level phones. We got a handheld with a FullVision display and frame but doesn’t adapt to a true edge-to-edge design. The frames are still pretty thick. This phone also features a teardrop notch on the top, a Google Assistant key, and the headphone jack.
The plain silver casing on the back cover seems to cheapen the phone. It looks like LG Aristo 5 doesn’t make any effort to look a bit more premium-looking. If you want to buy a phone for its exceptional design, this product falls short of expectations.
There are several nice things to enjoy, nonetheless. Due to the small size, the fingerprint scanner on the back is easily reachable. This phone is comfortable to hold too. It feels sturdy and would fit well in even small hands.
Read also: LG Aristo 5 User Manual
Display
With its medium-sized design also comes a medium-sized display at 5.7-inch. If you are tired of the big screen trend that seemingly flooding the smartphone market these days, LG Aristo 5 will give you the necessary break. At 1520 x 720 resolution, this phone offers an HD+ viewing experience. It’s a size that is not bad at all for a cheap phone.
However, brace for some compromises. The display of LG Aristo 5 is not the sharpest screen, which you would easily notice if you’re downgrading from better phones. Not the best display quality, LG Aristo 5’s screen lacks in a certain area, like vividness, color vibrancy, and brightness. There’s a bit of a problem with the viewing angle too—it’s not wide enough.
You don’t want to buy this phone if you want to be visually spoiled by good graphics. For power users who like 4K movies and 3D games, you won’t get the best experience. When watching YouTube or other videos, 720p is the maximum resolution users will enjoy.
On the other hand, if you’d like a display that is small, and reliable, LG Aristo 5 will do just fine. It’s a decent everyday display to scroll social media and message friends. The size is perfect too since it’s neither too small nor too big.
Camera
LG Aristo 5 is equipped with two cameras on the back. The main lens has a resolution of 13MP. It also comes with PDAF autofocus and quite a narrow F1.8 aperture size. The second camera is an ultrawide 5MP lens. Meanwhile, you’ll get a 5MP front-facing camera for selfies.
A dual-camera setup has become common so it’s almost expected for a budget phone to have one. LG’s decision to put a dual-camera on this phone is a bit gimmicky, though. More cameras don’t always translate to better pictures.
Dual-camera on LG Aristo 5 delivers passable image quality. There are some problems with dynamic range, which results in washed-out photos and a lack of details. Overexposure is common while the phone struggles at lowlights. In short, LG Aristo 5 is not for you who’s trying to go pro with mobile photography.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a camera for social media sharing, this phone got what you want. The camera is also great for pets and children. Its Phase Detection Auto Focus allows you to capture a focused shot while the object is moving around.
Read also:
- Alcatel Go Flip 3 Review: Basic Phone with Smart Assistant
- OnePlus Nord N100 Review: Beautiful Design with Good Specs
Storage
LG Aristo 5 also comes with humble specifications when it comes to internal storage. At 32GB, the actual available space is much lower. LG custom UX and pre-installed apps take almost half of the space, leaving users with 18.15GB to use.
The expandable option is also a bit stingy too. You can add an SD card, but the biggest you can get is only 32GB. This lack of storage space is by far the most disappointing aspect of this LG Aristo 5 review.
Performance
The core configuration on LG Aristo 5 consists of a 2GHz Octa-core, MediaTek processor, and 2GB RAM. This is a low-end setup for an Android phone. It promises adequate performance up until a certain point.
You need to make sure to keep the activity light to prevent lagging the phone or even causing it to freeze. LG Aristo 5 is clearly not the phone for intense gaming or other heavy smartphone activities. It’s not really quick when launching apps.
You will be able to detect lags every now and then. The RAM is too small by today’s standard too, even on a budget phone. It’s not rare the phone would reload websites and apps because it runs out of RAM space.
The phone can handle multitasking, only not perfectly. It can start getting slower when too many apps are opening at once. There will be drops in frame rates too. The touchscreen would give a bit of delay when registering users’ input. In some cases, the keyboards can freeze too.
As for the software, LG Aristo 5 runs on Android 10. The phone included some custom apps, some of them felt like bloatware. You can disable these apps but not uninstall them, which is irritating if you want to free up some space. LG also comes with its own UX design. The interface is pretty easy to navigate. For beginners, it doesn’t take long to get familiar with.
LG Aristo 5 comes with a fingerprint reader. We consider it as one of the strong points in this LG Aristo 5 review. The sensor adds a layer of security to your phone. Despite being on a budget phone, the reader works fast when recognizing a fingerprint then unlocks the phone.
There are more additional features worth noting on LG Aristo 5. Google Assistant and Hearing Aid Compatibility add more accessibility to the phone. There are not many sensors besides Accelerometer and fingerprint readers, but for low-end phones, they’re not needed anyway.
Connectivity
LG Aristo 5 supports 4G LTE wireless technology that allows for uninterrupted calls and a fast internet connection. At this price, we didn’t expect the latest technology such as 5G. Especially when 4G is adequate for most people and it has wide coverage across the country.
You’ll also have other options to stay connected. Switch to Wi-Fi, pair an accessory with Bluetooth 5.0, there are some more you can do with LG Aristo 5. You can use the phone as a hotspot router too.
For its USB port, LG Aristo 5 still uses the older Micro USB. This port is not reversible, unlike USB Type-C. It’s also not as fast as the newer type of USB port. The manufacturer apparently had to cut corners here.
Battery
LG Aristo 5 features a 3,000mAh battery that’s non-removable. An average capacity, on top you’ll be able to get through the day with it. As listed on the spec sheet, it can carry the phone through 24 days of standby. As for talk time, the phone claims to provide 10 hours of it before needing to recharge.
In reality, one day is the most you can get with this phone. We’re talking about casual use without too much screen time. This phone’s system is quite efficient when using battery energy, thanks to its low-performance specs. It’s an overall average battery spec, and there’s no fast charging available.
Is the LG Aristo 5 a good phone?
LG Aristo 5 is marketed at an attractive price. At $150, it’s an affordable choice for people who want a solid smartphone at a budget. There’s plenty to compromise, but if you don’t expect a lot, there are few to be disappointed at.
In this LG Aristo 5 review, we highlighted some of the phone’s strengths, including the ergonomic design. Then, you’ll also get a dual-camera and a fingerprint reader. On top of that, the price won’t put a big hole in your pocket.
LG Aristo 5 Pros
- Perfectly-sized design
- Cheap price
- Dual-camera
- Fingerprint sensor
LG Aristo 5 Cons
- Low performance
- Small battery
- Lack of storage space
