South Korean tech giant LG Electronics Inc. saw its flagship smartphone, the G4, rank higher than rival flagship phones by Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple Inc. in terms of performance, a U.S. consumer agency said Thursday.
  

According to U.S.-based Consumer Reports, a non-profit organization that grades products for consumers' rights, LG's latest flagship G4 smartphone showcased in April and its predecessor the G3, both came in second in a performance evaluation with a grade of 78 out of 100.  
  

The slightly curved G4 comes with the same 5.5-inch in-plane switching QHD display as that of its older sister, the G3. It also comes with a leather case, compared to the metal frames boasted by its rivals.
  

The G4 also comes with a camera whose performance is equal to that of a digital single-lens reflex camera, allowing users to take better photos in a dark environment, compared to Samsung or Apple devices.

At the top of the list was the Galaxy S5, Samsung's flagship smartphone rolled out last year. Its younger sister, the Galaxy S6, managed to take fifth place despite improved specifications, together with Apple's iPhone 6. The two devices had jointly ranked third in an earlier evaluation in May.
  

The Galaxy S5 Sports, a variation of the Galaxy S5 with more fitness-related features, also ranked second. The smartphone was released only in the North American market. (Yonhap)