LG really needed to do something to
keep up with the power and popularity of the Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One X,
so it’s joined the quad-core gang with the LG Optimus 4X HD - but is it too
little, too late?
Price: $684
Website: www.clove.com
Ratings: 4/5
LG has clearly put a decent amount of
effort into the design of the 4X HD, with a sleek silver frame providing a
comfortable way to hold the slim and light device. It’s not the most premium-
feeling phone on the market, but it doesn’t feel low-value either.
LG
Optimus 4X HD
We’re not as taken by the screen design,
though. The True HD IPS display is phenomenal - HD resolution at 4.7-inch
screen size will always look razor sharp - but there’s a definite depth below
the glass that takes the sheen off when viewing media or the web.
LG has skinned Android in the same way many
others do, but it’s chosen to add in many more customization options. You can
change the quick icons in the notifications bar, alter the way the home screens
move or go whole hog and change the entire theme of the phone.
All this is backed up by superbly slick
operation under the finger and a ridiculously speedy web browser, although we
did notice issues with the 4X recognizing our presses at times.
Media mogul
The Optimus 4X HD really comes into its own
when it comes to media. The music player itself might not be too much to write
home about - courtesy of some low volume problems - but it does pack Dolby
Mobile to at least improve the quality of tunes.
The
Optimus 4X HD really comes into its own when it comes to media.
The video player is what really impresses
though - and not just because it can play so many different file types. You can
zoom in on video as it’s playing, browse other videos from your library while
watching another, and see a live preview of the current movie as you scroll
through. Not all of these functions are really necessary, but it highlights the
immense power of the phone and really gives a sense of a ‘complete’ movie
experience. Smart Share tech is also on board, making it easy to beam your
media around the house.
The other big trick from LG’s latest is NFC
tags - something that Sony’s been pushing, too. You can set the phone to change
the way it works simply by tapping it on a specially-designed labels. So if you
want to set an alarm before going to bed or enter Bluetooth mode when you get
in the car, a few swipes on the phone and a sticking of a tag will make the
operation seamless, and it’s also something we quickly found ourselves using
most days.
The Optimus 4X HD is a very impressive
smartphone from LG, with the only downside being that it took so long to get it
on to the market. It’s not got the integrated experience or overall
functionality of the One X or Galaxy S3, but with a lower contract price and
comparable specs, it’s still going to be one of the better handsets on sale
this year.
Android
action: Ice Cream Sandwich is on board, albeit tweaked
Pros
·
Slick operation
·
Versatile media player
Cons
·
The long wait
·
Screen design
Dimensions
·
Height: 132mm
·
Width: 68mm
·
Depth: 8.9mm
·
Screen size: 4.7-inch
·
Weight: 141g
|
Specification
·
Supplier: www.clove.com
·
OS: Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
·
Processor: Nvidia
Tegra 3 1.5GHz
·
RAM: 1GB
·
Storage: 16GB
·
Expansion: microSD
·
Rear camera: 8MP
·
Front camera: 1.3MP
·
Screen type: IPS
·
Screen resolution: 1,280
x 720
|
