LG Optimus 3D Pro Reviews

We aren’t convinced that 3D has a place in the smartphone world, although we do appreciate the way LG offers more than just 3D photo and video capture. Aside from this, the LG Optimus 3D is a capable handset, albeit an expensive one.

The LG Optimus 3D is a large handset with a great screen. It has good all round features, and the 3D element some will see as an added bonus. Using it does drain the battery quickly though.

Like it or not, the 3D technology is entering our world more rapidly that the tech evolution is able to handle. Today we have 3D cinemas, home 3DTVs, glasses-free 3D screens at the malls or even street billboards imitating 3D. Wearing glasses is no fun anymore so we’re glad to see that when LG went on to make a 3D phone, they made it right. And here we are, witnessing a revolution with the first ever 3D smartphone - the Optimus 3D. There’s hardly another 3D handset to match its 3D capabilities (even the CDMA HTC EVO 3D). Yes, you surely can find a match or even better smartphone, but not a 3D one.

In all honesty, we feel that 3D on mobile phones is a novelty feature that one can forgo, especially if you are paying a notable premium price for it. Take the LG Optimus 3D for example - the phone might do a good job of including extensive 3D features but it also comes with poor battery life, subpar imaging performance and a bulky build. We say, if you are looking to get a dual-core smartphone and 3D capability isn't at the top of your list, you're better off looking at more well-endowed options.

The LG Optimus 3D is a solid performer. Everything on the phone is buttery smooth and instant, you’ll barely wait for it to do things. If only if would ship with Gingerbread and a larger battery to make it through the day. Gingerbread might arrive soon but the battery won’t grow in capacity overnight even though the new version of Android could improve its life a little. There’s the 3D bit; some might regard it as a gimmick while others will look at it as an early indication of future standards. Of course, it’s nice to show off that glasses-free screen to your friends (in case you pass the phone along) and slideshow 3D pictures (either to the phone or an external 3D screen via HDMI) but it’s really up to you if that’s something you want or need at the moment.

The LG Optimus 3D is an interesting device, there are a lot of things to like about the Optimus 3D, and there are a number of things that let it down, we really liked the 3D features, especially the 3D games. Recording 3D videos is also a nice feature and we also enjoyed watching a few 3D videos on YouTube, although the content is limited with no 3D movies available for the device at the moment. If you haven’t seen the Optimus 3D we would recommend that you go an try one out for yourself and check out the 3D features to see what you think before buying the device.

There's plenty to like about the Optimus 3D, including its fun 3D features, fast processor and beautifully bright and vivid screen. However, problems with displaying 3D images on the screen and the phone's short battery life mean that it's not the must-buy handset that many were expecting.

Now, usually we’d give the result as a percentage of battery life remaining when the clock hits 24 hours, but we can’t with the LG because it didn’t last 24 hours. In fact, it barely even managed half, and that isn’t the most strenuous workout – we didn’t engage the 3D feature at all in that time. Its final battery time of 14 hours is one of the most embarrassing test results we’ve seen since smartphones became smart. The rest of the phone is perfectly usable, but it could be gold-plated for all the good that would do in the circumstances. The inescapable fact is that the LG Optimus 3D will cost you £25 a month for two years, yet will struggle to last a single day of general use. We’ve long complained that battery life suffers most as smartphones become more powerful, but this just takes the biscuit.

The LG Optimus 3D is different if only for its 3D function. Luckily, it's also a great all-around player and doesn't focus solely on 3D, which is entertaining for a while, but might come with a bonus in the form of a slight headache for some. When you use the handset in standard 2D mode, though, it's an extremely powerful device with one of the snappiest chips out there. It makes a huge difference when navigating in menus and fiddling with the browser. But this overweight powerhouse eats battery like there's no tomorrow, and if you don't plug it in for a while, its battery doesn't last to see tomorrow. 2D images were also a disappointment, just as the fact that it ships with Froyo instead of Gingerbread, but LG will hopefully fix the latter with an update soon. We wouldn't let those spoil the enthusiasm of early 3D adopters – for them the LG Optimus 3D will definitely deliver, but the rest might prefer a thinner handset with a more durable battery.

LG's Optimus 3D is a brilliant yet highly compromised handset. It’s a great phone with plenty of power and the 3D works well, but it has one of the worst battery lives in normal use we have seen.

The LG Optimus 3D is a powerhouse phone--whether you take its 3D features into consideration or not. But my opinion of 3D on the small screen remains more or less the same: Though it is fun to watch short videos in 3D or to take 3D photos, 3D is still a novelty feature.

Pushing the envelope will always leave you open to criticism so we have to acknowledge what LG have achieved here. They have created a 3D-capable phone that doesn’t destroy the 2D experience in the process. In that sense we love the Optimus 3D. The 3D is fun, 3D videos look great and 3D capture will wow everyone you show. It’s also a capable media phone, with a huge screen and good basic video codec support. Put alongside the Samsung Galaxy S II or the HTC Sensation, then the Optimus 3D only really has its 3D card to play and that may leave it as something of a niche device. It’s a technological achievement and takes its place in the 3D creation story, but for many there will be too many compromises in day-to-day use.

If you're happy to take a punt on glasses-free 3D being here to stay, the 3D features of the LG Optimus 3D are certainly enough to warrant its high price. The 3D video's great, with a genuine sense of depth coming across in the footage. The worry is, if you take a load of 3D photos and videos now, are they going to be viewable five or 10 years down the line? Or will you be left with a big, undocumented gap in your life, where all your photos and videos were taken in a format that no new devices support? Also, for those looking for a high-quality smartphone as well as a 3D conversation piece, there are many better, faster, longer-lasting options out there – for less money. The success of the LG Optimus 3D boils down to how willing people are to pay a premium for its nice 3D features – and whether they are happy to sacrifice style and battery life in return.

3D technology arrives on mobile phones with the LG Optimus 3D, but the end result is a bit disappointing - at least going by our first look.