LG Optimus G Pro Reviews

A powerful smartphone with a gorgeous display but power management problems

The latest smartphone from South Korean manufacturer LG shows strong similarities to the Google Nexus 4, both visually and technically. That is not really surprising since LG is also the manufacturer of the current Google smartphone. Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 Pro is used as the SoC; it has four cores clocked at 1.5 GHz and is supported by 2 GB RAM. The display is 4.7-inches and is noticeably brighter than the Google Nexus 4 - in return black value and contrast are worse. LG improved the energy consumption and was able to reduce it significantly, this can also be seen in the lower temperatures and the longer battery runtimes. The flagship device is also future-proof with an integrated LTE module.

The Optimus G is a phenomenal piece of hardware that combines refined design, superb build quality and specs to die for. Qualcomm's quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro provides gobs of performance without sacrificing battery life. While LG's 4.7-inch True HD IPS PLUS panel is beautiful, it still ranks behind HTC's gorgeous Super LCD 2 display on the One X. Despite that pesky continuous autofocus, both 13 and 8-megapixel cameras are capable of capturing top-notch photos and usable videos. Where the Optimus G falls short is in the software department -- LG's UI 3.0 skin is mediocre and Ice Cream Sandwich is somewhat disappointing on such a great handset. Apparently, there's an Optimus G-based Nexus phone running Jelly Bean in the works -- problem solved, then.

It is fair to say that the LG Optimus G is an excellent smartphone. When compared to the Samsung Galaxy S3, the current leading device in the high-end Android smartphones market (in terms of popularity), it delivers a state-of-the-art product design in an ultra-thin body with a better build quality than its rival. It is also a winner on the performance side, keep in mind that its quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro SoC (vs dual-core Snapdragon S4 for the Samsung Galaxy S3) with its faster GPU (adreno 320 vs. Adreno 225 for the S3) produce better results across all benchmarks than the S3. It delivers speed and fluidity for gaming across all applications. LG is one of the best display manufacturer in the world, and its 4.7” True HD IPS Plus with the ZeroGap technology is totally awesome to look at. It provides an excellent user experience for watching videos or photos.

The Optimus G is the first time in recent memory that LG has managed to legitimately get a flagship Android smartphone on US carriers. Part of the reason for that is that the Optimus G hits all the right notes: a fast quad-core processor, LTE, excellent screen, and above-average build quality. LG has finally managed to put all those pieces together into an excellent hardware package with a modicum of design flair. Unfortunately, as of this writing Sprint has yet to announce a price or a release date for the Optimus G. The absence is another sign that LG doesn't have the same marketing muscle as the company it so often emulates: Samsung. Taken as a whole, the Optimus G doesn't quite match the overall consistency that Samsung or HTC have brought to the table. That's primarily due to some software foibles that would be forgivable on a lesser phone, but feel out of place in the upper echelons. If you're experienced enough with Android to work around the software hassles, you'll find the Optimus G to be a fast and fluid smartphone.

The LG Optimus G isn't a bad smartphone: it's fast, has a lot of storage, a good screen, and a decent (albeit not extraordinary) battery life. However, the two biggest features that are intended to make it stand out of the pack -- the quad core processor and the 13 megapixel camera -- both seriously fail to impress. And without those, there isn't really much to recommend it over other more noteworthy devices.

Safe to say, LG has done it - all the right pieces are put together in what's a good-looking and powerful smartphone. And unlike the Optimus 4X HD, the Optimus G isn't trailing behind the competition. This time LG is ahead of the pack. The powerful S4 Pro chipset will make sure that you get as smooth a smartphone ride as you can possibly find. We are not just talking benchmark scores and bragging rights here - the LG Optimus G really moves around at the speed of your thought. The screen is quite impressive too even though, depending on your preferences, it might come just short of the best around. And the camera delivers quite decently. As long as the relatively high--resolution 13MP sensor doesn't lead you to expect miracles, you should be quite happy with it. The only thing about the LG Optimus G that raises doubt is the stubborn insistence, bordering on a pathological obsession, to match whatever it is that Samsung has - from the hyperglaze finish to the Nature UX. It leaves a cheap impression and betrays an inferiority complex. When you have the most powerful smartphone, ripples and bubbles on the lockscreen are irrelevant. And by the way, LG's Q Slide is better than Samsung's Pop-up Play.

The LG Optimus G and the Samsung Galaxy S III are the best Android can currently offer. Picking between a smartphone that came to the market five months ago and one that is just arriving might have seemed easy at first, but after the somewhat surprising finding in this review, things are less clear cut. The LG Opttimus G chipset is so vastly powerful that we expected it to swim laps around the Galaxy S III Exynos, but the smartphone was obviously let down by its software support. The LG flagship managed to win on many occasions, but the differences were pretty minor. The only place where the Optimus G was able to give its competitor a real trashing was GPU performance at 1080p resolution. On the other hand, the LG Optimus G lost the web browsing performance battle, which is one of the most common applications of smartphones these days.

The Optimus G is LG’s first big attempt to step up its game and deliver a phone with unique features and highly competitive specs. Unfortunately, it feels like the company is still finding its identity. The Optimus G is an incredibly powerful phone and one of the best devices to come out in 2012, but its user interface is still more forgettable than it is fresh. Anyone who buys this phone will get a top-notch device, but it won’t be the kind of phone that they’ll rave to their friends about. LG has re-entered the ring with Samsung, Apple, and HTC, but it’s going to need its software to stand out if it hopes to make gains. Right now, the Optimus G is more of a merging of good ideas from Samsung and Apple than it is a uniquely LG product. But again, if you’re a Sprint or AT&T user looking for a powerful phone with a decent interface, the Optimus G is a fantastic choice for $200, with a 2-year contract.

Pricing can dictate many things for people, but in this case, it’ll depend on how much people are willing to shell out to experience something special and definitive. At $199.99 on-contract, the LG Optimus G is undoubtedly an admirable offering worthy of being included in the elites of the smartphone world. Considering that it’s packing one of the best displays out there and the snappiest performance we’ve seen on a smartphone to date, it’s a fitting price point that would make it an automatic buy for many people. Despite its higher starting price of $299.99 (AT&T, Sprint, Verizon versions), the Samsung Galaxy Note II makes it up with its better overall performance and comprehensive software experience. Underneath it all, the Note II has all the qualities found with the Optimus G, but its S Pen and associated functions are unique to it – making it a one-of-a-kind device that’s not replicated elsewhere at this moment. Capping things off, we find the Note II performing better than the Optimus G in some categories, like its battery life and video recording, which proves its $100 difference in price is justified.

Clearly folks, it’s nearly a dead heated tie with these two juggernauts in the Android realm, seeing that they perform extremely close to one another. However, if we factor in price point into the mix, one would assume that LG’s offering would be the one delivering the most bang for the buck – especially taking into account the quad-core processor it’s packing for the ride. However, we feel as though Samsung has placed enough emphasis in the software experience to still push it slightly ahead of the LG Optimus G. Ultimately, you won’t go wrong siding with either device, but Sammy’s pride and joy seems to have that balanced performance and set of features to continue fending off its competition at the moment.

Being the new kid on the block clearly has an advantage, as the LG Optimus G is sporting hardware under the hood that’s more coveted right now – essentially giving it more nods when you factor in outright pricing. Specs aside, LG has made some considerable ground in enhancing its custom Android experience to put it in a more favorable position over the Sense experience of the HTC One X. When we think about the LG Optimus G’s superior hardware, premium construction, and its extensive software features, it really pulls itself ahead of the HTC One X at this point. Then again, we all know that HTC is about to unleash its newest flagship in the HTC One X+, which might give LG’s offering a good run for its money. But in the meantime, the LG can give itself a toast in knowing that they’ve finally triumphed over HTC’s best offering.

As we factor in price point, both of which start at $199.99 on-contract, some might gather that there’s going to be more bang for the buck with the LG Optimus G according to its beefier specs sheet. Needless to say, it definitely helps its cause in making it more prized, but in all fairness, they’re both wonderful devices that execute highly in a variety of fronts. Ultimately, it’s yet again going to come down to which platform experience you’ll want to side with – the straightforward and simple nature of iOS, or the extensive personalization and multimedia feature of LG’s custom Android experience. Whichever device you decide to go with, you can expect them to still be relevant devices in the coming months.

We quite like the Optimus G. We're confident saying it's the best LG phone we've seen yet. The specs are tremendous, and it manages to have a big display, quad-core processor and 4G LTE without terrible battery life. However, the phone falls just short of greatness due to a somewhat dated OS and carrier bloatware. We're glad to know that Jelly Bean is on the way, but having it out of the box would have been fantastic. The amount of carrier software that can't be uninstalled is egregious, and most of these apps are rendered moot by other onboard programs, like AT&T Navigator compared to Google Maps. At $200 with two-year AT&T contract ($549 without) the Optimus G it's a lot of horsepower for the money. It's worthy of being called a flagship device for LG, and we look forward to updating this review once it makes the leap the Jelly Bean.

Though its not without its problems -- like a lack of a microSD card slot and a poor audio speaker -- we'd recommend this LG Optimus G if your area is covered by Sprint's 4G LTE network. It still maintains the speedy, quad-core guts of its counterpart and both have that gorgeous display. However, it's that 13-megapixel camera, which captures more true-to-life colors and details in low-lighting, that we dig. And better yet, the higher megapixel count won't come at a higher price tag. However, as we mentioned previously in the AT&T review, in the context of flagship phones, the Optimus G falls slightly below the others. It still received a lower raw score than that of the iPhone 5 and the Samsung S3, and it will face stiff competition this fall from upcoming handsets. Don't get us wrong, though, this phone is definitely the best handset LG has to offer, and we're glad to see the company finally taking the kid gloves off in this competitive market with this powerhouse chipset.

For the first time in a long time, it’s quite possible that LG’s fortunes might turn around for the better thanks to the LG Optimus G, especially when it’s packing that dreamy combination of a mighty quad-core processor and 4G LTE connectivity. To sweeten the pot even more, both AT&T and Sprint intend to sell this beauty for $199.99 with a 2-year contract – thus, presenting it as an admirable option for those looking to get a premier smartphone. On paper, there’s a lot to like about this muscle-filled handset, as its performance is just excellent, but it’s missing out on being a balanced performer in all aspects to firmly woo us over. Sure, it’s one fast acting device and boasts one snazzy looking display, but it misses the mark in taking photos/video and call quality. And even though we appreciate LG’s efforts in enhancing its custom UI, which is easily its best offering to date, it doesn’t completely trump what its rivals have to offer. To tell you the truth, as much as we like to acknowledge the new features with the experience, we find a handful of them to not be as practical in actual every day usage.

The LG Optimus G for Sprint is the fastest Android phone today, but it isn't the best Android phone on Sprint.

With all of its many great qualities, the LG Optimus G deserves to do well in the market. But it will face a wide array of new smartphones shipping in the next few weeks, including quad-core models like the HTC One X+ running Jelly Bean, and a slew of new devices which will be running Windows Phone 8. And, oh yes, there's that iPhone 5 to consider, with Apple continuing to dominate the marketing wars. LG seems to have arrived at the smartphone party wearing a great outfit and fabulous jewelry. But Apple may have already moved on to the after-party with its many friends.