We did a detailed hands-on of the LG Optimus 4X HD before, and today we’re finishing up the review by posting the performance numbers and other features that we missed during that article. Reading our detailed hands-on of the device is highly recommended before diving into this article.
The LG Optimus 4X HD is visually appealing, though it’s not at the same level aesthetically as the Samsung Galaxy S III or the HTC One X. It’s overall design is influenced by the L-style philosophy that’s been implemented in the L-series of phones that we’ve reviewed a couple of months before, namely the L7 and the L3. The back of the 4X HD has a textured back which helps in the overall grip of the device.
The 4X HD has a silver trim that’s complimented by a prism finish, which gives it an extra visual flair.
The screen is a 4.7-inch true HD IPS screen that has a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels. Unfortunately, the screen is a bit prone to glare – our demo unit had a bit of issues when we tried using it outdoors, which is a bit of a shame really, as the screen is otherwise excellent.
The Optimus 4X HD runs on Google’s Android 4.0 OS (ICS) with their own UI overlay, dubbed Optimus UI 3.0. The same UI was present on the Optimus L7, though the limited hardware on the L7 couldn’t really do it justice. That’s not a problem with the 4X HD – the Tegra 3 processor has enough oomph to power the transition effects in the device. The UI overlay also replaces the somber, hi-tech feel of the stock UI of ICS with something more colorful and lively, which may or may not be up to your liking. Like anything, your mileage may vary.
One of the more positive aspects of the Optimus UI 3.0 is the camera app. See, the Optimus 4X HD has this camera feature called Time Catch shot. When you turn it on, the phone starts caching images from camera. Once you press the shutter, you’re given the option to keep the picture you just shot, or five images leading up to it in a span of about a second. This gives you a chance to grab a photograph that you might have missed.
We’ve posted pictures of the benchmark of the Optimus 4X HD before, but it bears repeating again for the sake of completeness. On AnTuTu, the Optimus 4X HD scores high marks (11510), going over the scores that the Asus Transformer Prime set (which is incidentally another quad-core device) and almost reaching the top spot.
On Quadrant Standard it’s a slightly different story, and the Optimus 4X HD only managed to nab 3665 points – still impressive, but it’s a bit far from the next quad-core powered device – the Transformer Prime.
These numbers translate to an overall better user experience – the Optimus 4X HD powered through most of the applications that we used it with. The interface felt slick and smooth, with nary a hiccup to be found during its time with us. The Optimus 4X HD also managed to eek out about a day of useful battery life with moderate use, which is a bit off the mark when compared to the battery performance of other, higher-end Android devices.
There are certain issues with the 4X HD, aside from the ones we already mentioned. The camera software needs improvement, as it has a tendency to continuously refocus, even after you touch the screen to try and get it to concentrate on one spot.
So is the LG Optimus 4X HD deserving to be your next phone? Well, that all depends on you. It isn’t as visually striking as the HTC One X or the Samsung Galaxy S III, but it makes up for that by being as fast as those two devices. On the plus side, the LG Optimus 4X HD has the advantage of being the cheapest option of the three, with a suggested retail price of Php 27,990 – which makes it very attractive to people looking to save a few bucks and still get a fast, feature packed smartphone.
What’s Hot:
Large 4.7-inch screen
NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor
Excellent UI overlay
Most affordable quad-core smartphone currently in the market
What’s Not:
Camera software needs a lot of work
Screen is prone to glare
Bottomline:
It’s not perfect, but the LG Optimus 4X HD gives excellent value for money, especially when you consider the prices of its competitors.
Buymeter: 4/5
Tech Specs:
- Operating System: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Optimus 3.0 UI overlay
- CPU: NVIDIA Tegra 3 1.5GHz
- LCD size: 4.7-inch HD-IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 720 x 1280 pixel resolution
- Physical Dimension: 132.4 x 68.1 x 8.9 mm
- Weight: 133 grams
- Band: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
- Internal memory: 16GB, expandable through microSD