Like me mentioned before, this international version of the Optimus Vu sports revamped internals to compete with other similar smartphones in the market. NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 quad-core processor running at 1.5GHz takes care of all the processing duties. There’s 1GB of RAM on tap, as well as 32GB of storage space for all your media.
The Optimus Vu has a 8-megapixel camera located on the back of the device. While the Optimus Vu has good image quality, we found that it struggled to focus on some of the subjects that we were trying to capture, which incidentally is similar to the camera issues we found with the Optimus 4X HD. This is a bit of a shame, because the Optimus Vu’s captured images are pretty good, as you can see with the images that we’ve captured with the camera. You can examine the unedited, full-size image by clicking on it.
Just like its other larger competitors, the Optimus Vu also has a stylus that allows users to write on the screen. The Rubberbdium stylus is surprisingly accurate, especially when you consider how big the rubber end of it is. LG has included two apps to help you get the most out of the pen – LG QuickClip and Notebook. You can quickly access QuickClip using the top left button on the top of the Optimus Vu, which pulls down an overlay where you can write notes and other things. Once you’re done writing a note, you can either save it in Notebook or your image gallery, or you send it off to your social networks or email.
When it came to performance, the Optimus Vu did not disappoint. While there are other processors out in the market that have managed to surpass NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 processor in terms of performance, we found that it’s still able to hold its own against its contemporaries, as evidenced by its benchmark scores in AnTuTu. Real-world use support its synthetic benchmark scores, as we never really had a problem when using the Optimus Vu, even when we had multiple apps open at the same time.
As far as battery life was concerned, the Optimus Vu’s non-removable 2100mAh battery was able to give us around a day and a half worth of useful battery on light to moderate use. With heavy use, we managed to deplete the battery of the Optimus Vu in about 12 ½ hours.
Using the Optimus Vu was a challenge, chiefly because of the device’s unique aspect ratio. Even people with big hands will have a bit of an issue trying to hold it with one hand, and subsequently one handed operation of the Optimus Vu is pretty much out of the question. It’s physically impossible for your thumb to reach all the way to the other side of the screen. The only way to do that is to reposition your grip on the device, which, more often than not, results in the user dropping the Optimus Vu.
Another gripe that we have is with the stylus dock, or the lack of it. The only way you’ll be able to carry the stylus with you is if you remember to put it in your pocket before you leave the house. The size of the stylus also works against it as it’s extremely easy to lose. There’s a reason why smartphones that use a stylus usually has a port to stuff it in when not in use.
Is the LG Optimus Vu a bad phablet? Well, it certainly has its issues. It’s a unique device that requires a radically different perspective when it comes to using it, as it has some quirks that users need to understand prior to buying the device. Its unique 4:3 aspect ratio takes some getting used to, but once you’re past that, you may appreciate the wider screen and all that entails.
What’s Hot:
Unique 4:3 aspect ratio
Excellent display
Long battery life
What’s Not:
Ergonomically challenged
No space on the phone to store stylus when not in use
Impossible to use one handed
Bottomline:
Like most exotic dishes, the LG Optimus Vu is an acquired taste. Our advice is to try it out for yourself first in a store before dropping your hard-earned cash on it.
Buymeter: 3.5/5
Tech Specs:
- Operating System: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
- CPU: NVIDIA Tegra 3 1.5GHz processor with 1GB of RAM
- LCD size: 5-inch HD-IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 768 x 1024 resolution
- Physical Dimensions: 139.6 x 90.4 x 8.5 mm
- Weight: 168 grams
- Band:
- Internal memory GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, HSDPA 900 / 2100