As the fourth installment of the LG Optimus Series, LG Electronics decided to follow the “more the merrier” trend of the smartphone world with the now quad-core Optimus 4X HD. This touchscreen bar phone makes a very business-type and a really professional feel and arguably, ergonomics is not a key feature in its design. Though the external design of the phone is made up of mostly plastic parts with metal-like linings here and there, the appearance gives a sense quality. However, holding it in your hand says otherwise. The back cover is made of plastic also but has a certain finish that makes it easy on the grip.
Wow Factor
The brain of this phone is a quad-core, 1.5 Ghz A9 Cortex processor, with 1 gb of RAM. Internal storage is at 16 GB and is expandable to 32 gb, which is a big plus, thanks to an external microSD slot. It has very good picture and video quality because of the 4.7 inch True HD IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass.
The primary camera is 8 MP coupled with a front-facing secondary 1.3 MP camera. In terms of connectivity, The Optimus 4X has GPRS and EDGE, and can transfer data of up to 21 Mbps via HSDPA. It also has NFC technology, which could very well make this phone perfect for ecommerce.
The Optimus 4X runs on Andoid Ice Cream Sandwich version 4.0. No news yet if it’s upgradable to 4.1 Jellybean. Personally, the Optimus user interface (UI) version 3.0 makes Android look a lot better. Also, the Optimus user interface is sharp and highly customizable. The bottom dock supports icon rearrangement and swiping the top part of the screen down displays the notifications, which is typical on most devices.
In addition, this UI has settings shortcuts that you can arrange or remove for quick access. Also, the application drawer on this UI also allows you to display more icons from a standard 5×4 to a 5×6 grid.
How 4X HD Can be Improved
In a smartphone world led by phones with ergonomic and user-friendly designs, the 4X’s “too square” appearance may be considered a bit severe and its plastic build can actually make one worry if it can survive even a minor fall.
However, in terms of specification, the Optimus 4X is somehow at par with leading smartphones out in the market. The quad-core processor with a very generous RAM makes the whole user experience lag-free. Expandable memory allows more flexibility in terms of storage space. The Optimus UI may not be the best-looking user interface out there, but the essentials are there and there is also a lot of potential.
The LG Optimus 4X HD is the sort of device that makes the leader in a race anxiously look at his rear constantly. The design may not be as flashy but some people are looking for these exact specifications. Personally, the hardware and the design are satisfactory but not exactly phenomenal. Nevertheless, with its quiet and subtle elegance, it is enough to make some take notice.
Image Credit: nVidia Blog
