ET Review: LG Optimus 4X HD P880

Cost: Rs 34, 990

Rating: * * * *

Specifications: 4.7-inch IPS LCD (1280 x 720 pixel), Tegra 3 quad core 1.5Ghz processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB + microSD, Android 4.0, 2,150mAh battery, 133 grams

Positives: High-quality display, premium looks, quickmemo function, slick user interface, good performance

Negatives: Back panel texture finish feels rough, camera performance not as good as One X or S III, low sound from speaker


NEW DELHI: LG's quad core Optimus 4X HD includes a Nvidia Tegra 3 quad core processor, but claims to have a fifth core as well. The fifth core is intended to take care of day-to-day tasks therefore improving battery life on the phone. Other hardware specifications are similar to most other quad-core phones – 1GB RAM and 16GB inbuilt storage. Other than that it offers 3G, Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth 4.0.

The gorgeous 4.7-inch display offers excellent colours, brightness and is responsive to the touch. The metal surround gives the phone a premium look, while the textured finish on the back panel makes it easy to grip. However, the texture also feels quite rough and might not appeal to everyone. Overall, the phone definitely feels sturdier than Samsung's Galaxy S III and comes close to the HTC One X in terms of build quality.

LG has tweaked the Android user interface with their own customisation — and it is impressive. The lock screen can be customised to launch any app directly, the notification bar can be customised with your choice of quickaccess controls and the overall performance of the phone is great. LG’s inclusion of QuickMemo deserves a special mention – this function takes a screenshot of your screen and opens it in an editor for you to make notes or draw on it.

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The 8MP rear camera offers good quality photos with ample light, though it allows only 6 shots in burst mode. Indoors and with artificial light, the camera sensor makes the picture darker. Plus, the autofocus keeps hunting for the correct focus while recording videos.

These are all software issues and we hope LG issues a quick fix for this. Audio output from the headphones was great, but we thought that volume from the external speaker was quite low. The 2,150mAh battery lasted a day and a half with average use — impressive, but not as good as the Galaxy S III (which uses roughly the same size battery).

At Rs 34,990, the 4X HD is priced a bit lower than its direct quad core competitors — the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III.

However, it does not compromise on the performance or experience that you expect from a premium smartphone. If you can spare a little more cash, Samsung's Galaxy S III currently offers the best performance & features among the quad core phones. It also has a better camera and comes with many tiny useful features like Smart Stay, Pop out play, S-Beam, USB on-the-go and S-Voice.