LG Optimus G for AT&T hands-on (video)
Well, we're finally getting a look at the US edition of LG's Optimus G and surprise, surprise, it's not that terribly different from the version we got to play with in both Korea and NYC last month. We're still looking at that stunning 4.7-inch 1280x768 True HD IPS PLUS display, a speedy Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, a hefty 2,100mAh battery and 16GB storage -- on this model, at least. But what, if anything, has changed on this Android 4.0 handset now that it's here in the US cruising along on AT&T's LTE network? Keep reading after the break to find out.
The mostly glass construction is still intact here, with backplate maintaining its shiny patterned surface that looks cheap but feels very premium. We remain torn on the Crystal Reflections process used to produce the sheet of silicate. It certainly lends a solid feel to the handset and a unique look, but we find the aesthetic somewhat off putting. The physical design is either refreshingly understated or uninspired depending on your perspective, but the slim simple frame is certainly in keeping with LG's past design successes including the Chocolate and Prada (and no, we can't make that comparison too many times). The left side houses the volume rocker and micro-SIM slot, while the right edge is home to the power / lock button. Up top is the headphone jack and the micro-USB port is on the bottom of the device. There's a front facing 1.3MP camera hiding behind the front pane of glass and, alongside it, is one of our favorite touches -- a notification light, something far too many manufacturers seem to underestimate. Around back is the main camera, an 8-megapixel affair that sits flush with the glass as opposed to the millimeter "hump" of its 13-megapixel counterpart.
On the software front all the LG flourishes we've become accustomed to are present. QSlide, Cheese Shutter, QuickMemo... all the cross-tasking features packed into the unnamed skin are still here and still hum along pretty smoothly. Though, we suspect even the heftiest of Android skins would be hard pressed to strain that quad-core 1.5GHz CPU under the hood. That said, we did notice a bit of lag when orienting the screen from portrait to landscape. This being a pre-production model, expect things to be smoothed out by that vague "holiday" release.
Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.
