Engadget
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Engadget Review
LG G Pad 8.3 review: well-designed, but priced too high
Summary
LG's G Pad is a beautifully designed 8.3-inch tablet with an equally beautiful display. But its uneven performance combined with its relatively steep $350 price make rival Android tablets look like a steal.
Pros
- Comfortable and stylish design
- Gorgeous high-res display
- Battery life on par with similar Android tablets
Cons
- Uneven performance
- Glut of non-essential LG 'Q' apps
- Slightly expensive compared to rival tablets
LG tries. It tries for US relevance, but the company's product offerings -- usually its smartphones -- consistently lack the je ne sais quoi necessary to succeed. The G Pad, an 8.3-inch Android tablet that recently debuted at IFA 2013, could break that dry spell, becoming the first serious competitor to the iPad mini's styling and the first high-profile LG tablet. Is it filled with bleeding-edge specs? No, not really. LG opted to imbue the G Pad with a Snapdragon 600 heart -- a trade-off made in the interest of better battery life and less overheating. The tablet also arrives with a 1,920 x 1,200 IPS panel, giving it an immediate leg up: 1080p resolution in an 8-inch form factor. It's slim, attractive, well-built and it costs $350. Is that a low enough price of entry to merit a buy? And can LG start to inspire consumer confidence with its Android portfolio?
