Not quite perfect, but LG seems to have learned from the previous fiasco

Not quite perfect, but LG seems to have learned from the previous fiasco

LG P880 Optimus 4X HD Smartphone (11.9 cm (4.7 inches) touch screen, 8 megapixel camera, 1.5GHz, NFC, WiFi, Android 4.0) (Electronics)

Customer Review

After I can not surf on the computer with my new job and the fun factor was kept at my old model (LG Optimus 2X) quite limited, I needed a new phone!

My main purpose is thus the internet usage. In addition, I play and a bit too regularly and listen to music through external speakers. From time to time I use sometimes the camera for the occasional snapshot. And sometimes it also happens that I call it (!) Or SMS send and receive.

Furthermore, I would describe myself as an Android-fetishist with broad playfulness during use of custom ROMs. An iPhone or other therefore is not an option, because you can play around / tweaking too little / customize.

Purchase decision
----------------------
Are too much choice it currently in the Android Oberliga currently not.

- The Samsung Galaxy S3 I had in a shop briefly in his hand, which had done so. How can you build only a haptic so inferior housing so good hardware. Since I would be annoyed every time I take it into their own hands.

- The HTC One X in cool unibody enclosure. With uncool missing MicroSD slot (Bad for music library and flashing of Custom ROMs). Moreover, I find the commercial practice, a software equalizer as Super-Feature (beats "by Dre", as if the more than its name would have contributed to it) to sell and like anything to hype say the least equivocal. Too bad, I would have liked a purely visual best.

- The LG Optimus 4X offered at least on paper everything I need. And although I've had bad experiences with LG to apocalyptic (For the previous Optimus 2X I wish the responsible managers and software Supervisor every imaginable kind of warts on the body), I simply dared times. And was not disappointed, sometimes even pleasantly surprised. The moderate price compared to the competition was also a bonus, and the Amazon opportunity to if not satisfied return the device within 4 weeks.

Design / feel / processing
----------------------
Design is a matter of taste, so I would only say: It looks like a smartphone! Surprise!
(Besides, look MMN almost all smart phones more or less the same - they want to be different also great if the entire front consists of the display.)

The feel so. The display and the protective layer in front of it consists of smooth-cool Gorilla glass and feels like that. Nothing, but very good.
The back (or the battery cover) consists of a rubberized and textured material that MMN excellent touch and also provides a good grip. Unfortunately, the battery cover is a cutout for the camera lens and the flash, so that these parts are exposed without further protection and can be damaged. This could have been a better solution, for example by an additional transparent protective layer.
At least the camera is not out of the case or making it thicker at the point (I look at you, Droid Razr!)

Still a little mystery is my side of the device.
Here LG has ever a rounded plastic strip in chrome look, is intervening to slightly recessed top and bottom, black plastic grip. If you look closer, there are aneinandergereite black plastic pyramids, funny thing. What now but is not quite as funny:
The fact that the non-highly-catchy (almost slippery) through plastic chrome strip, almost no one feels the grip pyramids and also has no hold it, except you press with your finger on it as anything else, what indeed is not the whole point can.

Here LG would rather times:
- To omit those stupid chrome strips
- The funny pyramids should not so far put inwards
- The strips should not be prepared from the glitschigsten humanity known material

The volume rocker is placed on the left side and protrudes minimally. Here my excited fingers can play the fullest extent with the funny pyramids finally. The pressure point is good for my taste but could be a bit harder.
The power button and headphone jack are placed at the top, below you will find the microUSB port, the right side is free of buttons or other.

All in all is the Optimus 4X with me well and securely in your hand, which is mainly due to the magnificent back.

The free processing overall I would describe as good to very. I'm not a gap-fetishist, but for me, everything looks correct.

A big blunder LG has yet made: The Micro-USB connector. Which unsuspecting buyer would have expected a discrepancy here?
When connecting the cable, the cable scrapes on the edge of the bush or on the casing along and created the miniature version of the popular sound of fingernail-on-blackboard-scraping. In addition, after not even 3 weeks, the stupid plastic chrome strip is totally scratched below the socket. Annoying!

Hardware
---------------------
Here is it, what is currently expected from a flagship smartphone:
Tegra3 processor with 1.5GHz, 1GB RAM, 16GB memory (of which 12 are available), WLAN N standard, Bluetooth, GPS (GLONASS, the Russian version of GPS is on board; edit: or may not see comments. ), and NFC.

Display
---------------------
Instead here now again completely digress I write succinctly:
The image quality is very good. I can distinguish individual pixels, everything seems all of a piece. The color reproduction, I feel as natural, the maximum brightness is high enough to still be readable even in direct sunlight. Even when completely insane angles the colors remain stable.
Even if one is websites without zooming in portrait orientation, the writing remains legible. Anyone who has ever seen such a display, want anything else. Yeah!

Software
---------------------
At this point I had already expected that LG Optimus 2X good as its predecessor hardware builds to then humiliate with horrible software.
However, the new Optimus UI 3 to compare with its predecessor would be a gross insult. Instead of compulsively rebuild everything and if possible to install much bloatware, LG has already excellent ICS 4.0.3 revised maximum gently.

- Unlocking the lockscreen is the coolest shit ever, if I may say so. Man moves his finger anywhere on the lockscreen and quasi creates a "hole" that the view of the home screen releases. In principle, just a visual gimmick, but looks really incredible. Otherwise, you have the possibility to choose between five watch and calendar designs and four App Shortscuts on the lockscreen. Music player or other widgets I could not find.

- The customize the Home screen is super solved: If you tap on an empty space long, a two-part screen opens. You can switch between the top seven different home screens. Below you have the choice between apps / Heruntegeladenen Apps / Widgets / wallpapers. Simply drag the desired app / widget on the homescreen and corresponding finished. That's MMN even easier than the ICS Vanilla solution!

- The App Launcher shows apps / Downloaded Apps / Widgets in separate tabs on, as usual ICS. In addition, there is a edit button. If you press this, you can uninstall apps directly from the Launcher. Grandiose!

- In the status bar menu you can see the shortcuts to (de) activate wireless LAN, Bluetooth, GPS and much more. customize to your own needs.

- Note on the software keyboard: Some reviews mentioned that you often come to the home button while pressing the spacebar. I did that happen at the beginning of a couple of times, but apparently you get used to it pretty quickly, tapping a little higher at the spacebar. Works "now" properly.

Serious stuttering I could not find until now. Sometimes there are tiny micro stuttering, but you must actively seek to see it. Overall, runs smoothly and stable.

LG is notorious for its software / update policy. A promised for the current miserable predecessor Optimus 2X upgrade to ICS are two quarters shifted or not and generally seems LG does not have a lot to be desired for its customers after they have your money in your pocket appears. I recommend this to take a look at the Facebook wall of LG Germany :)

Even that could be better with the 4X: Since the purchase 3 weeks ago two updates have been delivered, which is quite neat. The updates contained "only" bug fixes and no update to a newer version of Android (Recently, on the 4X is 4.0.3).
I'm curious to see how long it takes until we get the update to Jelly Bean that some important innovations entails.

Last but not least another (expected) nuisance:
Like all LG Optimus 4X models has no root privileges and an encrypted bootloader. Comparable it would be to buy a car, in which you can not open the hood.
Specifically take me the opportunity, for example to transfer the apps from my old mobile phone users, including data on the 4X or change deeper system settings.
The encrypted bootloader prevents uploading of custom ROMs, which are mostly run much better and individualize as the original software.
Over time, these two locks of the Community will be cracked, so that sooner or later we have an open system.

(Edit 07:08:12: Root is there: D see XDA-Forum)

Normally, these locks were a knock-out criterion for me, but the current software is really good and has almost everything I need.

Battery life
------------------
In standby mode, the phone is very economical: I lose overnight only 1% charge when activated WLAN and the half-hourly synchronization of 4 email accounts.
Unfortunately I can not make any more precise information on the battery consumption, because I anyway charging my phone every night - usually I have 2-3 hours in active use at this time about and still around 20-30% charge left.
According to Power Meter (and human logic), the display is the largest battery eater. Here is to be hoped that with future updates the runtime is increased - which everyone should be aware that these devices will never reach the runtimes of previous Nokia Brocken, at least with the current battery technology.

Edit .: 03:09 I would estimate that in active use around 20% battery charge per hour are consumed. So if only 5 times briefly looked on the day on display, comes with a load of maybe two days' journey, but why then I buy a Smartphone?

Camera
------------------
The picture quality in good lighting, I feel as borderline acceptable. In the dark or dim lighting so that one should not take any pictures, even in daylight lit rooms there is more noise than image.
One should not expect to be able to replace a digicam so. In between but OK for one or another snapshot.
In addition, the camera software is currently plagued by massive focus problems, so you have to be very lucky to shoot a reasonably sharp image. Videos I have not tested, according to other reviews there is the same problem.

Edit 07:08 .: The focus is now "fixed", but still not the fastest. Nothing has changed at the image quality itself.
Or not. I wanted to re-shoot a bit, 5 of 6 photos are unusable due to not taking place today focus.
Edit .: 03:09 For XDA there are now a fix that optimizes the ISO selection in darker environments and the images no longer totkomprimiert (Instead 1.5MB -> 2.5MB). According to various forums users and quality improves noticeably. I myself have not tested it, but that does not speak again for ingenuity of LG software developers.

Others
-----------------
- NFC: Quite funny, with the two included NFC tags you can switch profiles and individually. Okay, so not individually. With the LG software the settings for audio profile, WLAN, Wi-Fi hotspot BT, GPS and data connection can be set. Because much more would have been possible.
Google Beam for direct transfer of data between two NFC-enabled devices will of course support, but I could not test for lack of a second device.

- Speakers: A smartphone speaker stop. A bit quieter than other devices, but quite audible. Too bad that no manufacturer is investing in the research and get out brings a better sound. However, one could then hardly even drive train, without being bothered by weird music :)

- Vibration: The vibration as a haptic confirmation for the operation is in the relatively high frequency compared to other devices and thereby acoustically louder than for other devices. This is of course undesirable because it often then uses a vibrating alert, if you will not be heard.

- Voice Quality: I was on the phone is not sooo much, but still could my interlocutors understand very well and vice versa, no one has also complained.

Conclusion
-----------------
Except for the camera and plastic chrome strip on the housing LG has delivered a very decent smartphone here. Potential for improvement there, especially at the camera and battery life, which should be able to accomplish with updates. Here is to be seen whether LG's product care more seriously than in the past.

Time an update down here (03.09.2012)
-------------------------------
It is again a new software has been rolled out. She answers to the name V10f (now the fifth) and should, among other things increase the battery life and reduce heat development.
Has the power to my feeling nothing changed, the battery life seems to me felt to be rather small - perhaps only my expectations are with V10f also risen. But definitely new is a software error, which ensures that the key illumination despite setting no longer stays on permanently. Grrr!
An Android-software update to 4.0.4 or even 4.1, there was still not now.

Overall, I am still not satisfied, the Optimus 4X is a top-class smartphone for relatively small price. However, the air is thin for LG because now the competition is reduced in price.

Slightly annoyed, I have, as LG has announced the Optimus G - the new flagship smartphone that will soon appear in South Korea. On the one hand the product cycles are (just in smartphones) quite short, on the other hand are four months between the release of two flagship products not much and let me suspect that LG will drop the support of the Optimus 4X, like a hot potato.

And one more update (21/05/2013)
-----------------------------------------
Unbelievable but true: LG has a few weeks ago in fact the update to Jelly Bean (4.1.2.) Rolled out.
The following, partly subjective changes have been made to:

+ The new Notifications are there: Advanced functionality in the status bar, for example, call back directly from a text message or a missed call. Incoming SMS messages are displayed as an overlay on the current screen. -> Small but nice improvements

+ Which disengaging button illumination is repaired, if set this light up again permanently

+ The bootloader is now unlocked. There are already some Custom Roms, including Cyanogenmod Night Lies.

- The navigation on the homescreen jerky. The user experience is now felt at the level of my HTC Hero with Android 2.3.

- The battery life has become worse. "Consumed" Surfing the Internet via WLAN with 20% brightness to 25-30% charge per hour.

These two problems can be possibly by a hard reset, so the full reset (and delete all data) fix. However, since this is connected with some effort (especially when you reinstall all apps with 1000 line), I'm not going to do this first, because:

Another unpleasantness
-----------------------------------
I had noticed a few spots in the middle of my screen protector long time ago. Who am actually not very disturbed because they have been seen only when a monochrome surface was shown or turned off the display.
However, due to this totally exaggerated 5-films-by-2-Euro quotes I had a couple of protectors left, and so I decided that it was time now times. So old protector runtergepult: stains are still there. "How come the only under the film", I wondered. Microfibre cloth. Glass cleaner. Despair. The stains are still there. I did not want to admit it, but the spots are actually legally under the glass. Between Display and glass, so to speak. How do they get there? No Idea.
After a short search I seem to be concerned that some users already caught by the dust under the display problem. My cell phone was always protected in a bag from external influences and was not used in extreme situations, such as when camel racing in the desert. Therefore, I think that's somewhat annoying, especially since it is not an isolated incident here. At least the warranty appears to cover this case, although it annoys me neatly to have to send away my device for a few weeks.

Top Shoe 6 Rank: 5/5
November 12
No surprises :) Rank: 5/5
August 8
game boy silicone case for ipod Rank: 4/5
February 19
Perfect 1 11052 Rank: 5/5
April 4
A band like a slap in the face! Rank: 5/5
October 29

Related Reviews


Not quite perfect, but better than others!Patented Sleep Mask "Salazar" by Dr. Weidenmann black (household goods) Not quite perfect, but on the way therePanasonic VIERA TX-55CXW704 139 cm (55 inch) TV (Ultra HD, 4K Smart, 800Hz BMR, 3D, Triple Tuner, DVB-S / T / C) Silver (Electronics) Not quite perfect, but quite good.Dreambaby G712 Mini-locker lock, 3-Pack in polybag (Baby Product) Not quite perfect, but overall clicksThe Singles (Audio CD) Not quite perfect, but better than the debut!The Evolution (Audio CD) Not quite perfect (but at that price?)Anker® 8200 dpi High Precision Laser Gaming Mouse Game Mouse, USB cabled, with 12,000 FPS, 9 configurable keys, 8-piece weight system, Omron Micro Switches (Personal Computers) Still not quite perfect - but close!RAVPower® RP WCN7 Qi charger Wireless charger Charger wireless charger wireless charger for Nexus 5 Nexus 7 2nd Gen, Nexus 4, HTC 8X, HTC Droid DNA, Nokia Lumia 920, LG Optimus Vu2, compatible with all other Qi compatible phones ( White, free AC adapter abstain, 5V / 1.5A input) (Electronics) Not quite perfect, but close enoughSamsung NP530U3C-A08DE 33.8 cm (13.3-inch) notebook (Intel Core i5 2537M, 1.4GHz, 6GB RAM, 500GB HDD, Intel HD 3000, Win 7 HP) Silver (Personal Computers) Not quite perfect, but goodHonsel lights 59821 table lamp chrome blue (household goods) not perfect, but much better than its reputation (from the other reviews) ...Reflecta 66020 Super 8 film scanner (1920 x 1080dpi, USB 2.0, LED lighting) (Personal Computers) Not quite perfect, but does the job.Speedlink Wii U Guard Cover for the gamepad (protection from scratches and bumps, all ports and buttons / knobs freely accessible) blue (accessory) not quite perfect - but okLogiLink crimping tool with universal cable cutter and stripper metal (Electronics) Not quite perfect, but very goodroba 0298 - sky bar, high steel profile - 2 brackets for attaching the headboard, 150 cm (Baby Product) not quite perfect, but closemumbi PREMIUM Flip Case Nokia Lumia 800 Case Cover Cases (Wireless Phone Accessory) not quite perfect but biligJuggling ball: HENRYS Beanbag Superior (velours) 67mm, black-red (Misc.) ... It's not quite perfectI listen to my heart (Deluxe Edition incl. 4 bonus tracks and live DVD) (Audio CD) Unfortunately, not quite perfect for Lumia 820Wicked Chili Car Holder for Nokia Mobile Phone / Smartphone (device width: 46 - 76 mm, ball joint, for Car & Case, Made in Germany) black (accessories) Good protection, good function, not quite perfectSamsung S View Cover Black EF-CN750BBEGWW for Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo (Accessories) really "not quite mine", but when in-between reading times quite entertainingNot Quite Mine (Not Quite Series, Vol 2) (Paperback)