Text and photos by Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla
Wind Mobile users finally have a super smartphone with all the top specs on the Android fron to use on the network. The LG Optimus 2X ($445) is LG's first dual core smartphone. Shipping with an older version of Android (2.2 FroYo) and with a 4-inch screen, dual cameras including an HD capable rear 8 megapixel camera, it is arguably the highest spec Android smartphone available on Wind's network.
Look and feel
The design aesthetic of the LG Optimus Pad and the Optimus 2X are very similar and they do make quite a pair. The Optimus 2X shares the same brown rubber rear case and the brushed steel metal band that leads to the 8 megapixel camera. The glass covering the screen is slighly rounded or contoured towards the edges giving it an unusual feel in the hand.
This is a very sturdy smartphone and very well put together. LG has done a great job with the build and design of the LG Optimus line and this is one of the best looking phones in their stable. We would have liked a dedicated camera button whcih should be a standard feature specially on a smartphone that boasts HD video recording as well as 8 megapixel photos.
The screen is a 480 x 800 pixels, 4.0 inch screen with IPS technology which is a cut above your run of the mill smartphone display being bright, saturated and with a wide viewing angle.
The LG Optimus 2X captures video in 1080p HD with its 8MP auto-focus camera, making it convenient for capturing special moments. The built-in HDMI port is also a great addition that allows users to display content on any HDTV.
The phone itself is fast and comparable to the higher spec Android smartphones in the market. We're not sure why Wind or LG allowed the Optimus 2X to ship with an older version of Android, this should at least have Gingerbread. There isn't an LG overlay to the user interface so it is a head scratcher why we have a one-year old version of the OS on a newer model.
The Optimus 2X is fast enough when web browsing and navigating through menus and seems like it could manage more intensive mobile games. We're not sure which applications can really take advantage of the Optimus 2X's dual-coreness but we have a feeling that many of these would likely run better on Android 2.3 or higher.
As a phone. the Optimus 2X performed admirably and was great for around 5-8 three minute calls a day, some checking of mobile websites, RSS feeds, a few games of Angry Birds as well as around 4 hours of podcast and music playback.
The 8 megapixel camera is ok, we found it over exposed some pictures and at times gave them a weird yellow-green glow. It was better for video although with the built-in 8GB of storage, that full 1080p resolution video with take up a lot of space so an expansion microSD card should help.
Overall, we like and recommend the LG Optimus 2X for users who want a larger screen and a dual core processor that can be considered more future proof than older smartphones. We're worried about the OS it carries and that users might not get updates right away. Wind also sells the Google Nexus S, a single-core smartphone but with the pure Gingerbread (Android 2.3) experience for not much more so potential buyers will need to decide what their preferences are.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5