LG’s new Android handset is attractively
priced and small in size, but do good things come in small packages?
LG recently announced a new series of
Android-based smartphones, the L series. There will be several models sharing
the same design aesthetic but hitting different price points, and the first to
hit the ground is the budget priced L3. With a price well under $157.5 it will
have immediate appeal to the budget conscious, while its physical design will
endear it to others. But we aren’t sure it has enough going for it to justify
purchasing.
LG Optimus L3
There’s a clear attempt to be different in
the design of the LG Optimus L3. Its back plate has a bumpy texture that helps
with grip but isn’t, in our minds, as easy on the eye as a rubbery finish. The
phone is a little fat and a little short. For a handset with a relatively small
screen - just 3.2 inches - we were surprised to find it tricky to reach all the
way across one handed. We put that down to the handset being a little thicker than
the norm at nearly 12mm.
The front has a minimalist design with just
a single button visible when the screen is off. Pressing this turns the screen
on and illuminates two further touch buttons, for Android's Menu and Back
features. When you are using the handset the physical button becomes the Home
button. It makes for clean lines and a distinctive look which we rather like.
The black front and back are separated by a
silver surround around all the edges that is fatter along the top and bottom
than the long edges. The top and bottom edges house the headphones and micro
USB slots respectively, and the main power switch is on the top, with the only
other button being a volume rocker on the left edge.
The
LG Optimus L3 runs on Android 2.3. This isn’t the most advanced version of the
OS, but what you’d probably expect to see in a handset at this price.
You notice that this is a budget handset as
soon as you switch it on. The screen offers just 240x320 pixels and the low
resolution really, really shows. In recent months we’ve seen the Orange San
Francisco II and Huawei G300 offer considerably higher resolution displays at a
comparable price point. Unfortunately, the screen isn’t the best quality
either. The TFT panel looks decidedly last generation. As you use the LG
Optimus L3 regularly you are likely to encounter various hampering factors with
regard to keyboard size. It is too small for efficient web browsing or video
watching, for example, and it is pretty small for typing on. To be fair, typing
probably won’t be a problem if you have childlike hands, but full-sized
grown-up people might feel the squeeze.
The LG Optimus L3 runs on Android 2.3. This
isn’t the most advanced version of the OS, but what you’d probably expect to
see in a handset at this price. It has an 800MHz processor - again in keeping
with the overall price, and there is 1GB of built-in storage. Checking our
review sample out of the box, all the storage seemed to be free, and you can
add more storage via micro SD cards. The slot is housed under the back plate.
LG has skinned Android with a fairly light
touch. Five home screens, a shortcuts bar along the bottom of each, and a very
small array of widgets are unlikely to confuse users. LG hasn’t provided much
by way of third-party software. There’s Polaris Viewer for looking at, but not
editing Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents, but not a lot else of serious
note. We do like the inclusion of an FM radio, however.
The three-megapixel camera has no flash and
video shooting is limited to VGA. HSDPA is also limited - to 3.6Mbps. This
probably won’t feel terribly slow, but it is short of what many smartphones
offer.
The 1540mAh battery is something of a
surprise as it is higher capacity than we might have anticipated, and as a
result it kept the Optimus L3 going a little longer than anticipated too.
Battery life is so often one of the main failings of a budget handset, but with
the L3 you might well get a couple of days between charges.
The battery is really a highlight of the LG
Optimus L3 which in other respects is every inch the budget mobile its price
suggests. Shop around within the $175.5 price bracket and you’ll find there are
several devices that offer quite a bit more for your money.
Performance
Surprisingly nippy but the poor screen
limits how you will use it
Design
Short and quite squat, but there is room
for a decent battery
Features
Unfortunately very basic, even at this low
price point
Battery life
The 1540mAh battery produced a good, long
life, with as much as two days use between full charges
Value money
There’s plenty of competition at this level
and you’ll find something better
Verdict
A very basic handset that comes up short of
the best budget Android phones currently on the market
LG Optimus L3
Small
This is a relatively small smartphone,
ideal for childlike hands
Camera
The three-megapixel camera lacks a flash
and produces very mediocre output. There’s no front-facing camera either
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Information
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Price
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$125.55
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More information
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www.lg.com/uk
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Technical
specs
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Operating system
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Android 2.3.6
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Processor
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800MHz
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Memory
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384MB RAM 1GB Storage
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Dimensions
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102.6 x 61.6 x 11.85mm
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Weight
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UOg
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Display size
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3.2 inch
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Display resolution
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240x320 pixels
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Expansion slot
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micro SD
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