In recent times, many handset manufacturers have targeted the low end smartphone category such as Samsung and the HTC who has Galaxy Y and the HTC explorer respectively in their kitty. Perhaps following the trend, Korean handset manufacturer LG has also announced the Optimus Net, a low end smartphone with Android operating system.
Like always, LG has not compromised on the hardware or even the software a bit and have provided many features in the smartphone. In terms of hardware specifications, the device is impressive but how well it fairs in the real world scenario, let’s find out.
Looks and Build Quality
The LG Optimus Net has a similar profile like the LG Optimus One but the former has lot of freshness in it.
The black matter finish all over the device makes the Optimus Net look grand and it will never ever leave even a subtle hint for the lookers to guess that it’s a low cost device.
As we mentioned earlier as well, the device looks classy and grand in matte black but along with that the device comes with a complimentary white back cover in glossy white, just in case you need to show some highlights.
As far as the build quality goes, the LG Optimus Net inherits it from the expertise LG has gained over the years by making phones and smartphones. The phone is build solid and can easily handle even the most flimsy of users without any problems.
Although made up of plastic, the device is sturdy enough while the back panel has a snug fit so that nothing goes bad even after a couple of month’s usage.
Display and Touch
The LG Optimus Net has a 3.2 inch TFT display featuring a 320 x 480 pixel resolution in 16 million color pallets. The display is a little low on resolution and has a lower Pixel density of 180 PPI as well. But we should never forget that this device falls in the low cost device category here everything is a bargain and the most suitable choice is made as far as specifications go.
The capacitive touch of the LG Optimus Net is great and gives all the options that include pitch to zoom, two finger scroll and even pinch to rotate is available for supporting applications. A bundled scratch guard as well however would have been nice but there’s none. Also there is no special scratch resistant glass used here to protect the screen so users will have to be careful while using the device without the scratch guard or they can also invest is a good quality holster or pouch for this device.
Performance
The inclusion of the Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM 7227T chip that includes a 800 MHz single core processor and Adreno 200 graphics engine for dedicated graphics support, is a big welcome and the effect of the speedy Chipset is visible in most tasks this device performs. The LG Optimus Net is a quite responsive and performed well as per the expectations. So be it HD gaming or multitasking, this device does not show signs of fatigue.
The phone has a 512 MB of RAM and another 150 MB of internal storage as well. The 32 GB external memory supported by this device is pretty much a standard these days. As far as performance figures go, the RAM completely supports the processor and allows it to keep the operations flowing smoothly.
The best thing about the Optimus Net is that it comes with the latest, but not the most recent Android build – the Gingerbread version. The operating system has support for all the applications and features the newly updated App store as well. And yes when the Google Music service will be announced for India, the LG Optimus Net will also get it by default, all thanks to the latest operating system.
Connectivity
In terms of connectivity, the LG Optimus Net is a winner amongst competition. The LG Optimus Net is a 3G enabled phone that supports HSPA upload and download speed along with the most recent Bluetooth v3.0 version for speedy wireless file transfers as well. The LG Optimus Net also features WiFi Hotspot feature that makes this device act as a wireless internet router for other WiFi enabled devices if needed. The LG Optimus Net is also DLNA certified which allows it to connect to any other DLNA certified device over the WiFi network.
Camera and Multimedia
The LG Optimus Net features a 3.15 Megapixel camera at the back but has no front camera. Hence, though users get a fast 3G device, they cannot make video calls. The main camera supports video recording but in a puny VGA resolution and that too at the bare minimum 24 FPS which is not at all impressive. The camera in the absence of a flash also fails as a good camera in low light conditions while the bright light conditions are strictly meant for phone viewing only.
LG Optimus Net can play almost any media file with the help of applications that can be downloaded from the marketplace. With the added Divx support, users can also play 720 resolution videos on the LG Optimus Net without any hassles.
The 3.5 mm audio connector is great as it offers standard connectivity with most audio hardware. Along with that the audio output is good and the LG Optimus Net will definitely make your ear buds smile.
Battery performance
The LG Optimus Net has a 1500 mAh battery pack that powers the device but it would be unjustified if we were to rate this device on the battery backup. It is almost like asking how much a mug of coffee will last, whereas it depends on the speed at which you finish it. So simply put forth the battery backup of this phone is decent as it lasted for 2 days of nominal usage with moderate WiFi and GPRS web browsing included in it.
Conclusion
Well the device is a bargain to sum it all up in a word. It impresses us with its features but the competition out there is offering the same at much similar price points. So basically, the LG Optimus Net fails to make an outright independent impression for which the device could be known for.
The flaws are minimal like the poor camera but are shadowed by bigger advantages a user gets with the LG Optimus Net including an overall performer with great battery backup and DivX support too.
Finally the LG Optimus Net finds itself in tough competition with the Samsung Galaxy Y, HTC explorer and for that matter the HTC wildfire as well. But the LG Optimus Net ultimately is a fast Gingerbread based device with a decent price point that offers better value for money too.