LG Optimus G Pro from AT&T Review
Introduction And Specifications
Upon first glance of the LG Optimus G Pro, it's easy to draw comparisons to Samsung's Galaxy Note II. The two phones are strikingly similar. Both feature massive 5.5-inch displays along with rounded edges and a physical Home button below the screen. When placed side-by-side, the two phones appear to be nearly identical in size. However, upon closer examination you'll notice the Galaxy Note II is slightly taller and wider than the Optimus G Pro. Technical specifications reveal the Galaxy Note II weighs slightly more than the Optimus G Pro as well, but the difference is so small you'll hardly notice.
In terms of actual hardware specifications, the differences between the Samsung Galaxy Note II and the Optimus G Pro are more obvious. Samsung's phablet runs on a 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos 4412 processor while the Optimus G Pro features a 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor. You'll also notice a difference in resolution between the 5.5-inch displays: The Galaxy Note II features a Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 while the Optimus G Pro features an IPS display with a significantly higher resolution of 1920 x 1080. Unlike some phablets on the market today, the Optimus G Pro doesn't have a built-in stylus.
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The resolution of the cameras found in these phones is also notable. You'll find an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.9 megapixel front-facing camera on the Samsung Galaxy Note II. Here again, LG ups the ante by packing a 13 megapixel rear-facing camera and a 2.1 megapixel front-facing camera in the Optimus G Pro. Of course, a higher resolution camera doesn't automatically mean it can capture better pictures, so we'll definitely take a closer look at what the Optimus G Pro's camera can do as well.
But first, let's give you some quick hands-on time here in video review and demo of the device...
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| Processor and memory |
1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 Processor 2 GB RAM 32 GB internal memory |
| Operating System |
Android 4.1.2 |
| Connectivity |
GSM Quad Band/UTMS Tri Band/LTE Dual Band LTE CAT 3 Band 4, and 17, HSPA+ 21 Mbps, UMTS 850/1900/2100 MHz, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz EDGE, GPRS Class 10, UMTS (W-CDMA), HSDPA, LTE Bands 4/17 802.11a/b/g/n Mobile Hotspot Bluetooth 4.0 LE S-GPS NFC |
| Ports and expansion |
MicroSD 3.5 mm audio jack microSIM microUSB 2.0 |
| Display |
5.5-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS Display |
| Size and weight |
5.91 x 3.00 x 0.37 inches (HxWxD) 6.14 ounces |
| Cameras and multimedia |
2.1 MP Full HD Front-Facing Camera 13 MP Full HD Rear-Facing Autofocus Camera, Full HD Video Recording Other features: Dual Screen Dual Play, QuickRemote, SmartShare, Dual Recording, VuTalk, QuickMemo, LG Tag+, and more |
| Battery |
3,140 mAh
Up to 15 hours and 30 minutesUp to 24 days |
| Availability |
AT&T, $199.99 with contract and discounts |
When hardware specifications and aesthetics are comparable, software is one way manufacturers often attempt to differentiate themselves in the smartphone market. The LG Optimus G Pro includes a number of unique features that make it easy and fun to share and collaborate with others including the ability to view multiple application windows at the same time, shoot video using both the front and the back camera, and more. Of course, we'll take a closer look at these unique features in the coming pages of our review.
