LG KF510 review: Shinier than Shine

LG KF510 360-degree spin

LG KF510 measures 104.5 x 49.5 x 10.9 mm, which makes it one of the compact devices on the market. After all, 10.9 mm thickness in a slider is an achievement, even if not the best there is. The handset is rather heavy for its volume, which gives it a nice (and expensive) feel. We doubt it Nokia 8800-series devices would've been selling that well if they weighed less. Enough small talk, we are simply pleased with the weight and size of LG KF510.

Design and construction

LG KF510 is one of the sexiest phones we have recently reviewed. We really like its design and the generous use of metal on its body make it even better. The glossy surface and the bold red color of our unit also make a great first impression. The bad thing is that it gets covered in fingerprints a bit too easily, the display being undoubtedly the most vulnerable part.

The earpiece of LG KF510 is centrally located, right below the upper edge of the front panel. Right next to it is the ambient light sensor.

The earpiece and light sensor at the top of the front panel

The 2.2" display follows down the KF510 front panel. The rest of the front is taken by the touch-sensitive pad that is in charge of all navigation.

The left side of LG KF510 hosts the volume rocker. It is large enough and conveniently placed, and you won't have to reach too far for it. On the upper end of the left side there's the neck/wrist strap eyelet.

The left side of LG KF510 hosts the volume rocker and the lanyard eyelet

The right side of the handset is more crowded. Starting from the top we have the USB port, hidden under a small cap to keep the looks intact. Under the USB port is the microSD card slot. LG have made a smart move placing it on the upper (sliding) part of the handset so it is only visible when the handset is open. It looks better and usability isn't harmed at all.

The USB port and the microSD card slot are on the right side of KF510

The next thing on this side is the sliding End key. Yeah you got it right - LG KF510 uses a slider for that purpose, rather than a normal press key. It might seem a bit confusing at first, but with use it becomes quite natural. It serves all the purposes of a Red Receiver key, like exiting menus and powering the handset on and off.

The final key on the right side of LG KF510 has double functionality. When pressed it starts the music player. A press-and-hold activates the camera. It is quite easy to distinguish between the two types of press, so working with this rather specific control is no problem at all.

The remaining two controls on the right

Neither the top, nor the bottom of LG KF510 feature any controls or apertures. They are neat and sleek with nice chrome finish.

The neat top and bottom of LG KF510

The 3 megapixel autofocus camera lens is at the back, only visible when the phone is slid open. Its support crew is right next to it - the LED flash and the self-portrait mirror. You can find out more about the camera and its performance in the dedicated camera chapter of our review.

The 3 megapixel camera lens only appears when LG KF510 is slid open

Removing the battery cover of LG KF510 reveals the 800 mAh Li-Ion battery. With the beta status of the device in mind, we will refrain from commenting on the battery life for now.

An 800 mAh Li-ion battery under the hood

The SIM card slot is located right under the battery. Inserting or changing the SIM card is a rather complicated task with the LG KF510. You have to pull the small plastic tray quite hard to get it out. The design seems too flimsy and you always seems like a step from breaking the tray when you have to pull it out, so it's possible that it will be changed in the retail version.

The SIM card tray is really hard to pull ot

The build quality of LG KF510 is truly great. High quality materials have been used and the rather heavy weight, given the dimensions, shows it. The phone feels great in the hand and is a definite looker. If looks are high on your list of priorities when picking a phone, you just can't afford to overlook the KF510.

The volume to weight ratio makes the phone feel great in hand