LG Optimus G preview: A closer look

Introduction

LG has shown a serious commitment to pushing the limits of Android hardware. The first dual-core droid was manufactured by the Koreans and, while they showed up late to the quad-core party, they're back with a bang with the Optimus G - the first phone to employ the Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset.

LG Optimus G E973

If you're not familiar with Qualcomm's numbering scheme, S4 chipsets fall into three categories - Play (for low-end phones), Plus (the one with two Krait cores we've seen a good deal of) and Pro.

What S4 Pro chipsets do is combine four Krait cores with next-gen Adreno 320 graphics (Plus employs Adreno 225). LG is the first to bring an S4 Pro-powered smartphone to the market (even though Xiaomi had one announced a while ago).

The LG Optimus G E973 puts another first on its resume - it's LG's first phone with a 13MP camera.

The screen boasts some impressive credentials as well. The 4.7" True HD IPS Plus screen of WXGA resolution (768 x 1280) has Zerogap touch technology (in-cell touch, laminated layers to reduce glare). The screen bezel is kept to a minimum too.

Here are the rest of the LG Optimus G E973 highlightsd.

LG Optimus G at a glance:

• General: 2G/3G/LTE
• Form factor: Touchscreen bar phone
• Dimensions: 131.9 x 68.9 x 8.45mm, 145 g
• Display: 4.7" WXGA True HD IPS Plus (768 x 1280 pixels) capacitive touchscreen, Gorilla Glass
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro
• CPU: Quad-core Krait 1.5 GHz processor
• GPU: Adreno 320
• RAM: 2GB
• OS: Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• Memory: 32GB of storage
• Still camera: 8/13 megapixel auto-focus camera with Time catch shot, smart shutter and cheese shutter; 1.3MP front facing camera
• Video camera: Full HD (1080p) video recording at 30fps, LED flash,
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0, standard microUSB port with MHL support (TV Out, USB host), A-GPS receiver, 3.5mm audio jack, NFC
• Battery: Li-Po, 2100 mAh
• Misc: Optimus UI, Dual Screen Dual Play, built-in accelerometer, multi-touch input, proximity sensor, gyroscope sensor, Q Slide Function

And that's not all either. The sides of the Optimus G are laser-cut for excellent build quality, there's real glass at the back with a polarized pattern that shifts as you move the phone and the battery should have a longer lifespan with 800 recharge cycles.

Optimus G steps in front of our camera

We have a hands-on under our belts, but it's time to take a closer look at the Optimus G. We'll start off with what's in the box and then see what kind of effort went into the fit and finish.