After a very lackluster 2010, LG is back in the spotlight by launching the Optimus 2X, the first Android smartphone equipped with a 1Ghz Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor. So, needless to say that this new terminal raises many questions about its actual performance compared to other models already available. Here is our test, after about ten days of use!

Beautiful technical characteristics

The LG Optimus 2X is equipped with a capacitive type touch screen with a 4″ IPS LCD panel and a resolution of 800×480, a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 1Ghz processor with 512MB of RAM, 8GB of internal memory (up to 32 GB via microSD), an FM tuner, Bluetooth 2.1, a 1500 mAh battery, an 8 Megapixel camera with LED Flash and Autofocus, video recording in 1080p, a 1.3 megapixel visio camera, an HDMI output, WiFi (DNLA compatible), all under Android 2.2 (update to 2.3 planned) in dimensions of 23.9×63.2 ×10.9mm for a weight of 135g.

Getting started in video

A light package and an unoriginal design, but...

Offered entry at an attractive price among operators, LG does not offer one of the most complete packages that we have seen. There is thus a pedestrian kit, the battery, the user manual, a mains charger, a USB cable and the smartphone of course. No microSD card (the phone has 8GB internally), no case either, too bad for a top-of-the-range model.

Although very powerful, the LG Optimus 2X does not necessarily stand out for its design. Quite classic, it's rather massive once in hand and its weight of 135g doesn't help, where its competitors are a little lighter... In the figures, it may seem anecdotal but in use, you can feel it right away. That said, and since the Optimus 7, the finish of the device is there with a robust assembly as well as rather noble and pleasant materials in the hand. Note the metal insert on the back, which is the common point of the new range (smartphones and tablets) from the Korean manufacturer.

If we take a quick tour of the owner, we find 4 sensitive buttons on the front, as well as a 1.3 megapixel vision camera, not to mention the traditional light and proximity sensors.

We then have an 8 megapixel digital camera with flash and autofocus on the back. Once opened, the little surprise comes from the fully accessible microSD port without having to remove the battery which is 1500mAh!

On the upper edge are placed the volume buttons, while on the upper edge the classic On / Off / hold button as well as the 3.5mm jack without forgetting the micro HDMI port.

Finally, on the lower edge, there is a micro USB port and two speakers behind a grille for stereo sound.

Small lack and not one of the least according to some users with the absence of a notification LED as is the case on Samsung smartphones, which is a shame because super useful! On the other hand, it's not for everyone. Typically, Anh never uses it so…

A rather fluid and responsive interface

Let's go, we light the beast and we'll see what it has in the belly. The screen is quite different. Of the IPS LCD type, the latter has fairly bright colors, almost aggressive I would say, but it's not unpleasant, in any case it changes from the duller Nexus S since the last update!

Skip that, we come across an Android with LG sauce, this is the Froyo 2.2 version but LG has promised an update in April to Gingerbread 2.3… Hoping that the Korean manufacturer keeps its word.

The overlay offered by LG is lighter than that of Samsung. Rather simplistic, it offers fewer gadgets than that of HTC. The Korean constructor was content to personalize Google's applications, to make them more attractive (Calendar, Contacts, etc.) and to add a good number of practical customizations to the various menus. It is indeed possible to modify applications in the “launcher” bar (at the bottom of the home), to choose several display modes of applications in the “Applications” menu, to reorganize them but also to have several offices (up to 7) or to activate “movement” in the options of the device allowing for example to move icons and widgets by simply tilting the phone from left to right. The notification bar has also been enriched with direct access to connections (Bluetooth, Wifi, GPS, etc.), an option to activate or not the accelerometer as well as a mini music player, and many others. small “tweaks” to discover. LG has also made some more or less practical widgets but above all, it has also preloaded a certain number of applications and games, which can be useful at first and if you do not necessarily want to link your smartphone with a Google account. Also note the presence of applications stamped LG to connect to social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Myspace). We just regret that they are more limited than the official applications.

A little word about the LG keyboard, different from the basic Android keyboard. In my everyday use, it seemed to me to be faster and offers you a fairly complete predictive mode, although I find it less efficient than the basic version. It's still a virtual keyboard...

As you will have understood, this LG overlay is not a revolution, it is not essential but provides some of the nicest options. Hopefully it doesn't prevent various Android updates.

Besides, what about the speed of this smartphone? Well, in the test, the LG Optimus 2X turned out to be quite fast, at least as fast as the Nexus S, although some lag sometimes happens when you start doing a lot of things at once. Note also the fact that it is still under Android 2.2 and when we know the difference between version 2.2 and 2.3 in terms of performance, the LG is not helped in its task.

But what is the dual-core really good for then? We will talk about it in the multimedia part. This Optimus 2X is ultimately quite fast and responsive, it will be even more so when it switches to Android 2.3.

Be careful, because not everything is rosy and we have encountered some fairly severe bugs such as rebooting the phone several times, without necessarily a particular reason. We will also note freezes at certain times when the processor or the memory were overstretched.

Multimedia performance at the rendezvous, although…

If there is one area in which this Optimus 2X should stand out, it is multimedia. And it's true that compared to a Google Nexus S, it's day and night.

If we put aside the music application which has not undergone major changes and whose sound is unfortunately not sensational (it's still a smartphone). The video application, although basic, is able to play files in DivX, H.263 and MPEG-4 format, all up to 1080p! For purists, we regret the lack of support for MKV while its direct competitor, the Galaxy S can read it, on the other hand the Optimus 2X supports subtitles in SRT, which will please some people.

Thanks to its micro HDMI output, it is very easy to connect your smartphone to your TV and the result is more than convincing! The smartphone switches to "mirroring mode" and displays everything on the screen directly on your TV (images, videos, games, web pages, etc.), with the addition of 1080p resolution, all with good fluidity . We are starting to get closer to the smartphone as powerful as a computer somewhere.

On the gaming side, needless to say, this is where this Optimus 2X exploits the full potential of its Nvidia Tegra 2 processor. To start, you will need to download a dedicated Nvidia application, Tegra Zone, which will allow you to easily access optimized games. At the time of writing these lines, there were only a few available but it gave us a good overview of the device's performance. The most greedy 3D games and even those in flash are really fluid. Developers just need to take the trouble to develop a little more on Android in order to offer more optimized games. For those to whom this will speak, we get up to 2613 in the Quadrant benchmark. Impressive!

In terms of Internet browsing, nothing to say either, although under Android 2.2, the Optimus is slightly faster in pure browsing and on the other hand handles dynamic content such as Flash much better. We are far from the time when we tried to have a Flash experience with the Google Nexus One or the Samsung Galaxy S.

Finally, last important point, it concerns the photo and the video. We can say that we were quite disappointed with this Optimus 2X. Despite an 8 megapixel sensor with video recording up to 1080p Full HD, the result was not at all up to par with its most direct competitors. Even if the device was of the reactive type and has many options, the results obtained are quite disappointing with most often dull photos, rendering not always clear and this, for both photos and videos. , indoors or outdoors. Don't worry, it's not catastrophic either, but when you see what the competition is offering, LG should have offered a similar result and put a little more attention to it.

Sample pictures

Sample 1080p video

But he calls anyway?

Obviously yes and fortunately, the telephony part of the LG Optimus 2X is ultra classic, as we told you, LG just offers a little "polish" to the basic interface but we find the features offered by basic Android .

The listening quality is quite good, as for the reception, it is correct although we suffered some unexplained disconnections. Problems with the phone, Android or simply the operator, we can't tell you, but it's not a big deal!

Average battery life

To end this test, here is the moment to announce the autonomy of such a phone… You may have thought that with a battery of only 1500mAh and a dual-core processor, the Optimus X2 would last only half a day? Well no, with a fairly extensive use of the smartphone (push mail, web browsing, social networks, games …) we manage to have a good day, as for the Google Nexus S in fact. With normal use, two days is almost possible. LG has therefore managed to optimize its phone without having to boost the battery, even if it would not have been a luxury!

On the other hand, if you play a lot with games for Tegra 2 or if you watch a lot of non-optimized videos, needless to say that the autonomy may drop drastically.

Conclusion

In the end, LG finally released a smartphone worthy of the name (design, finish, features) after more than a year of crossing the desert. Even if the Optimus 2X is not free of bugs, it is nonetheless the fastest and most efficient terminal of the moment, especially with regard to multimedia (web, video, games, etc.). Offered around 100 euros with a subscription, the LG Optimus 2X should satisfy more than one with its performance despite a somewhat limited autonomy when you really push it. Let's especially hope that LG will keep its word with a quick update to Android 2.3 which should really benefit it and make it one of the “must haves” of the moment.

Positive points: -Ergonomics / Speed ​​-Finish -Hardware and performance -Native DivX/Xvid compatibility -HDMI output -Capacity

Cons: -Android 2.2 -Minimal package to purchase -Autonomy -Camera -Design

Beautiful technical characteristics

The LG Optimus 2X is equipped with a capacitive type touch screen with a 4″ IPS LCD panel and a resolution of 800×480, a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 1Ghz processor with 512MB of RAM, 8GB of internal memory (up to 32 GB via microSD), an FM tuner, Bluetooth 2.1, a 1500 mAh battery, an 8 Megapixel camera with LED Flash and Autofocus, video recording in 1080p, a 1.3 megapixel visio camera, an HDMI output, WiFi (DNLA compatible), all under Android 2.2 (update to 2.3 planned) in dimensions of 23.9×63.2 ×10.9mm for a weight of 135g.

Getting started in video

A light package and an unoriginal design, but...

Offered entry at an attractive price among operators, LG does not offer one of the most complete packages that we have seen. There is thus a pedestrian kit, the battery, the user manual, a mains charger, a USB cable and the smartphone of course. No microSD card (the phone has 8GB internally), no case either, too bad for a top-of-the-range model.

Although very powerful, the LG Optimus 2X does not necessarily stand out for its design. Quite classic, it's rather massive once in hand and its weight of 135g doesn't help, where its competitors are a little lighter... In the figures, it may seem anecdotal but in use, you can feel it right away. That said, and since the Optimus 7, the finish of the device is there with a robust assembly as well as rather noble and pleasant materials in the hand. Note the metal insert on the back, which is the common point of the new range (smartphones and tablets) from the Korean manufacturer.

If we take a quick tour of the owner, we find 4 sensitive buttons on the front, as well as a 1.3 megapixel vision camera, not to mention the traditional light and proximity sensors.

We then have an 8 megapixel digital camera with flash and autofocus on the back. Once opened, the little surprise comes from the fully accessible microSD port without having to remove the battery which is 1500mAh!

On the upper edge are placed the volume buttons, while on the upper edge the classic On / Off / hold button as well as the 3.5mm jack without forgetting the micro HDMI port.

Finally, on the lower edge, there is a micro USB port and two speakers behind a grille for stereo sound.

Small lack and not one of the least according to some users with the absence of a notification LED as is the case on Samsung smartphones, which is a shame because super useful! On the other hand, it's not for everyone. Typically, Anh never uses it so…

A rather fluid and responsive interface

Let's go, we light the beast and we'll see what it has in the belly. The screen is quite different. Of the IPS LCD type, the latter has fairly bright colors, almost aggressive I would say, but it's not unpleasant, in any case it changes from the duller Nexus S since the last update!

Skip that, we come across an Android with LG sauce, this is the Froyo 2.2 version but LG has promised an update in April to Gingerbread 2.3… Hoping that the Korean manufacturer keeps its word.

The overlay offered by LG is lighter than that of Samsung. Rather simplistic, it offers fewer gadgets than that of HTC. The Korean constructor was content to personalize Google's applications, to make them more attractive (Calendar, Contacts, etc.) and to add a good number of practical customizations to the various menus. It is indeed possible to modify applications in the “launcher” bar (at the bottom of the home), to choose several display modes of applications in the “Applications” menu, to reorganize them but also to have several offices (up to 7) or to activate “movement” in the options of the device allowing for example to move icons and widgets by simply tilting the phone from left to right. The notification bar has also been enriched with direct access to connections (Bluetooth, Wifi, GPS, etc.), an option to activate or not the accelerometer as well as a mini music player, and many others. small “tweaks” to discover. LG has also made some more or less practical widgets but above all, it has also preloaded a certain number of applications and games, which can be useful at first and if you do not necessarily want to link your smartphone with a Google account. Also note the presence of applications stamped LG to connect to social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Myspace). We just regret that they are more limited than the official applications.

A little word about the LG keyboard, different from the basic Android keyboard. In my everyday use, it seemed to me to be faster and offers you a fairly complete predictive mode, although I find it less efficient than the basic version. It's still a virtual keyboard...

As you will have understood, this LG overlay is not a revolution, it is not essential but provides some of the nicest options. Hopefully it doesn't prevent various Android updates.

Besides, what about the speed of this smartphone? Well, in the test, the LG Optimus 2X turned out to be quite fast, at least as fast as the Nexus S, although some lag sometimes happens when you start doing a lot of things at once. Note also the fact that it is still under Android 2.2 and when we know the difference between version 2.2 and 2.3 in terms of performance, the LG is not helped in its task.

But what is the dual-core really good for then? We will talk about it in the multimedia part. This Optimus 2X is ultimately quite fast and responsive, it will be even more so when it switches to Android 2.3.

Be careful, because not everything is rosy and we have encountered some fairly severe bugs such as rebooting the phone several times, without necessarily a particular reason. We will also note freezes at certain times when the processor or the memory were overstretched.

Multimedia performance at the rendezvous, although…

If there is one area in which this Optimus 2X should stand out, it is multimedia. And it's true that compared to a Google Nexus S, it's day and night.

If we put aside the music application which has not undergone major changes and whose sound is unfortunately not sensational (it's still a smartphone). The video application, although basic, is able to play files in DivX, H.263 and MPEG-4 format, all up to 1080p! For purists, we regret the lack of support for MKV while its direct competitor, the Galaxy S can read it, on the other hand the Optimus 2X supports subtitles in SRT, which will please some people.

Thanks to its micro HDMI output, it is very easy to connect your smartphone to your TV and the result is more than convincing! The smartphone switches to "mirroring mode" and displays everything on the screen directly on your TV (images, videos, games, web pages, etc.), with the addition of 1080p resolution, all with good fluidity . We are starting to get closer to the smartphone as powerful as a computer somewhere.

On the gaming side, needless to say, this is where this Optimus 2X exploits the full potential of its Nvidia Tegra 2 processor. To start, you will need to download a dedicated Nvidia application, Tegra Zone, which will allow you to easily access optimized games. At the time of writing these lines, there were only a few available but it gave us a good overview of the device's performance. The most greedy 3D games and even those in flash are really fluid. Developers just need to take the trouble to develop a little more on Android in order to offer more optimized games. For those to whom this will speak, we get up to 2613 in the Quadrant benchmark. Impressive!

In terms of Internet browsing, nothing to say either, although under Android 2.2, the Optimus is slightly faster in pure browsing and on the other hand handles dynamic content such as Flash much better. We are far from the time when we tried to have a Flash experience with the Google Nexus One or the Samsung Galaxy S.

Finally, last important point, it concerns the photo and the video. We can say that we were quite disappointed with this Optimus 2X. Despite an 8 megapixel sensor with video recording up to 1080p Full HD, the result was not at all up to par with its most direct competitors. Even if the device was of the reactive type and has many options, the results obtained are quite disappointing with most often dull photos, rendering not always clear and this, for both photos and videos. , indoors or outdoors. Don't worry, it's not catastrophic either, but when you see what the competition is offering, LG should have offered a similar result and put a little more attention to it.

Sample pictures

Sample 1080p video

But he calls anyway?

Obviously yes and fortunately, the telephony part of the LG Optimus 2X is ultra classic, as we told you, LG just offers a little "polish" to the basic interface but we find the features offered by basic Android .

The listening quality is quite good, as for the reception, it is correct although we suffered some unexplained disconnections. Problems with the phone, Android or simply the operator, we can't tell you, but it's not a big deal!

Average battery life

To end this test, here is the moment to announce the autonomy of such a phone… You may have thought that with a battery of only 1500mAh and a dual-core processor, the Optimus X2 would last only half a day? Well no, with a fairly extensive use of the smartphone (push mail, web browsing, social networks, games …) we manage to have a good day, as for the Google Nexus S in fact. With normal use, two days is almost possible. LG has therefore managed to optimize its phone without having to boost the battery, even if it would not have been a luxury!

On the other hand, if you play a lot with games for Tegra 2 or if you watch a lot of non-optimized videos, needless to say that the autonomy may drop drastically.

Conclusion

In the end, LG finally released a smartphone worthy of the name (design, finish, features) after more than a year of crossing the desert. Even if the Optimus 2X is not free of bugs, it is nonetheless the fastest and most efficient terminal of the moment, especially with regard to multimedia (web, video, games, etc.). Offered around 100 euros with a subscription, the LG Optimus 2X should satisfy more than one with its performance despite a somewhat limited autonomy when you really push it. Let's especially hope that LG will keep its word with a quick update to Android 2.3 which should really benefit it and make it one of the “must haves” of the moment.

Positive points: -Ergonomics / Speed ​​-Finish -Hardware and performance -Native DivX/Xvid compatibility -HDMI output -Capacity

Cons: -Android 2.2 -Minimal package to purchase -Autonomy -Camera -Design