GSMArena.com GSMArena.com

Tip us

1.7m
126k
RSS

EV

Merch

Log in

Login

I forgot my password
Sign up
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Videos
  • Featured
  • Phone Finder
  • Deals
  • MerchNew
  • Coverage
  • Contact
ADVERTISEMENTS
GSMArena team, 12 May 2011

Black and bright


LG Optimus Black review: Black and bright

  • Comments (78)
  • User reviews
  • Optimus Black P970

9. Conclusion
  1. 1. Introduction
  2. 2. Unboxing, 360-degree spin, display
  3. 3. Design and construction
  4. 4. User interface: Android 2.2 Froyo with LG Home
  5. 5. Phonebook, telephony, messaging
  6. 6. Gallery, music and video player, audio quality, FM radio
  7. 7. Camera, connectivity, web browser
  8. 8. Organizer, social networking, Android Market, Google Maps
  9. 9. Conclusion
  10.  
  11. LG Optimus Black P970 specification
  12. User opinions and reviews
  13. Review comments (78)

LG Android Touch UI

Final words

The LG Optimus Black is not the brightest bulb in the LG Android portfolio. Fair enough, it has no problem with authority. It claims to have the brightest screen on a phone to date, and that’s a good enough selling point.

The Nova display is among the best LCD screens on the market. The performance aspects aside, the technology favors extra slim phones and that’s a great advantage for the Optimus Black. It’s a real looker of a phone and impressively well-built too. For solid smartphone feel and subtle but classy look, they don’t get much better than the LG Optimus Black P970.

Feature-wise, it’s nothing spectacular but we knew all the way the Optimus Black wasn’t getting the premium flagship treatment. It’s the same package that Samsung offered a year ago with the original Galaxy S. Users won’t be disappointed though. There’s solid connectivity, complete with Wi-Fi direct and hotspot capability. 5 megapixel stills and 720p video are good enough, a 2 MP front-facing camera with video-call support a welcome addition too. The LG Home launcher is at times better than TouchWiz. Our main gripe is the OS version – the Optimus Black will have to wait for Gingerbread.

LG are having quite a franchise out of the Optimus – spreading across Android and Windows Phone 7 ecosystems. The Black makes itself comfortable in the upper midrange but safely away from the dual-core hustle and bustle. It’s not exactly the season’s high-end smartphone but Android fans would be wrong to ignore it.

As for the potential rivals, the Optimus Black will have to look at its own family first. The Optimus 2X is just too powerful to ignore. As befits a flagship, it outperforms the Optimus Black on all accounts but it will set you back a hefty sum.

LG Optimus 2X
LG Optimus 2X

The Galaxy S II looks like the smartphone to beat currently – and the Optimus Black’s well out of depth here. The original Galaxy S is a viable alternative though. It will be SuperAMOLED against Nova Display, and the latest Android tipping the scales slightly in Samsung’s favor in an otherwise pretty tight game.

Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II
Samsung Galaxy S II

HTC will be looking to upset the Optimus Black with the the Desire S and the Incredible S. It’s a very similar spec sheet and comparable performance. The things to note are Gingerbread on the Desire and the 8 megapixel still camera on the Incredible S. Oh, and there’s Sense UI too . And we gotta say, the Incredible S has one of the best screen HTC has come up with lately.

HTC Desire SHTC Incredible S
HTC Desire S • HTC Incredible S

Sony Ericsson have the XPERIA Arc and the Neo to challenge the Optimus Black. The Arc has the massive Reality Display to show off. Both handsets run the latest Android Gingerbread and have solid imaging credentials.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ArcSony Ericsson Xperia Neo
Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc • Sony Ericsson XPERIA Neo

It would be unfair to compare the Optimus Black to the new generation dual core phones. But it’s not a phone to write off either. It gives LG a boost in confidence and that’s more than welcome, considering the highly competitive bracket it falls in. Both HTC and Sony Ericsson have recently updated their droid lineups, and Samsung are busy churning out Galaxy S spinoffs. The Optimus Black has a key feature to market itself on and looks classy without overdoing it.

9. Conclusion
  1. 1. Introduction
  2. 2. Unboxing, 360-degree spin, display
  3. 3. Design and construction
  4. 4. User interface: Android 2.2 Froyo with LG Home
  5. 5. Phonebook, telephony, messaging
  6. 6. Gallery, music and video player, audio quality, FM radio
  7. 7. Camera, connectivity, web browser
  8. 8. Organizer, social networking, Android Market, Google Maps
  9. 9. Conclusion
  10.  
  11. LG Optimus Black P970 specification
  12. User opinions and reviews
  13. Review comments (78)

Reviews LG Optimus Black reviewPage 9
  • Comments (78)
  • User reviews
  • Optimus Black P970

Phone finder

  • Samsung
  • Apple
  • Huawei
  • Nokia
  • Sony
  • LG
  • HTC
  • Motorola
  • Lenovo
  • Xiaomi
  • Google
  • Honor
  • Oppo
  • Realme
  • OnePlus
  • vivo
  • Meizu
  • BlackBerry
  • Asus
  • Alcatel
  • ZTE
  • Microsoft
  • Vodafone
  • Energizer
  • Cat
  • Sharp
  • Micromax
  • Infinix
  • Ulefone
  • Tecno
  • Doogee
  • Blackview
  • Cubot
  • Itel
  • TCL
  • Panasonic

All brands Rumor mill

ADVERTISEMENTS

Related articles

  • Report: Meta partners with LG for $2,000 VR headset coming in 2025
  • LG Display to get larger share of iPhone 15 Pro's LTPO OLED displays
  • The LG StanbyME Go puts a screen and some speakers inside a briefcase
  • Samsung to start buying OLED panels from LG for its TVs
ADVERTISEMENTS

Popular reviews

Motorola Edge 40 Neo review
Motorola Edge 40 Neo review
OnePlus 11 long-term review
OnePlus 11 long-term review
vivo V29 review
vivo V29 review

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

BMW i7 xDrive60 review BMW i7 xDrive60 review Honda unveils its electric conceptsVolvo teases its first EM90 electric minivan
ADVERTISEMENTS

Home News Reviews Compare Coverage Glossary FAQ RSS feed Youtube Facebook Twitter Instagram

© 2000-2023 GSMArena.com Mobile version Android app Tools Contact us Merch store Privacy Terms of use Change Ad Consent Do not sell my data